August 2011
Phone: 260-463-4901 • Fax 888-439-6528 • The Hometown Treasure
DOLLAR$ & $ENSE — continued from previous page
From traditional hotline numbers and online feedback
forms to Facebook, Twitter, and user-review sites such
as Yelp, the Internet is the customer’s oyster as far as
retaliation is concerned. Customer service clientele
should monitor as many media as possible to make
sure all the bases are covered and no complaint goes
unnoticed. Consider the case of Comcast, whose
employees are authorized to use Twitter to respond
to customers’ complaints online. It shows the public
that you’re listening. Take advantage of these public
forums and post responses on message boards.
• Responding in writing—When drafting a
written statement to respond to a customer’s concern,
the same basic rules apply as when talking to a
customer over the phone or face-to-face. Start out with
something positive, and be sure to thank the customer
for bringing the problem to your attention. Answer
politely and affirmatively and, if the situation merits it,
ask appropriate questions that will help to investigate
where a service went sour, how to smooth things over
with the customer and, finally, how to prevent the
problem from reoccurring. Remember that when
penning a response, whether on formal letterhead or
in a 140-character tweet, you are representing your
company. Don’t write anything that you wouldn’t feel
comfortable saying in person. And it’s probably worth
your while to have a colleague edit the document before
sending it.
Also, always follow up with verbal communication.
Provide the best way(s) for the customer to get in touch
with you—the more information you provide, like a
cell phone or personal email, the more serious your
troubleshooting efforts will appear to the customer.
You can get a lot more done verbally than you can
through writing.
(269) 651-6751
• Community Calendar •
July 30 Schwartz Family Singers (see page 30)
July 31 Disc Golf Tournament (see page 43)
Aug. 4 Shipshe Downtown Revitalization Mtgs (pg. 5)
Aug. 6 First West End Soccer Games
Westview Class of 2006 Reunion (see page 3)
Aug. 8 Topeka Town Council Meeting..............4:00 pm
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