Got Voice Mail
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Computers Technology -> subcategory Other.
Got Voice Mail? Transforming Your Business Communication
Summary:
Using voice mail effectively can be a significant asset to your business. Conversely, misuse can drive your customers away.
Keywords:
business, voice mail, customers, clients, communication, greeting
Article:
Gordon Matthews, the inventor of voice mail, once expressed his disappointment: "There's nobody who really cares about using voice messaging the way I envisioned it." He never imagined his creation would become a source of frustration for business callers.
When asked about their biggest annoyance in phone communication, many people point to voice mail. The real irritation lies in the automated systems companies use to filter and direct calls, not the basic message-taking capability.
Businesses are investing substantial resources in systems that seem to alienate rather than assist their customers. When someone faces a problem and can’t reach a human, frustration escalates quickly. Automated responses might work for checking bank balances or paying bills, but they fall short when dealing with urgent issues like a faulty computer or a plumbing emergency.
While automated systems can cut costs and eliminate the hassle of phone tag by allowing precise messaging across time zones, they also have drawbacks. People can hide behind voice mail, prompts can be confusing, and navigating menus can take longer than speaking directly to a real person. Moreover, many simply dislike talking to machines.
If your company leverages an automated system, ensure it delivers top-notch customer service by considering these tips:
1. Keep Your Greeting Concise: Nobody wants to hear about recent changes to your menu options. Get straight to the current choices.
2. Prioritize Menu Options by Popularity: Make frequently used options easy to find.
3. Guide Callers to a Human Early: Let them know how to reach a real person quickly.
4. Rethink Automated Customer Service: Consider if voice mail is appropriate for customer service issues.
5. Gather Customer Feedback: Regularly survey your users’ experiences with your voice mail system.
6. Test Your Own System: Call in occasionally to see firsthand what your customers encounter.
Voice mail can be a powerful tool for your business or a source of frustration for your customers. Avoid trapping your clients in "voice mail jail" by making your system as user-friendly as possible.
(c) 2006, Lydia Ramsey. All rights reserved. Reprint rights granted as long as the article and by-line are published intact and with all links made live.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Got Voice Mail .
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