Recently, Traci wrote about ways to “charm” customers and provide good customer service. Reading her blog reminded me how I pretty much divide the business world into two camps—those who return telephone calls and those who don’t! I absolutely appreciate the former.
I live in the laid back Pacific Northwest, and about ten years ago, I started to notice that folks just stopped returning phone calls. I don’t know if it was because of e-mail (I also appreciate having e-mails acknowledged and returned), the advent of voice mail for everyone and everything, or what influenced the change, but it no longer became customary to return calls. So, when someone returns my phone calls promptly and happily, I am totally impressed. After I’ve left a couple messages and have received no phone call back, I start to get pretty crabby and ready to take my business elsewhere.
I don’t even mind the whole “phone tag” phenomenon that has become the norm with the advent of voice mail. I can actually get quite a bit of work done with the sharing and swapping of voice mail messages. I know that some people get quite aggravated and really just want to talk to a live body to save time and the opportunity for miscommunication—but I’m okay with voice mail. At least the other party is calling back and making the attempt to connect. It’s the ones who don’t acknowledge or return the calls in the first place that gets my blood boiling.
So, if I could add a little amendment to Traci’s article, I would say, return those phone calls and acknowledge e-mails—there’s a very good chance your customers will be impressed and loyal! And who knows, the call you don’t return or put off returning could be a big sale or a big opportunity.