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Sharpen Your Competitive Edge

Written by: Mickey Parsons

Article Overview: Although every small businesses is unique, each faces the same issues, including how to better manage customer relationships. Communication technology has made that easier — and a lot more complicated at the same time. Just having voice mail and a fax machine isn’t enough. Here are some high-tech etiquette tips that will ensure that you stand head and shoulders above your competition.

Sharpen Your Competitive Edge

Although every small businesses is unique, each faces the same issues, including how to better manage customer relationships. Communication technology has made that easier — and a lot more complicated at the same time. Just having voice mail and a fax machine isn’t enough. Here are some high-tech etiquette tips that will ensure that you stand head and shoulders above your competition.

Telephone

● Answer promptly (on the second or third ring if possible).
● Speak clearly and distinctly in a pleasant tone of voice.
● Start with a greeting and then state your company name and your name (Good morning, Cardinal Contractors. Lou speaking.)
●Remember: You may be the first and only contact a person has with your company, and that first impression will stay with the caller long after the call is completed.

Voice mail

● Make sure your message is brief and concise.
● Speak slowly and enunciate clearly so the listener can understand what you’re saying.
● State the date, time, and reason you’re calling. To minimize telephone tag, mention a good time to reach you.
● Always leave your full name and phone number, even if the other person already has your number.
● Recite the number slowly and clearly, including the area code. Then repeat it a second time so the other person doesn’t have to keep replaying your message to get the number.
● Your outgoing message should include your name, title and company name.
● Keep your outgoing voicemail message current. Update the message weekly or daily.
● When out of town, state in your message when you’ll be back, whether you’ll be checking in for messages, how to contact you, or who to contact in your absence.
● Remember: Voice mail can be a help or a hindrance, depending on your voice-mail etiquette.

E-mail

● Write as if you were writing a letter or memo. Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
● Answer all questions, and preempt further questions.
● Make sure your reply contains the message thread.
● Use templates for frequently used responses.
● Do not overuse the high priority option.
● Avoid attaching unnecessary files.
● Remember: Answer swiftly. Customers send e-mails because they wish to receive a quick response.

Fax

● Use a cover sheet that includes the following: the receiver’s name, number, and fax number; your name, your business name, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address; the date and total number of pages being transmitted; and a brief message explaining the fax contents.
● Unless requested to do so, don’t send lengthy documents via fax.
● Use at least 12 point type, and leave adequate white space to ensure readability
● Limit the use of dark colors, which increase transmission time; but do not use light colors for text because they may not be dark enough to register.
● Try to avoid color images and photos.
● Remember: Anyone can walk by a fax machine and see the fax you sent. If your information is sensitive, highly confidential, or of a legal nature, you may want to consider sending it another way or asking the recipient to stand by the fax machine while it’s being transmitted.

Proper communication really can affect your bottom line: When it comes to unhappy customers, only 30% are displeased with products or services; however, a full 70% are unhappy with the treatment they received. And you may not even know why you lost the business. Only 4% will complain or take action, but they’ll tell 8 to 20 people about the poor service they received. So spruce up your high-tech etiquette and take a giant step toward strengthening customer care.

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