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How many hours a day do you spend trying to take care of email? Two, three, even more? If the majority of the emails that take up your time are simple questions that could be answered automatically, you could improve your productivity by using autoresponders.

Autoresponders are extremely helpful to e-businesses for a variety of reasons. First, you have almost no lag-time between a customer request and the answer arriving in their inbox. This gives your company a professional appearance, even if it is being run out of your basement. Second, it takes the burden off of your shoulders, leaving you time to actually run your business and even have spare time left over.

It can be very easy to set up a simple autoresponder, and many web hosting companies offer them as a package with your existing website. When a customer has a question on a specific product, shipping transit time and other easily answered questions, you can have it answered almost instantly, and save you hours of time each day.

If you have a shopping cart, you can also use autoresponders to personally thank customers for their orders and include pertinent information on shipping time, customer support information and more. You can automate practically all facets of your e-business.

Here are some important tips to get the most out of your autoresponder.

1. Personalize it ' When your automatic response goes out to your prospective customer, or an existing client, a simple 'Dear Customer Name' can make all the difference. Even if it is just their email address, it gives your email the personal touch that will make it stand out. Most programs will allow you to add this feature to your autoresponder. In the rush to automate their business, many people forget that they are losing touch to some extent with their customers. Just like many people dislike talking to a machine, many people dislike being emailed by one as well. By utilizing this feature, you can ensure that your customers feel that you do care about them on a personal level and that there is someone real running to show and not a nameless, faceless robot.

2. Include enough information ' While you are setting up your autoresponder, make sure that the response includes enough information. This will cut down on repeat emails, which take up even more of your time, and it will increase customer satisfaction. There is nothing worse than leaving a customer high and dry when they have an important question, even if it is the same question the last 50 people asked you.

3. Double check your responses ' Shipping costs and product information can change frequently. By making sure your autoresponder is up to date, you can avoid customer confusion and irritability down the road. Try out your autoresponder on new products to see if it answers all of your questions before making it live on your website. Ask your friends to try it out to see if they find it adequate as well. A second opinion from a third party can be very beneficial as you get set-up.

4. Don't overdo it ' Although automating your business can be wonderful, you can overcomplicate your website and lose touch with your customers if you overuse an autoresponse program. Try to keep the amount of autoresponders you have to a manageable level.

5. The Follow-Up ' You can use an autoresponder program to follow-up with your customers weeks after their purchase to make sure that they are satisfied with your product. This is another way to keep the personal relationship with your customers and still relieve your workload.

Autoresponders can be wonderful tools, if used properly. The best way to get started to is by starting small and then seeing what else you can automate on your website. Once you have got it mastered, you can start experimenting with more and before you know it, you will have more time on your hands than you ever bargained for.