Customer service is key to retention. Long wait times and long call back periods are definitely add to your customer’s dissatisfaction. I’m sure you have been in my position . . . you dial into (insert name of any service company here) and there is an automated voice telling you all of these options. If you were to go through it all then you would have to press (in this order): 1, 2, 5, 3, 2, 1, 1, 8, 2, 3, 1, 4, 5, 2 and 1. In the end, the whole process takes you to a human being. Or if you are like me, you probably have found yourself pressing the “0″ button every time you are given a chance so that it will take you to the operator.

Just remember that although you do want to decrease expenses for your business by going automated, people just want to be heard.

Here is a cool site I found that lists many major customer service numbers. For all of you I-phone people out there, there is even an application.

www.gethuman.com