Texting with customers. Acceptable? Not?

If you won't communicate with your customers in the method they prefer, prepare to be replaced. Its really that simple.

 

Two way street really. If they need you, they will alter their habits. In my business I have found that I only want to work with people that can follow simple instructions. Every time I cave in to every little whim from the customer I lose money on that transaction and the ten others that are affected because I can't focus on the proffitable deals.

 

NO..not always.. as the late great Frank Cheek of T.W.O. used to say to the "undesirables"


"You have FAILED as a Customer!"

 

10% of your customers will give you 90% of your problems.

It really is just that simple to "fire" them. Give them a full refund so there's no legal repercussions, then cut ties/losses.

So many businessmen just can't seem to grasp this simple concept.

Anyone they bitch to has heard it all from them before... you're not going to lose much rep if they badmouth you.

 

Im a field tech and work in loud environments, so do my customers. Sometimes its the only way we can communicate. A lot of times i simply cannot answer a call but i can text.

Picture, then description of issue, hell sometimes they even try to "Face time" me to show me an issue. That was a weird one...

I will not txt first, and thats because i'm given a customers main number but as my cell phone is provided by work, my cell number is given out.

Customers will usually try voice first, then text, than email. Funny because text and email IMO are treated the same, i get them on the same phone so if i didnt answer your txt why would i be able to answer your email?

I refuse to use FB for any sort of communications. I use it so that long lost friends or whatnot can find me and get in touch. but for you to say "sup, n shit" is no bueno!

 

It depends on what you do for a living. I recently became self Employeed just doing wiring for bikes. Depending on the shop or client and how they want to be communicated with. One shop does not respond to text messages so I can only call between a certain time to set a job up. Another one will deal with scheduling through text messages and small updates through it but when it comes to a major update I always call to discuss options and the like.

I personally love everything done through text messages and emails after the first initial meeting. It helps me keep track of everything and it's a super easy/impersonal form of communication. I don't want to be friends with these people and I want to get the job done straight to the point.

I used to prefer everything through a phone call when I was a territory manager for best buy. It just depends on the line of work. I ran an outside sales division for them as well that I hated when people texted me.

 

Text all the time with customers and vendors. They send me pictures of aircraft, engines, parts, invoices and p.o.'s. Get so much more done. No longer have to say "I'll email when I get back to the office" quick and to the point although I prefer phone calls.

90% of my contacts don't even bother with my office number and more. And I haven't sent a fax in months.

 

I am in the process of buying a home and 90% of it was done through texts, 9% email, 1% phone

 

Yes. I do all day, everyday and sometimes on weekends. I do outside sales for a Freightliner Dealership and we send pics of parts or just messages of what they need. Some have become pretty good friends and golf partners.

In the field of work everyone is cut throat on price, I get my advantage by provding better service and being able to contact me whenever need, however needed.

Texing to me is no different then email, just a lot faster.

 

That depends. My customers have to believe they're in charge, but I need to control the interaction. I work hard to make myself accessible. I put my cell number on my business cards day one. That was ten years ago before texting, and for the first time I'm thinking about taking it off. Here's the reason:

Our customer service is on-point. We have systems in place so that we can offer service more quickly and efficiently than any of our competitors and offer the customer more protection and value. In order to make that happen, they have to be routed into one of the many channels in which we communicate. We answer the phone 24/7/365. We have a contact form on our website, as well as a live chat link. You can make your way to the top of the flow chart in any of those ways, but not by text message.

 

If you do text, make sure that you have authorization to. That and calling cell phones of customers. Just went through a class that talked a bit about the legality of this. Gets pretty tricky.

 

Works well for collections too. Call somebody for payment and leave a voicemail: "Oh, sorry, I didn't get your message". Send someone a text and it goes through there's no way they can say they didn't get it.

 

My mechanic and I will text back and forth about the work he's doing on my bike or if we're planning on riding togher.
I like have the pyramid of contact. texting for general quick information and pictures, phone call for something that needs explaining, "need you to come by the shop" for when shit hits the fan and we need to discuss/breakdown options...

 

No....Some people hate Text's.... I know I wouldnt reply....

 

I would rather talk to people most of the time rather than send or receive an email for every question and answer that might take place. Information received is also much greater on a voice call.

 

I have a phone plane with 1000 minutes of talk times and unlimited Text.
When I check my Usage, it average:

200 minutes or less talk time per month
4700 text messages per month

All the motorcycle shops I deal with I communicate with text or FB.
Recently I got a quick FB messenger message about work being done on my bike and I replied instantly thus saving them time.
If not I would not have been able to call until close to closing time.

I personally love it.
I hate talking on the phone.
Text & FB messenger works for me. I stay busy.

 

Just went through $150k renovation and sometimes the only way I could get in touch with my contractor was to send a text msg. Sometimes I'd call them and get no answer, which is understandable if you're in a meeting or have your hands full doing work. But I'd leave a VM and get no response within 24 hours and later they'd say they don't check their VM or don't even know how to. E-mail would sometimes get an acknowledgment or a response and other times all I'd get is crickets chirping. For timely communication (which is ALL communication during a renovation), I'd prefer to speak with people directly so there is no miscommunication, followed up with an e-mail to document the discussion so 3 months later there is a "paper" trail to refer back to if/when things go to hell.