Supporting your Customers

It’s awlays tricky to know when to stop replying to emails, I kinda have a rule in that I always like to reply to emails, some people I know don’t, they feel email has to be limited, cut down and reduced to it’s minimum.  I agree.

But when it comes to customer or client support – where does it end?  Let’s say you you request some information about a product you’ve brought, anything a Toaster for example.  So you ask your question, they reply – well do you then Thank them?  They’ve done a good job, in the real world you’d almost certainly thank them.

So assuming you do – then you get an email back saying – ‘no problems, have a nice day’… is that I good time to stop this email banter?  You can imagine some people might well carry this on inadfinitem. It might even develope into a friendship.

So when should you stop.  It’s rude to not to thank someone, so I usually do.

But now look at this from the other side… you’re a company servicing your clients, they ask questions, you give the answers… now what do you do if they thank you?  Do you fill up their inbox with a ‘have a nice message’ or not.

I think you should… I am sure this question should be put more succintly than I am able to, but maybe it should be rephased – who has the last word?

I think the company should… The main rule should be All Enquiries Should End With a ‘Waiting on Customer’ note.  If we make that the main rule we fulfil all obligations to our customers and therefore are giving good customer service.

Obviously some intelligience is required to prevent it getting out of hand… and messages can be final in tone, but that I mean your final message to a client should be constructed so as not to warrent a reply.

Now back in the real world.  You feel it, at least I do, when the company I am requesting information from, thanks me for my thank you message, that makes a mark.  It works equally when they don’t I notice it.

I notice it because of the contrast in support from those that do make the effort.  I notice it because some companies do thank me for my thsank you and do wish me a nice day, therefore by contrast I notice it when they don’t.

The message here is this.  Regardless of your own preferences on this ultimately minor matter – if you want your customer to go on being your customer, then you need to make the extra effort.  It will be worth it.  Hard as it is to always reply to your customers emails no matter how trivial – it will be worth it in the end.

If you care to differ, please do let me know.