Friday, 3 September 2010
Messaging Systems and why you must Listen
Monday, 5 April 2010 at 10:03, Ian Gilyeat, Chief Marketing Officer - I.R. Gilyeat & Company
Messaging systems have broad implications for your business.
They are likely in use in multiple areas of your company. Customers interact with your employees via telephone, email, fax, instant messaging, text alerts and even social networks. You may be using the phone and email for billing notices, collection notices, pricing alerts, reservation confirmations, inventory notifications, customer service, event invitations, webinars and who knows what else.
You have messaging systems everywhere…
Some of these systems are in-house with your IT team and some may be outsourced to an interactive marketing agency, a collection agency or some other partner.
However, you must know what you have and how your company interacts with customers. If the above list doesn’t sound familiar, then it’s time to look closely at the technology and services that are at work in your company. Your customers will thank you.
All too often, companies lose sight of their customers. They become numbers and disappear into the background. Messaging systems can help your customer stay in the forefront of your business. Through proper use of messaging systems you can strengthen your abilities to talk to customers AND listen to what they have to say.
Every messaging event is an opportunity to create a two-way conversation. When companies take advantage of these opportunities to engage with customers, both parties win.
Let me illustrate: My company does business with GoDaddy, a large hosting provider in the United States. They provide domain names, hosting, email, basic analytics, web site applications and a number of other services. Whenever I call, whether it is to buy more services or whether it is to get technical help with an application, they frequently send me a customer survey.
The survey is generally focused on the agent that helped me. They ask four or five simple questions and I usually provide feedback – but not always. If they ask too often I get irritated with them. If they don’t ask often enough, then they miss out on an opportunity to improve their service and listen to what I have to say.
The point is, they frequently ask for my opinion. It is not a random act of curiosity. Rather it is a planned, systemic effort to improve service, demonstrate that they are interested in meeting my needs and build loyalty.
This is the reason why you must have a messaging system. You must consciously observe and decide how you will consistently and methodically listen to your customers. They pay for your goods and services.
If you want your customers to continually buy from you, listen to what they have to say. Listen… and then make your products and services ever more compelling to satisfy their wants and needs.
Email the writer: i.Gilyeat@alrroya.com
They are likely in use in multiple areas of your company. Customers interact with your employees via telephone, email, fax, instant messaging, text alerts and even social networks. You may be using the phone and email for billing notices, collection notices, pricing alerts, reservation confirmations, inventory notifications, customer service, event invitations, webinars and who knows what else.
You have messaging systems everywhere…
Some of these systems are in-house with your IT team and some may be outsourced to an interactive marketing agency, a collection agency or some other partner.
However, you must know what you have and how your company interacts with customers. If the above list doesn’t sound familiar, then it’s time to look closely at the technology and services that are at work in your company. Your customers will thank you.
All too often, companies lose sight of their customers. They become numbers and disappear into the background. Messaging systems can help your customer stay in the forefront of your business. Through proper use of messaging systems you can strengthen your abilities to talk to customers AND listen to what they have to say.
Every messaging event is an opportunity to create a two-way conversation. When companies take advantage of these opportunities to engage with customers, both parties win.
Let me illustrate: My company does business with GoDaddy, a large hosting provider in the United States. They provide domain names, hosting, email, basic analytics, web site applications and a number of other services. Whenever I call, whether it is to buy more services or whether it is to get technical help with an application, they frequently send me a customer survey.
The survey is generally focused on the agent that helped me. They ask four or five simple questions and I usually provide feedback – but not always. If they ask too often I get irritated with them. If they don’t ask often enough, then they miss out on an opportunity to improve their service and listen to what I have to say.
The point is, they frequently ask for my opinion. It is not a random act of curiosity. Rather it is a planned, systemic effort to improve service, demonstrate that they are interested in meeting my needs and build loyalty.
This is the reason why you must have a messaging system. You must consciously observe and decide how you will consistently and methodically listen to your customers. They pay for your goods and services.
If you want your customers to continually buy from you, listen to what they have to say. Listen… and then make your products and services ever more compelling to satisfy their wants and needs.
Email the writer: i.Gilyeat@alrroya.com
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