Don't forget to actually talk to people

Tell me something I don't know, Jonathon. There is a point, bear with me.

I've been following some of the tweet action at the International Fundraising Congress, and noticed a few talking about website content and the like.

This got me thinking about my mystery shopping experiences over the past few years. Not just in Canada but early days in the UK and then later down under and in Asia. For a recap of the Canadian exercise conducted last year, check out my earlier post.

It got me thinking about this specifically because schmick websites were often the downfall of many organizations we contacted.

Why?

Because too often when we spoken to organization's (this applied in all countries we have done this) we were met with, "why don't you go check out our website, there is some great information posted there'.

Errr... because I rang you to actually speak to someone (a human being), so that's why I don't want to go to your website.

A brilliant, easily navigable, clear and succinct website is essential. But it's essential to support other media, to enable those who prefer to interact with you in this way to do so.

It isn't a replacement for real dialogue, real conversations.

And that's the point. Far too often when we rang a charity to make a donation, to make an enquiry or even to make a complaint, we were directed to the organization's lovely, very schmick (or sometimes not very schmick) site.

I firmly believe this to be one of the key reasons why do many charities failed to truly engage us and 'solve' our complaint, why many didn't take our donation or even answer our general enquiry. Because it was all too hard, and sending us to their site was all too easy.

In the age of digital enhancement and moving online, spare a thought for just having a chat to someone.

Jonathon