I´ve endured a couple of rather unpleasant customer service experiences of late at the hands of the folks who serve up the content of this website to your monitors.
I´m talking no communication when things go wrong; no advance warning of anticipated downtime; things like that.
When another company has influence over the success or failure of your own, you want answers. And when they´re not forthcoming, you cannot restrategise with contingency planning.
Everyone has suppliers, so you can imagine how frustrating these experiences have been for me. In one instance this site was literally off the air for over 24 hours, after I was initially told (after sustained prodding) it might be just a couple.
- So your supplier lets you down.
- The inevitable ´domino rally´effect kicks in and your customers feel the pain.
- Eek.
- But, and here´s where your magic comes in, you´ve managed to play alchemic intermediary and through superb focus on connection and communication, have intervened in what could be a bit of a disaster by keeping your paying bosses fully briefed on developments. Every step of the way.
I can´t stress enough the importance of connection. Of customers informed about anything that could affect their reliance on your services and products.
I also know from experience how negatives can quickly be turned into positives by effective communication, despite inevitable pain.
Good morning, Mr Jones. I´m really sorry but we won´t be able to return your car today because the parts have not arrived as promised.
You could stop there. Or you could carry on.
However, to mitigate the delay we would like to offer you use of a complimentary vehicle. We can arrange to have this at your house this morning. Would that be an acceptable compromise.
Little cost, massive benefits to the customer relationship. And if your supplier is a faithful provider then he too may consider mitigating your outlay. If not, infer the way you would act.
Don´t be a FatCow. Be a Top Cat, and leave your customers laughing like hyenas.
On a side note I´m taking delivery of a Zoom H2 voice recorder soon. I´ve been slacker than a pair of fat man´s pants on the sonic front and all that´s about to change. In a big way.
Watch this space!