It seems so obvious, treat your customers with respect and ensure that requests for help are responded to within an appropriate time frame. I for one try to maintain a personal SLA (service level agreement) with all of my clients. My commitment is to a 24 hour response, whether I have a resolution to their issue or not. Simply showing that there is movement on a request is often enough to quell the anger or dissatisfaction of a customer with a concern.
A recent purchase of mine has brought this simple concept to light. On the weekend, I purchased a new Apple MacBook Pro. It is one beautiful machine though there is an issue. It seems the hinge supporting the now heavier glass screen is loose, or broken? I called Apple and they are aware of similar issues and are going to try and replace the machine for me. While researching the issue online, I can across a post on AppleInsider that highlights Apple’s commitment to customer service. I think the attempt made by Apple is something all companies should strive for.
From a social marketing perspective, people like me with the same issues are now feeling better knowing we are not alone, and that Apple is committed to working with us to resolve our concerns. If even a few less people call in to their expensive call center, could there also be a cost savings by increasing responsiveness to initial customer calls? Why not publish the complete support database (even non resolved issues) to allow more “self-service” online?
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