[honeyflip]

Quick question. What kinds of contact info should be given for a t-shirt store? A site like Bustedtees only gives out an email address - no telephone or land-mailing address. Other sites have telephone numbers as well as land-mailing addresses, in addition to email contact.

Any thoughts on this?

A telephone number would be nice. Do those of you who post telephone numbers on your sites usually have dedicated lines just for that?
thanks
Honeyflip

 

[skulltshirts]

My opinion is that the more ways a customer can get ahold of you the better. You have to make the customer comfortable with you and your business. Some may see only a phone number and feel that they don't want to trust their money on only knowing a phone number.
I have my cell number posted on my site. So I can be reached from my customers 24/7 (plus my address, email, yahoo user name)
So you can see, I want people to be able to contact me anyway they are comfortable with.

 

[Rodney]

My opinion is that the more ways a customer can get ahold of you the better. You have to make the customer comfortable with you and your business.

Very very true.

You also have to think as a customer.

Would you want to give your private information (credit card, etc), to a company that doesn't even want to give you their basic contact information.

What if they don't answer the email they have listed if there is an issue? What if that email address bounces or is having technical issues (gets spam filtered)?

The more ways you give customers to contact you, the better. You may find that the customers never use the phone number, but you can be sure they feel better knowing it's there "just in case".

It's not only customers you have to think about to. Wholesale contacts, media reporters.

 

[jdr8271]

For wholesale orders it is sometimes necissary to talk on the phone. It doesnt seem to be an issues with retail customers, since people have become so accustomed to using email. If you have the option though it is deffinitely best to have as many contact options as possible.

 

[monkeylantern]

For wholesale, a phone contact is a must.

For retail...I'm not so sure. I, nor the minions, just couldn't spare the time for 40 calls a day....

 

[skulltshirts]

Ive been running my site for over 2 years and have had maybe 20 calls total regarding tshirts sales of any kind. All of them were regarding wholesale orders to.

 

[honeyflip]

Okay, thanks for the input. I think I'll investigate getting a dedicated line. Shouldn't be that expensive. Also, I've noticed that there are some internet services that provide 800 numbers purely for voice-mail. Might be an option...

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Not a factor of "IF" they will call you... but that they "CAN" call you. I agree w/ the above that the more contact info provided the better. I just got a money order through the mail a few days ago. Kind of a pain... but I'll take it!

 

[monkeylantern]

Theoretically (as a buyer) I'd like as much contact info as possible.


Practically, as a seller, still not so sure....

 

[honeyflip]

Yeah, as a seller...

I'm really not enthused about putting my cell number online. However, services like FreedomVoice, etc., are starting to look pretty good. FreedomVoice, for $9.95/month, has unlimited voicemail, automated messages (and order taking), toll-free, email delivery of your voicemail, etc.

Additionally, having that toll-free number on your site should make a prospective customer feel even better about your professionalism, yeah?

 

[Comin'OutSwingin]

All that for $9.95/month?!

If so, I've got to check that out.

 

[Rodney]

If you're running a business, a business phone line is a must have.

If you're running a home based business, then it's still a good idea to get a second phone line. The monthly costs can be seen as a write off (check with your accountant )

Having just a voicemail is a start, but at some point, people are going to want to talk to you live/in real time.

If you're paying $9.95 a month for a voicemail, you might as well spend 10 bucks more and get a second phone line and spring for an answering machine.

 

[suzieh]

If you give out a phone number, make sure you are staffed to service phone calls (that's if you expect a lot of calls).

I don't see anything wrong with a voicemail service or even a 2nd prepaid cell phone just for business. Just make sure you have a professional outgoing message and that you will return the call.

If you choose not to have a phone number, then just explain why...we're a small company and focus on your excellent email customer service, etc.

Susan H.

 

[Rodney]

If you give out a phone number, make sure you are staffed to service phone calls (that's if you expect a lot of calls).

I don't see anything wrong with a voicemail service or even a 2nd prepaid cell phone just for business. Just make sure you have a professional outgoing message and that you will return the call.

If you choose not to have a phone number, then just explain why...we're a small company and focus on your excellent email customer service, etc.

Susan H.

Great points Susan!

I like the idea of explaining why in positive wording if you decide not to post a phone number.

 

[honeyflip]

Heh. I just spent almost two hours on hold with DirecWay, after navigating a torturous phone-message tree, and still didn't get to a human voice. I wonder if the common consumer experience with phone/customer service falls somewhere in that direction? If so, perhaps setting up a voicemail box with an impressively complicated tree would go far to reassure a prospective t-shirt customer?

I'll start working on the script now: "If you require all-cotton shirts but live north of the 38th parallel, press 1; if you wear your shirts untucked during months that contain the letter R, press 2..."

 

[suzieh]

Heh. I just spent almost two hours on hold with DirecWay, after navigating a torturous phone-message tree, and still didn't get to a human voice. "

Sometimes if you just wait and don't punch anything in you'll get redirected to a live voice. Or punch in 0-0 (zero zero). Or keep on punching in *0# (asterisk zero pound) over and over until the voicemail tree kicks you out to a live operator. Some possible solutions for those voicemail systems that go on-and-on.