Customer service is an essential component of any business. Clearly, if you work alone your business thrives on good customer service. But what if you run much of your business online? How do you provide excellent customer service 24 hours a day seven days a week? Here's an idea which is working for me.
One of the challenges of an online business is having constantly available support - especially if you are a small business or a self-employed, lone worker. People want instant answers. They expect replies to emails in the same working day. Many people seem to want even more rapid replies.
However, most technical support and customer support call centre staff will tell you that something like eight out of every ten calls are about the same concerns. If you run your own online business, you'll probably discover too that many of the customer service requests you get are generally about the same difficulties people are having.
I looked at the calls and emails I was getting about my online information products and realised that there were eight common questions which I received from customers who had purchased an ebook from me. Naturally, in trying to provide good customer service I contacted each individual and dealt with their concerns. Each time I was able to ensure that I retained their custom. But the problem was it was taking me time.
So, here's what I did. I set up an email which contains the answers to all eight questions. Then I created a new email address which is included in all my sales receipts. I ask people who have any questions or concerns about their purchase to send their question to that special email address. Of course, the special email address is an autoresponder. What happens is that as soon as someone has sent in their question, they get an immediate reply. Because the reply contains answers to almost all the support questions I get, it is usually instant customer satisfaction. Plus it means I don't have to spend time on the query.
The autoresponder repeats the subject of the customer's email within the text, making it look more personal. Also, because I get a copy of their incoming email I can see whether their question is answered within the autoresponder message. Usually it is. I can then send an email asking if they need more details or if their question has been answered. But I don't have to do this straight away. That's because the autoresponder has provided a good level of customer service.
So, using an autoresponder can provide high levels of customer service, helping you maintain customer loyalty.
If you want to see my autoresponder in action, just send an email to: support@grahamjones.biz
Graham Jones is a psychologist who has specialized in the way we use the Internet. He is an expert on information products and runs Infoselling.com where you can get a FREE report on how to sell your own infoproducts.
I will not make sales. I will make Customers.I will... Read More
The President of a 200+ store division of a major... Read More
In 2002, there wasn't much interest for Kindness in business,... Read More
The world of customer service is rapidly changing. Thirty years... Read More
Like any business, carpet and upholstery cleaning requires excellent customer... Read More
Every customer you have is a word-of-mouth advertiser for you.... Read More
At 8.30 am a wealthy client (on his way to... Read More
What I am about to tell you may seem very... Read More
The best way to explain this concept is to tell... Read More
Do you need greeters or should you avoid them? That... Read More
Millions of people, just like you, end up with a... Read More
Two situations, two perfectly acceptable experiences, but in one case,... Read More
1. Tis the SeasonRecognize that everyone is frazzled during the... Read More
If you were a customer on the telephone with a... Read More
I got it into my head sometime in December 2004... Read More
"Thanking your customers" - Why you should do it and... Read More
A couple of years ago I had a call from... Read More
Nobody likes to get complaints. They make you question your... Read More
The salesman's job is to be well informed; extremely well... Read More
Loyal customers are the foundation of almost every business. Going... Read More
"Right, People. Let's blast out that mail campaign we've been... Read More
Q: In a recent column you made the point that... Read More
Q: I just discovered that for the past six months... Read More
Dr. Michael LeBoeuf, in his cassette album entitled, Win... Read More
Sales is tough to get right, and depends on retaining... Read More
The salesman's job is to be well informed; extremely well... Read More
Walmart was the first business to require all its employees... Read More
Your opportunity to build a stellar client relationship starts with... Read More
There are two kinds of customer service we all experience... Read More
It's just a simple thing ? I bought a new... Read More
As Alan Weiss (guru to the savvy consultant) says: "It... Read More
In this day of terrible customer service, it should come... Read More
Would you like to have customers that stay with you... Read More
One of the basics of acting taught to me in... Read More
When you make a mistake with a customer, should you... Read More
In today's demanding economy, the first line of any business... Read More
Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More
What is one of the greatest ways to add value... Read More
When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More
Over the last month, I have come to hate emails... Read More
Another sad fact of life is that these days, very... Read More
1. Don't get Hooked !!!When people behave towards you in... Read More
I wish I had a nickel for every time someone... Read More
Some businesses have slow paying customers or past due balances... Read More
If you were a customer on the telephone with a... Read More
Which is more important the technology or the customer?The one... Read More
Nobody likes to get complaints. They make you question your... Read More
This morning I was having breakfast with my good friend... Read More
As an entrepreneur, I'm always intrigued by small businesses, home-based... Read More
You probably spend a great deal of your time looking... Read More
Customer Service Customer Service |