I was reading an article by Jakob Nielsen on Website Response Times, when an odd thought crept into my the edges of my awareness. What if we applied these comments to communication response rather than browser response?
When a user clicks on a link in their browser they expect the browser to respond by fetching the page and rendering it in the browser window. Not only do they have an expectation that this event will occur, they have very definite expectations about how the event will occur.
They expect the returned page to be the one they clicked on. They expect the page to be rendered rapidly. And, they expect the page to be rendered well.
Jakob points out in his excellent article, two of key reasons for the need for speed is: 1) As we wait for response the inevitability of short term memory erasure causes us to suffer the decay of information. 2) We like to feel in control of our destinies rather than subjugated to the whims and control of something else. And when companies make us wait instead of providing responsive service they seem arrogant or incompetent.
These comments work equally well whether talking about response time from clicking a url on a web page or or a customers communication through email, phone, or what have you.
When a customer contacts you it is important to do the following:
- Reply promptly.
- Reply in a fashion they recognize as related to their question.
- Reply well.
It is more important to reply promptly then correctly. If you don’t have the answer to a customers question, or if you know you cannot give the customer the answer they want, still reply quickly. Even if it is only to say, we got your question and will answer it soon.
Within the first sentence of the first paragraph you need to say something that tells the customer you “got” their question. If you do not in some way duplicate back to the customer their question, they may think you did not receive the original question. Or, they may think you are too stupid to understand the question. Or, worse yet, they may think you have no regard for their question as written — and by extension, no regard for the customer. So at best you will look incompetent, and at worst you will look callous and uncaring.
And it is important that your response is rendered well. Start with spell check and grammar check. But, don’t stop there. Actually re-read your response to see it from the perspective of the customer. Is the answer well handled. This will reflect significantly on you and your company. Unfortunately you have more opportunity to lose points than to gain points. Customers expect a well formulated response. So if you answer well, that is par for the course — no extra points for doing your job as expected. But, if you respond poorly, you will lose points big time.
All of these points make sense, and have been covered before separately — and perhaps even together. The thing which struck me today was a new rationale for why this makes sense. It goes beyond following protocols that have been proven in the past to have good results. It gets right down to the meat of the matter.
These suggestions are made because they 1) Get back to the customer at a time when they still remember why they wanted to contact you in the first place — while it is still new business. And, 2) It allows to feel in control rather than subjugated to your whim.
When the customer initiates communication they are predisposed to communication — maybe not purchase, but certainly communication. You have their interest, and you have their attention. Having a customer’s attention is paramount. Without it nothing is possible. So act while you have that attention.
Allowing the customer to maintain that sense of control will keep thing flowing. Make the customer feel like they are at your whim and under your control and you lose their willing participation. You might be able to trick them to do what you want in any case. But it is so much better to have a willing participant in any interaction.
If you are the kind of person, or the kind of company, that allows the customer to have a sense of control, you will go much further — and have a better time getting there.
You will note, however, that I have been careful to say “allow the customer a sense of control. It is possible to control the flow of communication and get your business done while allowing the customer to feel empowered.
And this brings me to the something I was hoping to communicate. I know businesses want to do their business. If they are in the business of selling cars, they want to sell cars. If they are in the business of selling cable services, they want to sell cable service. But, here’s the thing. If they just change how they do their business they can contribute to the healing of the world and still do business.
It is totally possible to sell cable service and deliver that service without at the same time making the customers feel powerless and at the whim of uncaring forces over which they have no control and can expect no mercy. I believe there is a model of business that will still get the job done and treat the customers with dignity.
The simple act of treating customers with dignity could go a long way toward healing the deep wounds from which so many suffer. I know this runs counter to the abusive “me: tyrannical feudal lord” and “you: serf” attitude so prevalent amongst power possessors in our corporate culture. Still it would be nice.