Thanks for stopping by, be sure to subscribe to my blog for a FREE gift and include my RSS feed.

In our society of today, getting customer support is as simple as sending an email, opening an online chat window, or making a phone call. Despite the lack of face-to-face contact, there is still a lasting impression made on the customer. Did the person on the other end appear competent and caring or did they come across short toned and annoyed?

The future is here for customer service. Technology makes seeking out support faster and easier than ever before, but are digital age companies sacrificing true service with automation?

Offering outstanding service on the Internet is not hard, but it can be rare.
There are a few simple steps that can be followed to provide good “old fashioned” service in a modern fashion.

Provide Each Person with a Personal Response

Notice the word “person” and “personal“. We must not forget that there are people at each end of this line of communication – whether it is a computer, a phone, or a drive up window.
People elect the email option because their time is limited and it is a quick solution, but they still want to be satisfied with a personal response.

Many times companies trying to cut every corner to save money, take automated customer support beyond acceptable limits. Each customer has a unique situation and a unique question. They deserve an equally unique answer to their problem. Even if time is saved with a stock response altered with a “copy” here and a “paste” there, it will still oftentimes come across very stale and robotic.

You Can Be Clear and Be Sincere

It is perfectly acceptable to be clear and to the point, but be sincere in your response also. Think about how you would feel if you were in the customer’s shoes and dealing with the same problem. be empathetic to their situation. Answer the customer they way you would want to be answered. Go that extra little mile to give the customer the help they need and deserve. It could mean the difference between a happy customer and a lost customer.

Always Offer Live Customer Support

While e-mail has become an standard form of communication, live customer support is still necessary in many situations. The overwhelming information available on the Internet can scare some customers who are not as technically savvy as others.

Live customer support will make your company stand out from your competition and will create trust and loyalty among your customers. Sometimes people have exhausted all of their online options and just need help from a real, live person.

Make Sure Answers Are Available

The only thing more frustrating to a customer who needs live support is live support that doesn’t have a clue how to resolve the issue. It is great for a customer support rep to be warm and friendly, but they have to be knowledgeable too.

The customer has more confidence in the company when they can talk to someone who knows what they are talking about.

Provide Outstanding Service to Have Lifelong Customer Loyalty

Too many companies hide behind web sites and message boards to save a buck, skimping on the customer service. Companies need to understand that customer service is an integral part of the business and will contribute directly to the bottom line. Customer service is Key!

Bed bugs! Yikes! The seem to be

It was heard on the news but it’s just so hard to believe!

Seriously? So now we have to worry that, while we are sleeping, these little creepy, crawly vampires are going to get under the sheets and suck the liquid life out of us.

Are we going to bring one home from a movie theater? a retail store?

I love watching the HBO series True Blood, but I am not to keen on the idea of these little parasites coming into our home uninvited.  I had to check to see if any areas of Fort Worth had been hit. Of course! The Fort Worth Housing Authority is evacuating over 200 residents in an apartment complex near downtown Fort Worth.

As much as I enjoy them… I think I am finished with garage sales and estate sales for the summer. The thought of Bed Bugs hiding in furniture or seams of clothing pretty much ends the purchasing fun for me.  Travel or stay in a hotel right now? No way!

I think my head is itching just writing this and my dog is scratching from watching me scratch.

Hmmm… Having said that… Maybe there are no bed bugs…. maybe it is all power of suggestion.

My advise… Buyer Beware or Dare to Be Bitten!

An advantage unused is a disadvantage

Newfoundland dogs are good to save children from drowning, but you must have a pond of water and a child handy, or else there will be no profit in boarding a Newfoundland dog. ~Josh Billings