Here at FreshBooks, we spend a lot of time on the phone. We have our toll-free number clearly displayed on our website and as a result, I often find myself talking with our potential and existing customers. Focusing only on email support and avoiding phone calls can save time, but it can also be a big mistake as you could miss out on valuable information.
As Michael mentions on the forum:
“Time on the phone with customers is GOLD. I expect people will spend more time with you asking about your company, not the product (i.e. how long have you been around, why did you build it) in an effort to reassure themselves that you are trustworthy. For the record I see personally support as an asset, not a cost. It’s pretty much falls into our marketing bucket because it leads to referrals and improves the customer experience so those who call are likely to be long term customers.”
Speaking with your clients on the phone is not only about answering questions, but finding more information about your clients. Building these relationships with your client helps both parties understand each other better as well as promote a community.
TIP: A good contact us page in addition to a clearly displayed phone number is key to building trust and getting in touch with your visitors.
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4:12 pm
I like the statement about considering your phone/support costs as a marketing expense. We feel strongly about that at our company. You want your customers calling and interacting with you.
One helpful way to think about this is how we can easily demonize that we’ve never met. Think of Al Frankin or Rush Limbaugh (depending on your political bent). You may think of them as unintelligent monsters, but after a personal lunch with them, you may think that they’re both alright people with terrible views in politics.
My point is that a person is not a person until you’ve talked to them. Email does not cut it.
One final note: Don’t put your newest hires on the phone, or if you must, provide them with extensive training about not only your products, but also your company and the stance you are going to take on different issues. For example: how much troubleshooting are you going to do before replace the customer’s system? How do you properly apologize for mistakes? How do you handle feedback and where is it stored and who reviews it? How long have we been in business and what do we pride ourselves in?
All of your customer facing activities are ultimately sales activities.
12:08 pm
[...] and I was often forced to hold the phone in between my head and shoulder to keep my hands free when speaking with clients. This resulted in my painful experience described [...]