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A Follow-Up Policy Is Something to Count On
Perhaps nothing frustrates a customer more than waiting forever on hold (why do they always play bad '70s elevator music?) or traveling through endless loops of voicemail.When you respond to customers, suppliers, even prospective employees, you give them the strokes we all crave.
Simple follow-up may, in fact, make more of an impression than a snazzy marketing message. Follow-up seems so simple that it often falls through the cracks. That's why some businesses develop follow-up policies. In his former practice, Eric San Juan, a Boston attorney, maintained a two-day maximum time limit for his office to get back to people. With such a policy, customers come to know what they can count on.
On her voicemail message, Page Monte Wight, cofounder of Destination Discovery Wellness Vacations, assures listeners she'll call them back within 36 hours. That's a reasonable amount of time. If she can't do it within 24, it's wise she doesn't promise what she can't deliver.
The same kinds of policies that work well for the phone translate to the Net -- maybe even better. You might want to create a standard email reply that informs people you've received their message. When you're far from homebase, use remote email software to stay connected regardless of geography. After you've already met someone in person, email is a great way to follow up.
- Let people know what they can count on. If they can't reach you today, when can they expect to hear the dulcet sounds of your voice or receive your online witticisms? Let's face it -- everybody likes attention. In addition to being a smart business strategy, a company follow-up policy flatters the people you value most.
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