When we first set up this website, we had a phone number and fax number that most people called us on, and an email address that was occasionally used. We provided a link to a map and directions for people driving, and a link to a railway timetable that we had to put online ourselves for people coming that way. People thought I was pretty odd when I added our OS reference to the map.
How times have changed; most communication is via email, the train timetable is still there but has been enhanced by a link to tell you whether the train is cancelled or on time, and I've added our latitude and longitude to the map in addition to the grid reference. On the phone number side, we've got extra 0845 or "locall" numbers which, for UK clients, may save them money when calling us.
From a simple telephone answering machine we've moved on to a computer system too - it IS one of those ones that can be programmed to offer you loads of options and can send you in circles around a series of menus, but that's not how we use it. Phone us, and we'll pick up after 2 rings (Leah), 3 rings (Lisa), or 4 rings (Graham). If none of us is available to answer, we'll take a message that will be emailed to us around the world, as will be faxes. So don't be suprised if you hear back from half a world away.
And now, we're set up on VOIP - Voice over IP. Experimental for the moment, but Lisa and I are set up as wellholisa and wellhograham on Skype. Lisa can usually be reached at work via her account, but I'm a little trickier to get hold of that way - I simply can't be interrupted while I'm standing up in front of a class. But I do expect that we'll be chatting amongst ourselves using this medium while I'm away in future.
(written 2006-05-19, updated 2006-05-18)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
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[126] Feedback shows the tip of an iceberg - (2004-11-22)
[150] Confession - (2004-12-13)
[189] Tuesdays and Fridays - (2005-01-25)
[195] Customer service - examples to warn us - (2005-01-30)
[233] Giving customers best value - (2005-03-02)
[265] Business practise, 2005 style - (2005-04-03)
[327] How far should our support go - (2005-05-28)
[350] Want to be one better - (2005-06-17)
[393] Trainer answers phone - (2005-07-28)
[440] Upgrade! - (2005-09-09)
[482] Different ways of selling - (2005-11-01)
[552] Keeping Customers Informed - (2006-01-02)
[566] May all your screw-ups be big ones - (2006-01-16)
[569] Instructions for bright people - (2006-01-19)
[609] Been on a course, but still not got it? - (2006-02-16)
[621] And the staff put the icing on the cake - (2006-02-23)
[628] Active Learning - (2006-02-28)
[650] A person of few words - (2006-03-18)
[717] A customer service company - (2006-05-11)
[841] Forum help - a push in the right direction - (2006-08-21)
[852] Eventful evening - a lesson in looking after contacts - (2006-09-02)
[944] Just ******* Google it - (2006-11-25)
[961] Products that our customers want more of - (2006-12-03)
[966] CSL, KISS and RTFM - (2006-12-05)
[1007] Friends and family - (2006-12-25)
[1046] Bounce, bounce, bounce - (2007-01-20)
[1262] Keep in touch with PHP, Perl, Python and old friends too - (2007-07-09)
[1319] Customer feedback - lifeblood of a business - (2007-08-25)
[1434] Market survey - to learn, to prove a point, or to sell your product? - (2007-11-17)
[1446] An answer to a student asking 'Help' - (2007-11-27)
[1516] Pictures you can use - for free - from our library - (2008-01-23)
[1606] Sheep Shearers, Marathon Runners and Ocean Sailors - (2008-04-09)
[1637] Providing exceptional service - and carrying on doing so. - (2008-05-09)
[1835] 23:30 bookings and midnight checkins - (2008-10-12)
[1985] Learning to program as a part of your job - (2009-01-10)
[1991] Rules for a King - (2009-01-13)
[2015] Service Excellence Awards - (2009-01-30)
[2049] Why Choose Well House Consultants for your course? - (2009-02-20)
[2102] What do people think of our Apache httpd / Tomcat course? - (2009-03-24)
[2124] Building down expectations - (2009-04-09)
[2236] Alumni - revisiting and supporting the old University - (2009-06-13)
[2258] Questions I have been asked on answering the phone - (2009-06-26)
[2530] Taking a knock over Santa - (2009-12-08)
[2650] Getting a phone line changed ... - (2010-02-25)
[2880] Getting in touch - Please allow me to see you when you are online - (2010-07-21)
[2961] Initial handling of phone calls and walk in visitors - (2010-09-19)
[3073] Customer Service - the boundary - (2010-11-27)
[3103] Thank you - and Happy Christmas - (2010-12-24)
[3271] The importance of feedback - (2011-04-30)
[3294] It's not just about the jam in the sandwich - (2011-05-19)
[3378] New product - ensuring that supply matches demand - (2011-08-03)
[3808] Can you put names to faces? - (2012-07-19)
[3835] The Information age - not yet truly with us? - (2012-08-12)
[4077] Palty or Parliamentary? - (2013-04-30)
[4078] Train works for me! - (2013-05-02)
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