When customers inquire

“Ah, excuse me. Could you tell me if...”

Inquiries are an extremely important source of business for any company. When people call for information, it’s a sure sign that they’re interested in your company’s product or service. Otherwise, why would they take the trouble?

But their interest won’t last indefinitely. A quick response gives you the best possible chance of turning the inquiry into a sale.

When people ask about your product or service, they want to know about it right away. The faster you respond, the greater the chance of making a sale.

Tell me whether I am right on track or not:

Don’t you hate it when the server in the restaurant looks away and pretends he or she doesn’t see you waving your hands and feet?

Don’t you hate it when the front liners are busy gossiping while you wait in line?

Don’t you hate it when the phone line is busy all the time?

Don’t you hate it when customer service people put you on hold?

Don’t you feel like burning their place down when you are passed from one person to another and then put you on hold some more?

Don’t you feel anger creeping up your veins just thinking about it?

There’s just something really off about being ignored and not paid attention to by customer service people when we’ve actually intended to give them business.

And then some genius from the company would make a public declaration about how “people have no idea about the volume of inquiries the company has to entertain every day, and that the reason why customers’ calls don’t go through easily is because blah, blah, blah...” with a matching condescending look to boot.

When I heard a statement like this, I almost cried. I almost cried over the sheer dumbness of the statement.

Geniuses who come up with such statement should listen to what their clients have to say in return. Oh yes – Customer may have been quiet before, but with the advent of Twitter and Facebook, their voices can now be heard. And they’re saying this about the voluminous calls and inquiries companies have to deal with everyday: “Is that our problem? You wanted a lot of business, and now that you’ve got lots of it, deal with it. Don’t go blaming us for calling you. Had your services/product been good and reliable in the first place, then we would not have wasted our valuable time having to call you.”

Whew! These happen when nobody takes customers’ inquiries seriously, or worst, because nobody cared to pick up the phone and answer.

You get three important ideas across to customers when you act quickly in handling their inquiries or other requests:

1. You show that you are eager to serve people, and the business they bring you is important.

2. You show that you are interested in them.

3. You suggest that any business they may give your company will be handled efficiently and without a hassle.

These are all-important reasons and platforms for making a sale, retaining a customer and for creating a wonderful buzz for the kind of service you provide. So pick up the phone please and talk to me!

Excellent customer service is simply inconveniencing one’s self for the convenience of others. Respond quickly. Get some more technology or hire more help to respond with greater excellence to customer needs. This is not just good for business – this is the right thing to do.

(Send “Inspire” to 288 for Smart or Sun subscribers and 2889 for Globe to receive your daily inspirational quotes and thoughts from Francis Kong. Visit facebook.com/franciskong 2 for more details.)