What Ever Happened
to Personalized Service?
-- by Angela Wu, http://www.onlinebusinessbasics.com
-- http://www.redtienda.com/english/newsletter46.htm#1If you've ever
written to a company that over-uses automation or
form letters, you'll understand the feeling of
teeth-gritting *frustration* with canned
responses that don't even begin to answer your
question.
It's
especially aggravating when you just can't seem
to find a real human being to talk to. Inquiry
after inquiry is greeted by an automated robot.
Yet more
and more online businesses are using
autoresponders to save time. And I can see why;
they're wonderful tools. These special email
addresses can be set up to send out 'pre-written'
emails and save you from a lot of manual work.
For
example, autoresponders can be used to deliver
advertising rates, email courses, reports, free
chapters or trials or your eBook or software. You
can also use them to send out your sales letter
and a series of automated follow-up messages.
They're
extremely versatile ... and a great way to free
up your time, keep in touch with your prospects,
build credibility, and increase sales.
BUT
autoresponders are only *tools*. They cannot -
and should not - replace the personal touch that
only a real, live human can provide.
Face it:
the Internet is a vast, cold place. No one likes
to feel like 'just another faceless entity'. Here
are a few situations where a personalized email
can work wonders ...
1. Your
Prospect Sends You a Specific Question.
If your
prospect opens up your autoresponder message and
hits 'reply', that reply should go directly to
*you*. Take a few minutes and specifically
address your prospect's question or concern.
She's interested enough to write to you;
shouldn't you be eager for the opportunity to
convert her interest into a sale - and possibly a
loyal customer?
2.
Thank-You Letters.
Oh, I
understand that businesses that process a lot of
online orders cannot possibly send every single
customer a personalized thank-you note. It's just
plain impossible.
However,
small tokens of appreciation can go a long ways.
For example, send a quick thank-you note to your
repeat customers.
Another
time you want to send a personal thank-you letter
is when you receive a testimonial. You've
obviously done a great job with your product! Why
not use the opportunity to build customer
loyalty? A simple, personal note reinforces her
positive feelings about her purchase - and about
*you*. Remember that word-of-mouth advertising is
some of the best free promotion available ... !
3.
Replies to Comments and Suggestions.
It is
absolutely maddening to write to someone with
constructive feedback and receive a response
like,
'Dear
Friend,
Thank
you for your comments. We appreciate each and
every one of them.
Regards,
Customer Care Staff'
To me,
this shows a distinct and utter *lack* of regard
for the customer.
Address
the comment or suggestion directly. Call the
customer by her name. Sign your own. In other
words, treat her like a real *person*! It's so
simple, and I can assure you that your customer
will appreciate the effort.
4.
Requests for Help or Joint Ventures.
Part of
your success online depends on your ability to
build relationships -- not just with your
customers, but with your 'online colleagues':
other webmasters or editors within your own
niche.
A few
seconds of your time could mean the difference
between a joint venture proposal that gets a
response, and one that's ignored. Instead of
sending out a generic email that says,
'Dear
Webmaster, I was just visiting your site and
was very impressed. Would you be interested
in a joint venture?'
... try
something more personal, such as,
'Hi
Heather, I was just browsing yourdomain.com
and saw that you offer international gourmet
coffees (I especially love your sampler
pack!). I also run a website for coffee
lovers, and was wondering if you'd be
interested in a joint venture...'
Okay, so
maybe I'm 'old-fashioned' when it comes to
service. But automation, to me, has its limits.
Nothing can ever take the place of prompt,
personal service! Try it - you'll be pleasantly
surprised at how many people genuinely appreciate
it.
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