The reason I answer the phone
If you’re a MyPunchbowl user and you need help, you’re likely to click on the “Help” link on the top of every page on the site. Most of the time, you’ll read our help section and get your answer. Some of the time you might click through to read our FAQ section to find the answer. And when that fails, you might want to just find someone to talk to. So you click down to the “Customer Support” FAQ where you will find the following:
Question: I need help! How do I reach customer support?
Answer: Please contact us. We’re here to help (unless we are at a party). You can email us at support@punchbowlsoftware.com or call us at 650-814-3393.
Yes, that’s a real phone number. In fact, it’s my cell phone. The one that’s usually in my pocket. And I only carry one cell phone.
So why would I put my personal cell phone number out on the big, scary world wide web for all to see? Simply put: because I believe actual users are the lifeblood of a great business. And if you’re a customer of MyPunchbowl who takes the time to pick up the phone and (gasp) call a website, then I believe you should be able to talk to someone who can answer your question quickly and thoroughly.
I’ve had my cell phone number on MyPunchbowl for more than 2 years now. I’ve taken dozens and dozens (hundreds?) of phone calls from users all across this country (and a few foreign calls too). I’ve learned more about our market and users than any focus group, marketing survey or roundtable could have possibly provided. I’ve talked to real customers, with real needs and real problems. People who are actively using our site to plan their event.
There are countless reasons I answer the phone on a daily basis, and I thought I would share a few facts and figures about what I’ve learned over the last few years:
- First, and most importantly: You would be surprised at how *few* calls I get on an average week. If I were to average it out over the last few years, I would guess I take no more than 3 calls a week.
- The average call takes less than 3-5 minutes to resolve. Quick answers and a little explanation is all it usually takes.
- I’ve talked to users who are savvy and users who are new to the web. All kinds of users seem to pick up the phone and call — there doesn’t seem to be a pattern.
- Women call more than men — but that simply might be a reflection of our overall demographic.
- If I hear about a significant problem on our site, I can expect the wave of calls to start pretty quickly thereafter. As you can imagine, this gives me a early barometer reading if something is really wrong. Many times, by the time the calls would have started in mass we’ve addressed the issue on the site.
- People are very very (very!) appreciative of talking to a real person. Most of them are shocked that I’m real — and it’s always fun to admit at the end of the conversation that I’m the CEO of the company. The customers that call and talk to me end up being our most loyal users — and are largely to thank for our explosive growth as a company.
- I usually end the conversation by asking a few quick market questions (where are you from, what kind of event are you planning, how did you hear from us…). I don’t keep an official log of the answers, but I’ve certainly learned a lot about who is using our product and why they chose MyPunchbowl.
I could tell you many stories of people that I’ve helped — and if you ever meet someone who works at Punchbowl Software make sure to ask them about how I use the Bill Clinton technique in meetings (”I talked to Lisa in Spring Hollow, Nebraska today — and she gave me a great idea for that feature).
If you’re a CEO of an early-stage company and you’re reading this thinking “Is this really worth Matt’s time?”, let me ask you these simple questions:
- Do you have your finger on the pulse of who used your product today and what they used it for?
- What’s your first warning if there is something really wrong with your product?
- Can you quickly name 10 customers that would act on your behalf as a customer reference?
- What are you actively doing to cultivate a group of loyal, fervent users?
- Is making customers happy a priority in your organization?
If you’re still not convinced that it’s worth your time, here’s a suggestion — start taking customer support calls and see how your answers change over two weeks. Go on — put your phone number on your site tomorrow and see what you learn in your first 10 phone calls.
Don’t be afraid to talk to your customers: as Cathy in Fremont, CA just told me a few minutes ago “I will be a loyal MyPunchbowl user forever and tell all of my friends about this site just because you took two minutes to talk to me tonight. Thank you!”
No, thank you Cathy. You’re the reason I answer the phone.
