The Voice Call Is Dead! (Well most people prefer messaging at least)
Consumers are calling less and messaging more! It’s as simple as that! (Just Google it or have a look at the BBC Article).
Although the voice call is nowhere near dead, businesses can’t avoid the fact that they aren’t giving great customer service if they don’t offer a digital messaging facility.
Here’s some reasons we (and others) think why:
- WE ARE BUSY OR WE PERCEIVE OURSELVES TO BE. Everyone is trying to fit in as much as they can into their day and this makes their free time even more valuable. They don’t want to be hanging on the phone, waiting for someone to pick up. They want to contact a business when it’s convenient to them, not necessarily when it’s open.
- WE’RE MORE IMPATIENT THAN EVER. Following on from how busy we are, we won’t wait. Give someone the option to send a message or ask for a call back and they can get on with their other tasks without having to wait.
- CAN’T TALK NOW. Despite the fact we want you to solve our problem, many people find it inappropriate (either professionally or socially) to take voice calls during their working day. Message us – we’ll see it and respond.
- QUICK QUESTION – QUICK ANSWER. We don’t want to hang on a phone if we just have a quick question. Is this in stock? Can you book me in on Wednesday? We don’t need social niceties or chit-chat. A quick question with a quick answer saves us time and you money.
- WE DON’T WANT TO TALK. More people are guilty of sending unknown (or even known) numbers to voicemail. If we don’t know it’s you calling you are less likely to talk to us. Send us a message and we’ll see it and know you are helping us.
- WE WANT TO DO IT WHEN WE WANT – NOT WHEN YOU’RE OPEN. People are shopping and browsing at times convenient to them. This could be last thing or a Sunday evening or the middle of the night. When they think about what they want, they want to zap off a quick message immediately.
- WE’LL LIKE YOU MORE. Some studies have shown that customer service ratings improve significantly when we’re given the opportunity to text rather than call (CIO Today). And that means we’ll KEEP COMING BACK!
With all the above points, it’s going to become increasingly effective and efficient for small businesses to engage with mobile apps and mobile technology.
With regard to the Automotive aftermarket – The big dealers alreadt do it as they have the money! Now we’re planning to disrupt this by giving the local independent garages the chance to as well with Your Garage App and at a fraction of the cost. Where do you take your car and do they have an app with a built in digital messaging system? If not, let them know about Your Garage App.
Get in touch via our Facebook page (yes send us a message – you don’t need to call) and we’ll show you how Your Garage App can do it for you!