Don't forget that we can talk to each other

I have witnessed many times one person asking another to proof read an email… usually an email that has been written, and re-written two or three times because the author just can’t strike the right tone. Will the email be read in the context that it was sent?

I have received many of these emails, and unfortunately I have also sent them… usually in haste so that I can move on to the next piece of work.

People who sit closely to me at work can usually hear my various mantras several times per week. The one that I repeat on a loop is “if you don’t know how to word the email, then it should be a phonecall!”

In the world of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, E-mail, MSN, BBM and various other media the humble phone-call seems to have been downgraded. And communication is all the poorer for it.

I am not a Luddite who is instantly sceptical of new ways of doing things. The email is a wonderful tool to disseminate information clearly and consistently. It is a great way of putting something on record for audit purposes and it is a convenient way of answering and acknowledging simple requests.

Facebook and Twitter are here to stay, and rightly so. They are not the latest trend for the young that will go the same way as CB radio (I am that old!)

However, I am concerned about the growing trend of avoiding talking to people. A conversation involves personality, emotion, empathy, understanding, talking, listening, reaction, consensus, and ultimately…a conclusion reached between 2 or more people.

Anybody who is involved in customer service should remember this most important tool.

SecureTrading is a true independent. We have a 15-year pedigree in working closely with our customers and partners to provide flexible solutions to their ever changing requirements. Every member of staff has a direct-dial telephone number and we have a Technical Support Team available to take telephone calls from 6.30- 23.00. Customers will never receive an email telling them that their enquiry will be dealt with within the next 48 hours!

A professional craftsman knows exactly which tool to use for each job. Any service led organisation should ensure that it does not neglect the humble telephone conversation whilst perusing the myriad of communication tools at its disposal.

Guest Post written by our Sales Manager at SecureTrading – Andrew Porter