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00:00:03.279Hey y'all, welcome back to Turn on the Hustle.
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00:00:14.880I'm really glad you're here for this week's challenge because this is one of those things that sounds extremely simple on paper, but it can completely change how your business feels day to day.
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00:00:20.399Today we're talking about setting business hours and actually sticking to them.
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00:00:32.479And I know for some of you, it's going to hit a nerve just a bit because if we're being honest, a lot of us, including me, are running our businesses in between everything else.
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00:00:44.640You're answering messages while making dinner, checking your phone before bed, replying while you're sitting in the pickup line, and waking up to messages that came in overnight and feeling like you need to get right on them.
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00:00:55.119There's currently a video going around on the internet that says that running your own business looks like you're in a toxic relationship online.
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00:00:59.119It's like people standing off in like random corners intently glued to their phone.
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00:01:00.640If you've seen it, it's really funny.
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00:01:02.719Either way, though, it gets exhausting.
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00:01:13.840If you're new here, the Turn Down the Hustle challenges, they are short practical episodes for t-shirt sellers just like you who want to build a business that feels easier to run.
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00:01:22.799Every week we focus on one small but strategic action that helps reduce chaos, build clarity, and save you time.
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00:01:33.760And this week's challenge is all about protecting your time without making your customers feel ignored either, because setting business hours is not bad customer service.
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00:01:36.159It's actually part of good customer service.
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00:01:41.920It's giving your customers those clear expectations and you some room to breathe.
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00:01:55.840Today we're going to talk about why business hours matter, how to decide what yours should be, how to separate customer service time from actual work time, where to tell your customers to contact you, and where to display your hours so they can find them.
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00:02:06.959By the end of this episode, I want you to feel confident enough to put some boundaries in place and stop feeling like your business gets access to you at all hours of the day.
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00:02:21.599You're listening to Turn Down the Hustle, the podcast dedicated to transforming how you run your creative online t-shirt business by working smarter, not harder, so you can spend more time with your wife, people, and passions that matter most in your life.
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00:02:24.639So throw on your favorite graphic tea and turn up the heatfrost.
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00:02:27.280Because it's time to turn down the hustle.
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00:02:35.199Here's your host, digital marketer, culture lover, t-shirt maker, freckled hype girl, and owner of Sunkiss virtual assistant, Amy.
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00:02:44.960Let's start with the mindset piece because I personally think this is where many of us get stuck.
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00:02:51.919A lot of sellers may feel weird about setting business hours because their website is always open.
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00:02:55.840It's not like the traditional sense of my business is open from nine to five.
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00:02:59.520It's different when we are running it online or from home.
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00:03:03.360And yes, your website is open 24 hours a day.
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00:03:09.759Shout out for another plug for having a website and why I like it so much.
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00:03:17.280Because even if you are not taking orders to send invoices via messages, your website can still clock all of those orders for you.
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00:03:20.960So if you don't have a website, that's something you should start thinking about.
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00:03:23.599Your Facebook page exists all day.
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00:03:33.520Your email inbox keeps receiving messages whether you're awake or asleep, but your website being open does not need you to be open as well.
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00:03:35.840Those are two completely different things.
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00:03:44.240Your customers are not expecting you to respond at midnight, the majority of them, if just because they send a message at midnight.
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00:03:54.000Most reasonable people understand that a small business owner is not sitting by their phone waiting to reply to every message instantly.
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00:04:07.439I've always thought to myself, like, I want every customer to feel like they're my only customer, like my customer service is just that good, but at the same time, I need that customer to know they're not my only customer.
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00:04:10.000What your customers do want is clarity.
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00:04:13.360They want to know where to reach you, when can they expect to hear back?
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00:04:16.240What to do to do if they have questions.
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00:04:22.240When all of those things are unclear, it can get a little bit frustrated for a customer.
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00:04:24.639That's when you get the double message.
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00:04:26.720We love the double messages.
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00:04:30.720Who thought that if you someone didn't respond, you should send it again?
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00:04:38.639That's when someone comments on a post, then sends an email, and then follows up in your inbox because they don't know where they're supposed to go or where you're supposed to reply.
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00:04:47.759I just recently had that where someone had an issue with an order like accessing a file, sent an email, opened up their email.
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00:04:52.720I was actively getting them access to a Google Drive or the Shopify download link.
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00:05:03.600And then at the same time, I got a notification that so-and-so commented on my Facebook post, stopped replying in the email, went to the Facebook post, and noticed that the person sent me the exact same thing.
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00:05:06.480They just sent me an email on a Facebook comment.
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00:05:09.279Which side note, email is the best place to reach people.
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00:05:13.519But I was just like, oh my gosh, can you just give me one second?
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00:05:16.959I am actively responding right now.
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00:05:21.439But because you double commented, it actually stopped me from getting you the customer service quicker.
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00:05:32.800So yeah, no one cares for a double comment or a double message, but you want to make sure that they get some sort of email reply or something to let them know what to expect.
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00:05:44.560So anytime you send me an email, it has an auto email that goes back to you that has a list of what you can expect for a reply time, so you know when you can reasonably expect to hear back.
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00:05:56.240And then to add to that, it feels like on your end as a business, it feels like business is always tapping you on the shoulder.
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00:05:57.680Hey, you got a new message.
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00:06:00.000Hey, you gotta do this, hey, you gotta do that.
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00:06:01.199That's what we want to fix.
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00:06:08.959Clear business hours don't make you look unavailable, they just present your business as organized and thought through.
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00:06:14.800It truly, to me, does signal that you're running a real business, not just reacting all day.
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00:06:17.920And I think that helps customers trust you more, not less.
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00:06:25.040When a customer sees that you have support hours listed and a response window in place, it tells them you have thought through your processes.
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00:06:35.519It says, I know this business, I know how communication works here, I know what you can expect, and that to a customer can be calming and it's calming to you.
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00:06:42.000Now let's talk about real life because not every t-shirt seller is working the same kind of schedule.
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00:06:45.199Nine to five versus five to nine schedulers.
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00:06:52.480Some of you are working your business during the day, maybe this is your full-time thing, or maybe you have blocks a time in the daytime where you can focus on it.
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00:06:56.319Others of you, like me, you are five to nine sellers.
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00:07:08.240You work a full-time job, come home, handle dinner, work out, maybe you have kids, you're taking care of life, whatever, kitchen up with your spouse, and then you squeeze in your business into the evening hours.
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00:07:09.519Both are valid.
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00:07:18.800I really want to say that because I think a lot of people feel like their business hours need to look quote unquote professional, which means to them Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.
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00:07:22.399But if that is not your life, that does not need to be your business hours.
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00:07:29.279Your business hours should reflect when you are realistically available to provide customer service.
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00:07:32.240If that's seven to nine at night, that's okay.
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00:07:36.639If that's Tuesday through Friday from 10 to 2, that's okay.
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00:07:42.240If you do admin work on Sunday afternoons and customer support on weekday evenings, that's cool too.
00:07:42.399 -->
00:07:47.439The goal is not to necessarily mimic another business's schedule or what you expect.
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00:07:51.680The goal is to create a schedule you actually think you can honor.
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00:07:55.680The problem is not that you do not have business hours per se.
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00:08:05.040The problem is usually that you're operating with invisible ones or you think people can read your mind in your head when you're available, but your customers do not.
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00:08:09.519So they reach out whenever, and then you feel guilty if you do not reply right away.
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00:08:11.199That's where the burnout starts.
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00:08:15.600It's so much easier to stick to your boundaries when you actually have to find them.
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00:08:20.879Now, I'm not saying I want our customers to refrain from reaching out to us.
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00:08:22.639I want them to reach out to us.
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00:08:27.600However, this is just guiding when they can expect to hear back from us.
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00:08:32.240Now, I want to help you think about this in a way that makes it easier to set up.
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00:08:34.080I don't want this to be overwhelming.
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00:08:37.039You're not just setting business hours.
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00:08:41.840Essentially, what you're doing is you're creating your customer support strategy.
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00:08:50.080In other ways, in other words, how do you want customer communication to work in your business?
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00:08:52.480So think about that for a minute.
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00:08:56.000That starts with deciding your customer service hours.
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00:09:03.120And I want to be clear here, customer service hours are not the same thing as work hours.
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00:09:10.639So maybe business hours are interchangeable with customer service hours as an e-commerce business.
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00:09:15.600Just because you are working does not mean you are available for customer support.
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00:09:27.200You might be pressing shirts, sorting inventory, photographing products, working on your website, like building listings, working on your blank order or batching content.
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00:09:34.159That is all work, but it doesn't mean you have to stop every 10 minutes and answer a message.
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00:09:40.639If you're constantly interrupting yourself to answer people in real time, you're not just losing focus.
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00:09:45.519You are training your customers to expect instant access to you.
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00:09:50.559So ask yourself this when am I available to answer customers?
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00:09:55.279And separately, when am I available to work on projects and orders?
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00:09:57.200Those don't have to be the same.
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00:10:04.399And then whenever you decide your production work hours are, that's what's helping you shape your turnaround time.
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00:10:10.080So that doesn't necessarily need to be factored into your customer support hours or business hours.
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00:10:12.320Those are two different things.
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00:10:18.320So you might decide though that your customer service happens from eight to nine in the morning and six to seven at night.
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00:10:21.279Like when are you logging in to check emails or messages?
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00:10:24.559Dedicating set time to time block to do those things.
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00:10:30.080But your production work might happen from seven to nine at night after all the messages are answered.
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00:10:31.600You can break it up like that.
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00:10:37.600You might decide that you only answer customer questions Tuesday through Friday and you use Monday for catching up.
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00:10:44.879Whatever you choose, just make sure you decide on it for whatever works for you and whatever is realistic.
00:10:45.039 -->
00:10:47.600And then you want to set a response expectation.
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00:10:51.440Something like messages are answered within 24 business hours.
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00:11:01.600That sentence works really well because it gives you some room and sets a standard, and it takes away the feeling that you have to respond instantly to show like you're there or you care.
00:11:02.240 -->
00:11:06.320And don't get me wrong, a lot of us are not overwhelmed by the messages themselves.
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00:11:09.519We are grateful to have customers to respond to.
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00:11:14.799Sometimes we just get overwhelmed by the pressure feeling like we need to respond right now.
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00:11:20.240And when you clearly say your response time, that pressure starts to lift.
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00:11:23.440I want to hit on something a little bit more.
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00:11:26.559Customer service hours versus your working hours.
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00:11:31.759This is worth slowing down on because I think it's one of the biggest shifts that can help your audience.
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00:11:36.240Like I mentioned, customer service hours and work hours are not the same.
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00:11:40.720If you're in the middle of pressing a stack of school shirts, that doesn't mean you're available.
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00:11:46.320If you're packaging porch pickup orders, that doesn't mean you need to be checking Messenger.
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00:11:55.039If you're recording content, building a listing, making gang sheets, you don't need to be toggling back and forth between work and your inbox.
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00:12:00.799That constant switching is one of the fastest ways to make yourself feel burnt out.
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00:12:02.240Ask me how I know.
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00:12:09.919It makes everything take longer, it makes you feel scattered, it makes your business feel a little bit more stressful than what it needs to be.
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00:12:13.759So I want you to give yourself permission to protect your focus.
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00:12:22.639You are allowed to have work blocks when you're not answering customers, you're allowed to have customer service blocks when you're not trying to do production at the same time.
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00:12:27.840That separation can make your business feel a lot more manageable.
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00:12:31.279It also helps you communicate better, in my opinion.
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00:12:42.399When you're intentionally in customer service mode, you are more president, you are not half answering a message while trying to weed a design or package in order, and that improves the customer experience too.
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00:12:49.519I notice that whenever I'm answering messages on the go, like in the car at a stoplight, you name it.
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00:12:52.799Sometimes I'll hit a response and then I realize I didn't include everything.
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00:12:59.679So I have to message again to send them more information about their order or something like that.
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00:13:14.559But whenever I'm home sitting down at my desk, I feel like I can get the first message, one message, just all well thought out and sent the first time versus trying to get them a quicker reply that might not be as high quality.
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00:13:17.759Okay, how do you want customers to contact you?
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00:13:21.200Now let's talk about communication channels because this is a big one.
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00:13:30.879You need to decide where you want customers to contact you, not where they currently message you, not every random place they have access to you.
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00:13:33.519Where do you want them to go?
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00:13:42.000For some, this might be your business page messages, it might be your business email, it might be a contact form on your website.
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00:13:49.200Either way, I would strongly encourage you to pick one or two main places and consistently direct people there.
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00:13:59.919Because when messages are spread across personal Facebook, business page messages, Instagram DMs, comments, emails, text, things are going to get missed.
00:14:00.080 -->
00:14:04.399And when things get missed, it's frustrating for both parties.
00:14:04.639 -->
00:14:09.679And this is also I want to hit on where boundaries for your personal account matters.
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00:14:19.600If people are constantly reaching out to you on your personal profile and you don't want that, it's okay to adjust your settings or turn off message request where possible.
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00:14:26.799For a while, I noticed I started when I lived in Japan, that was the primary method of which I would communicate with friends and family.
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00:14:32.399But I noticed I started dreading opening up my Facebook Messenger app and I didn't know why.
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00:14:34.799That's where I talked to all my loved ones.
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00:14:44.240I was getting an overwhelming amount of people commenting, actually messaging me to my personal account, even with message requests on.
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00:14:51.360Like I was not in a moment where I wanted to be focusing on business, maybe as a weekend, whatever.
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00:14:56.720And I wish that I could just filter all of those business inquiries somewhere else.
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00:15:00.399So the fix for that is you can turn message requests off.
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00:15:05.919So if they aren't your friend on Facebook, they can't request to message you at all.
00:15:06.159 -->
00:15:11.360It's okay to stop answering business questions from your personal page and redirect them to your business page or email.
00:15:11.519 -->
00:15:17.840The best way to do that is typically people we usually message the place they see you engaging most.
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00:15:25.360So if you want customers to reach out to you through your business page, I want you to be posting and commenting more from your business page.
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00:15:29.120Reply to comments from your business page, post from your business page.
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00:15:36.399But if you're constantly engaging from your personal profile, that's where it's easier to just click your profile and hit message.
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00:15:44.720Whereas if your business page is constantly appearing in your group or wherever, that's going to make it easier for them to just click that profile and message.
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00:15:55.360So for that strategy, it's not just about telling people where to contact you, it's also reinforcing that by how you show up and which page you're commenting from.
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00:16:02.480Okay, once you know your hours and your main contact method, now you need to communicate what customers can expect.
00:16:02.559 -->
00:16:05.919And this is where you tell them how long it usually takes to hear back from you.
00:16:06.080 -->
00:16:08.639And again, I'm a huge fan of simple language here.
00:16:08.720 -->
00:16:10.320You don't need anything fancy.
00:16:10.639 -->
00:16:16.639Something like customer messages are answered Monday through Friday during business hours.
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00:16:20.320Please allow up to 24 hours for a response time.
00:16:20.480 -->
00:16:24.720And you can even include the specific business hours listed in that message.
00:16:24.879 -->
00:16:29.679It's clear, it's realistic, and it puts you on a path to protecting your piece.
00:16:29.919 -->
00:16:33.840You can also back that up with simple after-hour support messages.
00:16:33.919 -->
00:16:39.919It doesn't need to be like a big fancy chatbot or a paid subscription software.
00:16:40.080 -->
00:16:44.399It's just thinking about how customers can still get help even when you're not active online.
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00:16:49.120Maybe that looks like an automatic reply on your Facebook page that says thanks for reaching out.
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00:16:52.639We'll respond during our business hours and get back to you within 24 hours.
00:16:52.799 -->
00:16:58.480In the meantime, you can find common questions to answers here and then link your FAQ page.
00:16:58.639 -->
00:17:03.759You don't have an FAQ page, that was a prior episode, so make sure you go check that out and get that built.
00:17:04.000 -->
00:17:10.400You could also add it to your order confirmation email that includes tracking your policy links so they don't need to message you for basic info.
00:17:10.640 -->
00:17:15.039Maybe a pen post in your Facebook group explaining where to reach you and what your hours are.
00:17:15.359 -->
00:17:19.359My point is, either way, customers don't always need you to be live.
00:17:19.440 -->
00:17:25.759They just need a path to contact you and an expectation set of when to hear back from you.
00:17:26.079 -->
00:17:36.000I mentioned earlier in this episode, I have an automated reply email to where it allows people to see all of my FAQs and then also when they can hear back.
00:17:36.079 -->
00:17:41.839But it just basically confirms, thank you for reaching out, conf confirming that your email has landed in my inbox.
00:17:41.920 -->
00:17:43.359I'll get back to you soon.
00:17:43.680 -->
00:17:47.039Where are we going to display all of these business hours?
00:17:47.200 -->
00:17:51.839Let's make sure that people now see the hours because if you know them in your head, they're not helping anyone.
00:17:52.160 -->
00:17:54.960Easiest place to start, I'd say, is your website footer.
00:17:55.039 -->
00:17:58.720That's visible across your entire website page, no matter where they go.
00:17:58.880 -->
00:18:03.519And customers naturally know to look at the bottom of a website page for important information.
00:18:03.920 -->
00:18:06.160You can also add it to your contact page.
00:18:06.240 -->
00:18:10.319That's one of the first places people go when they want help, so it makes sense to put them there.
00:18:10.480 -->
00:18:16.559You can put them in your email signature block, put them in your automated replies, Facebook page, email, bio.
00:18:17.039 -->
00:18:23.599The more places you repeat it, the more normal it looks and the more visible it is, the less awkward it'll feel to stick to it.
00:18:23.680 -->
00:18:26.480Like it won't become as a surprise to anyone.
00:18:28.319 -->
00:18:31.920Now let's finish up with a few best practices here.
00:18:32.079 -->
00:18:36.480First, I want you to prioritize self-service wherever you can.
00:18:36.720 -->
00:18:44.880If a customer can find the answer in your FAQ page, a tracking email, policy page, that is one last message you have to answer.
00:18:44.960 -->
00:18:50.720So make sure you have common questions listed to where maybe they don't even have to reach out at all.
00:18:50.880 -->
00:18:54.960Second, know that your hours can flex during busy busy seasons.
00:18:55.279 -->
00:19:00.559If you want to extend your customer service hours during a holiday rush or sale week, that's okay.
00:19:00.799 -->
00:19:04.319Just make it the exception, not the expectation, please.
00:19:04.559 -->
00:19:06.960And third, just keep it simple.
00:19:07.200 -->
00:19:09.839You don't need to overthink this.
00:19:09.920 -->
00:19:16.079You don't need a complicated help desk or ticketing system unless goals, that's where your business is right now.
00:19:16.160 -->
00:19:17.279It's not where mine is.
00:19:17.519 -->
00:19:21.359Clear hours, clear contact methods, clear response window.
00:19:21.519 -->
00:19:24.160That will do for most small businesses.
00:19:24.640 -->
00:19:26.559So here's your challenge for the week.
00:19:26.799 -->
00:19:27.920Set your business hours.
00:19:28.079 -->
00:19:31.359Pick the days and times when you're available to respond to your customers.
00:19:31.519 -->
00:19:36.799Make sure they fit your actual life, not just assuming it needs to be nine to five.
00:19:36.960 -->
00:19:41.920Then decide where you want customers to contact you and how long they can wait for a response.
00:19:42.079 -->
00:19:47.200Once you have that, update your footer, contact page, signature, auto replies.
00:19:47.920 -->
00:19:51.119And then the hardest part is sticking to it.
00:19:51.359 -->
00:19:53.200That's probably the hardest challenge.
00:19:53.359 -->
00:19:56.720Not just writing it down, but actually honoring it.
00:19:57.119 -->
00:20:05.039As we wrap up, I want you to remember this boundaries in your business do not mean something bad, like bad customer service.
00:20:05.200 -->
00:20:06.240They are good systems.
00:20:06.400 -->
00:20:09.920They create clarity for your customers and freedom for you.
00:20:10.079 -->
00:20:11.680Freedom inside your own business.
00:20:11.839 -->
00:20:14.640And that is what Turn Down the Hustle is all about.
00:20:14.880 -->
00:20:24.319Putting simple systems in place that make your business easier to run and let you stop feeling like you have to be available every second of the day.
00:20:24.799 -->
00:20:27.279Thank you for hanging out with me for this week.
00:20:27.599 -->
00:20:31.680Next week, we're gonna keep on building on the systems that support your business behind the scenes.
00:20:31.839 -->
00:20:38.319Until then, set those hours, protect your peace, and turn down the hustle.