Andy Gambles

A few days ago we received our first ever dispute raised via RatePoint against ServerTastic. RatePoint is an independent customer feedback website.

First I received an email informing me a dispute had been raised but no details. My heart sank, I was a little upset. Lots of things started running through my mind, what could it be about? Who could it be? Like most people who own their own business I sometimes become emotionally attached.

So I logged into RatePoint to see what the issue was. It was something very simple which happens quiet often. The customer was complaining they had not received their SSL certificate. As in 99% of cases when this happens it is usually in the spam/junk mail folder. It was fairly simple to resolve I just provided the details to them via the dispute system and they closed the dispute.

But it made me question why did this person chose to file a dispute rather than just contact us in the normal manor? I have also noticed, particularly with new customers, that when they contact us some can be particularly hostile. Usually "I have not received my product resolve this immediately or I will issue a chargeback". Again in 99% of cases it is stuck in their spam/junk mail folder and we reply with the details they require. Usually leading to a thank you from the customer.

So why are some people like this? Why do they complain and often become immediately hostile before they even ask for help?

Or is it our fault for not making the customer aware of how they can get help and comfortable enough to know it will be resolved?

This is a surprisingly simple piece of advice - If you want to get paid make it easy to be paid.

Many invoices I receive through the post or via email, especially from small businesses, are missing an important piece of information. How to pay. Some of you may think this is obvious, you write them a cheque and post it. But that involves a lot of steps, not least the cost of an envelope, stamps, time writing the cheque and having to walk to the post box (although I do need the excercise). Finally the bank charge on writing a cheque is obscene (well it is for me anyway!). If I have to pay you fairly often then this becomes a consistent chore.

Make it easy to be paid by adding your BACS details to your invoices or an online credit/debit card payment form. I pay nearly all my invoices by BACS and it takes me about 30 seconds via online banking. Plus no bank charges.

In fact I mention small businesses however one of the worst organisations for making it difficult to pay in my opinion is HMRC. So many different payment departments for VAT, PAYE, NIC, CPT you have to get the right reference number or form. Why is it not possible to have a single simple Direct Debit where HMRC simply debits the funds I owe them on the due date. I guess that would probably be too easy.