How to Provide Instant Customer Service

Customer service is an essential component of any business. Clearly, if you work alone your business thrives on good customer service. But what if you run much of your business online? How do you provide excellent customer service 24 hours a day seven days a week? Here's an idea which is working for me.

One of the challenges of an online business is having constantly available support - especially if you are a small business or a self-employed, lone worker. People want instant answers. They expect replies to emails in the same working day. Many people seem to want even more rapid replies.

However, most technical support and customer support call centre staff will tell you that something like eight out of every ten calls are about the same concerns. If you run your own online business, you'll probably discover too that many of the customer service requests you get are generally about the same difficulties people are having.

I looked at the calls and emails I was getting about my online information products and realised that there were eight common questions which I received from customers who had purchased an ebook from me. Naturally, in trying to provide good customer service I contacted each individual and dealt with their concerns. Each time I was able to ensure that I retained their custom. But the problem was it was taking me time.

So, here's what I did. I set up an email which contains the answers to all eight questions. Then I created a new email address which is included in all my sales receipts. I ask people who have any questions or concerns about their purchase to send their question to that special email address. Of course, the special email address is an autoresponder. What happens is that as soon as someone has sent in their question, they get an immediate reply. Because the reply contains answers to almost all the support questions I get, it is usually instant customer satisfaction. Plus it means I don't have to spend time on the query.

The autoresponder repeats the subject of the customer's email within the text, making it look more personal. Also, because I get a copy of their incoming email I can see whether their question is answered within the autoresponder message. Usually it is. I can then send an email asking if they need more details or if their question has been answered. But I don't have to do this straight away. That's because the autoresponder has provided a good level of customer service.

So, using an autoresponder can provide high levels of customer service, helping you maintain customer loyalty.

If you want to see my autoresponder in action, just send an email to: support@grahamjones.biz

Graham Jones is a psychologist who has specialized in the way we use the Internet. He is an expert on information products and runs Infoselling.com where you can get a FREE report on how to sell your own infoproducts.

http://www.infoselling.com

---

Customer Service Is More Than Just Being Nice To People

Many organizations tackle to the issue of customer service by... Read More

Passing the After-Sales Test

Some time ago a major UK food retailer decided to... Read More

Writing The Book On Great Customer Service

Q: One of the big chain bookstores recently opened up... Read More

Listening: The Foundation of Communication

Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer... Read More

Customer Service For Huge Profits

Customer service is the most vital asset for Business either... Read More

Find Out Where Your Firm Stands in Today?s Customer

Looking For Ways to Improve Sales and Customer Relationships?Find Out... Read More

Create a Positive, Upbeat, Can-Do Workforce and Dazzle the Customer with Your Caring!

Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee... Read More

Why Cant Microsoft Make Soft Packaging?

Why is it that Microsoft wants you to buy its... Read More

Minimize The Pain of Check Recovery

$350 million in bad checks are written each and every... Read More

Increase Sum in Your Check Account with Follow-Ups

We'll be examining what makes follow up to prospects/customers so... Read More

Customers - Hold Onto the Ones Youve Got

You probably spend a great deal of your time looking... Read More

Tips for Curing Bad Customer Service

Bad customer service is everywhere these days - unmanned front... Read More

Customer Service: Why Bears Make Bad Customers

Every business owner should have a picture of his or... Read More

4 Myths about Customer Value

The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More

Setting Up a Customer of the Week Program for a Mobile Car Wash

In a mobile detail or mobile car wash business you... Read More

Turning Customer Mistakes Into Raving Fans

When you make a mistake with a customer, should you... Read More

Customer Service A Chickens Way

Anyone who knows me knows my favorite fast food restaurant... Read More

The Death of the Loyal Customer

One of my classes in management focused on the repeat... Read More

The Added Value - Is YOU!

If there was a restaurant in your town that was... Read More

How to Walk the Floor and Talk to Customers

This may seem a strange topic to introduce. Yet, it... Read More

Do You Want More Profits? - Follow The Golden Rules Of Providing Good Customer Service

Last night I was at my computer and a Skype... Read More

Your Actions Tell Your Clients How You Expect To Be Treated

There is a widely accepted principle of human behavior that... Read More

Establishing Yourself as an Expert in the Eyes of Your Customers

The most important aspect of a successful business is developing... Read More

4 Customer Service Mistakes Companies Should Avoid Making

1) Being placed on hold endlessly. Don't you just love... Read More

First Contact: The Source of Customer Loyalty

With customers being smarter, more cost conscious, more product knowledgeable... Read More

Customers - What They Really Want - 6 Secrets of Customer Service

What customers really want can be divided into two areas.Firstly... Read More

Managing Your Business When One Client Takes Alot of Your Time

How often has your schedule been thrown out of whack... Read More

CEM Can Improve Customer Loyalty

'A 5 percent increase in customer retention increases profits by... Read More

Customer Service Is Dying - and Im Not Feeling So Good Myself

Have you ever called a company and been greeted with... Read More

Who Says the Customer is Always Right?

We all know the old adage, "The Customer is Always... Read More

In the Villa of the Sick Cat -- A Lesson in Customer Care

If you're a pet owner, you know the stress of... Read More

CRM - Its Relevance

In today's demanding economy, the first line of any business... Read More

A White Paper: Profiting with Kindness

In 2002, there wasn't much interest for Kindness in business,... Read More