In our last blog, we discussed the fact that today’s consumer expects immediacy. We used the examples of Netflix and Spotify as online examples of replacements for such brick and mortar store locations as Blockbuster and HMV respectively. When people want movies and music, these days, it’s buttons they press and not stores they visit.
No matter what type of business you own, it’s important to consider just how quickly you’re able to respond to customer queries. A 2014 Lithium Technologies study found that the majority of consumers go online to request help for a product or service – and they expect fast responses. According to the findings, two-thirds of respondents expect same-day responses to their online requests, while 43 percent expect responses within an hour.
Don’t underestimate the importance of your accessibility.
At MeloTel, we believe that such survey results speak to an extremely important element of business success: being available when your customers need you. Technically speaking, that means being available 24/7. Now, it goes without saying that no one can be expected to work right around the clock. However, as Andrew Tillery explains on SmallBizClub.com, providing 24/7 customer service will give you an edge over your competitors.
“Think about it,” he insists, “If someone calls your company outside of normal business hours, but they can’t reach you, they simply call the next business on their list until someone picks up and fills their need. Not only did you just lose out on making a new sale, but you also just handed a new customer to your competitor. Ouch.”
How can you avoid having your customers opt for your competitors?
Make it known to your customers that your business prides itself on providing expeditious customer service. Your brand’s speediness should be a well-known part of its arsenal. With that, you can be given some leeway in not being available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. However, it’s vital that you stick to your word and return calls and emails within a business day.
“Partner with a call centre and they can provide you with a virtual receptionist who learns your account and is available to take calls for your business whenever you prefer,” advises Tillery, “This keeps your costs low, but enables your company with the ability to be available 24/7 to assist your customers and bring in additional revenue.”
MeloTel would love to help you be more accessible!
Not only do our VoIP-based Commercial Phone Services provide you with the option of using an Auto Attendant, but its wide range of features make it a lot easier for you to provide your customers with the quick service they’ve come to expect from businesses nowadays. Among those features is Voicemail to your Email which sends your voicemails to your email inbox as mp3 files.
That way, you’re able to check and store your messages on any device of your choice! The feature has been known to help business owners vastly improve customer satisfaction. For information about any and all of our cloud-hosted services, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-MELOTEL or use the Live Chat feature on our website!
