Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I found a new feature that I just added to my site. Please go by and check it out , use it and let me know what you think.....
Just click the blue box on the top of the site and see what happens.
I`ll be waiting.............

http://www.rdbelectronics.com

Below is the text of an exchange from one of your recent "potential" customers. I post this only as an attempt to help you fine tune your customer service skills, not to make fun of you or ridicule you. Customer Service is so so IMPORTANT !! To give the impression, or to state that you are a "one man operation" defeats the purpose of an on-line store such as what you have. That is the beauty of e-commerce ... it is the ultimate leveler of the playing field. Small operations such as yourself, have the ability to present to your consumer of a much larger, professional organization. Don`t defeat that "perfect opportunity" by even suggesting or admitting that you are a one man operation.

Here`s the text ... (I`m assuming you are "Paul" ... Maverick is the "potential customer")

Session started at 5:38:25 PM
You are being connected with an operator...
 Maverick:
      I was wondering what credit cards you accept?
 (Apr 29 2006 05:40 PM) You are now chatting with Paul
 Maverick:
      I was wondering what credit cards you accept?
 Maverick:
      I was wondering what credit cards you accept?
 (Apr 29 2006 5:41PM) Chat Session has been terminated
 Maverick:
      hello?
 Paul says:
      Sorry, having some bugs over here. Still there?
 Maverick:
      yes
 Paul says:
      Good, sorry for the inconvience, We are currenly just accepting Paypal. We are working abtaining merchant accounts now.
 Maverick:
      can I pay by on-line check also .. or just through PayPal?
 Paul says:
      I do have a service called Qchex that I have used in the past. You go to a site and fill in your info and I can print a check from my printer here in the office. What item where you interested in?
 Maverick:
      MERIDIAN-COLORUSA
 Maverick:
      how long will it take to get? I`m in Taiwan.
 Paul says:
      I`m sorry, I currently only ship inside the continental US. My suppliers do not ship overseas.
 Maverick:
      ok., can you ship to Newport Beach, CA?
 Paul says:
      Yes, I can ship there
 Maverick:
      what would be the shipping charges? Can I have it shipped express?
 Paul says:
      For express shipping it would be $29.49
 Maverick:
      besides the 59.95 listed on your web site? or just 29.95 above the retail price?
 Paul says:
      I just looked at the item, that shipping price is incorrect, the total shipping would be $29.49
 Maverick:
      are there other errors on your web site?
 Paul says:
      I hope not......I will have to check everything. It may have just been a typo...
 Maverick:
      it say when i go to check out thatfor foreign orders shipping may be higher ... yet you say you dont ship outside the US ... which is it?
 Paul says:
      I do not ship outside the US.
 Maverick:
      then please correct that info... I dont feel comfortable with a business that does not have their act together.... are you just a 1 man operation?
 Maverick:
      you continue to say .. I this and I that ... I dont feel comfortable
 Paul says:
      Well, I understand If you don`t feel comfortable, but this is a new site and there will be bugs to work out.
 Maverick:
      am I talking to some company in India that is providing customer service for this site?
 Paul says:
      I would understand if you choose to purchase from someone else
 Paul says:
      No, I am in the states and this is my own website.
 Maverick:
      so u r a 1 man operation?
 Paul says:
      For the most part, but I do have other that help out with coding and other issues
 Maverick:
      ok ... bye
 Paul says:
      Have a nice day

Again, I do not post this a means of causing you any harm ... but more as a "training method" for you personally ... as well as others here at  SUN.

The concept is great of having on-line customer service ..., its just that you`ll need some training as to how to handle calls like this. I would like to see how others would have responded to "Maverick`s questions".

Let`s all pitch in and see if we can help.

Talk about being rode hard and put away wet...........LOL
I appriciate the learning experience TJG.
It was a good lesson to learn.......
I will be working on this also......

Glad that we could talk on the phone. Best of luck with everything. If there`s anything that my design team or I can do to assist in your venture, please don`t hesitate to ask.

I`m confident that I`ll " see you at the top" !!

Wilfred,

Excellent `Secret Shopper" report. You are to be commended for posting this report for Paul and all other SuN members to review. You make some excellent points and I know Paul will probably go back to the drawing board. Keep us posted on progress.

Constructive criticism and feedback are excellent learning tools.

Later - R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

RDB - bottom of your page, the navigation links (and some other text) is posted in the same color as the background, rendering it invisible.  You need to update the text color there so that it`s visible.

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chuck fuller

I think if I were Paul, I might have not let the initial exchange go on for as long as it seems to have.  Rather than being caught off guard by Maverick`s questions, I might have explained up front that there are some elements with the site that are being refined.  Then I would have recorded all of his concerns and asked if I could call him back with the correct information.

 I find that customers are often understanding about technical difficulties.

A script should probably be developed that outlines the answers to these questions.

 Or I might have waited to activate the site until more of these issues have been resolved.

Two other things I`d change.  The logo is much better but still bery fuzzy and homemade looking.  You can get a cheap logo done online for as little as $70 (www.logodesigncreation.com).  The logo should be a part of the overall design of the site...not an afterthought.  Try to come up with something that flows together. 

I would also recommend removing the border from the product images.  You don`t see that on sites like amazon.com.


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Ryan J StarPointe Marketing Website Development, Hosting & Marketing Consulting