Re: Serve the Customer

From: Brandi Jasmine <brandi_at_brandijasmine.com>
Date: Mon 05 Mar 2001 09:38:13 -0600

JARROD MAXFIELD <maxfieldj_at_digitalroot.com> WROTE:

>Internet companies are terrible at customer service.

You could not be more right. The ISPs really deserve the
PR black-eye they are crusing for on this one.

>$1.00. So, it's time to check the attitudes at
>the door. Your web site is not the best. You are

It's not about attitude. It's about stupidity. A lot of
these companies just don't "get it". The entire "CRM"
industry has it ass-backwards as a result. They aren't
about managing customer relationships or about providing
positive experiences for the customer. These products
are all about squeezing extra dollars out of those
customers and streamlining *internal* processes. Any
benefit to the customer seems to be an afterthought.

>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."

"We have this handy CRM software now ... it can fire a
dart into your web browser, track your migration
pattern and digital mating habits .. but I'm afraid
it can't handle call-backs yet. Version 2.0 will
come with total call-centre replacement technology."

>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.

Here's a thought. Maybe you need to get away from the
large aggregators altogether and look for direct
routes to your market? Maybe you would get a better
response from 10 smaller companies (like mine!) with
100,000 page views each (like mine!) instead of one
with a million? I would love to see some of the money
actually flowing to smaller, creative sites, and not
just mine. I mean - eyeballs are eyeballs! Smaller
sites offer better targeting opportunities and they
are much more responsive to calls like yours. They are
also more responsive to alternative arrangements and
cobranding processes.

>We cannot use the bad times as an excuse to neglect
>our customers.

Let me be your one-woman cheering section:
AMEN, Digitalboy!

>A happy customer will stay with you, good or
>bad. But, make one mistake and they will leave you
>forever.

... and tell 2-3,000 of their closest friends on a
marketing mailing list? <g>

Kind regards,

Brandi Jasmine
Writer, Digital Photographer, Illustrator
        www.brandijasmine.com
www.astrology.ca - www.twostar.com
      brandi_at_brandijasmine.com



Received on Mon Mar 05 2001 - 09:38:13 CST