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Tips_for_Getting_Good_Customer_Service
| Tips for Getting Good Customer Service
The electronic product you bought online five minutes ago
doesn't work properly and you're gonna fire away an email
letting that *$&$#* company know just what you think of their
stinking service.
Sound familiar? If so, consider this:
Yes, there are dishonest merchants on the web and yes, some
merchants offer dismally poor customer service. Nevertheless,
it's a mistake to paint everybody with the same brush. Many of
the merchants that operate online businesses are legitimate and
are interested in turning you into a satisfied customer.
However, in your role of consumer you have to give them a
fighting chance.
Before you fire off that email, consider the following;
* Have you provided the merchant with a description of what
happened when you tried to use the product? Saying "It doesn't
work" provides so little information that the merchant has no
idea what is happening and cannot advise you. What exactly did
you do? What specifically happened? Did you receive any error
messages? What were they?
* Is there any chance that the problem stems from your own lack
of computer skills? Do you know how to use an online shopping
cart, how to download files, how to work with various file
formats or how to install software? While many online merchants
are willing to help you as much as possible, they are not
responsible for teaching you basic computer skills. Moreover,
many may be less than patient after being blamed for a problem
that is not of their making.
* Have you given the merchant the information needed to trace
your order? If your email simply reads, "I can't open the file I
bought from you," the merchant doesn't know who you are and what
you are talking about. It makes sense to provide your name as it
appeared on the credit card, the name of the product that you
bought, the email address that you used when you made the
purchase and the date when the purchase occurred. The merchant
needs this identifying information so he or she can trace the
records.
* If you have not received any information about your order
after making the purchase, check to ensure that you provided
your correct email address without typoes. Many systems are set
up to send email information automatically when you make a
purchase. If you used the incorrect email address, this
information will not reach you. Other delays in email delivery
can be caused by an assortment of Internet glitches that are
beyond the control of the merchant. Wait for a couple of hours
before deciding there is a problem.
* Did you read the system requirements on the web site before
making the purchase? For example, if the web site stipulated
that the product runs on Windows 98 and higher, then the file
truly won't work on your iMAC or on Windows 3.x. Or if the web
site says you must have Acrobat Reader installed, then, the file
really will not open on your system until you have downloaded
and installed Acrobat Reader.
* If you are asking for a refund, did you send the merchant the
receipt or other information confirming that you actually made
the purchase? After all, you couldn't walk into a store and
demand a refund without proof of purchase. It's no different on
the Web.
* Is your message unnecessarily rude, crude and hostile? Keep in
mind that the person at the other end is a human being and does
not enjoy being the recipient of abusive email any more than you
do. You increase your chances of solving the problem if you send
a courteous email that explains the problem adequately.
* And here is one last thought to keep in mind. B2B (business -
to - business) transactions account for the highest number of
online sales. If you are reading this article, it is likely that
you have a business Internet presence. Doesn't it make sense to
give the other merchant the same benefit of the doubt that you
hope your customers will give you?
About the author:
June Campbell's writing has appeared in several international
publications. Visit her on the Web for a FREE newsletter,FREE
gifts, articles, guides for proposal writing, business plan
development and more. http://www.nightcats.com)
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