Building the trust factor...

Let's face it. It's a fact that customers are demanding. It's also a fact that from time to time, they will approach you asking for help in just about anything such as finding the right chemical solution for their problem, the dilution ratio of a product, an alternative product to the product they are already using, and more. The truth is that how fast and accurate of a response you give will affect your relationship with them.

Always aim at answering your customer's questions within the hour because the truth is that they don't like to wait. The faster I answer my customer's questions helps reinforce how reliable we are to them. Do the same for your customers. They will start seeing you as their prime source of information and solutions. At one point, once you have met their needs on a regular basis, you will have created a relationship based on trust. They will want to come to you for ALL their needs (this is the case for most customers), and simply will not look elsewhere for what they want.

Never beat around the bush.
If you don't know the answer to something, be honest. Your customers will not appreciate an indefinite answer after they have waited half a day for it. You're better off being upfront. Explain to them that you rather not mislead them and ask them for a bit of time to find the correct answer. They will more than likely be understanding.

Look for the answers & quickly.
If you don't know the answer, find a source. When the answer is related to a specific product, you can most likely contact the corresponding sales representative for answers. If the questions aren't immediately related to a product but rather a solution, you can find answers on the web. But be careful, the web has a lot of unreliable resources. You're better off looking towards product manufacturers to have an answer for the problem. Most manufacturers offer technical support where you can email or "snail mail" your questions. How fast they answer depends on the company.

For quick answers to chemical solutions, I urge my customers to forward all questions to the email address on the following page:

www.andrichemical.com/help

We make it a point to answer right away.