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Customer Service - A number or not?

truegeniustruegenius subscriber Posts: 3
edited October 2006 in Startup Funding
Question:
Is it worse to have a customer service number listed on your site that you know you will not be able to man most of the day because you are making the product, packaging the product and shipping the product; or is it better to have a customer service number where your customers will have to leave a message most of the time with a call back within 24 hours?
We do have a customer service email, along with a few others for specific information/functions. 
Is not having a number annoying to most, or more convenient?  Is reaching voicemail for customer service a turn off and will send you to shop elsewhere?
I personally do most of my CS over email these days because of the long delays and multiple options that never seem to fit my dilema. Not sure if I`m the exception or the norm in today`s world.
Outsourcing CS is not an option due to cost, but more so because it takes too much of our control away with building relationships with our customers.
Thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Tammy
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    truegeniustruegenius subscriber Posts: 3
    Ha!  Anti-gravity toothpaste.  I cannot stop giggling. 
    So it didn`t bother you that it took a few days to get the right person to contact you back? We have a policy to get an email response back within 24 hours; and we plan to have the automatic bounceback that the email will be responded to within 24 hours. 
    Checking phone calls twice per day would not be an issue.  We just don`t want to get stuck on the phone all day long when there are only two of us.  Email is so much easier because it can be done after hours. 
    Thanks for your feedback.  I appreciate it.
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    truegeniustruegenius subscriber Posts: 3
    Thanks, Tracy.  I appreciate your feedback.  It`s very helpful. 
    I`m glad you love our product, we do too!  We go live on October 6 at www.mytruegenius.com</A>.  If you send your shipping address and the size and design to my email account here, I`ll send you a free shirt for a little one in your life along with a special discount code for your first order with us.
    And, oh, how we hope it does become a favorite thing!
    Cheers,
    Tammy
     
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    EMMYTAYEMMYTAY subscriber Posts: 0
    I still like to have a phone number.  Doesn`t matter that it isn`t manned.  Most emails aren`t manned live either.  The follow up is the key.
    Susan Jennings
    Home Suite Garage Apartments
    Now your mother can live next door!
     
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    truegeniustruegenius subscriber Posts: 3
    Thanks, Susan.  I appreciate your feedback. 
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