Using The Internet To Communicate With Your Customers

With the advent of the World Wide Web, the traditional methods of communication with customers have taken a back seat. Though some businesses still send out a lot of flyers and conventional letters, these actually cost a lot more and have a much lower conversion ratio than online spreading of information about the products and services of the business. Big businesses still use the print and television media to reach out to their customers. While these may be effective advertising media, online information distribution is definitely considered a better way to stay in touch with existing customers and reaching out to new ones in today’s net-savvy world.

Communication with a customer starts even before he/she buys the company’s products or services. Businesses today have realized this to an even greater extent than their predecessors. Today, businesses have their own websites to provide online information about their products and services. They also register with many blogging sites and forums and post a lot of comments and articles on these sites to provide online information about their products and services. These businesses also advertize themselves through search engines and online directories.

Once someone visits a company website or an online store, the website usually asks for the person’s e-mail address. This starts the actual communication process between the company and the customer. The company now regularly sends e-mails to the customer, providing him the latest information on the company or the industry. This distribution of online information ensures that the company’s brand name remains fresh in the customer’s mind. Businesses also send out other mass mailers to potential customers but because of certain anti-spam regulations, they can only send out these mails to people who have had some previous contact with the business.

The websites of various businesses have also become very interactive. They have live chat facilities that enable a potential or an existing customer to get instant online information about the company. Then, the customer service platform of many organizations is also Internet-based wherein the customer just logs in using his customer id and password and can then perform certain tasks, such as placing an order, tracking an order or lodging a complaint, online. The transition from the traditional modes of performing these operations to the online mode helps reduce the communication time between the company and the customer. Having online information also ensures that the information can be sent from one department to the other easily. All this leads to faster turnaround to customer queries. As they receive quick online information regarding their transactions with the business or other issues, their bond with the company strengthens.

Further, the advent of online communication modes between businesses and their customers has made it possible for the customers to be better informed about the companies they deal with. Online information can be distributed by the organizations to their customers with minimal effort and instant access to real time information is possible only if the information is online information. Therefore, it is not surprising that even traditional businesses ask for your e-mail id on your first interaction with them. After all, they will need your e-mail id for most of the future communication with you and to send you the latest online information about their business.