In every meeting I have with a client about their website we invariably talk about contact information. And everybody has an opinion on this topic – some like the phone number big and bold, some like email links for every person in their company, and some like forms that people fill out. But everybody understands that if a customer is on a website and wants to communicate with a company that there has to be a mechanism in place. The web, in most instances, is where customers get to qualify you – your job (and mine!) is to get them in store or in a sales cycle.

I think of this topic as a litmus test to customer service. Why? Because some owners are looking for a magical way to generate business without any effort – and others see it as an opportunity to deliver great service and develop long term relationships. I believe that the most important job on the website is to tell customers what to do next – come visit us, buy online, get a special offer by email, telephone us. All you have to do is figure out which one results in the right customer relationships.

When customers come to your website they will have varying intents. Some will be trying to educate themselves about products and product types. Some will be looking for incentives to buy. And some will be looking to get in touch with you. Every piece of collateral that you produce, every ad you place, every conversation you have with a prospect – they all can result in a visit to your website, and your website needs to manage the intent  and the expectations that come along with it.

And this is where my experience with Dymon Self Storage begins.

As a small business owner I need to manage storage for various items. Years ago I had the pleasure of working with Peter Dent at A1 Mini Self Storage and through that process I learned that many businesses use self storage as a way to manage overflow stock etc – its usually less expensive than office / warehouse space. While A1 Mini is a great company I had a specific need – a shipment was coming in for me and I wondered if there was a self storage company that could take deliver for me and put it in a storage locker. I immediately thought of Dymon Self Storage, who is inundating the city with new storage buildings and the promise of drive in bays, convenience, etc.

So I went to the website to get in touch with them (this was my intent). I found them on Google using my iPhone’s Google Search (they engage in paid and organic search marketing so were easy to find). Note, they don’t have a mobile verison of their site. While on the website I found a page for the location I wanted to get in touch with – and was presented with a big telephone number to call (assuming this is how they want to manage customer contact). Being on my smartphone I simply clicked on the number and pressed ‘call’ when prompted by my iPhone. As a consultant in designing websites I was actually feeling pretty good about the whole thing at this point, even if they aren’t my client.

And that’s when things came to a screeching halt.

The phone rings. A person answers: “Dymon Self Storage, person speaking?”. So I say: “Hi, my name is Roger. I am a small business owner and have a few questions about whether your self storage facility can help my business – do you have time to help me?”. Pretty pleasant, I thought.  And person on the other end of the phone says: “No, I am too busy, you’ll have to call me back after 6pm. Good Bye. Click.”

My jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe that any business would talk to a potential customer like that. I still can’t believe it. How could you possible run a business and think this is how you treat a potential customer? It is the single most rude experience I have ever had as a customer. Not even a ‘can I call you back?’ prompt. Just went ahead an hung up on me. It felt like I had just been told to ‘go screw yourself, we don’t want your business’.

Unbelievable. I will talk about it in every business meeting I have with every business I talk to about website contact and the importance of getting it right – and living up to your customer’s expectations. And I will conclude each retelling of this story by saying:

This is why Dymon Self Storage Doesn’t Deserve your business.