Great customer service is something you never forget. Recently my wife and I tried a sauce, Hissho Japanese BBQ Sauce. It was delicious so we wanted to buy more when the bottle ran out. Unfortunately we could not remember where we got it. So my wife sent an email to the company and asked them where she could buy their product in our area. Well, first off the company marketing person wrote back immediately. A very good sign, that this company cares about customer service. They told my wife where can buy the product, and mailed us two bottles and a T-shirt. (All of this was free of charge) We were so impressed that not only will we continue to support this company, we will tell everyone the story. Their great customer service gained a customer for life, and perhaps more due to our recommendations. (and my blog post :))
I always tell my clients, you may not be the biggest, you may not even be the best, but you can always give the best service. That is a lesson I learned a long time ago in this business. Answer emails right away. Don’t make people wonder whether you’re going to help them, let them know, and reassure that you are there and willing to help. For my business this what separates me from my competition. I answer all emails the same day, and if possible complete support requests the same day as well.
People appreciate great customer service. They are quick to refer you to friends and associates. No matter what you do for a living, this is something within your control. You can beat larger competitors by providing better service. I would pay more to do business with a smaller company that provides better service rather than a big faceless corporation with outsourced customer service.
While we have been lauded for great website support, I really think it comes down to 5 simple rules I follow. (…and so should your website management company)
Answer all support requests the same day. Respond back to your clients quickly. Waiting days and weeks is unacceptable. Even if a request will take days to complete, let clients know you are on the job.
Use a ticketing system. Support tickets that are opened automatically when a customer emails a certain address are best. Then clients can track progress.
Test and backup. No matter how simple a change is, make sure you check your work. And if a change is major, take a full backup first. you will save you and your clients agita down the road.
Ask questions: If you don’t 100% understand what your client is asking for, ask questions. Your work will be more accurate and you will avoid re-work.
Let a client know you are done. (or close the ticket with a note) You would think this would be a no-brainer, but I have heard of companies that will make a change and not even let the client know.
While it is true that we close 99% of requests the same day, this isn’t possible for every company. But every rule I mentioned and follow is doable for every company. If your website management company doesn’t follow these simple rules, contact RooSites today.
