sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information My opinion in writing to my customer

After a long episode of my customer having me install a quality telephone system then switching to Vonage for gosh sake to provide telephone service I ask them to take my advice to resolve numerous ongoing issues. Below is a cut-n-paste of my advice to them.

??? Realty
The way it should be by JR Grider 6-8-06

All lines should be provided by Bellsouth…….Why?

Bellsouth does a far better job of providing dial tone and dsl than any competition. Not only do they provide a quality product but they provide it day in and day out. If you are using a competitor of Bellsouth and there is a problem reported to the competitor the competitor will call Bellsouth to resolve the problem. What does that tell you?

All lines should be directed into the inhouse telephone equipment……..Why?

The inhouse equipment (ESI) can be modified from remote locations such as my office to make changes or upgrades. I can take care of your business if I can get into your office. If I can get in thru a remote connection service is faster and cheaper, sometimes it is free. Gas is $2.50+ a gallon. If I’m making a trip for your business there is a charge.

All lines should be in one hunt group……………Why?

If someone dials your main number then they most likely are wanting to do business. In other words they are making an effort to give you MONEY. We want every call being made to get into the business, if they need to roll all the way down to fax line then so be it. We can still get the call.

Fax line should be part of the telephone system……..Why?

The fax machine doesn’t care which line it uses to send a fax, it just needs one, any will do. Also if a fax comes in on a different line it still will go to the fax machine. Another example of get the call in the business and we can deal with it.

There are only 2 features we need from Bellsouth: Rollover & Group Hunting….Why?

We have purchased Fwd & Voice Mail and several others. We don’t need to rent a non quality version from anyone else. If we get the call into the business we can deal with it.

Recommendation: Let’s try my ideas for a few months and I think you will be impressed. Homeowners need Realtors to assist them in selling their home. Business owners need consultants too. You be the realtor, I’ll be the phone guy!

Did you already send that or are you asking for advice? If you want advice mine is below.

First I would not start the letter "The way it should be by JR Grider 6-8-06" That is just going to make anyone mad. I would say "XYZ Communicaions Recomendations for ???Realty." Much less confrontational and much more professional.

Second I owuld leave off the "...Why?" part. That is just treating the customer like a child and shows your anger. They may act like a child, but to write like that will only make them madder.

Finaly, try to tone the message down from the "I am right and you are wrong" tone. That will just drive them further to their decision to switch to Vonage. Even if things end up terrible they will not come back to you to fix things up, they would rather switch and never admit their faults to you, that is human nature.

Keep a cool head and when things do go wrong at least you can be their knight and save them. Keep them as a customer now and use them as a success story later. If you can keep a cool head and let them learn their lesson at least later you can use them as a story to "call ??? realty, they were using Vonage but switched back to Bell South after XX months; here was our solution, give them a call to hear it from them." That is a very powerful statement to be able to use in the future.

Steve

I agree with Steve, but I wouldn't even bother with a letter. They will be calling you as soon as they see that their voice main isn't disconnecting and calls on hold won't disconect when the caller abandons the call.

-Hal

You have good points in your letter but I would never send one like that to one of my customers. (even if it was really how I felt)

grider

I respect your feelings , but do not send that letter . As professional's we all know the customer will cut off his nose to spite his face . Let them realize the "Telecom Rapture" of you get what you pay for ! They will call you in a few months .

Yep, Steve is right on every point.

Updated Information: The customer purchased the system over a year ago and switched over to Vonage just a few months ago. Before the cutover to V they ask me what I thought and I very professionaly and diplomaticaly expressed my opinion. It was just day before yesterday 6-6-06 that in a moment of frustration the office manager ask me for my opinion again. She aask me to write it up, and she said she was in a hurry so that is the reason it is a bit below the writing standards of the norm. In that "hungry for help" situation she actually appreciated the input.
To all my friends in here you are definately correct. I wouldn't send that letter to anyone cold, it was written in a hurry just to get the cards on the table ASAP.

Office Manager liked it, Changes are in progress!
:read:

A lesson learned: Some customers like you to be completely honest with your feelings on what is wrong! I am very happy to hear that everything is going to work out for the best! That shows you know your customer. Good move.

Steve