Author: Bill Wilson

In this six-part series, we're going to explore how technology can and should be used to enhance your ability to provide high levels of quality customer service. We'll look at two areas: traditional technologies such as the telephone, voice mail and fax, then emerging technologies such as email and internet web sites. This article examines voice mail.

A voice mail system can be an effective communications tool when used properly. It enables you to receive and check messages from customers and others 24 hours a day from virtually anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, too often the voice mail system is misused and abused due to lack of proper procedures that incorporate sound customer service practices. So, let's take a look at three main areas: (1) receiving voice mail messages, (2) leaving voice mail messages, and (3) employing the dreaded "automated attendant" voice mail system.

Receiving Voice Mail Messages

Here are six caveats for receiving voice mail messages…

• Don't enable your voice mail unless you truly are unable to accept phone calls. An agent once told me that he was convinced that the first thing his underwriters did every morning was to press the "DND" (Do Not Disturb) button on their phones. If you are not out of the office, taking another call, in a meeting, or otherwise truly unavailable, avoid the DND Syndrome.

• Listen to your messages frequently. You are not making best use of the system if you only check your messages every few days…and you're certainly not providing good customer service. Remember that one of the top complaints of customers is the failure to promptly respond to phone calls. You should try, whenever possible, to return calls immediately or at least by the end of the day…if a call is received late in the day, be sure to return it first thing in the morning if at all possible.

• Delete saved messages frequently. Voice mail systems have a finite amount of storage space for messages. Don't clog up the system with dated messages that you have already acted upon or you may find that you are unable to receive critical messages.

• If you record your own message, update it in a timely manner and be specific. If you're going to be out of the office Monday through Wednesday, be sure to change your voice mail message before you leave on Friday. The message should tell the caller when you will be unavailable and whether or not you will be able to check your messages…an option should be provided for urgent calls should you not be able to check your messages.

• Your recorded message should ask for name, number and time, then ask for a DETAILED message, explaining why it will improve service and response time…try to avoid voice mail tag. As we'll discuss in a minute, leaving a message to the effect of "This is Bob…give me a call" is almost pointless. I have to admit that this is one of my pet peeves with voice mail messages. Often I'll get such a call, initiating a round of phone tag. When I finally reach the caller, I find out he or she is looking for information that I could have provided almost immediately if he/she had told me in the original message…or that someone else could have answered in my absence.

• If your response to their request will take time, return the call and explain what you are doing and when they can expect your final response. Even if you can't give them the information they need right away, still give them the courtesy of a return call explaining when you can.

Leaving Voice Mail Messages

Here are four caveats for leaving voice mail messages…

• Start with your name and number, leave a brief (but adequate) message, and end with your name and number. Everyone has experienced one of those five minute, rambling voice mail messages where the caller, at the very end, gets rushed and babbles out his or her phone number, all of which is intelligible except for one number. You then have to listen to the ENTIRE message in an attempt to write down the correct number. If you must leave a relatively detailed message, try the next technique….

• If your message must be detailed, organize and write down the main points before calling. Make yourself a one-page form with a header and footer script. For example, at the top, you might have "Hi, this is Ivan Riptoff with the Big Bluff Insurance Agency. My number is 615-555-1212." At the bottom, you might say, "Again, this is Ivan at the Big Bluff agency, 615-555-1212…please call at your earliest convenience or email me at Ivan@BigBluff.com." In the middle of the page, you can have 3-5 numbered items where you can individually script each call. For example, if you're calling a company underwriter, you might jot down "I'm calling to get the status of that HO 15 endorsement request I sent eight months ago on the Al Bundy account, policy number HO990915AR11."

• Let the recipient know if the call is urgent and when and where you can be reached. If you simply leave your name and number with no message, or with a message that doesn't create a sense of urgency, the recipient may not be in any hurry to respond.

• Turn in voice mail offenders. If someone -- for example, an underwriter or claims adjuster -- has an established pattern of not returning voice mail messages within a reasonable time, don't hesitate to document this poor service and notify the appropriate management personnel. If your ability to deliver prompt service to your customers is being undermined by someone who lacks your commitment to customer service, don't be shy about taking action to correct the problem.

Automated attendants

An automated attendant system is a phone system that not only permits voice mail messages, but also has an automated receptionist. Callers, by entering numbers in a menu system, select options that will connect them with the party or department to which they need to speak. In many instances, callers never talk to a real, living, breathing person.

The first caveat of automated attendant systems (and you may not like this if you use one) is to avoid them if at all possible…use a real person to answer the phone and give the caller the option of leaving a voice mail or paper message. Automated systems can save a significant amount of money as compared to having a real person answer the phone. But don't forget that a poorly designed system can easily cost you money due to lost business…callers may get frustrated if they experience "Voice Mail Jail" (a euphemism for "Voice Mail Hell") or they may feel that you don't care enough about them to answer their calls in person.

Imagine if your local 911 emergency service used an automated attendant…reporting a traffic accident injury might go something like this:

"Thank you for calling 911. Your call is important to us. Please be assured that we will do everything possible to provide you with the service you need and deserve.

"If you need immediate assistance, please hang up and directly dial the proper emergency response number. If you need the police, dial 555-COPS. If you need the fire department, dial 555-FIRE. If you need an ambulance, dial 555-OUCH.

"Otherwise, if you need the police, press 1. If you need the fire department, press 2. If you need an ambulance, press 3." (The caller presses 1 for the police department.)

"Thank you for calling the 911 law enforcement division. Your call is important to us. Please select one of the following options. You may press the # key at any time to return to the main menu.

"If you are reporting a homicide, press 1. If you are reporting a robbery in progress, press 2. If you are reporting a burglary, press 3. For any other crime, press 4 unless you are reporting a traffic accident with injuries…if so, please press the # key to return to the main menu, then you may immediately press the 3 key." (The caller presses #.)

"Thank you for calling 911. Your call is important…" (The caller immediately presses 3 for an ambulance.)

"That is an invalid selection. Please press the # key to return to the main menu." (The caller presses the # key.)

"Thank you for calling 911. Your call is important to us. Please be assured that we will do everything possible to provide you with the service you need and deserve.

"If you need immediate assistance, please hang up and directly dial the proper emergency response number. If you need the police, dial 555-COPS. If you need the fire department, dial 555-FIRE. If you need an ambulance, dial 555-OUCH.

"Otherwise, if you need the police, press 1. If you need the fire department, press 2. If you need an ambulance, press 3." (The caller presses 3 for an ambulance.)

"Thank you for calling the 911 emergency medical division. Your call is important to us. Please select one of the following options. You may press the # key at any time to return to the main menu.

"If you are reporting an injury resulting from a criminal act, please press the # key to return to the main menu, then you may immediately press the 1 key for the police department. Otherwise, if you are reporting a life threatening injury, press 1. If you are reporting a drowning, press 2. If you are reporting a poisoning, press 3. If you are being attacked by wild dogs, press 4. If your hand is stuck in a Mason jar, press 5. If you…." (well, you get the picture).

Several years ago, Plog Research published a study of consumers that had used voice mail and found the following:

• 78% said they often never reached a live person.

• 66% said that automated voice mail systems take too much of their time.

• 56% said that they had given up in frustration trying to reach someone who could answer their questions or provide the service they were looking for.

Do you want your customers to have the same experience?

Not long ago, I wanted to order a new home computer system and had narrowed my choices down to two large direct sales PC manufacturers. The first one I called had an automated attendant system with nine primary options. I quickly realized that I had pressed the wrong one, then found myself in Voice Mail Jail, unable to escape. So, I hung up and called back. This time, I made the correct choice and found myself in a menu of seven choices. After listening to each, I couldn't figure out which one was the appropriate one, so I selected the one I thought would get me where I wanted to go. It didn't. To make a long story short, I finally hung up and called the competing PC company. A pleasant lady answered the phone and connected me to an equally personable sales rep. Within 15 minutes, they had made a sale and I've since ordered three more systems from them. Are you driving away business with your automated system?

If you're insistent that you can effectively use an automated attendant system, here are some tips to keep in mind….

• Keep instructions VERY brief…no more than 10-15 seconds. Always state the action first, then the number. The most commonly used options should come first.

• Avoid "Voice Mail Jail"…don't have lengthy, convoluted number options…no more than 3-4 choices per level of options. And, always give an immediate option to talk to a human being…for the sake of consistency, allow the caller to press "O" for the operator at any time.

• When leaving a message for someone you've called, be sure to leave your voice mail extension number so they don't have to go through a menu or enter letters of the alphabet to find you.

• If customers are allowed to leave after-hours messages, be sure that they are advised by the recording that leaving coverage information does not put coverage in force…your E&O carrier will appreciate that. This rule applies to any voice mail system, as well as answering machines.