Replies to questions need to be complete as well as consistent with answers given through other company channels, such as telephone, Web site and printed materials. A tracking system needs to be set up. At the very least, you'll want to compile basic information about the questions, such as how many you receive each week, which questions are asked most frequently, and whether the comments are positive or negative. I'm sure you can think of other steps as well. Unfortunately, many companies just activate the button and do none of the back-end planning.
Visitors send questions and never hear back.
The result is a Web site that is unresponsive, frustrating to use and a negative reflection on the company. This is the exact opposite of what the Contact Us button was intended to do. And that's just a simple button. The operational impact only increases with the addition of other, more complex, features, such as newsletter subscriptions, order placement, appointment scheduling or bill payment. But don't get depressed.