How accessible are you?

There seems to be much discussion these days about how customers have taken control. Liam McGee of Hartford Financial Services says in the past, banks called all the shots: we're open 10-3 and if you can't make those hours you're out of luck.

Now the customer is growing in influence. Banks are online, ATMs are everywhere, and most work can be done without even going a bank's location. In ten years of being a customer I've never even been to a USAA branch (I think there are only three, in Texas). PayPal is a bank of sorts, and all you need is an email address to use them.

Going away are opaque, secretive organizations.

Can your customers learn about you? How good is the "about us" page on your site? Who answers your emails? When customers call your company, who do they talk to? A computer? Where does the info (at) yourcompany.com email go?

Don't think you're getting to know your customers if they can't access you.