Don’t Wait to Return That Email!
Last week I wrote about an article I read reporting that business in the United Kingdom lost 70 billion pounds (or 30,000 pounds / $47,000 PER BUSINESS) due to slow response to customer phone calls. What I didn’t mention in that article, and was pointed out to me by reader Katie (Thank You!) is that today there are other ways customers make contact with us – through email, our websites and social media.
And being responsive to customers via the electronic media is just as important as over the phone, maybe even more so because people using the web are used to instantaneous information. They can shop their favorite stores anytime of the day or night. They can search Wikipedia or WebMD or other information sites anytime. That doesn’t mean you have to monitor your email 24/7, but it does mean you need to keep an eye on it during business hours. If you can’t, assign the task to someone in your organization who can. I especially encourage you to check email first thing in the morning – for those night owls who sent you a query at 2:00 AM – and last thing at the end of your day, to be sure you’ve not missed anyone.
If you are a solo-entrepreneur, what to do? I recently bought my first smart phone. I chose a Droid because it has a real keyboard, as well as a touch screen one
With a few exceptions, I am now able to check my email wherever I happen to be. If I am in meetings, teaching a class or having lunch with a friend, I am still able to check email every 1 to 2 hours, and respond in a timely fashion. It is better Customer Service and it relieves my stress because I know I am staying on top of what needs attention. Plus, when I do get back to the office, I don’t have dozens of emails to get through, just the few that have arrived in the past hour or so.
I should mention that not all emails can be answered immediately. That is OK. But what is important is that you acknowledge receipt of the email query and give the sender some idea of when you will get back to them with the requested information. Emails do get lost in cyber space. It is important to let the sender know their message was received - even if you there is nothing for you to do. A quick “got it” or “thanks” or “back to you in a week” is a show of respect and consideration for the other person.
I lump website queries in with email, because in my experience, that is how the system sends them to us – as an email. Social Media however is completely different. By its nature, social media seems to demand 24/7 monitoring. But for the small business that is just not realistic. What to do?
I suggest scheduling some time every day to check the social media channels you are on (and that your customers are on). Tools such as HootSuite, Tweetdeck, TweetAdder and others can also assist by gathering information into one central location for you. Like your email, check your social media first thing in the morning and at the end of the day.
I would love to hear from you on how you deal with the challenges of staying on top of your electronic communications without becoming obsessive about it Please post your comments below.
And being responsive to customers via the electronic media is just as important as over the phone, maybe even more so because people using the web are used to instantaneous information. They can shop their favorite stores anytime of the day or night. They can search Wikipedia or WebMD or other information sites anytime. That doesn’t mean you have to monitor your email 24/7, but it does mean you need to keep an eye on it during business hours. If you can’t, assign the task to someone in your organization who can. I especially encourage you to check email first thing in the morning – for those night owls who sent you a query at 2:00 AM – and last thing at the end of your day, to be sure you’ve not missed anyone.
If you are a solo-entrepreneur, what to do? I recently bought my first smart phone. I chose a Droid because it has a real keyboard, as well as a touch screen one
With a few exceptions, I am now able to check my email wherever I happen to be. If I am in meetings, teaching a class or having lunch with a friend, I am still able to check email every 1 to 2 hours, and respond in a timely fashion. It is better Customer Service and it relieves my stress because I know I am staying on top of what needs attention. Plus, when I do get back to the office, I don’t have dozens of emails to get through, just the few that have arrived in the past hour or so.I should mention that not all emails can be answered immediately. That is OK. But what is important is that you acknowledge receipt of the email query and give the sender some idea of when you will get back to them with the requested information. Emails do get lost in cyber space. It is important to let the sender know their message was received - even if you there is nothing for you to do. A quick “got it” or “thanks” or “back to you in a week” is a show of respect and consideration for the other person.
I lump website queries in with email, because in my experience, that is how the system sends them to us – as an email. Social Media however is completely different. By its nature, social media seems to demand 24/7 monitoring. But for the small business that is just not realistic. What to do?
I suggest scheduling some time every day to check the social media channels you are on (and that your customers are on). Tools such as HootSuite, Tweetdeck, TweetAdder and others can also assist by gathering information into one central location for you. Like your email, check your social media first thing in the morning and at the end of the day.
I would love to hear from you on how you deal with the challenges of staying on top of your electronic communications without becoming obsessive about it
Please post your comments below.
Posted by TC-Heidi at 4/11/2012 9:00 AM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Customer Service Business Building Customer Care Customer Retention Email Communication SoloEntrepreneur Email
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Customer Service Business Building Customer Care Customer Retention Email Communication SoloEntrepreneur Email
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