Your call is important to us....

Good morning my favourite reader - yes you. I'm so grateful that you've chosen to dedicate a few minutes of your busy schedule just to read what it is that I have to share with the world.

Yesterday was my birthday and despite the fact that I did come into work, I had a really nice day, so a big thank you to all of my well wishers. Just one more year in my thirties and then apparently life really begins. We'll see.

So let's take a look at the title of this week's blog - Your call is important to us. How did that comment make you feel? Interesting. You see, here I am, opening my blog with thanks and appreciation that was totally sincere, and yet as soon as I think of that phrase, my face just drops, and I bet yours does too.

We all know why - it's because we only ever hear it in circumstances where we don't really believe that our call is important at all. Call centres are naturally the worst offenders, where row upon row on minimum wage monkeys tell you that there is nothing they can do to help you before passing you off to a supervisor who'll tell you the exact same thing.

Not to mention the fact that they've allowed your anger to reach boiling point by making you wait for 20 minutes before they actually pick up the phone.

But why must we be repeatedly told that our call is important to them? Here's the thing - my company sells products at a business to business level, and every time the telephone rings, there is a very good chance that the person on the other end is either an existing customer or someone that we're hoping will be a new customer. By that standard, EVERY call that comes in is important to us. Is it really any different where you are?

Now don't get me wrong. Some calls are not so important. Some calls are people trying to sell us services that we neither need nor want, and occasionally we will take calls from people who we are simply unable to help, either because we don't supply what they need or because their order level falls below our minimums. Now these people's calls are still important, but there just not as important as the others.

None the less, when have you ever told a customer that their enquiry was not important? Do you really think I'm going to take an enquiry and respond with "Frankly you're wasting my time, your questions are beneath me now please go away"? Believe me, there are times when I would like to, but it's hardly professional is it.

So is there a point to all of this? Well you can make of it what you will, but for me, the point is that telling a customer that they're important is actually a waste of time. At least it is if you don't show them just how important they are. We're coming up to Christmas and it really is the best opportunity for you to show them just how important they are. It needn't be a grand gesture - a card, a donation to charity in their name or a simple gift to put a smile on their faces will do wonders for your relationship in the year ahead.

If you're not sure what to give them, I'm here to help you, so pick up the phone and let's see what we can come up with. Remember, your call is important to us.......