Even in today’s wired world of Twitter, LinkedIn, email, and smartphones, everyone misses an occasional call or is away when an important email arrives. Follow-up is essential in these instances to let your customer know you care.
When a customer contacts you, it’s imperative that you follow up as quickly as you can. Even if you don’t have time to give the customer’s issue your immediate attention, provide them with a quick status update to acknowledge you’ve received their message and are working on the problem.
Unless the person tells you how they prefer being contacted, follow up the same way they first contacted you. If the person emailed you, reply with an email. If they left a voice mail, reply by phone. If they tweeted you, tweet them back. Some people prefer one means of communication over another. Usually, that preferred method is the one they will use when contacting you.
If you’re working on a long-term issue with a customer, check in frequently to let them know you’re still on the case. Even if you don’t have a solution yet, just knowing you care enough to stay in touch will help to put their minds at ease.