Customer Service – Part 2: Business and Customer Service on the Internet

As the internet and computers become more common place in our daily lives, we find ourselves with less and less interaction on many levels.  Example: The item I bought for $23.50 at the store I'd never been in, I now buy on the internet and pay the shipping costs rather than subject myself to the level of 'customer service' that store provides.  At the same time, the items I purchased at the store with the friendly, helpful employee I continue to purchase at that store.  Can I buy those items online?  Sure I can, but I choose to do business with a helpful, courteous establishment that still WANTS me to be a satisfied customer.  

The internet however, doesn't offer people interaction unless you are presented with an issue that a real person must intervene on your behalf.  You can't get a smile or "Hi, can I help you" from a website.  The level of customer service received is really based on whether that company provides timely delivery, valuable services and attention to issues if a problem arises.  But it is still customer service.  If they deliver goods unharmed, continue to provide valuable services and assist issues, then certainly continue to do business with them.

Case in point... I've been doing business with an online company for over a year now.  I pay my bills on time and have generally been satisfied with their level of customer service.  In the beginning, I had many conversations and much interaction with not only the owner of the company but also several employees.  I was satisfied with these interactions and the service they provided, and I hired them for their services.  This company requires that I pay one of my recurring monthly bills 1 year in advance.  I'm not pleased with this, as this makes me wonder about the business' longevity.  Are they billing me a year in advance because they don't think they will be in business next year?  However, the level of service they have provided in the past has allowed me to overlook this, until now...

Recently, a service I was receiving has been removed.  It has been replaced with a service I don't feel I can rely on and directly affects my business!  A task I could accomplish before at my leisure, I now have to rely on someone at the company to perform.  Obviously my concern is how timely they will perform this task for me.  It appears my concerns have been validated...

I've tried several times to contact someone at the company by private messages and emails to restore this service, and so far I've not received a response.  I thought... "Perhaps they aren't getting my emails or messages", so I sent another. No response.  I thought..."Perhaps they are missing my emails and messages somehow" so I sent another and cc'd someone else in the company asking them to forward my message to someone who can assist me.  No response.  Hmm, this is not good.  

I am only willing to try and get my issue resolved for so long before I decide to move on to another company and take my business elsewhere.  How many emails or messages does it take to get customer service and attention to my issue?  Can they really be so busy they no longer have the time to at least acknowledge they've received my emails and messages?  Perhaps once again... success has been so rewarding and prosperous to the owner that they can now afford the luxury of ignoring me?  It would seem they no longer require my business.

To quote a well known business statute: "Increasing competition is forcing businesses to pay much more attention to satisfying customers, including by providing strong customer service."

In my business, I offer the same level of customer service to every one of my clients and customers no matter what type of or how costly a property they are purchasing.  I do my best to make sure that every interaction with my customer and every transaction I do on their behalf is a rewarding experience for them.  If an issue arises I promptly attend to it and do my best to resolve it to my customers level of satisfaction.  If I can not resolve the issue promptly or the resolution requires delay or other intervention, I communicate that to my customer.

Why? Because in the end, I want them to be satisfied, returning customers.  I want their business, not just their immediate business, but their future business.  I want them to know they are #1 and I will attend to their matters promptly and professionally.  I want them to confidently refer me to friends and family knowing that I will treat their referrals with the same level of professionalism they received.  It is this attitude and attention to customer service for which I am recognized and makes me a leader in Panama City Fl Real Estate.

Thanks for reading and best of luck to all in your endeavours to obtain Customer Service.