By Nancy Friedman, Founder & President of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training, and Keynote Customer Service Speaker
Every business has a phone and every phone has someone answering it – eventually, in answer to those who are going to say: “what about the automated attendant?”
What company doesn’t want to deliver a better customer experience?
Not sure anyone will disagree it starts with the first touch of a customer. No matter what channel of communication you use.
It’s not rocket science, it’s plain old common sense. And it can start with any of the 6 touch points of customer service. NOT just a phone call. When you talk about the ‘experience’ you’re talking about everything. NOT ONLY ONE THING. You’re talking about EVERYTHING.
Here are six touch points of communication and a few ways on how to get it right the first time.
Email – There is an art to a great email and delivering a great experience in this channel. Spelling and correct grammar is a key component.
Voice Mail – Have you ever called your own cell phone or office phone to hear what your customers hear on the message? It’s an eye-opening experience and normally needs to be ‘rerecorded.’
Snail Mail – Right, good old USPS. When was the last time you wrote a handwritten thank you note to a customer? Trust me, the handwritten note has not gone out of style.
Telephone – The most used (and often abused) instrument in a business for efficiency. And so taken for granted. Most people are undertrained on the proper techniques to make the great experience a reality.
Fax (remember those?) – You probably have one in the office. You just might not use it often. (Like the treadmill in your bedroom that’s used to hold clothes.) It is, however, still a viable part of the EXPERIENCE.
Face-to-Face – Smack dab in the middle of it all. Your FACE is the best and often the only barometer of the experience. You don’t need to be Mrs. America or Mr. GQ, but you’ll notice they all do SMILE.
Oh, I did leave out CHAT for those that use it.
Chat – Normally, it usually ends up with a phone call.
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