Questions, as well as techniques used by the leaders of large IT companies.
Today we will talk about another important topic - the creation of auto answers from support services of technology companies. Blake Thorne, an employee of the StatusPage project, published a story about an interesting experiment on the blog - the project team sent 100 requests to support services of different companies to find out which auto answers they use. The purpose of the experiment is to see weaknesses in such communications with customers. We bring to your attention the main thoughts of this material.
Unfortunately, very often support responses leave much to be desired. If the company does not make sufficient efforts to create an effective customer support system by e-mail, then its development will slow down significantly.
According to Thorne, this made the StatusPage team think about how email communication with their customers is done. Employees noticed that many large companies send automatic replies when they receive any applications. In this way, they inform customers that their message has been received by a support service that will contact them later.
At StatusPage.io, help desk employees tried to respond to customers personally and in a timely manner to get by without an answering machine. But when the number of company customers exceeded 2,000, the team thought about the need to install such a tool.
On the Internet you can find materials about installing answering machines - Helpscout, for example, added this useful feature to its product. It was decided to conduct an experiment to find out how other companies answer their customers' questions. To do this, the StatusPage team sent 100 applications to support services of different companies. And so, what happened in the end.
Process
You do not need to be a scientist to understand that such an experiment requires a certain level of control. You can’t just send 100 applications to support services without thinking about the technological side of the process.Company selection
First of all, it was necessary to decide which companies would send applications. This is probably the most significant part of the experiment. At first glance, it seems that one hundred companies is a lot, but to select this number from thousands of potential participants is not so simple.It was necessary to include a lot of SaaS companies in the list, as well as a number of technology startups. Thorne writes that he wanted both small and medium-sized and large organizations to participate in the experiment. For the purity of the experiment, it was worth considering also non-technological companies and some outdated, but still popular brands. Many of them have been working to improve their support services for decades. In addition, he listed a number of hardware companies and several airlines.
The specialist entered all these companies in a spreadsheet to track which of them sent applications, and from which replies have already been received.
Application preparation
There was one catch in this project. The fact is that Thorne did not want to waste time on support specialists who are already overwhelmed with work and put them in an awkward position. Moreover, he did not want to send far-fetched requests or simply empty applications.Therefore, it was necessary to write such a request that would be suitable for all these companies and give a clear idea of \u200b\u200bhis project. Moreover, support service specialists could easily refuse to participate in the experiment if they did not have time for this.
Here's what happened:
Topic: This is a testHello!
Immediately get down to business and warn that this message is not a real support request. I apologize for this. My name is Blake, I work for StatusPage.io.
I noticed that many companies install convenient answering machines in support mailboxes to confirm receipt of customer requests. I would like to write about this on my blog. Therefore, I decided to send several requests to different support services in order to compare the automatic responses received from them.
If your company does not have an answering machine installed, don’t worry, I won’t blame you for that.
If I get an automatic response from your support team, I would like to use it as an example in my article. Of course, I will refer to your company.
If you want to contact me directly to tell us more about your answering machine, I will be very grateful to you. Send answers to the address [email protected] (I sent this email from an account created specifically for this project).
Thank you and good luck in your work!
Blake Thorne, StatusPage.io
Submitting support requests
Thorne writes that he had to work hard to send all these applications, but he managed to learn a lot about the support process from the point of view of the client.It was a surprise for the researcher that it is quite difficult to submit an application to the support service of many companies. In most cases, in a couple of clicks, you can find the email form or support email address. But on the websites of some companies it was not possible to find either one or the other. Then Thorn randomly sent an email to [email protected] and [email protected]hoping someone reads them.
In most cases, it turns out that the larger the company, the more difficult it is to find a way to contact its support team. Maybe just as the company grows, customer support fades into the background. But is there really no way to make it more accessible?
Other observations
- For those who still haven’t guessed, support email addresses usually start with [email protected] or [email protected] Medium Uses Address [email protected]which by the way is pretty cool.
- One company, we will not name which one, indicated only the address of ordinary, and not electronic, mail. Annoyingly.
- It was not possible to submit an application on the website of another company without specifying your working email address in the format [email protected] Seriously?
The answers
As expected, Thorne began to receive answers. The following is an exact analysis in numbers. For 100 applications sent, he received:63 automatic replies
Wow. And answering machines are more popular than it seems at first glance.11 conditional automatic answers
Companies that report that they use the answering machine only at certain times, such as in the evenings or on weekends.4 responses from real people
These answers amused the researcher. Here is one of them: “Is a support guy who answers very quickly, is it considered?” Commendable.13 dead letter notifications
It's a pity. I would like customers of these companies not to encounter a similar problem.9 companies did not react in any way
It is hard to say for sure what is the reason. The application may have been submitted incorrectly. Or maybe they read a strange message and simply ignored it. Maybe all the employees of this company were kidnapped. Who knows...
Argument against the use of automatic messages by the support service (or the argument in favor of conditional automatic messages)
The StatusPage team decided to find out which types of companies install an answering machine and which do not. The result was surprising. After delving into the study of this question, the researchers found a pattern: the larger the company, the greater the likelihood that the answers are sent automatically. But there are exceptions to each rule. This applies to both tiny startups using answering machines, and well-known companies whose support services send out answers on their own.From Airbnb, for example, such a message was received.
Hello,
Thank you for contacting us.My name is Adrian, I am an expert at the airbnb community and the owner of Superhost housing in Vancouver, Canada. I can advise you on this issue.
Unfortunately, we do not have an answering machine - only people work here!
If you have additional questions on this topic, I will be happy to answer them.
All the best,
Adrian
Signs of a good automatic response from customer support
From a good automatic response, you can get a lot of useful information. After reading a sufficient number of letters from support services, you will begin to notice some common symptoms. This is what unites all correctly written automatic answers - they are:1. Confirm that the application has been received
You would be surprised to find out how incomprehensible there were some confirmations about the receipt of the application. A message such as “your application has been sent” doesn’t mean much. Does it mean that someone will consider the problem? Are applications delivered on time? Do I need to keep this application number and take additional measures? Thorne advises not to make his customers guess. You need to let them know that the application has been received.Specific example: Stripe payment service.
The notification of confirmation of receipt of the application does not need to give extra information. Get to the point right away. A great example is the notification from the Stripe service. As you can see, everything is simple, clear and to the point.
Thank you for contacting us.
it short message sent only to confirm that we have received your application and will reply to you shortly.
Your stripe
2. Report from whom and when the client can expect a response
Be sure to let the customer know when they can expect a response. Filing an application can prettyly ruffle your nerves. People want to know when they get the answer to their question, whether they should try to use other methods to solve the problem. Remember to include special circumstances, such as holidays, in the message.Specific example: Zenefits and Postmates.
Some companies prudently include in their automatic responses information on the time for consideration of customer applications. Good examples are Postmates and Zenefits.
Hello, you have contacted Postmates support.Solving your problems and finding answers to your questions are our main tasks. To solve urgent problems, support service specialists will contact you within 20-30 minutes, in other cases - within 24 hours.
Good luck to you
We have received your request and inform you that we are keeping the situation under control. A Zenefits Support Specialist will review your application and contact you today to suggest possible solutions to the problem (pay attention to weekends).
3. Offer to use alternative support channels to solve urgent problems.
I would like to combine all support requests into one large category: applications (tickets). After all, an application is an application, is not it? Unfortunately, this is not the case. Some applications require immediate consideration, while others may wait a couple of days. You may find yourself in a difficult situation if you begin to consider all applications in the order they were received - some problems need to be addressed out of turn.For this purpose, you can open additional support channels. Suppose you add a live chat or a hotline number to the site so that people can turn to for help in case of emergency. For example, if a company that conducts business online has a server crash at the height of the working day. If the problem is not urgent, the client will not call, but simply leave a message.
Specific example: company JustFab.
According to Thorne, it is crucial to indicate alternative support channels in the automatic response. If the support service has a live chat, a hotline or any other way to receive requests, it is extremely clear to inform customers about them, as JustFab does.
Thanks for your letter! One of our stylists will answer you shortly. To solve urgent problems, call us on the phone [...] 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or chat in www.justfab.com.Your Justfab team
In the automatic response from Flipagram support you can find a lot of useful information without even leaving your email.
Thorne especially liked one line: “Your application is considered by ordinary Los Angeles residents who like to use Flipagram. We are pleased to talk with you. ”The text of this letter is too large to fit in one image. Follow the link to read it in full (in English).
Bonus: Add Humor
An automatic message from a support service should be friendly and considerate (and also correspond to the type of activity of your company), but it can be fun. Even an automatic response from a robot can be stylish and original.A great example is the message from Tilt.
Thank you for your appeal!We are eager to help you, and we will contact you faster than Kanye West reaches the stage for the Grammy Award.
Usually we work from 9 to 16 TSV from Monday to Friday, but you can read the answers to frequently asked questions in the Support Center section.
Good luck
Happiness team tilter
Thanks to the Tilt mobile application, you will spend less time on financial transactions than reading this offer.
And in a letter from Imgur support you will see a link to a photo of a cute puppy.Thank you for contacting Imgur, your application under the number [...] has been received. Imgur support service is open from 10.00-19.00 TSV from Monday to Friday. We will answer your question as soon as possible.If you want to leave additional comments or reply to this letter, follow the link below http: // .....
It is important to understand that not every company can afford this immediacy. If you intend to make the answer more fun and witty, make sure that it does not contradict the policy of the company. The automatic response from Tilt is fully consistent with its image, which is based on fun and youth.If such an email were received, for example from Berkshire Hathaway, the user would most likely consider it inappropriate.
In the end
Nobody knows better than you whether it is worth the support service of your company to use an answering machine, Thorn is convinced. There are many different options for automatic messages.And if you decide that an answering machine is just what you need, the researcher advises you to remember one thing: it takes time to make up the correct automatic answer. Some company founders and support specialists are just too lazy to write automatic answers, and it’s easy to guess why. After all, this is just a short confirmation of the receipt of the application, so why waste time and effort writing it?
But if you think better, it will become clear that one fine day these automatic messages can lead to a large number of new customers. Thousands of people who use the product can receive these messages in their electronic mailboxes. This is the first point of contact with customers who have problems, and this is the company's chance to keep them or lose them forever. Do not be frivolous, you do not need to spare time for a good answer.
Additional reading
If you want to dig deeper, Thorne also advises you to familiarize yourself with other useful materials on this topic:
- Desk.com: How to apply business rules to send an automated message to Desk.com
- MarketingSherpa: How to Improve Your Support Responses: 5 Simple Solutions to Common Problems
1: I am currently out at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail to get the position. Be prepared for my mood.
(I’m not in the office because I’m going through a job interview and will answer you if they don’t take me. Be prepared for my mood.)2: I´m not really out of the office. I´m just ignoring you.
(It's not that I'm not at work. I'm just ignoring you.)3: You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the office. If I was in, chances are you wouldn´t have received anything at all.
(You received this automatic notification because I am not at work. If I were at work, you would not receive anything at all)4: I will be unable to delete all the unread, worthless emails you send me until I return from vacation on 4/18. Please be patient and your mail will be deleted in the order it was received.
(I cannot delete all the unread, useless emails that you send me until I return from vacation on April 18. Please be patient and your messages will be deleted in the order in which they were received)5: The e-mail server is unable to verify your server connection and is unable to deliver this message. Please restart your computer and try sending again.´
(The server is unable to determine the connection of your server and cannot deliver this message. Please reboot your computer and try sending the message again.)
:)) The funniest thing is that when you return, you will enjoy the number of those idiots who actually did this)6: Please reply to this e-mail so I will know that you got this message. I am on holiday. Your e-mail has been deleted.
(Please reply to this message so that I know you received it. I am on vacation. Your message has been deleted)7: Hi. I´m thinking about what you´ve just sent me. Please wait by your PC for my response.
(Hi. I’m thinking about what you just sent me. Please do not leave your computer waiting for my reply)8: Hi! I´m busy negotiating the salary for my new job. Don´t bother to leave me any messages.
(Hello! I am busy negotiating salary at my new job. Do not bother leaving me messages)9: I´ve run away to join a different circus.
(I escaped in order to join another circus)10. I am on holiday, enjoying the sun rise, drinking light liquor, sitting at the ocean beach and watching nice young girls in extremely short swimming suits. Your e-mail has been successfully deleted, simply because it is useless. You deserve work, I deserved fun.
(I'm on vacation, enjoying the sunrise, drinking light liquors, sitting on the ocean and watching pretty, young girls in extremely small swimsuits. Your message was successfully deleted, simply because it is useless. You deserve a job. I deserve a buzz.)13: I will be out of the office for the next 2 weeks for medical reasons.
When I return, please refer to me as ´Loretta´ instead of ´Steve´.
(I will be away from work for the next 2 weeks for medical reasons. When I return, please contact me with “Loretta” instead of “Steve”)P.S. Thanks to the gentlemen of the Bank of Moscow for having found!
I am often asked with a question: "Where can I get text templates for voice greetings?" In this article I want to bring different companies. Based on these scenarios, you can write the text yourself and then order an IVR record. For convenience, I signed the type of activity of companies.
Greetings for a company specializing in the production of facade systems, gates and doors:
"Hello. Welcome to ABV. If you are interested in curtain wall systems, press 1, gates and doors press 2, if you know the internal number of the employee, dial it in tone mode. Stay on the line, your call is very important to us. "
The following answering machine was recorded for an ISP:
"Hello! Welcome to the ABV home internet and digital television connection service! If you want to connect home Internet or television, press 1. And if you have questions about an existing agreement or need technical support, press number 2. Please select the company you are interested in: Beeline - press 1. Domru - press 2. Rostelecom - click 3 ".
Sometimes it becomes necessary to make for the holidays, here is an example of such a text:
"Hello! Thanks for your call! From January 1 to 10, our company works for you remotely. During the holidays, you can send your request by e-mail or through the feedback form on our website. The office on 123 A Street will work from 11 on a regular schedule. To contact a specialist, dial the extension number in tone mode or wait for the response of the operator on duty. ”
This text was written for the clinic, after hours:
"Hello. The official working day of the Polyclinic is over. We are waiting for your call on weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm and on Saturday from 9 am to lunch. We remind you that you can make an appointment with the doctor at any time from our official site ABV dot ru. ”
If you need to adapt text for English-speaking clients, the following template will help you record text for IVR:
“Hello! You have reached [company name]. All of our sales representatives are busy serving other customers but we would like to return your call as soon as possible. For current pricing information or to check the status of your order, please visit us on the web at [your website]. Otherwise, please leave us a message with your name and number after the tone. If you would like to return to the previous menu, press the [number]. "
The following text is written in a non-standard style for the voice menu:
“I welcome you, this is your ABV store!” So the time has come when I need your help! Come July 1 to the night of sales and help take out all the goods. We take only ours for the cause. The operation is carried out at 3 sites ABV, ABV-1 and ABV-2 from 17.00 to midnight. "
And this is the recording and text of the answering machine for the disinfection center:
“Hello, you have contacted ABV!” To solve any problems with pests and insects - just wait for the operator to respond. Attention! Do not miss the action: by ordering any processing, you participate in the drawing of the tablet. Check with your manager for details. ”
"Hello. Welcome to the Academy of Professional Training. For admission to the Academy, press 1. If you are already a student at the Academy, press 2 or dial the internal number of the employee. Stay on the line to connect with the admissions office. ”
“Hello, you are welcomed by ABV Bank. To work in an automated system, please put your phone into tone mode by pressing the asterisk key. Please note that in order to improve the quality of work, the conversation will be recorded. If you want to become a client of the bank, press the "1" key. If you are already a client of the bank, press the key "2" ».
Welcome text for auto parts store:
"Hello! You called the “ABV” parts store on S. Street. Unfortunately, we are not working right now. We will call you back as soon as we are in place. Hours: On weekdays from nine thirty to nineteen hours. On Saturday from ten to eighteen hours. On Sundays and public holidays from ten to eighteen. Without lunch and without days off. Thanks for the call!"
I hope these templates help you in writing. If you need creative text or you need to record a voice for your answering machine, you can always contact our studio!
Are you annoyed by auto-replies to your letters in the style of "Hello, at the moment I can not answer your letter." Especially when everything is on and the answer is needed "yesterday." Such answers cause people irritation and other negative emotions, and the reasons why you can’t answer the request right now do not bother them at all.
In order not to annoy people once again, cause them to understand and, possibly, smile, you can slightly edit the standard answers.
Avoid the obvious
To get started, let's start with those answers that annoy most everyone and which you shouldn't use.
I got your letter. Firstly, this is not entirely true. Because the letter fell into your mailbox, but whether you saw it or read it is another question. If you didn’t read it, then you either ignored it, or you have more important things to do. And that is why it is even more annoying.
I will read your letter as soon as possible. Leaving such answers is very risky. Firstly, each person has his own idea of \u200b\u200bthe time frame of the “shortest possible time”. Secondly, leaving such answers to everyone who sends letters to you during the hot periods of your work, you leave people hope to receive an answer in these very “shortest terms”. To answer a huge number of letters in such a period of time is simply unrealistic. And people are offended, annoyed and angry.
Thank you for your message. Politeness is good. But what is the use of your “thank you” if you still do not reply to letters? People took the time and wrote you a letter, and in response received a standard letter of thanks and silence. It turns out that you not only did not answer their letters, but also turned out to be very insincere.
Please expect a response within 24-48 hours. Such an answer is less annoying and may be more useful, since it indicates a person a certain time frame. But if you understand that you still don’t have time, it’s better to refuse such an auto-answer or set a different time period - less clear. For example, "expect an answer within 3-5 days."
Try to arouse good nature in a person
That is, pick up an answer that would not cause irritation and leave a person in good mood. You would not need to use the auto-responder if you were not so busy with work. This is what should be said in the message. So that the person understands that you are not responding not because of laziness or you are not interested in what is written there. But because you have a good reason for this.
Write something like - “At the moment I am very busy with work and do not have time to process messages. But I will answer your letter as soon as I can. Thank you for your patience and understanding. ”
In the end, if the answer is so important, then the person can simply call you and find out everything you need in a minute.
Use a sense of humor
Humor to the place and on the topic helps to smooth the situation. Sometimes one smile is enough and everything immediately falls into place, and irritation and anger disappear. Try using this in your auto-answer. Just remember at the same time that everyone has their own sense of humor and some answers may not seem so funny. Therefore, joke easily and on general topics.
It could be something like “I was covered in an avalanche of work. As soon as the rescue work to dig me out of the rubble is over, I will definitely read your letter and answer it ”, etc.
Brevity is the soul of wit
The auto-answer should not be very long (otherwise it just will not be read to the end, plus you also take the time of the person who expected a normal answer in the case) and ideally consist of three points:
1. This email is an auto-reply.
2. The reason this letter was sent.
3. Further actions of the recipient of this letter. For example, you are on vacation, and for this period you are replaced by this and that, for all questions, contact him: the name and contact details of your deputy.If you come to the solution of this problem creatively and write everything correctly, such an auto-answer will no longer annoy the recipients. Especially if you left there the contacts of a person who, in your absence, resolves all issues.
Kevin Rose, whose mailbox is filled up with an incredible amount of letters every day, changed the settings and created a “bankruptcy filter”. Sometimes, in spite of all our efforts, we miss important letters. Therefore, Kevin suggests creating such an auto-responder that sends similar messages after two weeks:
“Your e-mail (address) has not been open for 14 days. In order to minimize the accumulation of emails, it was archived. If you still want to receive an answer, just click “Reply” and your message will be automatically placed on the priority queue. Thanks you."
This, of course, is not the most polite answer, but if you really can not cope with the messages overwhelming you, this can help a lot. Firstly, you let the person know that his letter has not been deleted or read and left unanswered; secondly, if this is important for him, he will be able to once again remind himself of himself by sending his message to the reading queue; and finally, thirdly, you still apologize for still not having time to read the letter.
