The way businesses communicate with clients has changed dramatically in the last twenty years. Remember the days before the Internet? It’s funny to look in old magazines, and see adds without the now ubiquitous website address. Those old ads simply asked you to call or stop in, or even mail $1 for a catalog. These days, successful businesses offer a variety of ways for clients to interact with them.
Many clients (especially younger ones) will expect you to be available via most of the following:
- Cell phone
- Text messaging
- Instant messaging
- Video calls / Skype
- Fax
Whatever methods you use, keep in mind your strengths and weaknesses. If your spelling or grammar could use some work, try typing your messages in a word processor (with spelling and grammar check turned on) before copying and pasting them into your email program. Video conferencing requires a clean background for your web cam, free of potentially offensive material (including a messy office).
We’ve all got our preferred methods of communication. I know a few craftsmen who claim to have cell phones, but never answer them. I myself prefer email, and have only texted perhaps twice in my life, under duress. But text messaging is literally a way of life for some young people these days. For them, it’s inconceivable that everyone on earth isn’t tied to their smart phone, constantly on the lookout for their important messages. But for craftspeople, time spent on the phone and fiddling with technology is time not spent making products (and money). Some builders have a strict schedule for checking email and phone messages. Others have to answer every call, lest a potential client slip away. It’s a balancing act that’s going to get more challenging to manage as technology becomes more sophisticated, but we’re all going to have to find a way to adapt, or get left behind.
If you have any feedback for Doug Turner, or if you have some useful tips on the topic of customer communication, we welcome your comments below! That’s the best part of this whole online communication thing – you’re as in-the-loop as you want to
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