Organizations exist for customers. A business can thrive if it is able to reach out to customers and convince them to purchase its products and services. Businesses do not want a one-time relationship with customers instead; they would want them to be loyal customers. A loyal customer makes repeat purchases and also recommends others to make purchases. It is therefore important to manage customers effectively. This includes ensuring that any problem or complaints reported by customers are handled properly. It is required to understand what the customer feels about the business and its services. For this, feedback from the customer is needed.
Most businesses have well-defined processes to manage customer complaints and feedback. There are different ways of doing it. One of these ways is the use of email marketing. Whether it is to collect feedback or manage a complaint, customer communication is the key. Effective communication can be ensured through the use of email to text. Let us understand how this can be done.
Email marketing for feedback and complaint management
An email can be sent to customers requesting their feedback. The email can contain a feedback form or a link to the website where detailed feedback can be taken from the customer. The feedback can consider questions where the customer’s ratings on various parameters are obtained. The feedback can also ask the customers to give their suggestions for improvement. This kind of feedback can be taken periodically and will help the organizations understand customer opinions and take action for improvement.
Similarly, customer complaints can be obtained through email. An email address can be identified to receive customer complaints. This email ID can be displayed on the website, on the product brochure, packing, etc. Customers will know that they can send any complaint to this email. When any complaint is received, an immediate response should be sent informing the customer of what action will be taken. The customer has to be updated on the action taken.
SMS marketing for feedback and complaint management
Just like email, text marketing can be used through SMS to reach out to customers. This can be used to manage customer complaints and get feedback from customers. The use of SMS marketing as a technique to engage with customers is becoming popular across industry sectors. An SMS is an example of instant communication where the message is highly likely to be read by the recipient. This makes SMS ideal for customer communication.
Online text messages using SMS software can be helpful in interacting with customers on their feedback and complaints. This is how it can be done:
• An SMS can be sent to obtain feedback from customers. This SMS can be order-specific, i.e.: whenever any order is placed by the customer, an SMS can be immediately sent to the customer requesting feedback. The schedule text message option can be used to schedule an SMS to be sent automatically once an invoice is generated. The customer can reply to the SMS with a number indicating the rating for the product. Alternately, a website link can be sent through SMS to fill in detailed feedback.
• The use of group texting can help in collecting general feedback from customers. This is periodic feedback that can be taken once in six months or once a year. This can be comprehensive feedback to collect the opinions of customers and find out areas for improvement.
• Mass text messaging can be used to communicate with customers and let them know about the process to be followed to report complaints by customers. A phone number can be provided to receive complaints through SMS. The use of keywords can help in lodging a complaint. Any customer who has a complaint can use the specified keyword and send an SMS. This SMS would be considered as a complaint by the software and recorded for further management.
• Once a complaint is received, then there are a number of activities that need to be carried out for complaint management. Text messaging can help in all these:
• Once the complaint is received, an SMS can be sent confirming receipt.
• An SMS can be sent indicating when action would be taken.
• As and when action is taken on the issues reported by the customer, updates can be sent to the customer.
• An SMS should be sent to the customer once the complaint is closed and action is completed.
The use of both email and SMS can help in engaging with customers. This can ensure that feedback is taken from customers to evaluate the effectiveness of services provided and to gauge areas for improvement. Customer complaint management, including receipt of complaints and closure, can also be done using email and SMS modes. This helps in ensuring a better relationship with customers, which is crucial for businesses.
