Efficient answering of customer questions sent by email is an essential and it can mean major savings. There is little doubt that email marketing suffers with regards to customer care compared to a shop as in the latter a customer can wander in and discuss matters with a member of staff. But the training of counter staff to the required levels is expensive, prohibitively so in the present financial climate.

You have to admit that we have it easy. But that does not mean you should throw money at answering emails just because it is so much cheaper. First of all you have to ask yourself what you want from it. Some people are never satisfied and you need to work out if all the extra expense is worth it just to keep them on your email list.

The larger on-line retail companies use very sophisticated software not only to speed up the way emails are resulted but to prioritise them as well. But when sophisticated and software are used in the same sentence, expensive also appears soon after, as on here. Those a little lower in the email marketing hierarchy need to come up with an efficient yet cheaper solution.

What irritates you most when you see a politician interviewed on television? I bet the fact that they often refuse to answer the question comes high on the list. This is a luxury that email marketing cannot afford so this must be borne in mind when considering solutions.

If they ask how to resolve an issue with their epicyclic trunnion, do not tell them how to ice a cake just because that is the easier option for you. A quick, accurate reply shows them that you are as concerned as they are to solve their problem as quickly as possible.

Further, if there are three questions, do not just answer two. If one part needs further research then by all means tell them what you are doing and that you will respond soon. Don’t make them ask again.

Those on your email lists often feel they deserve special treatment. And you should think so to.