Dealing with Lingering Emails & Messages
As I type this, I have 1,526 emails in my “to be addressed” folder. About half require responses and the rest just need to be properly filed. Most are from the past week, and some have been beckoning for a bit longer. This week you can learn, as I often do, from my own mistakes.
Since I’ve always lived by the rule that personal communication and attendance is key in small business, I’ve often been overwhelmed by the process of directly addressing issues. This is one of those “do as I say, not as I do” instructions, because I’m still working on making my own job easier.
In my defense, I have taken steps to help cut down on the amount of direct emails. Since we’ve got a team of folks, all with varying responsibilities, an online ticket system was put in place a few years back. This allows customers to contact us by varying departments, streamlining the contact process. When a ticket is entered it is assigned to the person responsible. This act alone cut down the amount of direct email by well more than half.
We also have a Client Task System, where our regulars may request work or instruction. This has made the process of handling client tasks much easier and it has other advantages. If any of us are called out of work on an emergency, the process of another team member jumping in the middle of a task and knowing where another left off is simpler.
Automation of the receiving, assigning and addressing issues is key. And while even I continue to work hard at cutting down the amount of time it takes to field inquiries, there are some rules of thumb I vie to follow on direct messaging.
I always attempt to at least review the content of a message, even if I can’t respond to it at the moment. This will tell me if it’s a standard inquiry or an urgent issue (if it’s urgent I either field it to someone, or stop what I’m doing to address it myself). The only downfall is if I get too swamped, it can take a bit before I get back to less impending issues. Since in my business it’s policy to drop everything to tend to actual emergencies (like a complete store crash or inability to accept payment), each day’s schedule can get thrown off without notice.
I’m currently the process of having our support and task system updated to retrieve email and auto-create tickets and task items. This will help us further automate the process of getting requests and messages into the right hands. Any “passing off” you don’t have to handle yourself is time saved.
I doubt I’ll ever be perfect when it comes to streamlining the process of addressing all inquiries the moment they come in. In a small business, it’s commonly not financially feasible to have someone with the sole duty of addressing incoming messages.
Here, I list my rules of thumb. Many are already in place and some are still being fleshed out, but they all address those little mistakes that can kill a potential or recurring relationship.
- Auto Response Templates - I hate full-fledged canned responses, but I do believe they have a place in our correspondence. The key is to personalize the message and give some indication that the original request was actually read.
- Always Sign Your Name - People like to know who they’re speaking with. They’re also more forgiving when you let them know you personally read their message and they can address you specifically on additional correspondence.
- Bite the Bullet - When responding to a lingering message, apologize for the inconvenience. This shows you realize you were in error and are taking responsibility. Never trash a message because you’re too embarrassed about the delay, and never make the assumption the sender is no longer interested in receiving a reply. If the issue was urgent, find time to make a direct phone call.
- Filter to Folders - It’s wise to use separate email address for customer service, sales and direct business contacts. By filtering the most important incoming email addresses to a specific folder, you’re more likely to target your attention to more important issues first.
- Keep Them in the Loop - If you need to assign the message to another staff member, let the customer know this. It will make a time delay more acceptable, should one occur. Respond to Everything - Every inquiry, no matter how minute, should get a response. If someone emails just to tell you they were happy with their order, thank them. This helps build lasting relationships.
- Keep a Copy - Keep archives of received messages, even if they’ve been addressed. Some email programs (like AOL’s) aren’t configured to quote the original message when replying, and though it’s appropriate to request the customer include the original message, keeping copies gives you the ability to refresh your memory in case they don’t.
While you’ll likely never be 100% error free when handling multiple requests, note that those sending you messages are also human. There will always be complaints to deal with, but by using personalization techniques those who may have originally felt “done wrong” are likely to be more understanding.
This post is filed under Developers' Corner and has the following keyword tags: email, personal communication.
