101 Best Sales and Marketing Ideas
IDEA 51:
SURPRISE CUSTOMERS WITH SPEED OF RESPONSE
A rapid response used to mean a brochure sent out on the day that a request for one arrived. Now communications are different: we e-mail and text instantly and can look at company details in real time on the internet. At the same time technology can also slow things down and annoy people. For example, who has not had a bad experience with automated telephone systems? We ring… and we wait. We go through interminable selection of options (which always seem to put “Just let me speak to someone” at the end of long list), and listen to music we detest, and endless statements that “Your call is important to us”. Clearly little has been done to actually demonstrate that. I am getting on a hobby horse here, but it’s still the case that it is wise not to do this, or anything like it. However sometimes it is possible to use technology in a way that truly impresses, and provide genuinely good service.
Idea
From the subcontinent of India …
India is an enigma. It’s a huge country, with a million of poor people, as well as a burgeoning economy, and everything it takes to be a major tourist attraction. Oberoi Hotel feature on the itinerary of many visitors wanting to do things in style. As with many hotels, many overseas customers may first contact with them by looking at the website, through which you can also send a message asking for any specific information needed.
Recently when I did just that, I did not receive a message back over the ether. Instead I received a telephone call not much more than 15 minutes later from the company’s UK representative. Much of the time, the time difference between the countries makes it possible to do this in working hours, and it is impressive: a virtually instantaneous response from someone that you think of as being too far off for such action.
In practice
- The sales person who responds promptly is in a strong position. They have all the details the customer have provided, they impress with a timely response, perhaps unexpectedly so, and are ideally placed to make the most of the contact.
- Ensure that internal organization promotes this sort of things, and never allows and administration to hinder it (as so often happens).