What your customer isn’t telling you: picking up the phone

Going to the doctor incurs a cost for every visit. Same with the veterinarian. When you feel sick chances are you put off a checkup until you know for sure you aren’t getting better. Why? Because it costs money and it’s a hassle to go in for a checkup. Same with a pet. It’s not a bad thing that these things cost money, but the reality is that money is a barrier that leads quite a few people to be reactive instead of proactive about their health.

The same thing happens in business. If it costs you money to call tech support, likely you will avoid calling tech support, even if it means you spend all day trying to fix the problem yourself. If you work with other organizations and they keep a billable clock running every time you call, you will hesitate to pick up the phone. If the pricing model is a hassle, even if it’s not by the hour, you will hesitate to pick up the phone.

Are you putting your customers in this position? What barriers do they have to picking up the phone and reaching out for help? What can you do to lower these barriers as low as possible?

Are your customers put off by your pricing? by punching through 8 levels of automated menus to access you? by a lack of enthusiasm when someone picks up the phone?

Every day, some of your customers choose not to pick up the phone and call you, what can you do about this?