Tweet

Do you obey the 5 commandments of customer communication?

Written by: Peter Lawless

Article Overview: Every time you interact with your customers or prospects, is a chance to enhance the image of your company, and thus be more profitable. In a world, where technology seems to be driving business process, it is vital that you start with the basics. This article describes the 5 core principles behind customer interaction. Make it easy for customers and prospects to contact you, using whatever method suits THEM.

Do you obey the 5 commandments of customer communication?

Whether you are a one person band, or a company with 5,000 employees, it is vital that everyone sings off the same hymn sheet. By this I mean that customers should experience the same positive proactive experience, regardless of whom or where within your company the interaction comes from.

People may not buy everything on the internet, but recent statistics indicate that 70% of purchases are researched on the internet today. A large proportion of these are then made in person at shops.

Imagine the scenario; you have looked on a lighting company's website, and seen a lamp that you like, but you really want to see and feel it in the flesh as they say. You go into the shop, and ask for it. “Oh, but we don't have that in stock” they say! You explain where you saw it, starting to get frustrated. They explain to you, speaking slowly, treating you as someone who just doesn't really understand, that just because it's on the web, doesn't mean they have it in the shop.

How do you now feel about that company? I would walk out and go somewhere else.

Every time someone external communicates with your company is a chance to impress. Maybe it is time to review what you are doing. Take a look at, what I call the 5 commandments below and see how you score;

* Be consistent in what all employees say and do, across all channels of communication.

* Make it easy for customers and prospects to contact you, using whatever method suits THEM.

*Respond to all contacts in a professional and timely fashion.

* Track all communications, and ensure appropriate processes are in place to ensure appropriate action is undertaken in all instances.

* Constantly check how you're doing and is everything working, by asking your customers prospects and employees for feedback.

* There is one common theme, in addition to the external contact that runs through all of these commandments. That is one of internal communication.


In order to communicate consistently with people outside the company, you first must learn to communicate effectively inside your company. You may want to check if everyone understands your company's vision and mission.

Related Articles
  Where the Bible teaches us how to improve our cashflow
  The Secrets of a TOP GUN Xerox Sales Professional
  Empathy 101: Ten Commandments of Human Relations
  Start your Marketing with a User Story
  The 10 Commandments of Networking

Article Tags: channels of communication, flesh, hymn, instances, interaction, internal communication, internet today, lighting company, method suits, person band, proportion, prospects, statistics, stock, timely fashion



Related Forum Posts
Website Suggestion - I don't know if this would be helpful, but would it be good to have a special forum area to deal with personal relations -- such as: human resource concerns, customer satisfaction or interraction and working with clients or customers? Does that make any sense?? Kind of a place on the forum where we specifically address communication issues in business, could and should even include communicating by phone, fax and email etc. Chris
Re: Business Coaching Resources - i think a good coach is that who create skill in a leader in such a way that he help the organization to achieve the goal of the organization, the coach must take care about the communication skill of the leader because the communication gap can create various problems. [Link removed by forum admin. Links can be placed in a forum signature]
Re: Politeness! - I sometimes find that people these days will actually go out of their way to be rude when filing a complaint. For instance, why can't a customer just say a simple "no thank you" rather than writing in an angry tone or making threats? Of course the customer is always right, so as professionals we have to suck it in and be the bigger person... but is there a better way to deal with rude clients? When I used to work at McDonald's, I recall the store manager actually yelled back at the customer who shouted profanities at a teenage employee since the order was taking so long. While the store manager didn't use any vulgar language, he still firmly told the customer to leave the store because he wouldn't serve someone who was so rude.
Starting A Business - go get a customer! you can have a great idea but if you don't have a customer you'll never be successful. Build a product / service around someone who will pay you for what you can offer! It's the best way to build a business.
Re: Politeness! - [quote="Kevin":2sd46jnv]I sometimes find that people these days will actually go out of their way to be rude when filing a complaint. For instance, why can't a customer just say a simple "no thank you" rather than writing in an angry tone or making threats? Of course the customer is always right, so as professionals we have to suck it in and be the bigger person... but is there a better way to deal with rude clients? When I used to work at McDonald's, I recall the store manager actually yelled back at the customer who shouted profanities at a teenage employee since the order was taking so long. While the store manager didn't use any vulgar language, he still firmly told the customer to leave the store because he wouldn't serve someone who was so rude.[/quote:2sd46jnv] I think that this is the right thing to do. Nobody should have to put up with rudeness or abuse even by a customer. If the customer cannot behave in a decent manner, I would quietly tell them that until they can treat me with respect I would prefer not to deal with them. I have been in that position and will not allow anyone to behave badly to me. In fact people will only behave badly towards you if you allow it. MichelleJ


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Fear Factors in Small Business: Sales & Marketing

Are You An Accidental Consultant?

Too Many Sales Reps Are Wimps

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.