When Should You Text, Email, Mail or Call Your Customers?
The article discusses the importance of specifying communication methods with customers—text, email, mail, or phone calls—highlighting each method's pros and cons, such as immediacy and documentation for texts and emails, formality and reliability for certified mail, and the need to tailor communication based on client preferences and legal considerations.
How do you communicate with your customers: by mail, certified mail, email, text, or phone call? Each method of communication has its own pros and cons. The method by which you communicate with your customers should be spelled out, preferably in your contract.
To be clear, this refers to the form of communication you use after you have created a proposal and presented it to your client, either in person or via email. Once the project has commenced, you need to establish the mode by which you intend to communicate with the client regarding the progress of the job.
As industry legal expert Ken Kirschenbaum of Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum notes, the way you communicate with your customers is important because there are distinct differences in “what you are allowed to do, what you are required to do and what perhaps you shouldn't do.”
There are distinct differences in "what you are allowed to do, what you are required to do, and what perhaps you shouldn't do" in communicating with customers.
To be certain, each mode of communication has its pros and cons:
Text
Pros:
- Immediate method of communication for urgent matters.
- Generally a desired form of communication with younger clients.
- Creates a documented trail of communication.
Cons:
- Could irritate the customer, especially if sent at night.
- Some older customers may not be accustomed to texting.
Pros:
- Creates a documented trail of communication.
- Allows for a more detailed level of communication.
Cons:
- May not be timely; some customers only check their emails once per day or at night.
- Not ideal for matters requiring immediate attention.
Mail/Certified Mail
Pros:
- Creates a documented trail of communication.
- Suitable for communications of ultra importance.
- Allows for a more detailed level of communication.
Cons:
- Mail may never be accepted by your customer.
- Not the most efficient or acceptable way to communicate.
- Not timely; not wise for urgent matters.
Phone Call
Pros:
- Immediate method of communication for urgent matters.
Cons:
- Doesn’t document specifically what has been communicated.
- Some younger clients do not like phone calls and may not answer.
Whatever your method of communication, it is recommended to specify with your customer HOW you intend to communicate with them and spell it out in your agreement. Contracts can include provisions that cover methods of communication.
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