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TECHNOLOGY for BUSINESS Is Silence Golden?
Brent Leary
Imagine a potential
customer taking time out of their schedule to call you about your offering. You
ask them what you can do for them, and they give you a detailed description of the information they are looking for. Instead of answering their question you say nothing.
They wait a minute for a reply – positive or negative – before giving up.
That clicking sound you hear next would be the phone being hung up. A
prospect has turned into a disgruntled witness willing to tell everyone of your lack of customer service. Months ago I came across an interesting website
for a magazine I had never heard of before. It appeared to be the kind of publication
I’d be interested in reading, but had not seen stocked in the local bookstores or newsstands. I wanted to read an issue before investing in a subscription. I
emailed my request for a free issue following up on a website offer. Unfortunately,
I’m still waiting for a response.
Too Proud To BegNo matter how good the magazine
may be, I’ll never know as I refuse to beg anyone to take my money. Few things are more irritating than being ignored.
Besides my inquiry, how many requests unanswered?
Prospects ignored? Money left on the table? I don’t know many companies
who can afford to alienate customers (and prospects) by not responding to their needs.
Customers want to know they are valued, so any time they choose to interact with your company it is imperative for
you to respond quickly. In this highly competitive climate, building customer loyalty is key to revenue growth. Companies focused on their customers have implemented strategies to make sure inquiries from prospects do not go unanswered. Website inquiries are automatically routed to the right individuals handling that product or service while automated responses are sent to inquirers. Many have implemented customer self-service via the web, allowing customers the ability to find answers on their own.
How Much Does It Cost?The last few years many products
have become affordable to small businesses. Customer relationship management
suites are now being created specifically for them. These applications make it
easier for organizations to implement a more customer-centric strategy, allowing for better customer service and building
loyalty among customers. Products can be bought for as little as $20 per month. The better question to ask may be how much is it costing your organization not to
invest in creating loyal customers? Satisfied or Loyal?Loyalty goes way beyond customer
satisfaction. A satisfied customer isn’t necessarily loyal. Satisfied customers tend to be more susceptible to special offers from competitors, but loyal customers
stick with companies they feel have their best interest at heart. I’ve
been guilty of switching long distance providers on several occasions because I didn’t feel any allegiance to them. But when one provider proved to be responsive to my needs I stayed put. In essence, short term perks from competitors do not outweigh the trust and goodwill between a loyal customer
and “their” vendor. So take the initiative and let your prospects know you are interested in them. Treat your customers like you want to be treated when you’re the customer. Building a loyal customer base can lead to a long-lasting relationship, keeping your competitors at arm’s length. Silence may be golden, but it ain’t profitable!
About the Author: Leary is a partner with CRM Essentials, a customer relationship management consulting/advisory firm assisting companies to formulate and implement profitable customer-focused strategies, including sales automation, web self-service and marketing automation. He can be reached at bleary@crm-essentials.com or www.crm-essentials.com. |
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