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. It might sound needlessly trivial, but the method by which you communicate with your customers should be spelled out, preferably in your contract.
To be clear, we are talking about the form of communication you take after you have created that beautiful proposal in D-Tools Cloud or D-Tools System Integrator (SI) and either presented it to them in person or via email. Now the project is commenced and 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: It can be an immediate method of communication for an urgent matter. Generally, a desired form of communication with younger clients. It also creates a documented trail of communication.
Cons: It could irritate the customer, especially if the text is sent at night. Likewise, 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: It may not be timely. Some customers only check their emails once per day or at night, so it might be wise not to email anything that requires immediate attention.
Mail/Certified Mail
Pros: Creates a documented trail of communication but should be reserved for communications that are of ultra importance. Allows for a more detailed level of communication.
Cons: The mail may never be accepted by your customer and may not be the best, most efficient or even acceptable way to communicate. It also is not timely, so mail communication would not be wise for something that requires immediate attention.
Phone Call
Pros: It can be an immediate method of communication for an urgent matter.
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, Kirschenbaum recommends you specify with your customer HOW you intend to communicate with them and spell it out in your agreement. Kirschenbaum’s contracts include provisions that cover methods of communication.
