Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I agree with the spirit of the discussion, but not necessarily the
conclusions.

I think that auto-response to be an extremely effective CS tool, it just
requires a little effort.

Think about your personal responses for a moment – there really isn`t
much variance between one and another is there? Just some customer
specifics, for the most part, right?

The problem with most automated responses is that the copy is usually
an afterthought, or some placeholder copy that never went away; and as
such, they feel cold.

A little marketing and messaging expertise can change all of that. And
the transition from dealing with a website to dealing with the site
operator can and should be seamless (and in a good way; not like the site
that started the discussion. /pages/community/smileys/smiley2.gif )

ty

I have a turn-key business for more than 10 years and it uses auto-response. This assures an immediate response to the customer. However, I also send a follow-up message thanking my customer by name and listing the product, "I am sure that you will find your spices...". I use a simple template I created.  

Since most of the products are low-cost, anytime I get an order over $100, I send a small inexpensive thank you gift along with a monthly sale catalog. Consequently, I have a large repeat customer base. (fingers XX`d that it will stay that way) 

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Vannie

Work & Family @ BellaOnline.com
Vannie at Twitter

I agree immediate auto response is the key to let the customer know their
order was recieved. But from there I like the personal aspect of it. And
yes, each personal response can be quite different. Many of our
customers ask us questions in our comment section or have specific
requests for cards or notes. Addressing these comments and letting the
customer know how their order was handled, I believe gives them a
comfort level of knowing they are dealing with an actual person. Anyone
that purchases regulary from our site knows that they are dealing directly
with me. Because of this many customers just send me emails ordering
and just telling me to charge their card.

The problem I see with large companies not doing this is they don`t feel
the need to bother, but really a large company should be able to afford
someone to handle customer service in this way also. I will hire
employees to do packing and shipping and continue to let my customers
know I will take care of them.

But after writing this, and thinking about it, it`s really because that`s what
I like to do. I like People.

So, tylonius, what did you mean by your comment? Is there something I
need to learn from you?? There`s always room for improvement if you
have any great suggestions.

Y`know what`s missing from a lot of these discussions on customer service? The whole idea of Thinking Ahead, Initiative, and Anticipation.

Remember that great character Radar, on M.A.S.H.? He was apparently telepathic, and could anticipate everything. It was the exaggeration that brought in a fine and subtle form of humor.

It shouldn`t be "good enough" that the business has met the customer`s needs. Excellent customer service should account for unstated or unrealized customer needs. For example, Kathy had another situation.

In this case, a customer ordered a banner. That`s all they thought we could provide, and we could have met that need. But in the course of talking about the deadline for a party, the customer happened to mention in an offhand way that they were running all over the place trying to find invitations that went along with a signal flag theme.

Instead of shrugging and saying, "Yah, you must really be busy," the customer service entered the picture. We offered to design a themed invitation, which not only brought in additional revenue from the sale, it elevated the customer`s appreciation of the business well beyond "good."

Listen to the customer. Read what they write in emails, or listen to their side comments in phone calls. How many other opportunities lie just below the surface?

Listen to your customers. Read what they write. How simple it can be to
provide excellent customer service!

You are SO right Craig. I`ve always felt that in person it`s a little easier to
provide that, by showing a customer that you are listening and taking
care of their needs, showing them that you care, or just by simply
smileling, and having a great attitude.

There needs to be a little more effort to give them that type of treatment
when your store, or service is online.

Great job Kathy! I`m sure they were more than thrilled, with the service
they recieved!   

Thanks Janie,

They were really happy and they have told several people about our business and  said they would recommend us highly. They also said they would send more business our way.

I think it is important to listen to the customers. Big and small. Really like this thread.

Kathy


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That`s another crucial part: "big or small."

I don`t know how many times I`ve encountered business people who treat "important" customers one way, and small customers "in passing." It`s ridiculous. How can you decide who`s important and who`s not? How do you "pre-know" which customer may be a close friend of Oprah or Bill Gates? You don`t.

Treat every customer as if they were the Chief of Staff at the White House, and "assume" that whomever you sell something to, they have the ear of the world`s richest people.

While we are talking about online customer service here, I have to bring up customers service at places like Wal-Mart... does a company ever get "too big" to offer great customer service?

My recent visits to Wal-Mart have really proven to be disappointing from the customer service aspect. It made me wonder how long they can survive with poor customer service. It seems like they just don`t worry too much about pleasing customers any more. :P

In fact, they thought they were going to crush a local grocery store when they came into town recently, and they quickly found out that because that grocery store offers carry-out to customers` cars and personal service in the store, the prices aren`t always the final word.

Two things go into being "too big" to offer great CS, in my opinion. The first is that the head honcho for customer service has budget constraints imposed on the department by the executive management. The second is the dwindling pool of thinking human beans.

Aldi food stores pays $16/hr. and turn away applicants for their basic jobs by the droves. They can be extremely selective in who they hire because it`s a very good wage. As a result, they have tremendous customer service, fast checkouts, clean stores, and good stock supplies.

Most other big stores try to get away with just above minimum wage. And so they end up hiring idiots. At Loewe`s the other day, we checked out with a teenage girl. The bill was $3.23 and Kathy pulled out a five dollar bill.

A minute later, she found three $1 bills, and I told her I had 23-cents, exactly. She handed them to the girl, who grimaced and said, "Oh....but I`ve already put in $5.00."

We told the girl to just give us $2 back. But she was very worried and starting to get anxious. She said she`d "trust us," and we handed her $5.23 exactly. She gave us back our $2, but was huddled in a corner gnawing her fingernails and shivering when we headed out the door.

There`s nothing innate to size that affects customer service. It`s only the level of commitment on the part of management.

Hey, you Big Spender. :) 

I agree, it`s all in the management. I feel that way, about Restaurants.  It`s not "just" that she`s a lousy waitress.  With the right management in place, she wouldn`t be,  or.....wouldn`t be there.   

And if a "big company" doesnt have good management in place, How Silly is That? But it happens a lot.