101 Ways to Improve Customer Service: Training, Tools, Tips, and Techniques

Chapter 30. E-Service: Electronic Communication

Individual

The Internet has created a wonderful way to keep your customers instantaneously up-to-date. However, how this powerful tool is used to stay in touch with the customer can make the difference between success and failure. When you use e-mail as a communication device, be sure to follow these guidelines to make sure that your customer stays informed in an efficient and professional manner.

Actions

• The subject line of an e-mail is one of the most important parts of your message. It tells the recipient in an instant what to expect in the body of the e-mail. To keep your communications with customers on track, always check the subject line before you send an e-mail. If the subject has changed, change the subject line.

• When sending attachment files larger than 500K, let your customer know that the file is large and may take some time to download. This won’t make the downloading time pass more quickly, but at least the customer will know the cause of the delay. Your customer will appreciate the warning.

• Whenever you write an e-mail, ask yourself, “Who else needs to know about this?” Then determine whether a Cc (carbon copy) or Bcc (blind carbon copy) is more appropriate. You want to Cc your supervisor or manager to keep him or her informed about a particular correspondence, but you may want to use Bcc if your boss doesn’t want an e-mail address put in print.