Effective Business Communication for Your Business

Each spring, I teach a business marketing and communications course for the University of Guelph. One of the subjects we discuss is the topic of communication: why it is important for your business and the many ways we can and do communicate with our clients and potential clients. I often hear the same complaint regarding appraisal professionals and businesses, “They do not respond to emails.”

Email is how today’s business world communicates. Companies that only want face to face meetings or phone calls will find that it is becoming harder and harder to make them happen. In a digital world, where time has become more limited, we resort to sending an email or text because it can be more efficient. It is hard enough to get someone to return a voicemail, but now it seems people do not have the time or the consideration to actually respond to each other by computer, cell phone, or any other device that we all know is within range at any given moment.

A recent business study found that:

• 62% of companies do not respond to customer service emails (this is up 21% from 5 years ago);
• 9 out of 10 companies do not acknowledge or inform the customer that an email has been received;
• 97% of companies do not follow up on customers to see if they were satisfied with the response;
• Only 2 in 10 companies are able to answer questions in the first reply;
• 4 out of 10 companies do not have an email address or phone number clearly visible on their website.

The entire study can be found here 2021 Customer Service Benchmark Study.

When asked “What are the most frustrating aspects of poor customer service?”, customers cite having to contact a company multiple times for the same reason, making it one of their biggest frustrations. Whether there is a single question or several questions within an email, good customer service is about answering your customers in full, otherwise you risk annoying them. If you cannot answer all questions, respond with the questions you can answer and then include a note that you will follow up with them in regards to any outstanding issues.

It is understandable that most appraisers involved in the appraisal industry lead busy lives and you cannot be tied to your computer or phone all day. That being said, replying to a business inquiry email three weeks later is not acceptable and is not a good reflection on your business. A lack of response can come off as being uncaring and creates a poor first impression of your business. When you do not respond to an email, you are basically saying, “I could care less that you reached out to me.” If you get too many emails and truly do not have time to respond to business inquiries, then it may be time for you to consider getting an assistant who can help you manage them. If an assistant is not feasible for your business, it is important to set aside a block of time each day so that you can make a commitment to your clients and potential clients. Nothing drives a customer away faster than not being able to get a response from you in regards to a product or service you offer. If you are finding that you are getting the same inquiries and questions over and over again, it might be worth setting up a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on your website, which may ultimately help free up some of your time.

Lastly, here is a great video on how to write effective emails – 6 Steps for Writing Effective Emails

Written By Tracy Dopko, ISA CAPP