Serve the Customer

From: Jarrod Maxfield <maxfieldj_at_digitalroot.com>
Date: Tue 20 Feb 2001 06:05:35 -0600

I am a long time reader, first time writer. I
decided a couple of days ago that I could no
longer keep silent to this online forum. The
daily tirade of debate over this and that and why
this failed and why that worked has finally boiled
over with me. I cannot help but laugh at all of us
in this industry who complain day in and day out
about the troubles we all face and how to solve
them. Of course, there is your run-of-the-mill "is
the banner dead" debate. Let's not forget the old
classic, "Pop-Ups..Friend or Foe?". With all this
debate over the industry and its' many forms of
medium and technology, I have yet to see anyone
bring up the facts of "running" a better business.
(This is the point where it is hard to type because
the anger is getting to be too much.)

I buy and sell advertising, that's my job. In
this little jaunt into the online world, I have
learned two very important things. Number one, the
technology now available to the online world to use
as an ad medium is incredible and will someday
change the entire system. Number two, Internet
companies are terrible at customer service. I
can't tell you how many times a week I call a
media property ad sales dept. and get no answer.
That's right!!! No gosh-darn answer. In any other
business, when I pick up the phone to call a company
and say, "Hey!! I want to spend money with you!!
Now!!" , they answer the phone. The days of the
almighty internet ad is over. The inventory that
was once valued at $40 CPM, I can now buy for
$1.00. So, it's time to check the attitudes at
the door. Your web site is not the best. You are
not unique. If you make me wait three days for a call
back from some half trained monkey, I will not give
you my business. It is that simple. A customer or
client needs to feel like they are being watched
over. Even if things are fandangled to a terrible
point, customers will bear the storm with a company
if they feel they are being looked after and cared for.

How hard is it to hire someone for a couple bucks
an hour just to answer the phones and say, "Yes
Digitalboy, I will relay the message and have someone
get back to you." That simple step would make me
feel like I am being taken care of. I would know
a human being heard what I have to say and is getting
me the help I need. Even if that same receptionist
took my message and threw it in the trash, I would
never know and would still feel favorable towards
that company.

On the other hand, these days it's leave a message
or send an email and someone will get back to you in
72 hours. 72 hours!!!72 hours!!! I have a client
breathing down my neck for a quick launch and you
say 72 hours!! Well, in that case, you can say 72
years until you get my business again. I called a
certain large ad company to make a sizeable buy.
We will call this company..TroubleLick. I was
informed by the main receptionist that in order
to speak to an ad sales rep., I needed a name.
I inform her I have money and am ready to buy..NOW.
Nothing she could do. They lost not only that sale,
but all my business and my firms business. It is
that simple. We all need to remember. Things will
get better. They will get much better.

We cannot use the bad times as an excuse to neglect
our customers. In fact,this is the time when the
biggest push made should be to service the customer
120%. A happy customer will stay with you, good or
bad. But, make one mistake and they will leave you
forever.

Regards,
Digitalboy from digitalroot

Sincerely,
Jarrod Maxfield
Business Development Associate
www.digitalroot.com
646.486.8283
"making advertising accessible"



Received on Tue Feb 20 2001 - 06:05:35 CST