Texting with customers. Acceptable? Not?

Damn, I do not like taking calls at all.

 

+1

I will almost never answer a phone call, regardless of who it's from. Just about the only time I won't text you back nearly immediately is if I'm physically unable to.

 

Those same customers that would never call you after hours or on weekends unless it is absolutely necessary will text you anytime they want to. For some reason the disconnect with texting kills the etiquette most people have.

I'll text them an address, and that's about it.

Get off my fuggin lawn!

 

I have had more and more customers texting me in the last year. Finally upgraded to an iPhone for my work cell instead of a flip. I have some customers it's easiest and fastest to text them when it is a simple yes or no question. I also go to many new addresses so I typical have customers text me their address so I know it is right. My assistant texts me a lot as opposed to calling but it all depends on what we are discussing.

 

If it requires a real-time exchange of information: use the voice phone.

If it is a simple notification, or requires ONLY a quick answer, but does not need to be real-time, then text.

If it is more extensive, requires attachments, doesn't need an immediate answer, or a record of the exchange, then email.

If it is a legal requirement, then US Mail.

 

Eggfool, to answer your title question....yes. If they're hot.

 

Is your assistant hot?

 

I do, but I sell apparel in a college town and college kids don't answer phones worth a crap so I do what I can to get products delivered...

Colin

 

You like 68 year old widows?

 

Once we have a working relationship, absolutely.

Both email & texting are indispensable tools that I lean heavily on.

 

I get 25 texts a day, 50+ facebook messages. Nobody calls anymore. I like it that way, I dont have to put my tools down to run and answer the phone.

 

B2b customers and vendors? Depends on your business, but generally yes. B2C? Fuck no. One bad thing about texting besides annoyance factor is that it makes customer service more difficult by spreading out the communications across different channels. If you really want to enable text as a communications platform for getting business done, it's best to use it at part of an integrated multichannel ticketing solution. There are some good companies out there that can provide it.

We were discussing offering text messaging for our B2C customers, but I decided against it because they will text us instead of exhausting the self service options we've given them before contacting us. Phone calls and email take more effort on the user's part so they're less likely to utilize those resources.

Texting may also not be a viable solution if you need access to other resources to effectively answer a question. Then you're just wasting time with "I'll get back to you" answers.

 

Totally depends on the business relationship.

My lawn guy texting me that he's 30 minutes away so I can secure the dogs & unlock the gates: fine.

My doctor texting me that the cauliflower on my junk is AIDS: not fine.

 

yeap... in construction you cant hear shit on the phone anyway. Plus its easier to "remind" subs when they need to be where!

 

Is she hot?

 

I do about 5000 work texts a month, more than that number of emails and only about 200 minutes of talk time.

But sometimes, too many times some of those people turn texts into conversations that could have been done in half the time if it was in person or via the phone line.

So it is great sometimes and sucks sometimes, but what can you do? It is great for sending pics

 

I have customers text me all the time. Sometimes late at night, early in the morning. It's understood I may not respond until working hours, but I'd rather know what's up for the day when I first check my phone before I even get out of bed.

Sometimes I crash at the end of the day then work in my office through the night. Then I'm the 4:00 a.m. texter.

My customers and I have talked about it to make sure I was cool with them texting me at all hours and vice versa.

My only complaint is one good customer who texts, emails and faxes orders. Just randomly depending on whatever device he's nearest to. It's a bitch keeping a paper trail for the guy. I wish he would pick a medium and use it exclusively.

 

I use them but only when initiated by customers at my real job. On the other hand, the bike stuff on the side is primarily text based, and I actively encourage it.