“Welcome to *Tina’s Twisted Tins, how can we help you.”

“Yes, I ordered…”

“If you’d like to speak to our sales department press one. If you’d like to talk to our technical department press two. If you’d like to talk to a customer service representative press three. If you’d like to talk to Tina, I don’t really have to tell you, that’s not happening.”

Button three is pushed.

“If you would like to speak with someone in Spanish press one. If you’d like to speak to someone in Pig Latin press two. If you’d like to speak to someone in English press three.”

Button three is pushed once more.

“Thank you for your call, all available operators are busy right now. Estimated wait time is (pause) 42 minutes. This time frame is subject to change and will not likely be in your favor. We appreciate your call to Tina’s Twisted Tins. We hope you enjoy the polka music of Albert Florin while you wait.”

We’ve all been that person waiting on the phone hoping for a real person to start speaking. Sometimes we aren’t certain when a real person is actually talking to us and when it’s simply another recording.

More consumers are gravitating toward email for lodging customer service issues. They get tired of phone tag and an endless list of phone prompts. They want answers, but they have little patience waiting for that ‘next representative’ to hop on the line.

With an autoresponder related to customer service issues you can alert the customer that the concern is being evaluated and a response will be returned within a reasonable amount of time (generally less than 24 hours although in some cases it could be longer). This route may actually take more time for response, but it does allow the consumer to go about their day-to-day activities without hanging on the phone.

It is interesting that more people than ever are taking their phones with them and using devices that allow them to download email and web content while they are on the go. This is another compelling reason to make email customer service a positive way for busy people to receive an answer. The results can be positive and results in less frustration for the consumer.

In an online environment it is not possible to have customers bring items to your store. You cannot deal with customer service issues face to face so dealing with the issues in a positive manner for consumers can go a long way in supporting the notion that online purchases can be a positive option in managing your purchases from the convenience of your computer.

Quality customer service is giving them a reason to help you succeed.

* As of this writing there was no business online by the name of Tina’s Twisted Tins. It is a fictitious name used simply as a point of reference.