Do You Ignore Customer Emails?
Handle incoming emails efficiently with these tips from InsureMe
by Megan Mahan
A 2007 customer service study by Hornstein and Associates found that only half of the companies studied bother to respond to customer emails at all—which is down from the 86 percent high in 2002. The Connecticut-based marketing firm also found that only 33 percent of top firms got to customer emails within a 24-hour period—down from 63 percent in 2002.
The study looked at the email response rate of 49 top companies, including Toyota, Apple, Starbucks and Wal-Mart. The companies were selected from Fortune’s 2007 list of most admired companies. And while these corporate giants may be having a hard time fielding incoming emails, the problem trickles down to smaller companies and agencies as well.
But regardless of size, Hornstein and Associates say the problem is organization, not busy schedules:
“I think we've got plenty of infrastructure, we've got more technology than we know what to do with. The problem is there isn't a strategy in place that says it's important to treat the customer well. We keep recreating the wheel, bringing new customers in to take the place of those who've had bad experiences and leave.”
Robin Ritchie, a business professor at the University of Western Ontario, studied the findings and noted that while they were disappointing, they weren’t all that surprising. Because while some companies openly solicit and respond to emails, most firms are spending more money on advertising instead of customer support.
What companies and agencies forget, however, is that good customer service needs to be built into long term branding and marketing strategies. And whether you’re having a hard time responding to the needs of prospective clients (inquiring about a rate quote, for example) or getting back in touch with a current client (about, say, where to get their windshield fixed so that’s it’s covered under their auto policy), the timeliness of your response—or lack thereof—has a direct impact on your brand.
So how can you come out on top of the email madness? Get a handle on it by:
Turning off email notifications. You know, those dings and windows that pop up in the corner of your screen whenever you get a new email—and totally distract you from the task at hand. Turn them off; start sending your insurance leads to a handheld or lead management tool. Then work on checking your email less frequently—and only after you’ve finished a pertinent task.
Calling someone after an email has reached three messages. This is a great idea for internal (read: office) emails, allowing you to solve business problems quickly and return customer and prospect emails in a more timely fashion.
Taking immediate action. Do, delegate, defer, file or delete whenever you look at new message. Don’t let it simmer—you know how quickly your inbox can fill up!
Including prospect and client emails in your daily to-do list. It might work best for you to deal with them first thing in the morning, over lunch, or before you go home for the day. Just make sure they aren’t ignored.
Asking friends and family not to email you at your work email address. A quick and easy way to cut down on the clutter.
Still have email problems? Then:
Create a separate email for prospect and client emails. Check it in the morning and before you go home for the day.
Throw some money at the problem. Hire someone! Even a part-time assistant can help you deal with the email madness.
Break free from the norm: be that unsuspecting agency sporting a stellar email response rate. Use these tips to get a handle on customer emails—your brand depends on it.
This information was provided by InsureMe, the leader in online insurance leads for the insurance industry. Since 1993, InsureMe has helped thousands of insurance agents succeed in the insurance business by providing top-quality leads that are both detailed and affordable. For more information on InsureMe leads, please visit our agent web site at agent.insureme.com.
