Netpreneur

People expect immediacy on the web.  They want things NOW, not tomorrow, not in a week's time.  That's why it's absolutely imperative that you get back to prospective customers as fast as you possibly can.

Today's web surfers are impatient people.  They expect the world, and they won't wait for it.  If they are made to wait, then an alternative solution is but a click away.

If you delay responding to your prospects, then it is highly likely that they will take their business elsewhere.  But if you impress them with instantaneous (or close to instantaneous) responses, then you've gone a long way towards sealing the deal.

I often try to respond to a customer email within seconds of receiving it - customers are often taken aback by the speed of the response.  It makes a fantastic impression on the customer.

You should consider using a variety of contact means as part of your web strategy:

- a 1300 telephone number - looks professional, cheap to call, one number nationally and you can route the number to any fixed or mobile telephone

- a contact form or contact email address - make sure you respond quickly and consider using an automated help desk or, at the very least, an autoresponder to notify the customer that their query has been received; your response should thank the customer for their query, should be well written, with correct spelling and grammar and in full sentences, and tailored for the specific questions posed by the customer - don't make it obvious that your email is templated!

- Live help - this contact method is becoming more popular and it constitutes an immediate, yet non-confrontational method of getting answers quickly

Tags: customer service, email, email marketing