E-Mail Is An
Acceptable Form of Customer Support But Don’t Sacrifice Human Element With
This Technology
By David Saxby
As more and more utilities invest in e-mail
technology to provide customer support, it’s important that they strive to
incorporate the human element into this technology.
While e-mail can reduce the amount of time invested with each customer
interaction, it’s important to realize that you are sacrificing the human
element. To the greatest degree possible, e-mails should communicate the
right message not only in word choice, content and appearance, but in the
tone of the e-mail. Just as they need telephone training, a utility’s
customer service employees also need e-mail training.
Following are 10 steps to greater customer service e-mail.
1. Use a helpful subject line. The subject line helps the customer
know the message is a response to his or her inquiry. Subject lines such as
‘Reference # 0236862’ tell your customer absolutely nothing. Oftentimes,
these can be mistaken for spam and deleted. That’s the last thing you want
to happen and it leaves customers wondering why they haven’t heard back from
their utility.
2. Respond promptly. Because e-mail messages are sent instantly,
customers expect a fast response. Don’t disappoint them. Better yet, impress
them with a prompt reply.
3. Personalize the response. Address the customer by name and
personalize your response by repeating details from the customer’s inquiry
in the opening paragraph of your reply. Sign the message with a name, not
the anonymous “customer service department.” Let the customer know a real
human being sent the message.
4. Answer all the customer’s questions. If you don’t have the
information to give an answer to a question, let the customer know and tell
them when they can expect an answer and from whom. Customers appreciate the
candor. And please, do NOT make your answer a referral to your Web site. The
customer may have already visited your Web site and still needs more
information.
5. Make it possible for the customer to take action. If your customer
can or should do something after reading your response, include the
information needed to take action within the body of your e-mail reply.
6. Solve the customer’s problem. This is the gold standard of
customer service and involves more than just answering a question. Restate
the problem as you understood it from reading their e-mail. Follow the
restated problem with your solution. Be specific! Omitting information leads
to more e-mails and frustration on everyone’s part.
7. Use a polite, positive and personal tone. Let your customers know
you value their business and want to keep them as customers. Use phrases
that tell your customers you appreciate them. A simple “thank you for
writing” can work wonders.
8. Write clearly and simply. Write in an active voice that emphasizes
what the customer should do and what action your company will take. Keep
your e-mail responses free of jargon, confusing idioms and regional
expressions.
9. Proofread for mechanical errors. Errors give the impression that
the company is careless and does not care about the customer. Double-check
all content in the e-mail.
10. Make it easy for customers to contact you. Provide a phone number
so customers have an alternate way of contacting you if they have further
questions, if the problem is not solved or if their e-mail system is down.
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David Saxby is president of Measure-X, a Phoenix,
Ariz.-based measurement, training and recognition company that specializes in
customer service and sales skill training for utility companies. He can be
reached at 888-644-5499 or via e-mail at
david@measure-x.com. Visit the Measure-X Web site at
www.measure-x.com.
