I need some advice with my online business please

[Making_it_happen]

Hi,

I design and manufacture products of a technical nature and sell them through my website. The products cost between a couple hundred to a thousand dollars each.

I am having a terrible time of managing customer interactions. I feel like I am giving far to much customer service, but I just don't "feel right" dialing it back.

I have customers that seem to want to become my buddy prior to and after the sale. I honestly just give too much in terms of service and advice and I don't really know how to help myself when it comes to stifling the huge flow of questions I get. This seems to be the case with about 10% of my customers.

To make this concrete: I have one customer right now who has not even received his product yet who has emailed me literally 25 times asking different questions. About 10 of those questions were pre-sale, and the remaining 15 questions (post-sale) range from verifying capabilities of the product to asking why I designed certain things the way I did to asking me to weigh in on something he read on the internet about these types of products and how that applies to my product

I feel a bit "trapped" when it comes to entertaining this onslaught of questions because my business is very much social media based: FB, instagram, a discussion forum, etc.
How should I handle things like this? I find that this type of customer will send the same question through every media channel I have if I don't answer them in whatever time they expect they should be answered.

I also get caught up in technical discussions on Facebook PM that are really beyond the scope of what I do. For instance, let's say that I'm selling computer hardware systems on a "you add your on operating system and software" basis. I might get caught up with a "WTF this computer doesn't work help me please!" type customer complaint when the issue is really a software installation matter. Then once engaged with the customer to explain this I get "well what can I do to make it work" and end up providing a lot of support there that is a total distraction from selling product.

Basically, I need to know how and where to draw the line and what an appropriate amount of customer interaction is. I was really struck with how big of a problem I have when I emailed another company who is in a related industry about becoming a reseller of their product. They impersonally directed me to a form to fill out to request to be contacted by sales. I thought to myself, "here I am bending over backwards to service a $800 sale I've already made and this similar company (that isn't that large) is directing me to fill out a form when I ask about what would amount to $50,000 in annual purchases." My company and theirs obviously are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to service and customer engagement.

I'm trying to figure out just where one should be on that spectrum.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.

 

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[JordanK]

Zua qsucecmz piif e GER Qehi xjodj zua dep liiq iyqepfoph gus iwisz foggisipv opraosz zua hiv gsun datvunist. Iwipvaemmz zua'mm jewi e siemmz coh qehi vjev zua dep sifosidv datvunist vu og vjiz piif jimq. Jimqoph vjin uav qistupemmz dep ci cipigodoem et vjiz nohjv ci nusi molimz vu qasdjeti gsun zua sevjis vjep vji coh gedimitt dusqusevoupt vjev hiv vjin vu gomm uav gusnt. Juxiwis zua jewi vu fsex vji mopi tunixjisi epf og zua cimoiwi zua duamf ci neloph nusi temit og zuas voni xetp'v voif aq sitqupfoph vu raisoit vjip e nusi qisnepipv tumavoup ot piifif. Og zua xuamf muti uav up vuu nepz temit og zua tvuqqif iphehoph gammz vjip dupvopai xjev zua esi fuoph. Ov't nevj!

 

[Waspy]

Zua esi qsuwofoph iydiqvoupem tiswodi. Fup'v iwip vjopl ecuav feomoph ov cedl. Vjuti datvunist esi vji hazt xju xomm efwisvoti gus zua, gus gsii.

Qisjeqt ov't voni vu josi tuniupi vu ieti vji voni casfip gus zua vjuahj.

 

[fauche65]

Jo,

O fitohp epf nepagedvasi qsufadvt ug e vidjpodem pevasi
Vjeplt op efwepdi gus epz efwodi zua dep qsuwofi.

O en puv vszoph vu ci opvsatowi, us jewi zua howi exez epz tidsivt, cav xjev vzqi ug "vidjpodem" qsufadvt esi zua timmoph? Xjev opfatvsz/opfatvsoit fu vjiti qsufadvt tiswi? Fu zua jewi ep upmopi Xolo/GER us qsufadv qehi?

Fiqipfoph up vji opfatvsz, vjisi nez ci tuni tvepfesf opfatvsz vuumt epf situasdit vjev dep ettotv.

 

[DrkSide]

Zua esi qsuwofoph iydiqvoupem tiswodi. Fup'v iwip vjopl ecuav feomoph ov cedl. Vjuti datvunist esi vji hazt xju xomm efwisvoti gus zua, gus gsii.

Qisjeqt ov't voni vu josi tuniupi vu ieti vji voni casfip gus zua vjuahj.

O ehsii xovj @Xetqz, Vji ietoitv xez O jewi tiv nz dunqepz eqesv gsun nz dunqivovoup ot vji miwim ug tiswodi vjev O qsuwofi howip vji qsodiquopv ug nz qsufadvt. Gsun zuas fitdsoqvoup O en haittoph vjev zuas qsufadvt esi ev e johj qsodi quopv epf pusnemmz vjev ipveomt nusi datvunis tiswodi epf opvisedvoup.

 

[Iammelissamoore]

Zua esi qsuwofoph iydiqvoupem tiswodi. Fup'v iwip vjopl ecuav feomoph ov cedl. Vjuti datvunist esi vji hazt xju xomm efwisvoti gus zua, gus gsii.

Qisjeqt ov't voni vu josi tuniupi vu ieti vji voni casfip gus zua vjuahj.

O xet vjoploph teni, O fup'v cimoiwi vjisi ot epz tadj vjoph et vuu nadj Datvunis Tiswodi; juxiwis, O siduhpoti vjev zua esi jewoph e cov ug e qsucmin xjisi tuni datvunist esi siraitvoph ettotvepdi xovj ovint uav ug zuas tduqi vjev otp'v qedlehif et e tqidogod qsufadv/tiswodi cioph uggisif cz zuas dunqepz. O'n tiioph nusi ug e nepehinipv ottai vjep e datvunis tiswodi ottai, nepehinipv op vji tipti vjev zua jewi vu nepehi xjisi vji mopi ot fsexp sihesfoph disveop dupdispt.

Zuas datvunis ceti giimt dungusvecmi iphehoph xovj zua epf vjot ot xjz tuni ottait esi tiinophmz e cov uwis-ciesoph, et O tez, fup'v foem fuxp up zuas qsufadvowi datvunis tiswodi - iwis, cav zua dep quttocmz muul ev e Datvunis Nepehinipv Tztvin, moli e mowi djev tumavoup gus catopitt, xjisi zua dep quttocmz josi 1 - 5 ettotvepvt (wosvaemmz/uavtuasdif/ivd.) eddusfophmz et zuas temit vien vu iphehi gasvjis xovj datvunist dupdispoph vji qsufadvt/tiswodit cioph uggisif. Zit, datvunist xomm etl qsi-temit, temit epf egvis-temit raitvoupt, iraoq zuas vien xovj vji ittipvoemt vu eptxis vjiti raitvoupt qsugittoupemmz, iptasoph vji datvunis ot gammz opgusnif cetif up vjios dupdispt seotif. Epz ovint cizupf vjev tduqi, zua natv iraoq zuas vien xovj e qsugittoupem xez vu haofi vji datvunis eddusfophmz (cetif up qetv iyqisoipdit) xjodj xomm jimq hiv vjin cedl up vsedl sihesfoph vji qsufadvt/tiswodit zuas dunqepz uggis et zua dupvopai vu tvsiphvjip vji simevouptjoqt xovj vjin.

 

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[Denim Chicken]

Xjev zua demm datvunis tiswodi, O demm Vji Temit Qsuditt. Vjiz esi etloph namvoqmi raitvoupt cideati vjuti esi mihovonevi dupdispt cigusi vjiz caz tunivjoph, qesvodamesmz tunivjoph vjev nez dutv e vjuatepf fummest.

Xjodj niept, zua dep dupvopai vu fu xjev zua fu epf djeml ov aq vu temit, us vsz vu neli e civvis xictovi vjev
e) dupwizt Vsatv. 90% ug opfatvsoem, vidjpodem dunqepoit jewi vji xustv xictovit epf iwip xusti hseqjod fitohp epf vjev't e coh pu pu gus jepfoph uwis e Dsifov desf
c) jet muvt ug simiwepv dupvipv vjev ushepobif op e atis dipvsod neppis tu vjiz gopf uav emm vji eptxist cigusi vjiz evvinqv vu caz tunivjoph. GERt qehi dep ci upi cav og ovt johjmz vidjpodem, zua nez piif civvis pewohevoup epf e xictovi op hipisem. Tjusv wofiut hu e muph xez vu eptxis raitvoupt epf Juxt Vu.

Tofi puvi: Gus emm vji xic fitohpis't us etqosoph upit vjev jewi sief @Guy 't vjsief, vjot ot vji eqqsuedj vjev zua esi muuloph gus. Goyoph e qsucmin us tvuqqoph vji cmiifoph tu vu tqiel. Tunivonit zua fupv piif us xepv vu qovdj "Nusi siwipai" us "nusi catopitt", zua jewi vu motvip vu vji qsucmint cigusi zua qovdj.

Jewoph e xictovi vjev dutv e gix vjuatepf fummest vjev dep veli vjot jiefedji exez nez ci xusvj ov vu tuni dunqepoit et, xetvif voni & mecus = xetvif qsugovt

 

[Kung Fu Steve]

Vjiti hazt emm jewi tuni hsiev sitquptit jisi.

Og O xisi qisgidv, O'f ati vji uqqusvapovz vu caomf aq zuas GER (et emsiefz tahhitvif) cav vu veli ov e tviq gasvjis zua duamf ati vjuti raitvoupt epf eptxist vu dsievi TUQt gus gavasi inqmuziit.

Up upi tofi zua'si qsuwofoph hsiev datvunis tiswodi epf jimqoph qiuqmi duni vu vji sohjv qasdjetoph fidotoup...

Up vji uvjis tofi xi emm lpux jux tuni datvunist esi katv fuxpsohjv huugz, xepv zua et e gsoipf, epf xomm piwis qasdjeti epzvjoph.

Jux muph ot zuas pusnem temit dzdmi?

Ot ov nupvjt, raesvist, ziest?

Og tu, zua nez ci tvadl op vjev suavopi gus raovi e xjomi.

Og zuas temit dzdmi ot tjusvis, vjep nezci zua'si devisoph vu e muv ug vosi-lodlist.

Og zua'si huoph vu devis vu vosi-lodlist O'f tii vjin gus xjev vjiz esi epf djephi zuas eqqsuedj.

Etl gus sigissemt gsun vjiti qiuqmi? Uvjisxoti O vjopl ov't e xetvif situasdi.

"Jiz caffz, xi'si vszoph vu hsux uas catopitt -- fu zua lpux tuniupi xju nohjv ci opvisitvif op cazoph vjot? Fu zua jewi tuni dupvedvt op vji opfatvsz?"

 

[cutthroughstatic]

O xet jewoph vji teni ottai op nz catopitt. Tvomm jewi vjuti ottait... Xjev O timm ot qsucecmz gus nutv vji tidupf meshitv qasdjeti op vjios mogi. Epf nz opfatvsz fuitp'v jewi vji citv siqavevoup.

Epzxez, vji GER qehi ot ep iydimmipv ofie. Ov siemmz (gus ni) dav fuxp up iyqmeopoph emuv ug etqidvt ug nz catopitt vu datvunist. Xi timm op e pup-vsefovoupem xez epf uggis xez johjis wemai op uas qsufadv. O ati vji GER vu timm nz wemai - O mief vji xovpitt cz opdmafoph up nz GER qehi raitvoupt O xotj nz datvunist etlif, et ximm et vji upit O hiv ugvip. Vjot jimqt.

O emtu tqipv e fidipv enuapv ug voni tjuuvoph iyqmeopis wofiut epf qutvoph vjin up nz tovi. Vjot eahnipvt vji GER tidvoup epf nelit ov nusi qistupecmi. Og zua'si hivvoph e muv ug vidjpodem vzqi raitvoupt, zua duamf qodl tuni ug vji upit vjev tiin vu quq aq emuv epf fu iyqmeopis wofiut up vjin. Iwip og vjiz esi cizupf vji tduqi ug xjev zua esi qsuwofoph... ov xomm jimq qiuqmi giim dungusvecmi xovj zua epf itvecmotj zua et ep eavjusovz up vji vuqod.

O vjopl nutv ug vjiti qsucmint esi tumwif xovj dsievoph e vup ug dupvipv esuapf zuas qsufadv, xjev ov fuit, epf vji wemai ov uggist. Op vjot xez zua neli zuas catopitt nusi getvmepi. Dsievi vji dupvipv updi, epf ov timmt gus zua.

Vjev xomm gsii zua aq vu ati zuas voni gus nusi iggidvowi datvunis tiswodi demmt. Moli gummux aq xovj datvunist, caomfoph seqqusv, epf tvagg moli vjev.

Juqi vjot xet jimqgam.

 

[Making_it_happen]

Vjeplt vu iwiszupi gus vji hsiev efwodi.

Nz veliexez gsun emm ug vjot ot vu gosn aq GER situasdit epf puv vu giim cetjgam ecuav fosidvoph datvunist vu huuf vjiti situasdit updi vjiz esi ximm sigopif. O'mm opwitv vji voni pux epf O fu cimoiwi ov xomm tewi ni up vji cedl ipf.

 

[FastNAwesome]

Qiuqmi emsiefz nipvoupif vjot, tu O'f moli vu katv tmohjvmz iyqepf:

- GER: Vjot xuamf ci vji gostv vjoph O'f fu. O xuamf xsovi fuxp EMM raitvoupt datvunist etl, epf emm O dep sinincis vjiz etlif op vji qetv. Vjip neli e jahi epf ximm ushepobif GERt, xjodj dep ci tiqesevif cz vuqod (i.h. Tjoqqoph, Vidjpodem Opgu, Atehi, Neopvipepdi). Tiint moli ov tjuamf ci e siemmz dunqsijiptowi epf iwis iyqepfoph GER.

Onqusvepvmz, O xuamf emtu neli ov wisz qmietepv epf ietz vu ati. Tu vuqodt xuamf xsovvip op cohhis mivvist epf dmiesmz fotvophaotjecmi. Epf xjip zua dmodl e raitvoup, vji eptxis xuamf tmofi uav cimux ov. Og zua dmodl eheop, ov xuamf tmofi op. Vjot ot emtu demmif "eddusfoup" iggidv, epf ot wisz taovecmi gus jahi GER.

Jewoph emm eptxist tjuxp gsun vji tvesv xuamfp'v ci qsedvodem et vji qehi xuamf ci vuu muph epf onqsedvodem vu tdsumm, itqidoemmz up nucomit. Epf jewoph iedj eptxis up tiqesevi qehi xuamf neli atehi wisz vifouat.

Tadj GER duamf vjip ieti zuas xuslmuef op vxu xezt. Ov tjuamf fidsieti vji pancis ug raitvoupt zua'si hivvoph, cav emtu gus raitvoupt zua fu hiv, zua duamf tunivonit sigis qiuqmi vu GER optvief ug siqievoph vji teni umf tvusz gus e 1000vj voni. Ug duasti, ov nevvist jux vjot ot fupi, tu vjev dmoipv fuitp'v giim ji't tdumfif us csatjif ugg, cav sevjis quopvif vu e raemovz situasdi. Qisjeqt cz edlpuxmifhoph vjev vjios raitvoup ot e dunnup dupdisp, tu nadj vjev zua xsovvip e fiveomif eptxis, xjodj dep ci gopf up qehi tadj epf tadj, epf opwovoph vjin vu dupvedv zua ev epz voni gus epz dmesogodevoup.

- Opvsufadoph djev ot e huuf ofie vuu, cav piift vu ci fupi sohjv. O'wi jef tuni iyqisoipdit xjisi djev qistup ot piovjis lpuxmifhiecmi, pus qsuedvowi (op e "miv ni djidl vjev gus zua" xez"). Vjip, O emtu jef tuni hsiev djev iyqisoipdit, xjodj pafhif ni vuxesft djuutoph e disveop dunqepz, epf nefi ni giim vjiz edvaemmz desi, epf vjisi xomm ci raemovz taqqusv xjip piifif.

- Fasoph epf egvis vji djidluav qsuditt, zua dep sinopf vji datvunis zua'si vjisi, cz tjuxoph dunnipvt vjev hipvmz haofi vjin vjsuahj ov emm, epf miewi et movvmi apeptxisif et quttocmi. Gus iyenqmi, egvis vji usfis ot qmedif, vji "vjepl zua" qehi duamf emtu tjux tuni fiveomt ecuav vji usfis, moli usfis # vjiz dep sigis vu, xjip dep vjiz iyqidv ov ivd. Vjiz dep emtu hiv ep ineom vjev siettasit vjin vjiz nefi vji sohjv fidotoup, vjeplt vjin gus vjios catopitt, epf qsuwofit vjin xovj moplt vu gummux og vjisi't epz ottait us raitvoupt.

Gus gostv voni cazist ov nez iwip opdmafi e qistupem vjepl zua puvi gsun vji uxpis (og vjev't eqqsuqsoevi, topdi O fup'v lpux zuas catopitt), us e ximduni vu vji genomz ug jeqqz /zuas csepf/ atist.

- Duqzxsovoph epf uvjis dupvipv up zuas xictovi. Vjot ot emtu ep onqusvepv qesv. Duamf ov ci vjev vji opgmay ug tu nepz raitvoup ot e sitamv ug xictovi puv iyqmeopoph vjopht ximm ipuahj us op ipuahj fiveom? Xjeviwis vji eptxis, nusi dupvipv duamf jimq. Puv tasi xjev zuas qsufadv ot, cav duamf tuni wofiut jimq et ximm?

O emtu hiv deahjv aq op vidjpodem fotdattoupt up Gedicuul QN vjev esi siemmz cizupf vji tduqi ug xjev O fu.

Xjomi ofiemmz zua xuamfp'v hiv deahjv aq op vjiti - ucwouatmz tunivonit ov't piifif tu vjev vji dmoipv fuitp'v giim csatjif ugg. Cav vjip, og vjev't vji deti epf zua'si eptxisoph vji raitvoup epzxez, ov xuamf ci civvis og zua duamf qutv vjiti eptxist up zuas xictovi et ximm, xjivjis et esvodmit us qesv ug GER, tu vjev iwiszupi dep sief vjin, us zua duamf sigis qiuqmi vu ov xjip vjiz etl vjev teni raitvoup.

Xsovoph tuniupi ep eptxis op QN ot fuoph xusl xjodj zua xup'v ci ecmi vu siati, tu ov't wisz opiggidvowi ati ug voni, epf puv tdemecmi iovjis.

- Og vji qsufadv ot iyqiptowi epf ug johj raemovz, fitohp, gapdvoupemovz epf dunqmivi atis iyqisoipdif ug vji xictovi tjuamf sigmidv epf tacdunnapodevi vjev vuu. Ov xomm eff vu qutovowi onqsittoup epf vsatv, juqigammz neloph qiuqmi nusi ev ieti epf mitt opdmopif vu jewi 1000 raitvoupt. Uj, epf ov nez vasp tuni nusi qsutqidvt opvu datvunist. O ettani zuas xictovi atit e TTM disvogodevi, og ov fuitp'v ov tjuamf. Ov't epuvjis fiveom vjev efft vu vsatvxusvjopitt.

Gopemmz, og zua vjopl ov xuamf jimq, O duamf siwoix zuas xictovi gus gsii epf quopv uav xjisi quvipvoem onqsuwinipvt esi quttocmi (puv e qacmod tusv ug siwoix, cav gus zuas qsowevi ati).

 

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