Recommended reports
State of Social Report 2011
Econsultancy's State of Social Report, produced in partnership with LBi and bigmouthmedia, is the most comprehensive study of its kind around the strategies, tactics and websites companies are using to harness social media for marketing, sales, customer service and other business objectives. The research, based on a survey of more than 1,000 companies, benchmarks budgets, resourcing, measurement and barriers to success ... plus much more.
Alternatively, see our How We Shop in 2010: Habits and Motivations of Consumers or Reducing Customer Struggle.
Director at Teamspirit
14 June 2006 12:07pm
Perhaps it's just my experience but recently I've been finding the experience of setting up partnerships with companies very disappointing.
Email just does not seem to work. I've emailed search marketing outfits and had no response whatsoever. I've contacted desktop application providers who email back once and then just seem to lose interest and other partners who just never bother to respond at all. Leaving phone messages has the same result.
It strikes me that the reliance on technology has replaced good basic customer service.
Yet there are good companies out there. While I haven't named the poor (they don't deserve the publicity) people at Dynamic Logic, Enpocket, Silverpop, Hitwise and Foviance deserve a round of applause for being efficient and professional.
Is it just me or are digital companies just pants at customer service?
Director at LiaiseOnline Limited
14 June 2006 20:26pm
I guess it's a factor of:
how many people are trying to make contact x who is available to take the calls x do they need the business x what your proposal is x the weather x a zillion other things.
What makes us think that the email has got through, that the receptionist has finished talking to her boyfriend about what Jack & Jill did at the weekend.
When I have the resources I will employ a granny to take the reception. Because she'll care about customer service. In the meantime they get me or my wife. She is far more professional than me... I'm the emotional one. People ask too many questions or, more inappropriately, question my ability to be brilliant in my space and I'll push them away... not great customer service but it means that my day is more enjoyable, dealing with people that believe in me.
About 2 months ago I did some prospecting. Gave a super special deal to someone. 2 weeks ago they asked why hadn't this and that happened and I explained part of the story. I then decided that they were expecting too much for the super specail deal I had given them and gave them a hard time.
I got off the phone and got a rocket from my boss. Why? Because the customer is always right.
I discussed this with a wise marketing chap and he advised that we both had expectations and an agreement in place. He was right but I was wrong to give him the discount.
As of 2 weeks ago you pay full price or I do it for free... there is no middle, questionable ground.
I have not checked your profile before writing this as I was planning on doing my own bit of PR but tend to get diverted. MIght I be so bold as to ask you to check your offering and see if it is of interest to business people... then consider the realities of life, that you are not the most important thing on their agenda at this point in time... allow a realistic 48 hours response... if they respond sooner then it's a bonus.
Sign up for www.tut.com, got this through this morning...
Next time you overhear someone say they're only human, Jon, be compassionate. But remind them it's only temporary. That before long they'll be able to see their wings again, speak in tongues and blaze trails through eternity upon chariots of fire.
Much more dignified than just smacking them on the bum.
Tallyho,
The Universe
Have a nice day... or evening... come on England!
Director at Teamspirit
15 June 2006 09:05am
Thanks for the contribution but I think its more a reflection of a reliance on technology over basic customer service. Auto emails are great but not if they are never followed up and ignoring repeated requests for information/pricing (a buying signal by any chance??) smacks of bad organisation and a lack of respect.
A recent word of mouth marketing event said that the strongest single guide to the future success of a business can be indicated with a positive answer to the following question
'how likely would you be to recommend client x to a friend/colleague' with a high score indicating a high probability of that company being successful.
In my experience a lot of digital companies are falling well short.
Director at LiaiseOnline Limited
15 June 2006 21:27pm