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Should we have a separate customer service telephone number?
What are the benefits of having a separate customer service telephone number for your business? I'm part of a 20-person software company, and while we don't have a a ton of customer service calls that come in, I'm wondering if it would make us look better to have a separate customer service phone number? We have an existing Avaya PBX- would it be difficult to set up a second number?
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7 Answers
Absolutely. With a dedicated number, you know that pretty much every inbound call will be for service. More importantly, these calls will all be routed to one location, which makes it much easier for your office to manage the calls. Even with a simple setup, you can have basic skills-based routing to ensure that the right people at your end handle the call.
Conversely, if customers call into your regular office number, they could end up in someone's voicemail box and never be answered. Worse yet, the call could be answered by someone totally inappropriate.
On a more practical level, and dedicated customer service number should be toll free to encourage customers to call from anywhere. They'll be less likely to do that if they have to call a toll number.
Regardless of what phone system you have, it's quite easy to set up a second number. There are many more aspects to consider here, but these comments should help set the stage for more discussion here.
It really depends on what you are trying to achieve and what's important to your culture.
If you have a service centric culture, you don't really need to have a customer service number, the person answering the phone will be able to direct the caller to the individual that can solve the issue. Often times we spend a great amount of energy on the tools, like a customer service number, instead of focusing on the process.
Just because everyone else has a 1-800 number, it doesn't mean that you have to have one or that it's the best way to deal with your customers. You can get creative with your customers and do what you think is easiest and best for them. A customer service line may be easiest, but it might not provide you with the best result. If it was my company, I'd want the customers calling me directly, imagine their surprise, imagine my education.
Agree with Jon, having a separate number allows you to track the volume, route it to the appropriate person or group of people, and should be really easy to add to any phone system. Plus 800 numbers are cheap these days.
Absolutely. You should also look at growth over 3-5 years. Having a dedicated service hotline will make your business more professional and better serve focus. I know many small service oriented companies who make this their selling point. Its part of the marketing message.
The Customer, being the source of a company's revenue is the most important consideration and should get the highest priority. When a customer has an issue, he or she does not want to navigate a voice automation maze, push random buttons to get a person on the line, or have to submit all requests through a web form. He wants a number to call and know in advance that this one call will result in the resolution of his issue in a friendly, professional and efficient manner.
Speaking from personal experience as a customer with a product under warranty. The last thing I wanted to hear was "we don't have a number, or an email address, you have to use the web form". Six hours later I found the java bug in the web form that was preventing me from submitting my problem. I was not pleased in the least. And that issue is unresolved still.
A good way to understand is to experience it yourself as the customer. Try your competitor's customer service procedures and make yours much better based on what you find irritating, annoying, and frustrating when using their systems.
I take a slightly different approach. Think more about the needs of the customer. Have you actually put the question to your customers? What other channels do you offer and are these as effective as they could be? Changing or adding to the toolest is almost the last step in the piece, not the first. Having a dedicated number might look more professional, but speaking to a real person straight up might be better for engagement. I slightly question the need for a dedicated number for a 20 person company. Whatever you decide speak to your customers about it first, they'll let you know.
Absolutely, while all of the previous posters made valid points, the most important point was generally missed!
Place yourself in the role of your most eccentric client then in the role of your most conventional client, gage the differential in client load, current and projected. Now you are ready to access the design structure for your customer service. First you must decide if all or just some of your team is to be devoted to handling Customer Service/Support, Second you must decide who will lead the team (you or a staff member) and assign role authority to that person Ie., CSM, CSL Etc., and utilize a management line of control. Third you must always, I repeat always follow the golden rule in Customer Service/Support [Never assume it got done your way, unless you did it yourself] Be very dictatorial in how you want clients problems handled and how calls are escalated to effectively serve your clients. Forth These are your clients the better they feel quickly, the better off your company stays over the longhaul, client turnover is not something you are looking for just because someone was to proud to admit they didn't know the proper answer. Fifth Follow-up on customer service / support calls yourself, not everything makes it into the CRM file, a five minute call could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. And in final a 800 is nice but most companies and residential clients pay a flat rate for phone service today, don't get caught-up in the client will not call a local or out of state number, they will!
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