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Title: Got Voice Mail?
Author: Lydia Ramsey
Article:
"There's not anybody who really cares about using voice
messaging the way I envisioned it." According to Gordon
Matthews, the inventor of voice mail, he never anticipated that
his automated message system would be used to confuse and
frustrate business callers. He didn't foresee how many ways
businesses could devise to misuse his system.
When asked what aggravates them most about modern phone
communication the majority of people will say that it is voice
mail. Pressed for details, they explain that it is the automated
answering process that companies use to screen and direct calls
that bugs them, not the basic messaging-taking function.
Companies are spending large sums of money to antagonize their
customers and it only seems to get worse. When a person needs
help with a problem and can't reach another human, the situation
deteriorates rapidly. Using the numbers on your touch tone pad
is fine when you want to verify your bank balance, pay a bill or
have a dry newspaper delivered; but when your pipes are backing
up, your new computer just crashed, or a tree just fell on your
brand new SUV, call processing may not be the answer.
There are advantages to an automated system. It saves money in
salaries and benefits. It prevents old-fashioned phone tag by
allowing people to leave detailed messages in their own voice
with clear and correct information. Voice mail crosses all time
zones so people can leave and retrieve messages at their
convenience.
The disadvantages are that people can hide behind voice mail,
often the prompts are confusing, working through the menu can be
more time-consuming than speaking to a "live" person, and some
people just don't like talking to machines.
If your company uses an automated system to process calls make
sure it provides the best customer service by following these
suggestions:
1. Keep your greeting short and sweet. (No one cares that your
menu options have changed. They only want to know what options
they have now.)
2. List your menu options according to popular usage.
3. Tell callers how to reach another human early in the process.
4. Think twice before using voice mail for customer service
issues.
5. Survey your customers from time to time to see how they feel
about your voice mail system.
6. Try calling your own system occasionally and find out first
hand what your customers are experiencing.
Voice mail can be either an incredible asset to your business or
an incredible pain for your customers. Don't force innocent
people to spend their valuable time in your voice mail jail.
(c) 2006, Lydia Ramsey. All rights reserved. Reprint rights
granted so long as article and by-line are published intact and
with all links made live.
About the author:
Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional
speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL -
ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or
featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real Simple
and Woman's Day. For information about her programs, products
and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit
<a
href="http://www.mannersthatsell.com">http://www.mannersthatsell.
com</a>
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