HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
December 2003

Hello!

Superb customer service is key to make loyal advocates out of your customers.

Customer Servings focusses on value-adding customer service articles, a Customer Service e-zine delivered free to your mailbox every month!

In this issue:

1. Article: Taking care of Business E-mail
2. Test of Intuit Track-It! help desk software
3. Book Review: Make Your Site Sell! 2002 edition
+ STOP THE PRESS! 4. Customer Service Point.com info

Taking care of Business E-mail

Looking at the incoming stream of calls I see a growing trend of email communication.

Most companies have a protocol for handling telephone calls, but taking care of business email is clearly underestimated. I have assembled 12 tips you can use directly to improve how you or your company is handling email.

It's my version of "12 days of Christmas". Same tune, different song :-)

1. Keep your customer in mind
As with everything you do, keep your customer firmly in mind: Is this info appreciated? Is the tone of voice appropriate for this customer? Could the customer be offended? It is best to place yourself in front of the customer, as if you are face-to-face, talking to each other. Choose your words wisely. Format your email professionally.

2. Canalize your business email streams
Customers are emailing you for many different reasons; they may have a sales question, or just wants some info, or have a complaint. By creating different mailboxes for the different streams customers can help you by selecting the most appropriate mailbox for their request. And they will do it, if you tell them that it will speed up the process (for them).

3. React quickly (within 8 hours)
Email is a fast medium. Customers expect a quick reaction when they use email. Same day response is the ABSOLUTE minimum, but to make a good impression you should make every effort to react within 8 hours. All the time. No exceptions.

4. Use auto responders
Don't make customers guess whether the email they sent has arrived at your company. Make use of auto responder technology to send a confirmation immediately.

5. Choose your subject wisely
Customers are getting lots of email every day. They scan the subject field and from field to see what's of interest. So make sure your subject line attracts the customer, and doesn't look like a load of SPAM. So, do not use ALL CAPS or overuse exclamation points!!!!

6. Proper salutation
Think of your customer: would he rather be greeted with "Hi Erwin!" or "Dear Mr. Steneker"? Don't fall in the trap of the fact that email feels informal. Choose a salutation that fits your customer.

7. Spell the customer's name correctly
OK, I know this is an open door, but so many folks don't take the time and effort to properly spell the name of the customer. And a misspelling puts down customers FAST. Think how you feel when your name is spelled incorrectly.

8. Introduce yourself
Remember tip #1? You have to put yourself in front of the customer. So what is the first thing you do when you meet a customer? You introduce yourself! Don't let your customer guess who he is "talking" to.

9. Format your email
Email is mostly read on screen, so format your email accordingly. Use short sentences and plenty of white space. Also make sure that your text lines are a maximum of 60 characters wide, otherwise they may strangely be truncated, with one or two words flowing over to the next line.

10. Emails and Emotions
Emails are notoriously bad for conveying emotions. If you feel it is appropriate for your customer, you can make use of so-called emoticons. Emoticons are combinations of letters and punctuations that are designed to show emotions. Here are some examples (Note that you have to tilt your head left to see it):

• :-) Smile
• :-P Extending tongue
• :-( Sad
• :'-( Crying
• :-D Big smile
• ;-) Wink
• 8-) Cool
• *<||:-{)} Santa Claus

Also, if you are upset about something, for instance you are receiving an email with a lot of swearing and other inappropriate language (in other words, you are flamed), don't react immediately; wait a while to clear your head, so you can react professionally.

11. Spell check every mail you send
Email with spell checking errors is not only very annoying, they are very unnecessary. Every good email package offers a spell checking function. Most of them offer the possibility to do it automatically before sending. Do yourself a favour, and use it.

12. Don't SPAM(!)
Once your customer has contacted you, you've got hold of his email address. You may be tempted to use it to send other mails, perhaps to bring something to his or her attention. Even though the info may be totally on target for your customer, I urge you not to do it. It is called unsolicited email, also known as SPAM. Most customers do not think lightly about spam, it's a sure killer if you're trying to build up a relationship with your customer. Don't do it. Don't spam.

Intuit Track-It! Help desk software test

Intuit is very well known for its Quicken® program for Personal Finance and online banking, but they have acquired Blue Ocean software Inc for Information Technology Solutions, who are offering the Track It help desk software solution.

Intuit’s Track-It! is the best help desk software of packages I’ve tested so far. It’s speed, reliability and ease of use, is only surpassed by its extensive functionality portfolio. It’s the first package to make it to my prestigious (ahem!) "Best Help desk software" list.
***** I give Track It Help Desk Software 5 stars out of 5.

Check out the complete test report:

Intuit Track-It! Software test

Book Review: Make Your Site Sell! 2002 edition (MYSS!2002)

MYSS!2002 is actually 4 e-books in one:

• The Main volume (802 pages) explains concepts as thumb nailing your customer, and finding and getting your Most Wanted Response (MWR). It shows that it's all about the customer. Mmm, LOVE that!
• The volume on Traffic (451 pages) offers strategies towards getting traffic to a site, and the role of search engines.
• The 3rd volume is on Products (77 pages). The main portion of this volume is a 16-point checklist for any product you sell.
• Finally, the Store volume (90 pages) is very insightful with strategies how to best setup an online store.
• It is all complemented with a glossary, index, and Table of Contents.

Author Ken Evoy M.D., a Canadian physician, has learned the ropes selling his own method / software package for investing in penny stock. Now he's the teacher, and he shows that the basis for any successful business is knowing the customer. And he does so in a very readable, enjoyable style.

With over 1,500 pages, MYSS!2002 takes the term OVERdelivering to a whole new level. It's great value at less than $30. I highly recommend it.

Click here for MYSS!2002 site

STOP THE PRESS!

It previously sold for $30.

I decided to make it available to you, my valued Customer Servings subscriber, through my website. It is great stuff for anyone who uses, or plan to use, e-Bay and other Internet Auctions to sell stuff. It may even bring you some extra monthly income!

It's an e-book in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, so you'll need the free Acrobat Reader to read it.

So here it is, as an early Christmas gift (use right click and save): Make Your Net Auction Sell! (2 MB)

CustomerServicePoint.com Info

However, I've decided to remove that segment altogether. It just wasn't a good fit with the e-zine's theme. Sorry for that.

We're expecting!
My wife, Marjan, is expecting our third child in January next year. What a great way to start a new year!

It also means that I won't be able to do a lot of work on the site. Maybe I can't send out Customer Servings in time. Just so you know!

Happy Holidays!
The year is almost coming to an end, so I wish you, and your loved ones Happy Holidays. I hope that everything you wish for comes true in 2004!

And remember:

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Customer Servings is the monthly e-zine for www.customerservicepoint.com, your resource on improving customer service.

Customer Servings is for you!

If you have any suggestions for subjects you would like to see in future issues, or have comments in general on Customer Servings or Customer Service Point, please e-mail me at customer_servings@customerservicepoint.com.

I welcome your remarks!

(C) 2003, Erwin Steneker