That Personal Touch

By: Marty Haraldson of Alpha Video and Audio, Edina Minnesota

That “personal touch” certainly has disappeared from the business scene, hasn’t it? How many companies or businesses do you call where a real “live” person actually answers the phone and greets you? They try to replicate that “personal touch” with an electronic answering device, but fail miserably.

Just yesterday, I called one of our vendors with a question. The phone rang several times before I was greeted by a recorded voice saying, “Your call is very important to us. To serve you better (?) please select one of the following 27 options.” Of course, the option that interests me is always the last one. My attention span had dwindled by this time and my mind had drifted elsewhere.

To be safe I’ll press the ol’ standby, “0”, and ask the friendly receptionist to connect me with the proper person. I press “0” only to hear a rather rude recording telling me that this is NOT an option! There is no one at this extension to take my call!

So, what are my choices at this point?

I can randomly press any one of the 27 available options in potluck fashion to see whom I get connected with. Perhaps the person I talk to can transfer me to the right person. Or, perhaps not. This individual has no idea of how to transfer me to the right party. Besides that, he or she is rather put out that I had the nerve to press their extension!

While all this is happening, I keep that greeting in the back of my mind, “Your call is very important to us.” After several other unsuccessful attempts to reach a cooperative “live” human being, my call is disconnected and all I hear is a dial tone.

It’s sad in a way to realize that many of our business transactions and activities can be conducted nowadays without ever actually talking with a person – live. I’ll receive a request for a quote by way of voice mail, email, or, do I dare say it, fax machine? I’ll respond in the same manner. Sooner or later, the purchase order arrives electronically. To be courteous, I’ll send my client an email or leave them a voice message thanking them for their order. All of this is done without ever talking!

There are, of course, those businesses that still value the customer and offer that “personal touch”. Whenever I call and a pleasant sounding person answers the phone I’ll speak up and say something complimentary. I’ll thank them for their personal service. There seems to be a definite connection between the level of customer service offered by a business and their phone system.

You will always find better customer service and support whenever you can talk with a live person without difficulty. Whenever you are required to follow multiple phone prompts and options, then leave voice messages, that level of customer service and support is suspect. There are companies that I dread calling because I know I’ll never reach anyone. When I do leave messages, I know it can be days before anyone returns my call. That just isn’t right.

I realize that we can get busy and we cannot be everywhere at once. Voice mail and email are valuable tools. I use them everyday. They should never replace the “personal touch”. These should be extensions of our “personal touch”. Used properly and in a timely manner, these electronic tools can enhance our “personal touch” with people. Responding to an email or voice message promptly is vital to success.

I have come to know which of our business partners and vendors I can count on to respond quickly should I leave or send a message. My customers do not hesitate to leave a message or send a message. They’ve come to expect a quick response from me. I don’t disappoint them.

How are you doing? Are you getting too “electronic”? Are you relying only on text messaging, voice mail, and email? Do your family, friends, and customers ever hear your voice anymore? Are you no longer available, “live”?

That “personal touch” goes a long way in successful relationships and friendships.

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