Companies who don't email back?

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freitasm

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#758650 9-Feb-2013 11:54

And that's a risk of using these platforms. People who don't know anything, can't be moderated easily will throw their "knowledge".

If only there was a place where we could trust people, and know who are the ones with knowledge, boot the occasional soapbox user and buy an Amazon Kindle from...

;-P

myopinion

938 posts

Ultimate Geek

#758672 9-Feb-2013 14:08

Im aware of this so I make sure we answer emails immediately. Pretty easy way of beating the competition.

1080p

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#758692 9-Feb-2013 14:32

I normally pick up the phone if I have an inquiry for a company that isn't answered on their website. If further details are required or a lot of information needs to be sent (parts lists and so on) I'll offer to send an e-mail rather than sit on the phone reciting what is already text on my computer.

This is for NZ based companies, of course. International ones always get an e-mail.

In my experience, communications using e-mail are generally poor both in terms of grammar and expression from both companies and customers. I find it much more satisfactory to have an answer in moments with speech than have someone on the other end of the mail misunderstanding my request or replying with incomplete information.

In other words, if you want quick and detailed information pick up the phone. Send an e-mail as a follow up rather than initial contact.

mattwnz

20164 posts

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#759117 10-Feb-2013 18:55

1080p:
In other words, if you want quick and detailed information pick up the phone. Send an e-mail as a follow up rather than initial contact.

The problem though can be that the person who needs to answer the question isn't available. Or they may give you incorrect information, and you then don't have a paper trail to refer to.

oxnsox

1923 posts

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#759146 10-Feb-2013 19:36

There is a big disconnect between having a Web site (Web presence) and using it as a sales tool.

I'm having this discussion at the moment with a big multi layered organisation that has a large multi page Corporate website. They're wanting to add a page for a (very small) division that sells services, but want to retain the Corporate branding and look....... And their reason for adding the page is to improve sales for a stagnating group whose 0800 number goes to the guy in the field trying to provide the service, and whose email query address goes into a corporate email void.

Suggesting the 0800 number went to an admin coordinator, along with the missing email link, has meant I've been answering the 'why?' Response more times than I should.

mattwnz

20164 posts

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#759152 10-Feb-2013 19:57

Well I emailed quite a big NZ company with an enquiry. Didn't hear anything after a few weeks, so followed it up by email, and over the last 3 weeks I have received 3 different emails from 3 separate people from different divisions, and none appear to have communicated with one another, as each had different answers from separate divisions. So I suspect many companies have problems with how to manage email enquiries coming in.

freitasm

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#759156 10-Feb-2013 20:01

mattwnz: Well I emailed quite a big NZ company with an enquiry. Didn't hear anything after a few weeks, so followed it up by email, and over the last 3 weeks I have received 3 different emails from 3 separate people from different divisions, and none appear to have communicated with one another, as each had different answers from separate divisions. So I suspect many companies have problems with how to manage email enquiries coming in.

This reminds me of something that happened once, years ago. Just after I started Geekzone I tried contacting DLink Australia with a question about product releases, reviews, etc. I don't know exactly why I decided to send my email with Return Receipt.

I never received a reply. But I kid you not, I received more than 20 receipts. This is more than 20 people inside a company who read the email and couldn't be bothered providing me with even a reply such as "hang on, I don't know but will forward to someone else".

Needless to say, this is one of the reasons why I never recommended a DLink product since.

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Geekamouse

54 posts

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#759440 11-Feb-2013 12:52

I run an online business and get more emails than is decent. I try to respond to them all but they can get lost in the inbox when I'm distracted by a live customer or telephone call. Unfortunately so many email enquiries come to nothing that it's hard to get motivated to trawl through the inbox looking for unanswered ones. I guess I'm not alone.

mattwnz

20164 posts

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#759468 11-Feb-2013 13:16

Geekamouse: I run an online business and get more emails than is decent. I try to respond to them all but they can get lost in the inbox when I'm distracted by a live customer or telephone call. Unfortunately so many email enquiries come to nothing that it's hard to get motivated to trawl through the inbox looking for unanswered ones. I guess I'm not alone.

I know how you feel, especially with enquiries that come to nothing. You waste all this time replying to emails that may not come to anything, which ends up being a waste of time. A knowledge base and a good website with lots of FAQ and pricing though does help this, but that too takes time.

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