5 Ways to Build Bonds With Customers Using the Old-School Telephone Customers just want to pick up the phone when they need help with their problem.
By Clément Delangue •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In an era dominated by social media, the telephone can seem a slightly old-fashioned way to communicate. Yet, most of your customers will still value the ability to call you.
This isn't always easy for entrepreneurs managing schedules filled with travel and meetings. Fortunately, cloud phone systems like Google Voice or Aircall are now here to help make things seamless. Below are five tips for startups to make the most of them.
Related: Service With a Smile
1. Display your phone number on your homepage. Startups sometimes opt for being rather impersonal, especially if you're providing a software with a low-touch sales model. Providing a phone number on your homepage will make your company more human and boost user confidence.
2. Create local phone numbers. It's easier than ever to localize your website into different languages with companies like TextMaster. But what about your phone number? It now takes just a few seconds to create a number for most countries with services like Aircall, building credibility for your international users.
3. Cascade calls to your team members. Startups can't usually afford to have a dedicated phone support team. This means that the person who is supposed to answer the phone will sometimes be busy doing other things. By adding simple cascading, you can make sure you never miss a call by sending the call to an available colleague.
Related: How do I keep in contact with customers without being annoying?
4. Keep your client call history. There's nothing more annoying than having to call several times and re-explain your problem each and every time. By keeping track of the user's call history and adding notes, you can help your customers avoid this frustration. This is a simple step towards more powerful client relationship management.
5. Make your voicemail professional. The first contact your clients have with your company may be via your voicemail. A professional and engaging message will set you in a good stead for your relationship with the client. For example, you can add music and a customized message with Aircall.
All these easy-to-implement tips make phone management simple and powerful for startups. Do you have any other advice? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.
Related: Hold the Phone! Don't Outsource Customer Support Just Yet
