I saw an email the other day announcing some changes at a credit card company. The bottom of the email read:
Please do not reply to this e-mail. If you have inquiries or comments, please write to us at MBNA America, 1100 North King Street, P.O. Box 15266, Wilmington, DE 19850.
Who responds to an email via the snail mail postal service? This would appear to be a clear attempt to avoid customer contact.
I’ve talked before about the fallacies of not allowing customers to respond to emails. Customer service blog Service Untitled outlines some of the benefits that allowing people to respond directly to your email provides:
- Usually easier for the customer.
- Customers appreciate it when companies are easy to contact.
- Representatives can tell what customer is talking about (customers can easily quote the part they are unsure about, preserve the subject, etc.)
- More chances to wow a customer with great customer service.
Sure, there may be some logistical challenges in handling the volume of customer feedback. But how you regard these challenges will tell you exactly what value you place on your customers. If you care about your customers, don’t distance yourself from them by hiding behind difficult communication channels.
If your customers aren’t able to reach you, their money may just end up reaching a competitor instead.