5 steps to never forget a customer question

Claudia Academy cover with the title “5 steps to never forget a customer question.” The subtitle says it is about a fixed route for every question that comes in by phone, by WhatsApp or at the front desk, and that it works with pen and paper or a spreadsheet.

Five numbered steps. One, collect: put every question in one place, including questions from the front desk and personal phones. Two, assign: give every question one owner, by name. Three, respond: let the customer know the question has arrived and when they will get an answer. Four, follow up: write down the next action with a date and check the list daily. Five, close: only close a question once the customer has been helped, and write down the outcome.

A list of what to write down for each customer question: date, time and channel; a short description without personal, medical or payment details; the owner who resolves the question; the next action with a date, such as calling back with a price before noon on Tuesday; and the status and outcome.

Four common problems and their fixes. Questions stay on personal phones: put them on the shared list the same day. Nobody feels responsible: assign an owner as soon as a question comes in. Old chats slip out of sight: use the list as your overview, not the chat history. Questions stay open forever: agree, for example, that after two attempts without a response you close the question and note that.

Summary: one place, one owner and one next step with a date, so a question is less likely to get lost. The steps in short: collect and assign, respond and follow up, close with an outcome.

Pointer to the free Claudia Academy lesson “Map your customer contact,” at claudia.bitsplease.org/en/academy/customer-service-system/lesson-1-customer-contact-audit.