Online Customer Service... Do it well or die.

Online Customer Service... Do it well or die.

There are some fundamentals in marketing anything,
ONline or OFFline.

EXCELLENCE in customer service ranks very highly on this
"must do" list... and digital marketers ignore this
fundamental rule at their own their peril.

Why is it that some digital marketers think that the
basic rules of marketing only apply to the OFFline world?

Excellence in customer service has ALWAYS been one of the
tenets of a successful business. It has always made the
difference between an average business and an extraordinary
business.

For example, examine the success of a major, international
hamburger chain. Do they sell the best hamburgers in the
world?

No, they don't. However, one thing they've got completely
right - and this company spends huge amounts of money
training its staff to get it right - is customer service.

This company treats the customer service aspect of its
business with the respect it deserves...and this is one of
the primary reasons its become an international chain.

It has a Customer Service FORMULA.

So, how does this piece of information about an
International Hamburger Restaurant chain relate
to you and your web based business?

MULTIPLE effects X 10

Very simply it's this. Webmasters need to pay very careful
attention to the elements that create business success
in an offline world, and recognize that in the digital
world the critical aspects of offline business success
have just compounded the game tenfold.

So, is there a FORMULA for ONline Customer Service?

Well, yes there is... I've just made one up :-)

T.. R.. U.. T.. H

T=TRUTH creates trust.
Tell the truth at ALL times. Unless you're an e-sociopath
you'll forget your lies anyway. So, why bother?

R=RESPONSE, automatic.
Always have an automatic - "Thank you for your query. We
will respond in person within 24-48 hours" - type message in
place. This is VERY easy and inexpensive to set up.

The most sophisticated value-for-money auto response system
on the planet can be found at:
http://hyperTracker.com/go/WEBpro1/PAR/

U=UNDERSTAND that a query means an opportunity.
The person emailing you has a problem.

If you treat this person well you have an opportunity to
create a life-time customer who will actively promote you
and your business.

This type of advertising cannot be bought. It's called
Goodwill. Treat it like Gold, because it is.

T= TIMELINESS of a response from a Human Being.
Whatever you've said you'll do in your automatic response,
do it.

H= HELPFULNESS. If you have a web business, then you're in
the HELPFULNESS business. It comes with the territory.
.......................................................

REMEMBER THIS - Your sole purpose in business (ONline or
OFFline) is to solve people’s problems, excellently.

Solve their problems well and you'll have a vibrant,
lucrative business. This is called excellence in customer
service.

Remember this - Your customers are only one click away from
another web site, and its products.

Do ONline Customer Service well, or die.

Kenneth Doyle - e*Analyst
http://www.feedyourhungrymind.com

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