By Sandye Linnetz, Systems Goddess
Sometimes I answer my phone just to let the caller know that I can’t talk. While on the outset that may sound ridiculous, I actually consider it a courtesy to the caller. In a matter of a few seconds I let them know that I am alive and well, currently unavailable and that their call really is important to me. If it is a true emergency I handle it immediately. Otherwise, I set a time to return the call. It works for me.
Answering an email to say that I don’t have time to answer an email, however, doesn’t work. Bless the geniuses who came up with the auto responder! Used properly, the auto responder is a customer service dream and a follow-up miracle.
Simply put, an auto responder is a computer program that “automatically responds” to your incoming emails or, when customized, to handle a wide range of important – and time consuming - tasks. Your auto responder works day and night so that you don’t have to worry about following up on every inquiry, sale or message received – and you can customize the program to fit your company’s specific needs. It can be your most effective marketing tool (communicating with those on your list) and/or your mostprofitable business tool (following up on sales, deliveries, technical issues or billing). Best of all, it’s very affordable! In fact, if you have a list, you can’t afford NOT to look at auto responders.
Let’s look at the top 7 everyday uses for this gem.
1. Quick response and immediate attention for clients and potential clients, letting them know that they are important to you. Using an auto responder reassures people that you value their time and their business.
2. Automatically let people know that you are out of the office or unavailable and give emergency contact info
3. Confirms for your clients that their email has been received and, if appropriate, that personal contact is forthcoming.
4. Immediately thank someone for a sale or inquiry and answer their FAQs; Fabulous follow-up so that NO one falls through the cracks
5. Acknowledge when clients have signed up for your list, newsletter, webinar, or…
6. Keep clients in the loop with auto newsletters, information, specials or other reminders and updates
7. Email marketing, promotions and sales
And the benefits for your company are as plentiful the uses for this auto-tool.
1. You can have a constant presence in front of your clients and prospects (without overkill) – and that is a huge branding asset as well as a credibility builder!
2. Contact can be consistent and at regularly designed intervals (set to “go” for a group or an individual) – without you having to remember each time.
3. Your “virtual” employee is out there building relationships for you.
4. Auto responders save you time.
5. Auto responders save on salaries.
6. Auto responders don’t “forget” to get back to anyone… or misplace contact info.
7. You can take a day off or go on vacation, and the work is being done without you!
8. You design it so that you run your business instead of it running you!
© 2009 Beth Schneider, Process Prodigy, Inc. Want to reprint this article? Feel free as long as you include the following: Beth Schneider, President of Process Prodigy Inc., www.processprodigy.com, along with her team of highly sought after operations consultants, reveal the insider secrets billion-dollar corporations pay thousands of dollars for. Specializing in process creation, Process Prodigy tools and techniques have helped entrepreneurs increase productivity by as much as 600%, and revenues by as much as 250%. Visit www.processprodigy.com/ezine and grab your FREE systems starter kit valued at $297.00.
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