Hacker News Reader

Comment by bckygldstn | Hacker News Reader

This is an intriguing idea. I have heard before the recommendation to add a support phone number to your website, but always wrote it off as either out of date or something that only applies to large companies. The feedback from talking to customers is really valuable to solo developers.

Part of why I run my own business is for the flexibility, and guaranteed 9-5 phone support would really threaten that. I wonder if there is a way to offer this on a best-effort basis without coming across as flaky? Perhaps putting the number only on the support page (like OP), but also only having the number there when you're online?

View on HN

I ran as a mostly solo developer for several years. I steered customers to make initial support requests via email, then scheduled calls wherever it was warranted (or sometimes just called them back if I had time and it would be more efficient). My business phone number was on my website and it went to an answering machine when I was unavailable or didn't want to take the call.

Generally my customers didn't care what time of day I responded, so much as they appreciated how sincere I was about solving their problem in short order. Being so intimately knowledgeable about the product and able to effect relatively quick codechanges where warranted empowered that, and frankly the quality of support I provided ran circles around most of their other vendors where it took multiple tickets / interactions and navigating endless bureaucracy to reach someone actually able to help.

I know some people with small businesses who use quality 'virtual assistant' services to answer calls when they can't.

Obviously, they're not "first line support" solving people's problems - instead, they are "the CEO's personal assistant" scheduling a call back.

After all, if you're an accountant or an architect or a lawyer or a dentist, there's no embarrassment in running a business that's just you and a secretary.

If you have a fine outgoing voicemail message which explains this, and call them back during your "support hours", I think they're still going to love you.

I've never seen a company try this, but I wonder if an SMS/text support number could work. This would help with the 'flakiness', i.e., you don't have to respond immediately and you can help multiple people at once. No more waiting on hold at least.

Many companies will have a similar structure but a different implementation, using a website-widget where the customer asks for a call-back.

We use Calendly to let users book appointments for calls. They submit their number and we call them at whatever time they choose within our availability hours.

If you know when you'll be available in advance maybe a similar setup could work for you.

If you can cultivate your customer base to only sell this service to folks who want to pay for it. On a timed basis, generally. All the upside without the headache of dealing with angry people you don't have a business relationship with.

Folks who want to purchase a service are generally grateful of getting whatever they're paying for. They realize that's not always the case.

>but also only having the number there when you're online?

If you make that clear, and explain why, I think it would be a good idea. If nothing else, it might even encourage me to call with ideas if I knew you were physically going to answer the phone.

Maybe you could ask people to submit their number in support requests so you can call them back when you feel like?

It doesn’t give all the benefits of having the number on the website, but if gives you the agency and choice.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com