Jelly Triangle is a big fan of automation; its cool beans. Since we’re more than a little afeard of an AI takeover, we rely on automation to help us connect with other humans rather than run our business. We’ve harnessed the power of apps (a.k.s. computer programs) to help us communicate as a group when our team is working remotely, to answer questions the moment someone surfing on our website has one, to queue customer complaints, and so on and so forth.
We don’t imagine that apps tools save us time, moreover we include them in our processes to work together; they’re tools in our quest to cultivate community. When you connect with Jelly Triangle there is a real live person on the other end of that ZenDesk conversation, email address, ticket queue, and phone call, (unless we’ve ducked out to go bowling, but rest assured we’ll get back to you asap).
As marketing professionals we’ve learned both in our work and from our own customer service experiences that maintaining personal contact with client is an especially key secret to the 
success of a small business. There are bigger companies out there than you who, sad to say, can lose sight of the customer and focus on the bottom line. You’re competing with their marketing budget and, sometimes, a better price than what you can offer.
You’ve got to give customers something the big guys can’t. Even if your product is the best in the land there’s a good chance your prices are higher than, say, a box store, but in providing classic, earnest customer service you’ve got a better chance at wooing clients your way.
How do you do it? It’s all about balance. Isn’t it always? You’ve got to make room in your business to handle it properly. And here’s a list of reasons why. To truly succeed you need to put personal touches to interact with folks with:
- Meetings!
- Phone Calls!
- Email!
- Social Media!
Personally responding to every interaction will take up your entire workday if you’re not careful. Schedule time in your day, every day, to take half an hour to respond to non-emergency points of contact. This is really easy to do first thing in the morning to warm your brain up with that third cup of coffee by your side, or to wind down at the end of the day. Set a timer so that you don’t get lost in the customer service abyss – remember that whole balance thing. It’s a good thing! When this process takes longer than half an hour a day most days, it’s a sign that your company is growing and it’s time to ask your budget if you can hire an assistant.
Set a goal with each point of personal contact to make the most of each interaction. Are you solving a problem? Are you courting a client? Your business has to gain something from each interaction or else it isn’t worth your time. That being said, recall that building a relationship with potential and current clients is a worthwhile endeavor. It’s why we love social media so very much! And why we have a team of staffers whose jobs are to interact with and help our clients.
Contact Jelly Triangle at 519-624-8888 to learn more about how to incorporate practical, personable customer service into your stellar business today!
