When you create a website for your company, you always want to have some way for the customer to contact you- a simple contact page seems like the easiest option. And while it is straightforward, the form itself is very impersonal, as you can’t gain much other than the basic information, which doesn’t bode well for future relationships with potential clients.
Customers understand this idea as well, and are always more likely to call a service number than they are to fill out a form. The entire establishment of that relationship can mean a lot for a business for multiple reasons, as a successful phone call can easily turn a potential customer into a definite customer.
Establishing A Connection
Which would you rather receive when you contact a business: an email saying, “Thank you for contacting X Company. Your email has been received. One of our representatives will respond within a few days…” or “Hello, thank you for calling X Company. This is John. How can I help you?”
If you answered the second option, you already recognize the desire for direct communication with another human being. It’s reassuring that a computer is not handling your issues, some of which may require discretion. There is also the benefit of the immediacy of a business representative answering the phone as opposed to potentially waiting days for a response. When an agent can address a situation immediately or within minutes, it indicates to the patron that your company is ready and able to help solve their problem or meet their needs.
A Personal Touch
Customers are not carbon copies of each other, and there is no reason their calls should be handled the exact same way. If a form is directed to an inbox with a general name like “Repairs” or “Billing”, it might not get the direct attention it requires.
Speaking directly to the customer allows you to provide the best direction possible, whether it is choosing the best technician for the job, or instructing them on how to address their concerns. This lets the customer know that their needs are important to your company, and that you want to help them in real-time.
Another advantage of direct communication is that the representative can respond to the customer’s behavior during the phone call. If the customer is crying due to a variety of things, you have the opportunity to tell them how you are quickly going to resolve this one situation. If they are angry, you get to efficiently figure out why they are upset and what you can do to ease their mood.
More Information Equals More Trust
While computers might be on their way to surpassing human intelligence, at this point in time, right now human beings still solve problems more effectively. For the sake of providing better business, companies should not forget this concept. Computers may make things easier for them in the long run, but if they put their ease ahead of the customers’, that can create many shortcomings.
People know more than computers. They tell you not just that your request is being held up, but why and by whom. They know not just that an agent has been dispatched, but how long until they will be there. That extra element adds a level of trust and confidence in the everyday activities of your company.
A form is abstract and, to an extent, inhuman. Phone calls are direct and bring forth quick resolution between the customer and company. They bring business to your company quicker and ease people’s doubts that their problems are not being handled directly. Dealing with your customer through direct communication versus indirect internet contact forms will make you a more desirable company to work with, and ultimately a more successful business.
