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Customers really are using our web pages to research which roses and books they want before they call to buy. Many customers and I never actually speak, we just e-mail. Transactions are completely handled through the internet, if the customer desires to speak with me to place the order then they do that. We've been extremely pleased with our response.
We don't use an auto responder because we have a boutique business. I want to know my customers and what they like. I will be adding a guest book and perhaps an counter because it would be good to know how many "hits" we're getting. I'm plagued with e-mails from companies telling me they can increase my e-mail loads and traffic. At this point, no thanks. We only have so many roses at this point. I will be trying to increase our book traffic but right now we're happy with our levels. Don't want to keep folks waiting. Better to under promise and over deliver has been our philosophy.
Basically, I think the advise that Keith and Cate gave us was wonderful. They said that people are looking for personal attention and that's what we offer even if we never speak a word to our customers.
Has being on the net made us millionaires? No, but it has proven it's worth to us by being a 24 hour store and allowing us to very inexpensively present our products. Would we give up Internet? Not in your life. It's a fully staffed sales department that requires no company picnic, benefits or vacation days.
We still advertise in magazines, and I'm told by some customers that
they only want to do business with companies who have a web site. It's
easier for them to get the information they want when and where they want
it. We want Internet customers and hope your experience on the information
superhighway is as good as ours has been. Bon Voyage!
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e-mail: Bennett@MelrosePlantation.com