Online Customer Service - Part 1

This episode is the first in a multi-part series that will look at the current trends and some of the newer methods to communicate online, especially for use in customer service or sales. Of course, that would be current for when I'm writing this. :) Just over a year ago, I wrote an article on Online Customer Service, and my main points were:

1. Think and act big - make sure you give as much attention to emails from current clients needing support as you do to potential new business.
2. Archive - make old articles or documents available for download perhaps as PDF files.
3. Give your customers options - make sure your customers and potential clients have more ways to contact you than a voice mail labyrinth or an email address; you might want to use discussion forums or newsgroups to make your company more available.
4. Distribute the work - use separate email addresses for sales, support, and returns (for example). If you have enough people in your business, make sure each one goes to a different person so they can specialise and focus. If it's really just you, make sure you can tell when each one comes in what it's about so you can decide which gets your attention first.
5. Find out how you are doing - create an online survey users can fill out to tell you how your company, service, and website are doing.

Now we look at customer service and online communications from a new angle by expanding on number 3 - your options. They are increasing and evolving, and there are tools out there you should strongly consider using to make things easier for you, your business, and potential and current clients.

We'll Call You
          A new web-based service out there promises that you'll be called (yes on the actual telephone) by the company whose site your browsing when you want to be called. Just fill out this form and the next available agent at the time and date you request will call you. I seem to have lost my link to a company I found that does this, but consider it an unintended gesture of benevolence. :) To me, this service makes NO sense for the animal we know as the web. To me, the web is based on instant gratification AND the attempt to capitalise on the momentum of a user on your site being interested in your product or service NOW. They all know how to pick up a phone and call you, but probably won't since they are online and would probably email you over hanging up off the Internet, picking up the phone, and getting to know your voicemail maze.

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