My Chatroom

“Thank you for calling (insert company name here). Please listen to the following options carefully, as our menu has recently changed. (Do they really change that often?!) If you know the extension of the person you are trying to reach, please dial it now. (Usually I don’t.) To dial by name, please press 1. (I can’t get the darn system to correctly register the first three letters of the name I punched in 50% of the time.) If you are calling to . . . (And, if you are lucky, you can reach a real, live person by pressing 0.)”

Sound familiar? One of the things we try to do is be as readily available as we can to customers, media, and others by phone and email. We also implemented the Savas Beatie Chatroom when we redesigned our website earlier this year to give people another way to contact us. You can enter the Chatroom and ask a question about one of our books, an upcoming release date, placing an order, etc. and we are there to answer your question immediately, much like an instant message conversation. You don’t need to set up an account username or password or give us your email address to get in. Just put in whatever screen name you like and enter. We try to have someone available during business hours for immediate help, but if no one responds, we can email you a response given your contact info.

And we promise not to change our phone menu options too frequently.