Lesson 1 - Help your customers connect with you

The more contact options you provide in your profile, the easier it will be for your customers to reach you in a way they choose

Your contact details should be comprehensive, including:

• Both mobile and landline phone numbers so customers can reach you where you are throughout the day
• Use a business email address that you check regularly and can respond to promptly
• Provide your website address, especially if you sell products and services online
• Add trading hours and payment methods for people who want to visit your store

Here’s 4 handy tips to help connect you with your customers:

1. Answer calls and return messages promptly

It is important that you answer calls directly or have someone in your business who does. If you can’t answer a call, make sure your voicemail is current and provides a clear expectation of when you will return calls – then be sure you return calls promptly.

2. Check your business email address several times a day

If your business has you on the move, get a smart phone and check your email between appointments or jobs. Plan a 10 minute break between activities in your day so you are able to respond promptly.

3. Include a customer enquiry form on your website

Make sure submissions to the form are automatically forwarded to the email you are checking and responding to regularly throughout the day.

4. Let customers know when you are available

Letting your potential customers know when your business is open can reduce the chance of missing potential business opportunities. Hotfrog allows flexible options for listing your opening hours including continuous, split day opening hours and extra information, including being open on public holidays.

Don’t let customers who contact you get away -- More ways to contact you gives customers more options to make sales enquiries and ask questions about your products and services – but only if they can reach you. If you provide a contact method, monitor it and respond to incoming calls and messages – every minute that goes by after a customer tries to contact you increases the chances they will reach one of your competitors instead.