Who-2Byou-2Bgonna-2Bcall.jpg
Who you gonna call 2
Who-2Byou-2Bgonna-2Bcall.jpg
Who you gonna call 2

Who ya gonna call?

Posted on by Kylie Fennell

The true test of a business is how they handle themselves when things go wrong.

The best marketing efforts in the world can go come to a big fat zero if a business doesn’t provide great follow-up services.

Simply put, a business needs to let it’s customers know ‘who they can call’ when things go wrong.

These days it seems near impossible, especially with larger organisations, to get a name and a number or an email address for an actual person.

Customers are all directed to a centralised email address or number, and then you are shunted through a series of recorded prompts, dial 2 for X, 3 for Y, 4 for Z, hang-on there isn’t an option for me…what do I do now?

Eventually you may be connected to a person, who answers the phone with, ‘what’s your name, account reference, ID number, date of birth and shoe size’. You then explain your situation in great detail to a person who seems to be reading from a script of pre-prepared Q&As. Nine times out of 10 your query is outside of their expertise or authority, they put you on hold, where you wait for what seems like hours before you’re accidentally cut-off and have to go back to the beginning and start the whole process again.

Let’s look at it from the point of view of the customer:

  • They are “not feeling the love”
  • Their problem remains unsolved
  • They have wasted valuable time
  • They wonder if they made the right decision purchasing your product or service.
Now let’s look at it from the point of view of the person who took your call:
  • They don’t have the authority or expertise to help you
  • They don’t know you or have a relationship with you, so are less likely to be personally invested in solving your problem
  • They probably get abused by customers all day, just as frustrated by the process as much as you are.

Personally I love the idea of having Account Managers or Key Relationship Managers.

Customers love knowing there is someone they can call regardless of their issue. Someone who understands them and their needs, as well as relevant history and is personally invested in you.
Workplaces also benefit from account management models, where individuals are given responsibility or ownership of a function, account or region.
It makes their job more worthwhile and rewarding, clarifies areas of responsibilities, and enables staff to hone their skills and knowledge in a particular area.
The best model includes a back-up account manager, which provides continuity during staff absences, as well as enhances professional development of staff as they familiarise themselves with other areas.
If your customers don’t know ‘who they’re gonna call’ and aren’t feeling the love, you have a potential marketing disaster on your hands.
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Kylie Fennell
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