Communicating with Customers

Technology with Integrity 

By Tim Torian, Torian Group, Inc.

Leverage Technology to make it easy for your customers to talk to you.  Ideally every interaction your potential customers have with you is a positive one.   When they call, email, or go to your website, or walk in the door, you want to give them a consistent experience which exceeds their expectations.  Simple things can make a big difference, often without much cost.  Identify how customers will try to reach you, and what they may expect.   Are they going to be calling for pricing? Directions?  Do you need to be able to pull up information on past transactions?  If your goal is to provide a personal experience, make sure they reach a person.  If you are a sole proprietor, make sure they get you rather than your answering machine or (worse yet) a menu.  Use call forwarding, or set up Google Phone to allow you stay in touch.  Take advantage of phone services which integrate business lines, cell phone and forwards voicemail to email. Check your email and respond quickly, perhaps by having email on your cell phone. 

Make sure anyone who talks to or emails clients delivers the message you want to send by training your staff.  Test your website on friends, and make sure that it delivers what you want customers to get. Make it easy to reach you by having your phone number and address easily visible on the web.