Website contact forms

[VeritySystems]

What do people think of contact forms on websites (specifically b2b sites)?

Personally I hate them, I am quite capable of clicking an e-mail link and typing my query.

You may think that you are capable but in my experience open email links often mean exchanging another one or two emails because the enquirer (perhaps not you) does not provide enough information for the enquiry to be efficiently answered. The person receiving the email may also have problems interpreting the enquiries because they may not be very clear.

OTOH an enquiry form prompts the user to provide the information required to answer the enquiry promptly and efficiently.

[VeritySystems]

I fully understand what your saying, but in my experience its also dependent on the target audience, hence why I mentioned b2b.
In the case I have in mind the target audience are technology based organisations, rather than the unsure end-user/customer.

I have other e-commerce sites for the general public and I often get e-mails asking a question and they fail to include a name and/or order details so I have no idea who they are or what they are talking about sometimes. I do have contact forms on these sites.

[AdamW]

I would expect one on any site. From a seller point of view I get less spam, from a buyers point of view I think it looks unprofessional when there isn't one.

[Mark]

I have both a CF and email. Why limit choice?

[matt.chatterley]

Originally Posted by AdamW

I would expect one on any site. From a seller point of view I get less spam, from a buyers point of view I think it looks unprofessional when there isn't one.

Me too. I expect to see one on all sites. AND a valid email address which I can use if I choose to.

Some people prefer to use contact forms, y'know!

[Ray Stewart]

Both are on mine

[Wee Print]

I find that website enquiry forms as long as they dont ask you thousands of questions (like mine www.weeprint.co.uk) are good as I have found that some email link don't work properly.
The other thing that annoys me is that some companies once you have sent them an enquiry never get back to you or take weeks, by this time. Why have an enquiry bit on your website if you are not going to respond?!

Best Wishes
jenny

DIGITALprinting
Wee Print
www.weeprint.co.uk

[AdamW]

Yes some contact forms can be too long.

Although I'd say your contact page was pretty bare other than the contact form. I think contact pages need to have more on.

[winelabels]

I use a contact form and an email link. I also show the email address and phone number. I want them to easily contact me in whatever way the potential customer prefers.

What I do hate is dodgy seo companies filling in the form to say they can get me appearing in google. I'm on google , cos that's where they found the form!

[Fatmatt]

Have both, and include an autoresponder with the form so the enquirer gets an acknowledgement.

[INDIZINE]

My contact forms are my most popular method of contact, despite the phone numbers and email address being visible next to them on the same page. It's about convenience for the customer, so let them choose what they prefer, don't allow them only the methods which suit you else you are bound to lose some portion of enquiries. It's about making it quick and easy in a way that they find it quick and easy, even if you don't.

Oddly enough they would then rather process everything manually form thereon if possible!

I believe they are browsing and haven't got time to make calls, they send of a couple off contact forms and wait to see who replies first, to test your response time, your standard and quality of reply (some are shocking), and what you have got to say and how you handle their potential custom. That can make a HUGE difference in deciding who to proceed with before they even start looking at quotes.

Yes ditto about the mail client thing maisac. I just cut n paste the email address over to my email client and don't bother clicking on the links.

[Paul Norman]

I prefer a simple contact form, although I accept the point about offering both.

I do find many emails have insufficient contact information. It may be, of course, that the customer does not wish to be contacted - although that seems strange, given they volunteered the contact.

In addition, all contact form completions go into the database automatically.

The most popular method for clients contacting us is, however, telephone.

Except on Soleheaven.com, obviously, where it is an order form, thankfully!

[Mat]

Contact forms:

- Make it easy for the end user, who doesn't have to think about what information to include, or how the email should be addressed.
- Ensure that people using web-based email (rather than Outlook) can easily get in touch.

[Mat]

Originally Posted by Paul Norman

I do find many emails have insufficient contact information. It may be, of course, that the customer does not wish to be contacted - although that seems strange, given they volunteered the contact.

I never give out a phone number when filling in contact forms. That's because if I wanted to contact the company by phone, I'd have picked up the phone. Also because I'm busy and can't afford to field pushy sales calls on the back of a basic enquiry. And lastly because I made the mistake of providing my mobile number when looking for office space. The contact form obviously went to several companies and my phone rang off the hook for about a week (but strangely, nobody emailed me, as I'd specifically requested in the form).

[Paul Norman]

Our contact form gives options as to how to be contacted. Although, I would not go ahead with a piece of work unless I had a phone number, just in case the client decides to conveniently disappear!

[Bullseyeltd]

I find email links frustrating because we use Googlemail, and it always launches Outlook - so I can imagine other people have this problem as well.
Contact form has the advantage of capturing exactly the information you need from your customer - i deal with a lot of general emails and they can miss out the most basic information!

[uberbaby]

Many people prefer to put contact forms on their site to prevent browsers and other things scanning the web for potential email addresses to spam - just a contact form means they can't get to that information.

Saying that, I don't have a contact form on my site, just an email link, and I've actually had a remarkably low amount of spam! (I hope I haven't jinxed myself now!)

[joecranejoe]

I personally like email links...

I tend to use web based emails and not outlook, and when you click the email links they open outlook!

They actually open the user's default mail server.

.