New technology can hurt or help communication

A few weeks ago I got a phone call with this introduction: "Hello. Please stay on the line. I have something very important to tell you ..." I hung up before the sentence was finished.

It's rude but often overlooked in the personal arena when a friend calls you then asks you to hold. It's unacceptable in the business world.

The fast-paced world of technology is demanding and it's easy to let poor skills or bad habits send the message that you don't care about your customers.

Voice mail jail

Teresa Emerson, owner of Clearview Window Cleaning says her No. 1 pet peeve is complicated voice mail systems.

"The voice mail system that answers with six different choices to reach someone without offering you the option of how to reach the operator they stick you in a voice mail jail and end up with thank you for calling, we so appreciate your business!' Never minding the fact that you never got through to anyone since you didn't know their extension and they weren't in the directory," she said.

According to Bonnie Mills, the sales manager of ProTel, "customers come into our businesses the first time via the telephone."

Mills said many businesses lose customers based on poor customer service related to telephone issues.

"Most of us are trying to build and grow our businesses yet the average business loses 20 percent of their customer base every year. Out of that 20 percent, 80 percent leave because of the attitude perceived upon entering that organization," Mills said.

Unreturned calls

Once you are able to leave a message, getting a return call can also be a challenge.

Many people share a pet peeve in the form of people who fail to return calls. The customer service issue is that it sends a mixed message.

The caller doesn't want to drop the ball, but at the same time he doesn't want to become a pest or make assumptions, especially if the call was invited.

It creates stress and confusion and sends a discouraging message whether it was intended or not.

Although the excuses for not returning calls can be endless, returning phone calls is a great way to stand out according to Paula Shumaker Yount, owner of Monday Motivation, a weekly bulletin e-mailed to businesses across the country.

"I'm impressed with the business owners and professionals who don't know you but call you back anyway. Two people that come to mind for me are Jim Quessenberry, president of Corporate Office Systems and Brad Eldridge, formerly with the Mountain Ducks baseball team."

Shumaker Yount says the first time she called Brad Eldridge was when she was executive director of Junior Achieve-ment. "I was calling for a donation, which is often not a priority for a return call, however Brad called me back that day. Everyone has experienced the frustration of not getting a call returned, and it makes you appreciate those who do return calls in a prompt fashion," she said.

To avoid playing phone tag, many professionals resort to scheduling the phone call by e-mail.

The glitch in that system is that some people don't actually check or answer their e-mail.

Unattended e-mail

For Stacy Boysen-Krauck, the marketing consultant and account representative for Absolutionz, unreturned e-mails present a challenge:

"We live in a fast-paced world and most of us expect quick access for prompt customer service," Boysen-Krauck said.

Mills agrees, "Typically e-mail users state their request or intent, and it saves considerable time, unlike the slow re-sponse time of mail or the unknown objective when people leave their name and number in voice mail."

Boysen-Krauck says people who use e-mail effectively help to eliminate tedious phone tag.

"People who don't respond to e-mail requests are either avoiding the question, too busy to respond or don't know how to use their e-mail as a resource to communicate."

Boysen-Krauck says that regardless of the situation technology is here to stay and we rely on it for good customer service.

"We live in a technological world. I love the quick, to-the-point questions and answers I get with e-mail. I can take a moment before, during or after a telephone conversation to answer customer service issues, send reminders to myself or even plan my daily appointments. Those that understand how to use technology find it convenient as well," she said.

(Marlene Chism is president of ICARE Presentations in Springfield.)