We’ve become so accustomed to the wired-in (and wireless) life – Facebook for talking to friends, Google to find businesses, Amazon to go shopping – that sometimes we forget the benefits of live interaction over electronic experiences.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of voicemail hell – the endless loop of prerecorded messages and “press 1” commands that can frustrate and eventually repel customers who have detailed questions or need the reassurance of a real person to address their concerns.
If your customers fall into the category of time-stressed or discriminating, perhaps it’s time to consider customer service that goes a step beyond voicemail.
Is your company guilty of these four customer service mistakes?
- Voicemail reliance. Voicemail can streamline some customer service processes, but if your customers are the kind who have more specific questions than that typical menu can handle, consider a live operator or representative to take the incoming calls and route them as appropriate.
- No operator option. If the only telephone contact is via voicemail, a confused or frustrated caller can quickly become a former customer. Include an option to speak to a representative during normal business hours.
- Slow follow-up. If a caller has no other option than to leave a voicemail message, timely response is vital to fostering customer satisfaction. Your reps or other associates should call back with answers within a day – within an hour is even better!
A maze of prompts. A huge menu of voicemail options gets confusing for callers. Especially if your customers are older (hard of hearing) or otherwise not comfortable with long lists, trim the options to a reasonable few, and use a live person to handle other needs.
