For Customer Service

Customer Service Dead Or Alive
Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Writen by Gene Pepper

Discover how to increase customer satisfaction.

• Do you suffer the deep pain of trying to resolve customer service problems with non-existent people at the other end of your telephone?
• If you have a business, large or small do you think your customers share the same frustrations that you have?

Why can't customer service problems be handled and solved faster, more courteously and completely? Why does it seem like we can never speak directly with a real live human being? And when we do manage to speak to a live person, why does it seem that they are speaking to us from thousands of miles away? Maybe because they are indeed thousands of miles away from the U.S.

The answer is that most companies that have customer service departments know they lose tons of money on their customer functions. To be blunt, customer service is a loser proposition. Period. Therefore for the best way to minimize the losses is to run as bare-bones operation as possible. "Too bad that a customer can't get past the electronic attendant and speak to a person. Too bad that the customer isn't happy with us—we've got lots more customers."

How would you like to have the lost dollars from just one hour of poor customer service as practiced by American companies? I guarantee you could retire for the rest of your life…and so could all of your family and all of your friends could join you as well!

My late, great friend, Ray Considine co-wrote a book called Why Are You Making It So Hard For Me To Give You My Money? Taking the first letter of the first seven words in the title he fondly called what became his passion "WAYMISH.

He and his writing partner collected at least a bazillion examples of real life stories concerning awful experiences in the surreal world of customer service. My sense is that perhaps we should rename customer service departments "no customer service departments."

Recently a friend emailed me a 'secret" list of about 6 pages with dozens of phone numbers of credit card companies, airlines, computer companies etc. so as to avoid the endless minutes and some times hours spent on hold waiting hopefully for a person to pick up the phone somewhere in cyberspace, who might be able to help solve a problem. To get this list contact me at the link below.

Hospital in Tennessee Thailand Hotels

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Want Customer Satisfaction Get Quotmildly Angryquot
Monday, September 29, 2008

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

In late October I asked the furniture refinisher when he expected to have my table repaired. He said, "We're promising deliveries for Christmas."

By the end of January, I had heard nothing, so I called to cancel the job and to ask him to return my precious antique.

"No problem," he said.

Ten weeks later, I had four lonely chairs, but still, no table. Spring had arrived, the birds were singing, but I wasn't.

Frustrated, I got him on the phone, and asked with an ominous tone: "When are you going to return my table, PLEASE?"

Reflexively, he responded: "Would to-to-tomorrow be ok?"

At the appointed time he and two workers hoisted my missing possession into place.

To my surprise, he had cleaned it and had repaired it, as I had originally requested, but there was no sign of an invoice.

A strange turn of events this was, Yoda might have observed.

Then, it hit me. He was teaching me a powerful customer satisfaction lesson:

"Mild" anger gets results, especially when kindness and patience have been ignored.

It reminds me of the persuasive insight attributed to gangster Al Capone: A smile and a gun are more effective than a smile, by itself.

On one level, this is a sad commentary. We don't expect even slightly hostile communications to help us to get our way, or to make the world a better place.

Yet, deep down, as animals, we know that we have to notify predators and those who would encroach upon our turf and our possessions that they shouldn't tread on us.

Dogs say it through growls and postures that warn, "Go no farther, or I'll attack."

Unfortunately, most customers don't use a mild-anger setting. They seem to go from nice-to-ballistic in one, dramatic step. Consequently, they're branded as "crazies" by customer service reps and others, making it harder on everyone to resolve any underlying problems.

In retrospect, I think I got lucky in communicating with the furniture fellow.

When I picked up the phone to call him, I didn't expect to append the word, "please" to my question, "When are you going to return my table?"

But I wanted to maintain a certain degree of dignity, and to give him a chance to redeem himself--which he did right away.

We shook hands after the table was set into place. Looking very contrite, he shuffled backwards through the still open front door, without uttering a word.

You might say, we both benefited after I discovered my mild-anger setting.

Hospital in Tennessee Thailand Hotels

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Offer Excellent Customer Service
Sunday, September 28, 2008

Writen by Paul Kopp

Excellent customer service is imperative in the marketplace today. As a home based business owner you should know the importance of getting and keeping a happy customer. It is the life blood of every business. Many business owners work so hard to get the customer and then blow it by not offering first class service.

Small businesses can quite often offer better customer service then most big companies for many reasons. Usually it is easier to add personal touches, keep overhead low, have quicker response time and enhance the customer's experience from start to finish. Each customer's purchase can be seen almost immediately on the books. Small business owners can take advantage of the close (sometimes one on one) relationship they have with their customers.

Many of us can share our stories of a bad customer service experience. In fact a bad customer experience is told to more people then a good customer service story. In order to stop the bad mouthing and get the good word out you need an excellent customer service system in place for your home business.

An excellent customer service system should be easily implemented in your home business. It is as simple as treating people the way you want to be treated and then surprising them with the extra effort. Keep it consist! Everyone loves consistency. Look at the burger chains as an example. Each one is run exactly the same. There should be no surprises for the customer. Everything from how you are greeted, product preparation and service is down to an exact science.

In your home based business think of some of the ways you can keep giving excellent customer service.

Here just few examples of Good Customer Service

* personalized attention

* clear vision and goals

* going the distance - making an extra effort

* thorough follow up if you can not give an answer immediately

* good humored

* relating personally

* putting people at ease

* positive attitude

* friendliness

* smiling

* being courteous

* being respectful

* being humane

* accommodating special needs

* organized

* affordable

* cleanliness of the work area

* attractive work space

* clean bathroom with supplies

* compensate user for slow or unsatisfactory service

* quick response to request or complaint

* damage control: trying to make the best out of a situation that is mostly out of the hands of those providing the service

* describing technical or complicated processes in layman's terms

* lots of information and frequently providing updates on issues or situations

* good signage

* good directions

* good instructions

* giving advance notice

* proper planning

* anticipating customer needs

* putting customer needs before yours

* timely and convenient service

* really listening and tuning in to customer

* being intuitive

* giving specialized knowledge

* familiarity with your business procedures- being able to explain and enforce rules without alienating the customer

* staff supportive of each other

* offering refreshments

* accuracy about services offered

* patience - patience -patience

* getting the customer involved

* have customer evaluate service

* avoid assumptions

* flexibility and sometimes making exceptions

* share written information

* concerned for safety

* delivery options

* internet access to your business and service such as emails

Add all the above together and you have Excellent Customer Service!

Some quick tips:

Always answer your phone. Today it is so easy to send people to voice mail. Implement a system that can have the customer hold (for a very short time) or one that will get their phone number and call back immediately when you are off the line. You will lose numerous customers if they can not speak to someone live. I personally won't leave a message on the first phone call. There are numerous call centers that can handle your call with a live person while you are busy. Many times a live person can convert a looker into a customer. If you have an internet business you may want to have live chat and an 800 number. Excellent customer service begins with the first contact.

Do not promise more than you can deliver. Nothing hurts a customer more then when they do not get what was promised when it was promised. If you can not do something say so. The customer will respect you for an honest answer.

Offer as much help as possible. There may not be any immediate money in it but the satisfaction of helping shines through. That customer may be testing you to see if they can trust you and your company. Offering as much help as possible also will strengthen your bond with that potential customer. They may not purchase from you but chances are they will recommend someone to your business that will.

Handle complaints immediately. Many home business owners forget this basic rule. As soon as a customer has a complaint some business owners try to avoid the customer and hope they will go away. That will not happen. The customer will be more angry and harder to handle when the problem is addressed. Customers appreciate a sincere immediate response to a problem and if handled well, you will have a happy repeat customer and free word of mouth advertising.

Go the extra mile. If a customer asks for something special that you do not have maybe you could try finding it for them. How about meeting the customer at their house? Whatever the situation is, if you always offer excellent customer service you will continue to see your home based business grow.

Be consistent. Customers like being treated the same way each time. When there is consistency in customer service you establish a "norm" for your business. Do not surprise your customers with inconsistent customer service. That is the quickest way to lose them and whoever they talk to.

Excellent customer service is a simple process and once you put your system in place, it will reap you many repeat happy customers. Their word of mouth is free advertising and they will be more willing to buy your products or services.

Hospital in Tennessee Thailand Hotels

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Complaining Consumers
Saturday, September 27, 2008

Writen by Gene Leshinsky

The salesman's job is to be well informed; extremely well informed. For this information is how he earns his bread. At a car dealership the commission over the MSRP on some cars would barely be enough to pay rent. A dealer must fight for every penny of the margin in order to receive the best paycheck. On the other hand, the consumer must also fight for every penny in order to receive the best deal.

With the tools available to the consumer such as the internet there is literally no reason why anyone should complain that they were treated unfairly or "cheated" by a car salesman. To these people I have a very clear message: get informed. If you are too lazy to do some serious research into the vehicle that you are about to spend $30k or $40k on, then you deserve to pay the agent every penny of the margin. There is no complaining when the tools are literally at your fingertips yet you cannot figure out how to use them.

The vast array of car dealerships and the vast competition that car dealers now have with the internet, it is laughable to complain that this or that dealer tricked you or made you buy something you did not want to buy. It is all your fault. This is unfortunately a realization many people just don't want to make. Why should it be my fault when the car dealer misinformed me? Because you let him misinform you. After all, car sales guys are human too and have to pay rent among other things. It is rather callous to assume that every sales guy will have your best interest at heart.

Be informed. Before you go out into the market place make sure that you know exactly what you are looking for and do not back down. Never buy right away. Take your time, look around, check out the competition, let the competition them know that you are informed. If the dealer is smart his whole tactical approach to the sale will change. If he is not smart he will lose the sale, or you will lose out.

Hospital in Tennessee Thailand Hotels

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

How To Deliver Exceptional Customer Service
Friday, September 26, 2008

Writen by Chas Brothers

Having been in business a number of years, I'm amazed at the number of people who don't have the slightest idea of what customer service is. Customer service is not a way of doing things – it's an attitude.

I always love it when company's send their people to seminars to learn about customer service. All the seminars will discuss the customer's needs and expectations and the orator will package these ideas as new and cutting edge when in fact these very ideas were in practice over 30 years ago!

Somewhere along the line, we forgot the customer in favor of the bottom line. Some of this may also be attributed to different mind sets over time and how people tend to treat one another.

Let me wax poetic here a moment. When was the last time you could go to a gas station and have an attendant in a white shirt and tie wait on you, check your oil, clean your windows, and fill your tires just as a way of saying thanks for your patronage?

More than likely the station you went to had an attendant who's appearance was disheveled, wearing more jewelry than you own, and here you are passing money through a bullet-proof panel!

It is said that Doctor's make the worst patients, well my friend I'm here to tell you that Customer Service people make the worst consumers! With all the customer service people I've known over the years from both sides of the fence there's a real lack of wanting to "champion" the cause of the customer. Few people posses that trait and those that do don't last long as they're viewed as oddities and pushed out in favor of the group consensus.

On the other hand, I have also met customers who no matter what approach you used they were bound and determined to make your life miserable. These people make the "fight" personal and will never be satisfied regardless of what you do.

Delivering great customer service is easy! We just need to get back to the basics that were laid down decades before – what we'll call the tried and true methods.

How do you deliver great customer service?

1.) Smile on the phone. This simple act will set the tone for the entire conversation.

2.) How may I help you? You're asking their permission to assist them.

3.) Use a proper salutation when talking to a customer unless permission is given otherwise, i.e.: Mrs., Mr., Ms., Sir, etc.

4.) Listen to their concerns. No one likes to be ignored. Everyone wants to know that not only are they being heard but that they're being understood as well.

5.) Repeat back to the customer what it is you heard them say.

6.) Be genuine. A lack of sincerity comes across easier than you think.

7.) Care for your customer. If you think your customer needs you, you won't be in business long. This means what it says – too many times I've been in meetings where this was paid lip service and its importance downplayed.

8.) Put yourself in your customers shoes – What are their concerns? Are they legitimate concerns? Do you have a plan to assist them?

9.) Customers are looking to you to help them put to rest any fears, doubts, or apprehension they may have regarding a recommended repair, service, etc., do you posses the knowledge or skill to assist them? Often time people will try to guess at an answer rather than appear less knowledgeable when in all actuality the customer would prefer honesty.

10.) Be honest and sincere in your deliberations with a customer. This one simple act will be welcomed like a breath of fresh air. You have got to know that by the time a customer has reached you they are upset and feel that they've been getting the runaround or have been lied to.

11.) Never promise the customer anything you can't deliver. That goes equally for a follow up phone call. If you tell your customer you will call – do it! Even if it's to tell them you have nothing to report. I don't have enough fingers to count the number of times a customer was surprised to get a return phone call.

12.) Never forget what it's like to be a customer! We are all customers in one way or another and deserve the same respect we demand from others.

By doing these things you will inspire a customer base that's loyal and will return to you again and again. These customers will also provide the best free advertising imaginable – word of mouth!

By the same token one bad customer recommendation can cost you a large number of potential sales by the time they're done spreading around how they were treated. Additionally, today's consumer has the advantage of the internet to not only entertain but to educate them as well.

This is not rocket science just basic common sense and treating people the way you would like to be treated. Somewhere along the line, we lost this concept, and along with that, revenue, repeat business, our initial customer base and free advertising.

If your customer genuinely feels wanted and appreciated, you have succeeded in delivering exceptional customer service and you will have set in motion a winning formula that will guarantee your success!

Chas Brothers is a Home Based Business Owner, Motivational Writer, and an Independent SFI Marketing Representative and may be reached at; http://work-from-home-make-extra-income.com , http://work-from-home-exchange.com or brothec@msn.com

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posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Dont Fire Your Customers Try Upgrading Them First
Thursday, September 25, 2008

Writen by Ron Kaufman

All over the world I teach people how to serve, surprise and delight their customers – how to keep them coming back for more.

But once in a while a client asks, 'Should we keep every customer, no matter what they do, or what they cost?'

My answer: Absolutely not!

Some paying customers cost more to keep than they contribute to your bottom line. Perhaps they cost too much to acquire in the first place. Or they prove too expensive to care for over time. They might purchase the minimum while extracting the maximum from your systems and your staff.

There may be nothing malicious about these people. They are simply unprofitable customers.

Your first approach should be to upgrade these patrons to become more valuable customers.

For example, you might impose an administrative fee on below-minimum balances. But if your customers increase their volume, you agree to waive the fee.

You could offer no-charge delivery for orders over a certain amount, but impose a shipping and handling charge for small (and otherwise unprofitable) orders.

You might provide bare-bones service to customers who rarely visit or only purchase a small amount. But if these customers come more frequently or spend more money, you can agree to enhance the service they receive.

This is a constructive win-win approach to an otherwise win-lose situation.

But be careful! Implementing this strategy requires carefully and well-planned scripted communication with your customers before you make the change. Present the upgrade path as an opportunity to get more benefits and greater value, not as a penalty for their low-volume business.

But what should you do with customers who choose not to increase their business with you? Easy. Either charge them enough that they become profitable to keep, or guide them to alternative service providers who can meet their needs and budget.

Note: There are special cases where this 'upgrade' approach should not be applied.

1. Unprofitable customers may be related to very profitable customers, and hence quite sensible to keep. For example, small children might buy very little, but their grandparents might buy them quite a lot!

2. Government agencies may be required by law to serve everyone equally. Public charities may not even track the cost of service from one individual to the next.

3. Your company might serve low-income customers regardless of their profitability as a social contribution and valuable community service.

Key Learning Point

Unprofitable customers are just waiting to help you make a profit. What are they waiting for? An attractive offer to upgrade – from you!

Action Steps

Figure out which customers cost more to serve than they generate in profits. Decide how much more you want them to spend, and how much more you are able to give for it. Extend an invitation and seek their increased business. Let them know what they will receive and what they must give for this win-win exchange of service.

Hospital in Alabama Thailand Hotels Booking

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Dissatisfied Or Rude Customers Can Be Satisfied Customers
Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Writen by Patricia Weber

On a recent airline flight I was an upset customer. I was arriving on a late inbound flight and connecting with the last flight out on the same airline, but the connecting flight left without me! At first, I was furious when told to wait in a line of 300 people to resolve my problem. But I used my time to "people watch", and I made some valuable observations.

I saw that the customers who approached one ticket agent with a smile, sense of humor or other positive behaviors were walking away in a positive state. The agent looked and sounded kinder and more empathetic when helping those folks. The customers who approached another agent with a visibly sour attitude seemed to evoke a negative response from the agent, and they walked away looking angry.

Both sets of people had similar intentions - to get their problem resolved. But the people who approached the agent angrily got a much less satisfying response. Whatever their intention, the message they sent evoked a negative response. I decided to emulate the other group of people, the ones who approached the agent with a smile and a positive attitude. The result? I walked away with a newly scheduled flight and some upgrades as the airline's way of making amends.

This illustrates a principle of neurolinguistics -- The real meaning of a message is the response it triggers. Knowing this, you can control the experience your customers have when they come to you for service. They may choose to behave rudely, but don't let it trigger a negative response in you, the way it did with the ticket agent I observed. Remember that dissatisfied customers all have the same goal in communicating with you - to get their problem resolved. The ones who are trying to achieve that goal by using rude behavior are going about it the wrong way, maybe because they mistakenly think it's the best way to get results. Treat them in a pleasant, positive manner, and in most cases you'll succeed in triggering a positive response from them.

This is worth repeating: no matter how customers approach you about their need or problem they all want the same thing: to achieve customer satisfaction. Don't take their negative behavior personally, because they're not being rude for rudeness' sake. As a person who works with customers, your behavior should be guided by a belief that you can leave the customer in a better state than when they approached you. You can do that by using a positive, upbeat manner and language to evoke a positive response in your customers.

Copyright© Patricia Weber, http://www.prostrategies.com.

Pat Weber is a coach, certified telelcass leader, and corporate trainer. With her incisive, effective communication skills, her services can put problem solving in your own hands, by helping you increase your choices and build your self-confidence. With personal coaching, a teleclass, an online email course or on- site workshop, get what you want, more easily and more often. Visit her website at http://www.prostrategies.com. Contact her for a free coaching session.

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posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

How To Respond To Customer Complaints
Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Writen by Bill Lee

If you are in business, you will eventually offend a customer, or at least fail to meet the customer's expectations. Now that the damage is done, what is the most effective way to deal with the complaint and keep the customer?

Step 1. Identify with the customer. Never take a customer complaint lightly. Rather, do your homework and make sure that the customer understands that you genuinely care and that you want to do the right thing. Doing the right thing, however, doesn't always mean giving customers what they want; it means making sure you do your best to get both sides of the story and respond appropriately.

One of the best ways to identify with a customer is to ask yourself, "If this had happened to me, how would I feel? What would I think the right thing to do would be?" If you're truthful with your answers, and you respond accordingly, the odds improve that your customer will also.

Step 2: Acknowledge the customer's point of view. Never tell a customer that he or she is wrong, but always respond in such a way that the customer knows that you understand where he or she is coming from. This is best achieved by listening to what the customer has to say and asking questions for clarification.

Step 3: Ask the customer this question: "What would you have us do?" This puts the monkey on the customer's back to tell you what would be fair. It still doesn't mean that you are going to do what has been suggested, but you give the customer an opportunity to offer an opinion.

Step 4: Get input from others whom you respect before you respond.

Ask your supervisor's opinion, a well-respected salesperson or even a fellow businessperson you respect.

What you're looking for here are alternatives to both keep the customer and to avoid putting your company in jeopardy.

Caution: Sometimes doing the "right thing" is not enough to keep a customer. So calculate what it will cost you in terms of gross profit dollars if you and the customer cannot come to terms.

I recall a Colorado lumberyard manager who supplied redwood fascia to a residential builder for his personal home. While the lumberyard did not supply the paint or the painter, the painter that they builder selected used water-based paint on the fascia. When the grain swelled, the builder demanded that the dealer replace the fascia.

The lumberyard was clearly not responsible and the builder's demand was absurd. However, the manager made the decision to replace the fascia because he knew that the builder was the kind of person who would punish him by taking his business elsewhere if he didn't meet the his demands.

What is the right thing to do and what will keep the customer may not always be the same. In this case, the manager looked upon the cost of replacing the redwood fascia as an investment. His goal was to do whatever was necessary to ensure that he would retain this customer's business.

Hospital in Alabama Thailand Hotels Booking

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Dealing With Disgruntled Customers
Monday, September 22, 2008

Writen by Vishal P. Rao

No matter how hard you try, in business you simply can't please everyone. You could have a highly trained customer service squadron and an award-winning product, but still you'd have some buyers who just weren't happy. The bad news is that unhappy customers are more eager to share their experiences than happy ones which could spell disaster for your business.

There is good news, however. Unhappy customers who receive satisfaction can become your biggest allies. The trick, of course, is discovering how to satisfy their needs so efficiently that they'll forget whatever caused their disappointment in the first place. Here are some ways to make that happen:

1) Be a Good Listener

When someone complains about us, our first instinct is to get defensive and to distribute blame. Most of the time we start doing this even before the other person has finished their argument. When that happens, we may misjudge the situation, offer inappropriate resolutions, or appear insensitive to our customers' feelings. Instead, we must work hard to become patient listeners. We should stay focused on the customer and not get distracted by anything else going on around us.

We should also pay attention to what is being said, not how it is being said. Even a beligerant customer is trying to express a concrete complaint, he just might not be able to do it as clearly or as calmly as someone else. By listening patiently to our customers, we can take the first step toward helping them more effectively.

2) Don't Let an Unhappy Customer Slip Away Without a Fight

Just because someone is unsatisfied with your service or your product, you don't have to throw your hands up in the air and say "That's another one gone." Take steps right away to resolve the situation. Most customers who have a complaint just want you to take the problem seriously, to handle it as quickly as possible, and to have it resolved in a respectful and professional manner. If you can do that for them, you will successfully mend the relationship.

3) Resolve the Problem to Their Satisfaction, Not Yours

When many businesses right wrongs, they do so by only considering what is in their best interest and not what would satisfy the customer. That simply doesn't work most of the time. Let me give you an example.

One young woman took her small children to a well-known fast food restaurant for dinner. Because her youngest child was diabetic, she ordered diet drinks for their child-sized meals. Instead, she received regular drinks, and the extra sugar in the drink caused her child to have to be rushed to the emergency room that night. When she called to complain, the manager offered her a free meal to compensate her for the near-death experience of her two year old daughter.

Why did the manager make such a ludicrous offer? Because that was what the restaurant had decided to do in order to deal with customer complaints in a cost-effective manner. It was good for them and that's what mattered.

The reality is that customers will all have different ideas on how to resolve these issues: some may want an employee to be fired or punished for their bad service, others will want financial restitution, some will want assurance that it will never happen again, and most will want a combination of those things.

To determine how to satisfy your unhappy customers, just ask them how you can make things right and then do whatever they ask for (within reason, of course). By doing this, you will be showing how much their satisfaction and patronage means to you.

4) Keep Your Head

When customers are angry with us, it can be very upsetting, especially if we truly do care about their business. Yet, we may get so upset that we aren't able to cope effectively with their problem and end up losing the relationship which can be even more upsetting. Instead, take these four steps to coping with your feelings:

A) Remember it's not about you – While it may seem that they are yelling or complaining about you personally, they aren't. They simply want what they paid for. Your customers don't know if you're a good family man or a single mother struggling to get by; all they know is that they paid for something and that's what they expect to receive. So don't take their complaints personally.

B) Stop thinking "If only" or "What if" -- After an incident, you may spend days going back over the situation and wondering what you could have done differently, but this is futile. No matter how much you may want to, you can't go back and change it now. Instead, you should be looking forward and finding ways to prevent it from happening again.

C) Know you've done all you can – If you feel guilt because you weren't able to satisfy an unhappy customer, you can shut your conscience up easily if you know that you did everything within your power to right the situation. After all, there are just some people who will never be happy with anything that you do and they aren't worth stressing over.

D) Keep improving – In life, we learn more from our mistakes than we do from getting something right. So each unhappy customer provides you with a learning experience that will not only help you handle future situations better but will also show you how to prevent future mistakes from happening. Obviously, you don't want too many of these learning experiences, but when they do happen, be sure to use them wisely.

While you won't be able to safe every relationship, you may be surprised at how many you can rescue with these suggestions. It may seem like a lot of extra effort, but if you care about your customers and about your business, it's the least you can do for them and for yourself.

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Vishal P. Rao is the owner of Work at Home Forum, an online community of people who work from home.
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medical health hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service A Great Way To Win New Business
Sunday, September 21, 2008

Writen by Peter Jump

A very common mistake made by start-up companies, and indeed smaller businesses in general, is to not take customer service seriously. Too often, managers think all it entails is answering the phone promptly and being polite to customers – and how often do companies fail to do even that!

In fact, customer service can soon become more important to a start-up than sales and marketing, helping it retain customers (selling to existing customers is much cheaper than finding fresh ones) and maximise its income from them. Good customer service can also help gain new customers, as word spreads about how great a particular company is to do business with. Managers should, therefore, have a strategy for customer service which goes well beyond simply being polite on the telephone.

So if you are starting a new company, how do you go about delivering good customer service? Begin by thinking what customers might reasonably expect as a basic level of service. For a shop, that could be having friendly, knowledgeable sales staff to help them and a good range of products in stock. That, in turn, means being careful to hire the right kind of people, giving them adequate product training and having effective stock control procedures in place.

But achieving a basic level of service isn't enough if you want your start-up to be really successful. You must find ways to exceed the expectations of your customers – remember, the objective is to have them tell their friends and colleagues that your company is "great", rather than just "not bad" or "OK".

One low cost way to do this is to consciously control the expectations of your customers, by always making promises to them that you know you can exceed. For example, if it will take a week for your shop to supply a spare part you should tell the customer it will take ten days. Then when the part arrives 'early' he or she will think you have done a great job getting it to them so soon.

Using technology

One reason why owner/managers often overlook including customer service in their plans for their new business is because they assume they will be directly responsible for taking care of all customers. They know how to look after their customers, and that's all there is to it. But when their businesses grow and they need to take on staff, suddenly personally maintaining a high level of customer service is no longer feasible. Without any strategy or systems in place these start-ups can soon fall into the trap of many a growing business: providing customers with a poorer service despite becoming more successful.

Of course, the big corporations are only too aware of the importance of customer service, and spend a lot of time and money making sure it stays at a high standard no matter how many employees they have. The good news is that nowadays even the smallest company can adopt a lot of the same methods as the big boys, but at a fraction of the cost.

These include providing staff with written procedures (accessible over the office network) for handling customers, whether they are making a complaint or simply asking for a price. Managers should also consider installing CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. This gives employees easy access to all relevant information about a customer, so that they can always deal with enquiries efficiently and effectively. CRM systems used to cost a fortune; now you can pick them up as 'freeware' on the Internet.

Customer service: like it or not, there's now a lot more to it than simply saying "have a nice day" when you hand back the change!

Case Study

TF Tuned Shox tunes, services and sells suspensions for top-of-the-line mountain bikes. It isn't the only company doing this, but unlike its rivals it has managed an impressive 20 per cent annual growth over the past four-and-a-half years, with the workforce expanding from just its husband-and-wife founders to seven employees. Along the way it has cultivated an excellent reputation, with suspension units being shipped to its Somerset, England workshop from as far as Canada and Australia.

Critical to TF's success has been a dedication not only to quality but also to customer service, with most units ready to be returned within 24 hours of receipt, much to their owners' appreciation. To do this, the company has had to invest in an extensive stock of spares – something which TF's competitors do not do, forcing them to wait for parts to arrive from manufacturers before they can work on a suspension.

Providing a first-class service which both wins and retains customers can entail far more than politeness. For TF it went to the core of how the business was organised, with money being spent in an area – inventory – that may not be immediately associated with customer service.

medical health hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Small Business Call Center Solutions
Saturday, September 20, 2008

Writen by Kent Pinkerton

Given the development in technology, especially in communications, small businesses can now have capabilities that only bigger companies could access. New technology has been designed to cater to the requirements of small businesses at very low prices. In addition to this, intense competition among companies that offer various services to businesses have led to a price war meaning that companies compete by offering some of the lowest prices for their services.

One benefit that technology has afforded to small businesses are call center solutions.

One of the recent developments in communications technology is the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) -- a technology that allows businesses to communicate with clients from different locations without having to incur huge long distance bills. In addition, it has allowed small businesses to set up mini call centers providing immediate solutions to their clients because VoIP allows businesses to set up a number of toll free lines using a VoIP connection. This allows a business to establish a presence in a number of locations and on a 24/7 basis. In addition, software has been developed to help businesses maximize the benefits they can get out of using VoIP.

Given the large number of companies that provide similar services, especially within the call center industry, a competition among these companies has developed leading to lower prices for businesses. A simple search on the Internet can lead a business owner to a large number of companies that offer call center services at some of the lowest prices in the market. This has made it possible for small businesses to solicit the services of call centers without incurring a huge financial burden.

Recent developments in technology and fierce competition among call centers have now made it possible for small businesses to have access to call center solutions, which in the past was limited to big companies. Given this, small businesses can equip themselves with the tools that can help them grow their businesses further at a faster and more effective way.

medical health hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customers What They Really Want 6 Secrets Of Customer Service
Friday, September 19, 2008

Writen by Alan Fairweather

What customers really want can be divided into two areas.

Firstly - they want the core service of your business to meet their needs. They expect your product or service to work. If you say you're a plumber, then the customer expects you to fix their leaking pipe. If you say you're an accountant, then they expect you to resolve their tax details.

They also expect your product or service to represent value for money. If I buy an expensive pair of winter boots I expect them to keep out the cold and wet and also look good. Naturally if I was to buy a cheaper pair I wouldn't expect them to last as long.

Customers expect your after-sales service to be efficient. If my new winter boots start to leak when I wear them for the first time, then I expect the shop to replace them immediately.

However, none of this will make customers loyal or cause them to tell others how good you are. They take this core service as a given. You wouldn't see me running around telling people that my new winter boots didn't leak.

This is the Second and most important point -

What customers really - really - really want and what will make them loyal to your business and say wonderful things about you to other people are:

1. Warm and friendly responses - When customers make contact with you face to face or over the telephone, they want a warm response. It can still be businesslike but you and your people need to look and sound - friendly and likeable.

(This may all sound like common sense to you but think about these factors the next time you're a customer and ask yourself if they're happening to you. Then ask yourself if your customers or clients are experiencing this from you and your people)

2. They want to feel important - They know that you have lots of other customers and clients but they just love it when you make them feel special.

3. They want to be listened to - Customers often get the impression that the person dealing with them is not really listening. You must keep working on your listening skills. Keep good eye contact with people and concentrate on what they're saying. Keep an open mind and resist the temptation to jump in with an answer. It's also important to show that you're listening. Open body language and head nods when face to face - lots of Uh - Hu's when over the phone.

4. Someone to know their name - A persons name is one of the sweetest sounds they'll ever hear. If you use a customer's name when you talk to them, it indicates that you recognise them as an individual. Don't use it too often as it can become irritating, but definitely at the start and the end of a conversation.

5. Flexibility - Customers hate to hear the word "No" or "it can't be done." It's not always possible to say "Yes" to a customer or do exactly what they want; however, it is important to be as flexible as you can. Tell customers what you can do - not what you can't.

6. Recovery - When things go wrong, customers want you to solve their problems quickly. They don't want to hear excuses or who's to blame or why it happened, they just want it fixed fast.

Customers will often judge the quality of your service by the way you recover. They will even forgive your mistakes if you recover well.

Say, for example, you served a meal that wasn't cooked properly or wasn't hot enough. You would need to apologise, assure the customer it will be fixed and then do it quickly. Then tell the customer that they won't be charged for the main course or give them some wine or a free desert. Then, when that customer talks about your restaurant, they'll tell people - "There was a small problem initially but when I pointed it out, they really moved themselves and they couldn't have been more apologetic."

Don't be afraid when something does go wrong; it's often a great opportunity to show customers just how great your service really is.

Overall, customers just want to feel good. They want to feel better after they've dealt with you or anyone in your business, than they did before. If you can create that feeling, then you're well on the way to - giving customers what they REALLY want.

Discover how you can generate more business without having to cold call! Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales without Selling". This book is packed with practical things that you can do to get customers to come to you!

http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

medical health hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Your Number One Asset
Thursday, September 18, 2008

Writen by Joe Love

Customers put you in business, keep you in business, and they can put you out of business. Therefore, your overriding feelings at all times should be: customer love, customer satisfaction, and customer convenience.

Begin by making it as easy as possible for people to purchase what you are selling. That means, taking phone orders, accepting as many methods of payment as possible, having a toll-free number, having a Web site where they can make purchases, and arranging your days and hours around the lives of your customers. This is crucial because many studies have shown that service is the third most important factor influencing a purchase decision, ranking right after confidence and quality.

In order to provide excellent customer service it is important that every single person in your company feels the same sense of wanting to provide superb customer service. It is the wanting that will make the big difference.

Service is an ongoing function, starting with a customer's first contact with you, making itself apparent during the time of the sale, and continuing on well after the delivery of your product or service. Follow-up service means repeat and referral sales, the best kind. Customers may have never heard of the concept of a customer-oriented business, but you can be sure that they know when a business is not.

Service should always be speedy, courteous, and better than the customer ever thought it would be. Give more than they expect and you've made a friend for life. Never ignore or argue with a customer. Service means solving your customer's problems, attending to their needs, making their lives better because they bought what you are selling. Always try to think like your customer.

As marketing expert Jay Abraham so often says, to provide excellent customer service, you have to stop falling in love with your product or service and start falling in love with your customers.

If you want to provide excellent customer service you need to:

* Set the highest possible standards of performance for your business and everyone involved in it.

* Not only know what your customers want but also what they need.

* Know that customer expectations must be understood and managed before they can be met and exceeded.

* Design your products and services to maximize customer satisfaction.

* Bend over backwards trying to be an easy company to do business with.

* Realize that the money you invest in customer service will pay off in satisfaction for customers and profits for your business.

* Build rapport and trust. Always be honest with your customers. People do business wiht ethical people they can trust.

* Make sure everyone in your company knows that customer service is his or her responsibility.

Great customer service is really a matter of common sense. Always try to think like your customers and you'll soon know what their needs and wants are. And always remember that people don't buy products or services, they buy results. So if you want to succeed in business you'd better provide excellent service that not only fulfills but also exceeds their expectations.

All contents Copyright(c)2004 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. A former ad agency executive and marketing consultant, Joe's work in personal development focuses on helping his clients identify hidden marketable assets that create windfall opportunities and profits, as well as sound personal happiness and peace.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com/

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Drawing The Line On Rude Customers
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Writen by Don Doman

I know, I know . . . the customer is always right . . . or at least should be treated as if they're always right. But, when and where do you draw the line?

The question comes up after talking to a frontline sales person, Ted. A few days ago, he had trouble with a customer. The customer was being vague and Ted simply asked for clarification. From then on the customer was rude and kept sniping at Ted. She even had a telephone call on her cellular phone and proceeded to talk about Ted and how "rude" HE was to the caller. Then when Ted had to interrupt her conversation for payment, he was even worse than rude, according to her. When he asked the customer to sign her credit card, a company requirement, he became a "jerk" and an "a_____e." Ted says, "I don't know what her problem was, but I certainly didn't enjoy being called names. I couldn't think of anything I could do to make the situation better. I felt so helpless."

There are two elements of this scenario. First of all, cellular phones: what are sales and service personnel doing about cellular phone calls? I was buying stamps the other day at the post office and the person directly in front of me was carrying on a conversation while the clerk behind the counter was trying to help her with a purchase. He didn't say anything to her, but he did apologize to me after she left because it took more time to assist her than it should have.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has signs posted at its information desk stating: "Please, turn off your cell phone so we may better serve you." I asked a clerk about the need for the sign and she said, "People were just driving us crazy." When people are on the phone they seem to be in their own little world. "It wasn't just people at the counter on the phone that was the problem. The phones also cause a rise in general noise which makes it more difficult to carry on meaningful conversations at the counter."

Let's hang-up on cellular phones for awhile and go back to rude customers. Personally, I think once a customer moves into abusive behavior, they no longer deserve service. I don't like to be called names (even when it is told to a third party and not directly done like with Ted) and I would not subject any employee to this treatment, either.

I do think Ted handled the situation nicely. He kept his cool and got through the transaction. His next step should be to discuss the situation with his manager and let the manager draw the line and provide alternatives in dealing with rude customers. That way Ted is protected.

For rude cell phone users, I really like the simple touch of the sign. The sign says it all. It's polite with a, "please." It tells the customer that we do want to serve them. It's non-threatening . . . and it draws the line . . . someone has to.

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Satisfaction And The Service Business
Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Writen by Jennifer Cram

The relationship between customer satisfaction and success of a service business is a direct one. Customer satisfaction measurement, however, is a much more complex matter. Customer satisfaction is a qualitative assessment of the services you provide, and therefore it is a surrogate measure of the value of your services to your customers.

The measurement method you choose can make makes a difference to the results obtained. Your motivation for measuring customer satisfaction will drive both your methodology for collecting the data, and what you do with it.

Client satisfaction data can be collected for:

• Accountability

• To use to influence or justify

• Continuous improvement

Be clear about why you are collecting satisfaction data; to deliver a good report card (a primary motivation of units in a large corporation or public sector entity, or for businesses which are required to meet certain standards), or to diagnose and manage continuous improvement.

For a good report card, measure general satisfaction using a once-a-year survey. Every business wants a good report card, but that will not help you improve your performance. To obtain useful data you need to measure client satisfaction with specific attributes of your service at the time of the transaction.

Some tips:

• As a psychological construct satisfaction is peculiar - results are always negatively skewed. The good news is that more people report being satisfied than dissatisfied. The bad news is that if you're getting less than a 95-98% satisfaction rate, you need to investigate, identify and fix the problem. And there's always the possibility that high satisfaction may indicate low expectation. Are your customers satisfied more because your competition delivers poor service and thus anyone who provides pretty ordinary service will get good customer satisfaction feedback?

• The method you use for collecting satisfaction data can influence the results

• Oral administration of satisfaction questions "improves" satisfaction by as much as 12% compared with written questionnaires – wonderful if you're looking for a good report, but something to watch out for if you're looking for information about in what areas you need to lift your game

• Clients report higher levels of satisfaction if you frame the question positively than if you frame the same question negatively

• Measurement at the time a service is delivered more accurately, reflects level of satisfaction and avoids the halo effect of one particularly good or spectacularly bad experience

• Interviews deliver more complete and revealing answers but are expensive and dependent on interviewer skill and impartiality

• Focus groups may not accurately represent the entire customer group

Finally, never forget that emphasis on satisfaction of current customer demands can inhibit the development of innovations that can meet the future, or current, but unstated, demands of those same customers. That's why you need to keep talking to them.

Try the one question survey: pick a question for a period of time and include it in every conversation you have with a client.

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

How To Deal With Difficult Customers
Monday, September 15, 2008

Writen by Mike Dandridge

"You mean I spend thousands of dollars in here, and I can't return a defective tool?" The customer leaned across the counter.

"Well, the tool isn't really defective," replied Luke, taking an adversarial stance.

"So you're calling me a liar?"

The customer now had everyone's attention in the sales counter area. His loud voice and aggressive manner caused some of the other customers to look at one another and roll their eyes as if to convey the silent message, Oh, one of those people.

It was my first week on the sales counter, and I was favoring the customer's point of view.

Luke continued the fight. "No, I'm not calling you a liar. This is simply normal wear of the tool. It's against the manufacturer's policy."

I was now completely on the customer's side.

He didn't reply immediately and a silence fell across the room. He straightened up, slowly scanned the other customers, and then in a clear voice, he said to Luke, "People come here as a last resort."

Then he turned on the heels of his work boots and marched out of the store. As soon as the door closed behind him, you could feel the air come back into the room. People chuckled rather nervously, then someone said, "Guess it takes all kinds."

"That guy's always a pain," said Luke.

And there was the real issue. A different customer would have received a new tool, no questions asked, but because this customer wore the "difficult" label, it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Some people aren't happy unless they're unhappy. These are the volatile handful known as "difficult customers." Constantly looking for a flaw in your service, they'll take advantage of your policies by making requests that sometimes border on the absurd. But more importantly, they will teach you how to deliver the customer service that you promise. You can learn more from the difficult customer than you could ever learn from your most loyal. Difficult customers tell you where it hurts.

Listen closely and they will tell you what is missing from your business and might even suggest what you can do about it. Their feedback can be the most brutal, and the most honest gauge of your success. People come here as a last resort.

If you have an abundance of difficult customers, it isn't because you're unlucky. It's because you're doing something wrong. The sooner you figure out what it is and fix it, the sooner you will bring your business back from the precipice of disaster.

True, there will be an occasional customer who has no valid reason to complain, but complains anyway. Most of the time, you can resolve the legitimate complaint and the absurd demand by using the following strategy. Handling difficult customers may be your biggest challenge in living up to the promise you make of great service. Having a procedure in place for all of your staff to follow is the most effective way to handle this challenge. Here is a four-step plan that may be helpful for dealing with the legitimate customer complaint and even the occasional difficult customer.

1. Never argue. This seems to be the toughest rule for distributor salespeople to accept to accept, so let's repeat it. NEVER ARGUE. Even if you win, you lose. Especially if you win. Did Luke win? The customer really did spend thousands of dollars in our store and he never came back. You tell me.

2. LISTEN between the lines. Is there an underlying message to your customer's complaint? Does he feel cheated, ignored or unacknowledged? Mentioning that he spent thousands of dollars probably indicated he felt under appreciated.

3. Appeal to your customer's nobler motives – his or her sense of fair play. Let the customer know that you trust him or her enough to do what's fair and right. A question you can use that takes the fire out of most irate customers is, "What would you have me do to make this right?" If you appeal to the nobler motives of your customers, most of the time, they will live up to your expectation. What a different outcome it could've been if Luke had asked, "What would make this right?" instead of stating that the tool wasn't defective.

4. Tell the customer what you can do. Never say, "That's against company policy." If someone in authority within your company tells you to say that, then you need to reconsider your career with that company. Most customers don't like rules. Suggest alternatives. Luke could've looked like a hero if he'd said, "The manufacturer's policy states that they won't replace this tool. However, that's not our policy. Let me see what we can work out."

Talk is cheap. Most business owners promise great customer service, but how many actually live up to the talk? Your customers don't care what you have to say. They're watching to see what you do. The limiting factor for most of us is that we don't practice what we preach. Then when a customer calls us on it, we group him into the "hard-to-please" bunch.

The truth is, no matter how good your customer service, there will always be someone who is unhappy about something. The more unhappy customers you turn into happy customers, the more word will spread that you deliver the great service you promise while others only talk about it. The best advice ever given to me for dealing with a difficult customer I pass on to you. "Keep your temper and, above all, let your customer save face."

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

A Tough Lesson Customer Service Tips
Sunday, September 14, 2008

Writen by Paul Kopp

These customer service tips will save you thousands of dollars and create a lasting bond with your customers. I was thinking recently about one of my worse home based business nightmares and how it turned out to be a very valuable lesson for creating excellent customer service.

It started out like a great dream. We just started our toner and ink-jet business and our first business customer was a medical firm of about 20 offices. I had known the purchasing agent for sometime and before long we got the contract to supply these offices with printer products.

We were so excited to get the order that we did not question when the purchasing agent placed a huge order for hundreds of toner and ink-jet supplies. She had mentioned that they were going to make the main office the headquarters for all the printer supplies.

The business we had set up was a drop ship company which meant we would be getting all the products from various manufacturers. We were on a cash basis with the suppliers, meaning that all funds were paid up front.

We ordered all the supplies believing that the purchasing agent knew what she was doing. Well, it became a logistical nightmare when they could not fit all the products into the storage area they had created.

Of course the medical firm was way too overstocked and we had to send back more then half of the orders. Now that makes it difficult when you are working with numerous manufacturers and their return policies. Our company motto is excellent customer service so we immediately sent a representative down to correct the errors.

Even though it was the purchasing agent who created the mess, when I look back at the situation it was my home based business that was more at fault. We had only offered good customer service not excellent customer service.

These customer service tips will save you from getting into the situation that my company did and save your time and money.

Customer Service Tips:

Pre Qualify Your Customer and their Needs

Help the Customer with Volume Amounts

Verify Storage Life of Product

Test the Product and Business Relationship

Pre Qualify Your Customer

At your first meeting with the decision maker of the company you will be doing business with have a check list of questions. Your primary objective is to help the customer with their needs. First find out how long they have been doing the ordering. Ask if they are new at this or if this is a new company idea. In our scenario above, the company did not put a real strong plan together in regards to using one location as a distribution center.

Armed with these questions and the customer service tips, you can get a better idea of where your home based business products or services can fit in. Offering suggestions if they need them. Excellent customer service begins with getting the facts.

Help the Customer with Volume Amounts

If you have done your pre-qualifying you will know much more about what the decision maker really needs. Sometimes you will find out that the decision maker is not really clear on their objectives and you need to be able to help clarify them.

Did they get an accurate volume of products needed? Most times you will need to test the waters. Always go slow you can speed it up anytime.

Verify Storage Life of Product

If you are selling a product that has a storage life, be sure that the customer's volume amounts are safely matched but not excessively over matched. You do not want too much product on their shelves. This is money tied up by your customer and also could expire. Someone will eat the product costs of this common mistake.

An extra customer service tip to add to this is that by keeping your customer too well stocked you may lose them. If they do not get a call from your home based business very often they are more apt to run into other product suppliers and you will not be "in front of your customers". You will want to continue to be able to work with your customers helping them identify needs that they may not even know they have and telling them about new products and services.

Test the Product and the Business Relationship

When you start with a new customer, go slow and see how the product fits into their needs. Good customer service begins with this but excellent customer service goes beyond this point. See how your home based business products and services are meeting the customer needs. Are your products a good match and are you offering the correct service? What can you do to make the business relationship even better? How can they profit from your products? Keep in mind the extra customer service tip I mentioned above about keeping "in front of the customer".

If the products or business relationship are not a good fit, end the relationship. It will cost your business money and time as well bad public relations. Remember an unsatisfied customer will tell more people about a bad situation then a good one. It is hard to end a relationship. Sometimes it is better to never have begun one with the customer in the first place. For the sake of excellent customer service I have refused customers because I knew that our products would not fit their needs.

I hope that your home based business will use these customer service tips. Creating a successful relationship with your customers is essential for your business success. Sales will soar and happy customers mean great word of mouth advertising.

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Seven Guaranteed Ways To Get Your Employees To Care About Your Customers And Company
Saturday, September 13, 2008

Writen by Curtis Cowan

1) The Ability to Associate - The term empowered is intangible, so simply telling employees that they are empowered to make their own decisions on how to best deal with your customers is not enough. Intangible meanings provide your employees with no means of associating that term. Let's put great customer service that everyone can relate to and get away from this word empowered! Let us use real life situations to help them better understand. When you teach your employees to think like doctors, whom I have used for many years with great success, the concept comes to life. After all, everyone has had experiences with doctors, and has seen first hand what it means to have someone completely focused on solving personal issues. That is what great customer service is all about! You may use whatever analogy or hypothetical situation you would like, but explain the concept in a way that makes it a relatable situation to the employees.

2) We Are All in The Customer Service Business - It's important to remember, first and foremost, that every business or position in this world, no matter what field it might be, is ultimately in the business of customer service. It doesn't matter whether you're working for McDonald's or John Hopkins Hospital, or whether you are a mail handler, secretary, or CEO of a company that is among the Fortune 500. The key to your company's success, and your own, can be summed up in just three simple words: great customer service.

3) The 90% Rule - You might not be able to satisfy every customer, but you need to be able to solve ninety percent of your client's issues if you are to continue to expand your company's horizon, even if it only means giving expert advice. Your customers come to you seeking answers to things they want or can't comprehend. Teach your employees that when customers walk through your door, they're seeking solutions, just like patients to a doctor. If you are able to satisfactorily solve problems for your customers ninety percent of the time, your company will be well above average, accordingly, you will be well on your way to success. It's an achievable goal.

4) There's always a Resolution - If a customer asks a question about a product that you or your employees can not answer, it's not the time to panic or tell the customer you don't know, or even worse, send them to a competitor. Rather, when confronted with this often uncomfortable situation, it's the time to shine, get resourceful and prove to your customers that you are truly committed to providing superior customer service! Get your employees to start thinking like a doctor and understanding the needs of the customers. Once you exhaust all your resources then search outside your organization for answers. Remember, the customer doesn't care what resources you tap into to solve their issues--they just want them solved.

5) Catch It Before It Happens - To be an effective employer, you must be an excellent listener and completely honest with yourself and workers. Talk with your employees about their job and feelings toward their fellow employees, customers and personal goals. This can be done one-on-one or during weekly or biweekly meetings, which I strongly encourage. If there are any red flags, and you are truly listening and allowing the employees to speak freely what is on their mind, these red flags will appear which allows you the opportunity to take preventative measures. These proactive steps will help build trust within your company and help avoid many confrontations, embarrassing situations, or lost of customers.

6) Finding Accomplishment With-in Your Day - Teach your employees how to find success in each day, even when their days are off to a bad start. Though it might sound counterintuitive, helping your customers can actually be cathartic, offering you a chance to forget, at least for awhile, about negative issues at hand. In fact, concentrating solely on your customers can be a great way to cruise through a day, no matter which rung of the corporate ladder you occupy. You'll be so caught up in giving your clients excellent customer service that before you know it, your work day will be over and you'll find that it was actually a pretty good one at that! With all of your customers satisfied, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment that will improve your confidence in your ability to deal with your own difficulties. However, don't get too caught up in your feelings, because feelings are just that--feelings! Feelings are not facts. So whatever feelings you are having on any given day, always remember that they will eventually pass, good or bad, so find a customer and make their day!

7) Mining Your Gold - Your employees are just like a rough piece of gold. You have to go through the process of transforming that piece of gold into a beautiful work of art. You have to burn it, melt it down, shape it and then finally bring out the shine. The same principle applies to your employees. So look out for that rough employee with great potential or even that shining employee and bring out the best in them and it will pay off ten times over. Let them know that you notice all of their good work and remind them to never look down on themselves or the job they currently hold. Every position in every company is important to the ultimate success of a business--and that includes your job! So let them know that they owe it to their self, their family, and the company to perform their best. Encourage your employees to gain more knowledge about the products and services the business has to offer, interact with customers, and focus on the needs of the customer. This approach will pay off for both the employee and company.

These are seven basic rules and guidelines in which all companies should follow if they are to achieve any type of success with their company and its customer service program. As with anything that requires more than one person to operate, it will take a team effort, so start building your team today.

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

What Is Real Customer Service
Friday, September 12, 2008

Writen by Anthony Bloch

On Tuesday I walked into a store and was browsing around for a particular product. The store didn't have it. I approached a customer service representative and asked them where I could find the item. After receiving some blank stares, I was told that they didn't know where I could find the product.

I went home and spent a couple of hours trying to track down the product. I eventually did and placed my order. This incident led me to ask, what is real customer service? Is real customer service providing value and service to paying customers only? Do you have an obligation to help the customer even when you don't carry an item?

I would say that good customer service is always looking out for the interests of your customer, even when a sale will not occur. If your customer is looking for a particular item or service and you can help them get it, even from a different vendor, I believe you have a duty to the customer to inform them of that information.

This recently happened with one of my customers. I didn't carry the item but I knew where that person could find it and directed her to that vendor.

Why would I do that? The reason is goodwill. Putting your customer first will create goodwill for you and your business. Many customers will remember the dedication and quality customer service that you provided and may be inclined to visit you in the future. so future sales may be materialized.

The vendor that you referred the customer to may also be inclined to forward their customers to you. Many vendors will appreciate the business that you sent them and will send customers to you when their inventory of a certain product doesn't exist.

Finally, you should do it for your customer. Putting the customer first will foster an environment where you will be more likely to provide a special experience for your customers.

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service Winning Customer Experiences
Thursday, September 11, 2008

Writen by Megan Tough

Winning Customer Experiences

Much research has been done on what the makes a winning customer experience. What is it that makes customers come back to your business instead of going to someone else's? If your repeat business is low, what is it that you are doing to drive your customers away? There is a consistent theme that emerges across the research - winning customer experiences are built on consistency. Michael Gerber in his book "The E-Myth Revisited" calls this orchestration. "Orchestration is the glue that holds you fast to your customers' perceptions".

This may seem a glib response to a complex issue, but take a moment to consider it from the customer's viewpoint. When dealing with a business for the first time, the customer probably has no set expectations on what the experience will be like. With your first interaction, you set the standard in the customer's mind. If you set a positive standard, the customer will likely return. The next time they do, the customer will expect the same from you. Fail to deliver, and ultimately you will lose that customer.

So if consistency is the key, how should a business go about ensuring the consistent experience for the customer?

First, start with the end state that you want to create. What experience do you want your customers to have (cheerful, professional or very fast service, friendly, feel valued etc). With this in mind, think about all the ways that your customers interact with your business. Your business may have many touchpoints - telephone, face to face (single or multiple sites), email, web-site, snail mail and so on. Your business needs to be predictable at each touch point, and predictably the same. The customer notices when they get one experience by walking into your shop, and a different experience when they speak to you on the phone.

Achieving consistency comes down to documenting exactly how you want your business to respond in each situation. If it's not documented then how will the people in your business know what you mean? Sure you can tell them, but this process falls over in larger businesses with many employees and multiple sites. You must create systems and procedures that consistently deliver your chosen experience at all levels of your company. With everyone in your business responding the same way, every time, the customer knows exactly what to expect, and can depend on you to provide it each time. Being able to replicate the same (winning) experience for the customer will build your brand and their loyalty.

Megan Tough is a published author, coach, facilitator and speaker. She works with professionals to create sustainable and profitable income streams. Make more money and have less stress! To learn more and to sign up for more FREE tips and articles like these, visit http://www.megantough.com

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Failures In Customer Service Will Mean The Death Of Your Business
Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Writen by Lance Winslow

All businesses do marketing and advertising to bring in new customers. But if they are really on the ball they give Excellent Customer Service and allow all those new customers a reason and an incentive to come back and buy more and to tell all their friends and associates to do the same. Failures in Customer Service will eventually mean the death of your business.

Trading one for one advertising for new customers is a dead end game because generally advertising works best when you bring people in on a special and that means you probably are not making as much as you could if they just came in out of the blue without a coupon to buy a higher priced item, which was not on sale.

Great customer service is not free, it takes practice and commitment from all your employees who must have by-in and be dedicated to the process of offering great service. However, great service produces word-of-mouth advertising and also means that the customer will come back over and over again to shop in your store.

There really is no substitute for great service and even if you have the lowest prices in the county, you can bet that it is only a matter of time until someone else offers a similar price with great service and all those customers will migrate over to your competition. Play it smart and offer great customer service from the start.

California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Learning From Your Employees And Customers Complaints
Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Writen by Etienne Gibbs

Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a part of every manager's job. Sometimes complaints can be overwhelming. However, by taking them in stride with an open mind, we can learn much from our employees' and customers' feelings about the workplace.

After all, a complaint is nothing more that a person telling you that his (or her) needs haven't been met. As dissatisfied customers, they are giving us a second chance to correct something that should have been done properly the first time around. (In this case the customer happens to be your employee.)

If you listen to them patiently and attentively, their complaints will alert you to a real or potential problem, or tell you of a better way to handle a situation.

We are not use, however, to coping with complaints. We let our emotions rule our thinking usually. Consequently, we let complaints wear us out because we take on the complaint as a personal attack on us. It is not!

The next time you are faced with an irate employee, here are some steps to consider:

· Try doing something new and different.

· Listen attentively, patiently, and with good nature.

· Even if the complaint seems unreasonable, don't tell him so. Keep it to yourself.

· Because nobody wants to be accused of being unreasonable, especially if it's true, admit that he might be right. (The implication is that you may be wrong.)

· Invite him to offer you in his own words a solution to his complaint. Say, for example, "If you were in my shoes, what would you do to correct the situation?" (Be careful not to call his complaint or situation a problem, because doing so might aggravate him to the point that he loses his ability to think and express himself clearly.)

· Listen carefully and actively. Read his body language.

· Use feedback questions or statements to let him know that you're trying to understand and meet his needs. (Begin responses with statements like, "If I understand you correctly, ...")

When you take the time to listen to your complaining customers or employee, you'll hear what he's telling you. Then you'll be in a better position to turn him into a satisfied customer.

Remember: When you maximize your potential, everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.

© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in ezines, newsletters, and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Although advance permission is not required, please notify us at eagibbs@ureach.com when you use this article.

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts seminars, lectures, and writes articles on his theme: ... helping you maximize your potential. He offers management, marketing, and parenting resources at http://www.maximizingyourpotential.blogspot.com California Hospital

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Oh No Mr Wizard I Dont Want To Be A Csr Anymore
Monday, September 8, 2008

Writen by Leandro Goldberg

How many windows does it take to get to the center of a contact record?

If you have spent a decent amount of time in the customer support business as either a technician, manager, or divisional VP, you should be able to relate to the above statement on some level. I can recall using one particular enterprise system (which of course shall remain nameless) that actually opened thirteen (yes 13) windows before I got the information that I needed. That did not count the ones that were online help!

Cumbersome systems can push your CSR's over the edge when it comes to good service. Remember that these are people that are continuously beaten on a daily basis by customers and other dependent individuals - the very last thing they need is a system that is hard to use.

When looking for Helpdesk/CRM systems, very often the focus is on the relationship that the tool will create between you and your customers. The truth of the matter is that while external capabilities and features are important, we often forget about the our own support staff in choosing a system that will help them be more productive as well as resourceful. It is a given today that the most frequently requested capability is web access - some managers may disagree because of their preference for "in-office" support, but the majority of today's professionals can be much more productive solving support issues anytime, anywhere using the power of the internet.

When it comes to CSR productivity, less is definitely more. Look for powerful feature that are clear, easy-to-use, and give back real value. Many CRM vendors sell on a feature basis, but who wants a system (and pay for it as well) where 70% of the functionality is never used?

Some good solid features and "must haves" to consider for CSR access:

• issue/ticket creation that includes automatic workflow that can be defined by you
• cloning capabilities to initiate multiple tasks from one primary issue or ticket
• attachment capabilities, with binary storage to minimize database size
• activity management that is both system-driven and user-driven
• routing options, such as customer to CSR, company to CSR, product to CSR, etc.
• easy-to-use, yet powerful search capabilities for CSR's

Likewise, there are feature that the outside world (customers and partners for example) should have as well, such as:

• issue or ticket creation that is clear, simple, and easy-to-use
• ability to (as warranted) show who the ticket has been assigned to
• ability to add attachments and activities
• knowledgebase search
• field level security (blocking sensitive internal information on the form)
• password change capabilities
• ability to update personal contact information
• broadcast or news pages maintained by support

Additionally (and perhaps one of most important features) is the ability for a CSR to facilitate equal support capabilities through e-mail. This means that your tool of choice should have e-mail monitoring capabilities that will result in issue or ticket creation and maintenance as the result of incoming e-mail from your customers. Ordinary e-mail communication between CSR's and customers should post the same identical information to issue and ticket activities automatically, enabling the events to occur in a completely mobile situation without any detection.

Finding this combination of features and functionality is not nearly as difficult as it once was due to the many updates technologies that are being used today to create these systems.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service With A Touch Of Mink
Sunday, September 7, 2008

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

Where I grew up, there was a little window next to the sidewalk in a New England style brick building, where you could peer inside and watch tailors hand-stitching mink coats.

If you just stood there, sooner or later, an amazing thing happened.

One of the tailors would smile at you, slide the window open, and hand you a scrap of mink, about six inches long and two inches wide.

"Here, here," he'd say with a big grin. "Take it!" and then he'd chuckle his way back to the workbench.

I'm sure some kids didn't know what to do with them but with a dozen of these scraps your mother could stitch a very cool Davy Crockett hat for you, or with just one, you could scare your friends by wiggling it like a captured skunk.

What I didn't appreciate at the time is how clever this was as a customer service investment. Every kid had a mom who was destined to ask where he got the mink, and she'd hear how nice the people were to her kids.

It was a very prudent investment in good will.

Moreover, when the kids grew up, they would become buyers and when they wanted coats, guess where they'd go, first?

This is called taking the long view of customer relationships.

It puts Customer Relationship Management (CRM) thinking to shame, which despite its protestations to the contrary, is a what-have-you-done-for-us-lately approach to customer satisfaction.

The CRM folks micro-measure today's transactions to determine which customers are work perking, and which ones should be utterly ignored. They have no interest in the long-term, in seeding their communities with sweet gestures, which later sprout into arbors of support.

What can you do, to caress your customers, present and future, with the gentle touch of mink?

Answer this well, and you'll build a path to customer satisfaction that will survive the test of time.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

A Customer Culture Is Built On A Service Ethic
Saturday, September 6, 2008

Writen by Jim Clemmer

"Rank is an appointed position. Authority is an earned condition. Rank is decreed from above. Authority is conferred from below. Authority vanishes the moment those who bestow it stop believing, respecting, or trusting their appointed boss, though they may defer out of fear." — Ted Levitt, Thinking About Management

There are many reasons that teams and organizations haven't developed a culture of intense focus on their customers and partners. Some are management issues — they don't have the right tools and techniques or they haven't established disciplined listening and response systems and processes. In these cases, managers don't know how to become more customer and partner-focused. They don't have the way.

But the root cause of poor or just mediocre customer service goes deeper. It has to do with will. Most managers don't focus on their customers and internal/external partners because they're too busy managing. They've become Technomanagers focused first on technology and management systems.

Technomanagers don't want to serve, they want to control. They lord over and boss people. Technomanagers act as if (their words may say something very different) people (customers, partners, and everyone in their organization) serve their technology and management systems.

Psychologist and Forbes columnist, Srully Blotnick, spent twenty-seven years following the lives of 6,981 men. In his book, Ambitious Men: Their Drives, Dreams, and Delusions, he writes, "It's difficult to say to someone, 'I am your humble servant,' and in the next breath hit them with, 'but I am also your social superior'... 45 percent of all the ambitious and talented men we studied who failed did so because of difficulties directly connected with the simultaneous pursuit of these two goals."

Effective leaders know that without disciplined management systems and leading edge technologies, outstanding service is nothing but a dream. But they act on a belief system that management systems and technology exist to serve people. This is an extension of the effective leader's personal purpose built around the key service principle that success comes through serving others.

Servant Leadership

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve." — Albert Schweitzer

In 1977, retired AT&T Director of Management Research, Robert Greenleaf, published a philosophical leadership book that's enjoying a resurgence because the world-leading retailer Wal-Mart has used his concepts so effectively in building their service culture. His book is called Servant Leadership: A Journey Into Legitimate Power and Greatness. It's an inspiring and insightful book that points the way toward the involvement and empowerment movements we've seen in the last few years.

Greenleaf writes, "a new morale principle is emerging which holds that the only authority deserving one's allegiance is that which is freely and knowingly granted by the led to the leader in response to, and in proportion to, the clearly evident servant stature of the leader...the servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first (his emphasis). Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead."

It's another powerful paradox to be managed. On the one hand, leaders provide direction. They guide, influence, and persuade people on their team and throughout their organization. But once the cultural Context and Focus (vision, values, and mission) is clear, leaders continuously ask customers, external partners, and their internal partners how they can harness and improve the organization's core technologies, processes, and systems to meet everyone's needs. Then they put themselves in the management harness to establish goals and priorities along with the transformation and improvement plans that work to close the gaps between what is wanted and what is delivered.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

How To Make Your Business Thrive In The 21st Century
Friday, September 5, 2008

Writen by Paul Jerard

The following story is related to my particular business field, but you will see how it relates to all businesses. After location, marketing, and a business plan, our customer service is what keeps repeat business coming back for more. If you don't value your repeat business, your competition will.

If you have a strong customer service staff, good ethical standards, and a mission statement based upon helping the community, you will see your competition send customers to you. They don't do it on purpose, but by grooming an adversarial relationship, these businesses send abused customers seeking refuge, where they are treated fairly.

Recently, I had a prospective family visit us for an initial interview. They were interested in martial arts classes, but looked at Yoga on the premises as a bonus. This family had been abused by their sensei (karate teacher), and they were seeking some gentle guidance. They were still studying with their current sensei, but not sure if they wanted to stay for anymore abuse.

One of the things they found at our center is a mission statement that all of my family and staff live by. They were so impressed, that one of their children went back to ask if their current martial arts school had one. Upon asking this question, the sensei told this student to do 1000 push ups.

Needless to say, that family joined our center shortly afterward. The above-described business doesn't see the true worth of good paying repeat business. In fact, this type of business is working hard to make "service minded" competitors look good.

Now, what does this have to do with your business? This has everything to do with all of our businesses and your job security. How often do you see customers mistreated by banks, restaurants, and department stores? This occurs far too often, and the attitude starts at the top of every organization.

When you send your customers to your competitors, you might as well advertise for them too. Some customer service departments have the same atmosphere as a collection agency. The customers are visualized as the enemy and treated like prisoners without a choice.

If this sounds like your customer service department, you may find yourself out of business. For decision makers, the action is clear: Clean up your customer service or be prepared for extinction. For employees who don't have a say in the decisions, be prepared to "jump ship," if you see customers making a mass exodus out the door.

"The writing is on the wall," when we forget who is really in charge. Your real "boss" is the customer. That's who pays your salary, gets you a bonus, sends you on vacation, and helps you get your kids through college. To thrive in any economy, we must promote a helpful product or service. Otherwise, you might as well give up promoting, advertising, and marketing, all together. Customer service exists to "close the back door," not by force, but by listening to suggestions and establishing a common bond with your existing customers.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Improve Your Small Business Through The 4 Universal Funnel Law
Thursday, September 4, 2008

Writen by Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Universal Funnel Law #4 – Every business needs customers or clients. A customer relationship plan further develops loyal customers and serves as a source for ongoing referrals.

W. Edwards Deming who is considered to be the father of continuous or quality improvement said "Profit in business comes from repeat customers, customers that boast about your project or service and that bring friends with them." Deming truly understood the #3 Universal Funnel Law (http://ezinearticles.com/?id=92768) and recognized the importance of loyal customers and referrals within Universal Funnel Law #4.

Customer satisfaction is now a click away. Developing loyal customers who can provide repeat business and referrals is a critical success factor in today's fast paced, technology driven, global marketplace. A customer relationship plan that is in alignment with the strategic business plan, the marketing plan and the sales plan and is consistently implemented and monitored would seem to be a "No Brainer" for any business. Yet, my 20 plus years of experience reveals just the opposite.

A recent survey released by MOHR Access of Ridgewood, NJ, confirms my experience that today's customers are still experiencing poor customer service which suggests that the customer relationship plan is not working. The number one answer cited by shoppers at U.S. malls was "Not my department" closely followed by "If it's not on the rack, we don't have it." I am sure that these retail stores have some customer relationship plan, but it appears that the implementation of the plan is lacking.

With many companies purchasing expensive software to monitor customer relationships and training them on how to use these tools, the challenge appears not to be the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but rather attitudes and habits. Michael Patrick, MOHR Access president stated: "What's really needed is to get employees committed ... to do their best, even when nobody's looking or listening."

To bridge the gap between your customer relationship plan and the desired results that you as a business owner or manager are seeking requires you to develop your people to be truly committed to your customers and recognize that their role extends beyond customer service. Unless, of course, you still want to do the same thing over and over again hoping for different results and you are not interested in doubling your results.

Copyright 2005(c) Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S.

This article may be freely published. Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted).

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Packing For The Holidays
Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Writen by Steve Madsen

While proper packaging is required all year long, doing the job correctly takes on new meaning during "the holidays". Not only are many of the packages we send out over the next few weeks destined to be gifts for our customers family and friends, but with the increase in shipping volume at this time of year the chances of your packages being handled more roughly than normal is virtually assured to happen. The sheer volume the shipping companies are trying to move and deliver during this "crunch time" is tremendous and in that attempt to handle everything and get it where it needs to be, small corners are cut in an effort to save time and space.

With the above paragraph being commom knowledge to experienced sellers and shippers, it's always a good idea for anyone shipping packages this time of year to take a few minutes to review some of the basics and make certain that everything is in place before the rush hits and we get caught unprepared for it and try to cut corners ourselves. Depending on what your product is, chances are it might be a gift for someone and there is basically only going to be one chance to ship it out and get it there on time and in one piece. If it arrive damaged and the process has to start over, what are the chances of the second package making it there on time?

Starting with the outside of the package, usually a cardboard box of some kind, choose one that will allow a good 2" on each side of extra clearance room. This extra room is for the cushioning material used to protect the item inside. This extra room is also a good idea if you've ever seen how packages are kind of jammed into nooks and crannys in the trucks used to transport and deliver packages. Every square inch of truck space is a valuable commodity so if there is a 5" space and they have a 6" box, guess what - you got it, that 6" box WILL fit in that 5" space!

Next is the cushioning material used to fill the space. Be sure to have a good supply of whatever it is you will need - bubble wrap, packing peanuts, blank newsprint paper, kraft paper or whatever your favorite material is. If you are shipping fragile items such as glass or china, a good way to package them is a combination of both bubble wrap and peanuts. Wrap the item in bubble wrap and tape to secure. Then using the peanuts - preferably the "C" or "S" shaped ones that won't crush and settle during transit - create a bed for the item on the bottom of the box, place the item in the center of the box and fill the rest of the void with more peanuts making sure the peanuts settle into place so that no open spaces are left. Crumpled newsprint or kraft paper can also be used to fill open areas as well.

Getting a box of the proper size can be challenging at times especially for those who re-use boxes from incoming shipments. Choose one to small and the result can be a damaged product. Choose one too big and you have to use extra void fill to fill in the space. You can't stretch a box to make it bigger, but you can trim one down to size quickly and easily with what is known as a box sizing tool. Basically this tool is nothing more than a multi-pointed wheel that perforates the inside wall of a box so it can be easily folded over at the desired location. An adjustable bar that hooks onto the top of the box makes a straight and even line possible. Simply ste the sliding bar to the proper height and then go around the box with the tool. After that, slit the corners of the box from the perforated line to the top and fold the sides in. Even a large box can be trimmed down to size in less than 20 seconds.

To give your packages a little more impact and visual appeal during the holidays, you can throw in a splash of color. Colored tissue paper, mailing tubes and tape can be used to create eye catching packages that are remembered. Color tape is available in masking tape for inside boxes and also in carton sealing tape for closing and securing the exterior box. Red or green tape on a white box automatically makes it look like a wrapped gift.

Even the packing peanuts can be used to create a visually appealing effect. Mix white and pink peanuts together for a nice soft look that will compliment and enhance the item inside. A nice touch that many of our customers have complimented us on in regards to using peanuts is that we will put peanuts in a poly bag and seal the end shut. This way when the package arrives at its destination the receiver only has to remove the bagged peanuts and not a bunch of loose peanuts that usually blow all over the place and annoy people. It can't be done in every instance, but we try to do it when we can.

The use of "FRAGILE - Handle With Care" or "Do Not Bend" labels is a debate that may never be settled. While it may be a good idea to mark potentially fragile packages in the hope of it being given at least a little extra care, I have seen and heard shipping employees take those labels as a challenge to see just how well packed the box is by throwing and kicking it around. This is the exception to the rule as the vast majority are really trying to do a good job for the customers.

The last thing is what holds it all together - tape. Resist the urge to save a few pennies here by buying the cheap stuff. While you don't have to spring for the top shelf, high dollar tape, a good quality tape will be worth its cost. The cheap tape tends to tear easily and does not stick well, especially in a cold enviroment such as will be encountered during its journey during the month of December in the back of a tractor trailer. The best overall tape for sealing boxes and taping bubble wrap or foam around items a good quality 2" wide, 2 mil tape in either 55 or 110 yard rolls. Both sizes fit in standard tape guns and do a good all around job in the shipping department.

Keeping some of the basics of proper packaging in mind will help insure everyone has a happy and joyous holiday season.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

11 Ways To Get What You Want Be A Clever Customer
Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Writen by Martin Haworth

We all want great service, whether we are buying our weekly groceries from a store, or want a billing hitch resolved at our local utilities provider. Whether it's getting our car fixed, or a great meal in a restaurant. So we can holler and complain about how poor customer service and satisfaction has become - or we can do something about it ourselves, when we have those one-to-one opportunities with a real person.

1. Be positive and confident
   Busy sales staff are under pressure and they like to deal with people who are clear and know what they want - then they can get on with their next customer! So perk up, do your homework and have everything ready and clear.
   
2. Smile - a little!
   By adopting a positive demeanour, making eye contact and being friendly, you will be one in twenty who is. Don't try it too much, or that will irritate too, but just nice, friendly and a little smiley will work wonders!
   
3. Don't Use Their Name
   This will vary culturally. In the UK, sales people don't like to be called by their name at all. So be careful - if you know it fits wherever you live and shop, then fine - but observe and notice what is going to work and stick to it.
   
4. Ask for help
   Use the words 'I wonder if you can help me' and then be clear about what you want. This links in with their emotions - ('someone needs me'!) - which is very powerful relationship-building for you
   
5. Match!
   As you give clear information about what you need from them, make positive and supportive movements and sounds that encourage them onwards. This builds rapport and makes a relationship much more likely to happen. Because people like to help, the feedback indicates that is what they are doing and...they will like you - one more step forwards in getting what you want.
   
6. Ask Something Else
   When they are answering your questions, ask them, once or twice, a little more about what they have told you. This shows that you have been listening and value their information. This powerfully builds the bond even more between you!
   
7. Open and Closed
   By asking some open (what, how, why, where, when, which) and some closed questions (those which only need a 'yes' or a 'no'), you will vary the pressure they feel under. Being able to say 'yes' or 'no', as well as giving you lots of information, means that they get a few breaks and don't feel quite so 'interrogated'.
   
8. Say Thank You
   At the end of their answers, whether you have reached a satisfactory conclusion or not, thank them for their help - make them feel valued.
   
9. Invest
   It's great to invest time in spending a little time in 'chat' mode with your sales person. If they have time - you have to judge from their manner, whether they are in the mood to spend time with you. It varies from person to person, time of day and location. But it's worth being aware of.
   
10. Part Well
    At the very end of the transaction, make sure that you add a smiley 'thank you' to the mix. Selling stuff all day is tough in itself, without all the extra clutter that sales people have to do for their organisation. So by 'making their day' you will be creating a relationship which will be valuable to you for years to come.
    
11. And For Exceptional Cases
    Make sure that you are aware of their name, and write and tell their boss - better, their head office. This may or may not do you any financial benefit, but hey, it sure will make you feel great that you have 'made someone's day' by telling the rest of their organisation about them!

Being smart as a customer can get you benefits that you never expected. Being an awkward, 'clever' or downright obnoxious customer will never help you. By using these tips, you will receive more than you might expect, not every time maybe, but sometimes - and that has got to be a win.

Martin Haworth, for a long time was a retailer and now is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. For the advice Martin shares with businesses on Customer Service, checkout the 'Customer' pages. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)

...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service Is Dying And Im Not Feeling So Good Myself
Monday, September 1, 2008

Writen by Garrison Wynn

Have you ever called a company and been greeted with the phrase "Hold, please"? How do they know you can hold? They don't even know who you are. Maybe you can't hold; maybe you have 10 seconds of juice left on your cell phone and your hair is on fire. Then you finally get someone on the phone, only to be told, "I can't actually help you; I'm just paid to apologize, and I'm really sorry about that."

Being frustrated by a lack of customer service is nothing new. It just seems that in the last few years, companies have become more innovative when it comes to not helping you solve your problems. I recently asked a hotel employee to help me with my luggage. He told me to hold on and he would have someone look into it. I thought, "Hey, you're someone—why can't you look into it?" I realize that we are as busy as we have ever been, and that many younger people were not brought up in the traditional culture of customer service. But none of these excuses will protect your business in today's challenging economy, where customers are questioning value even with companies they have known for years.

Maybe it's time to get back to basics and make service a real priority. Sure, plenty of companies claim to offer great customer care. But raising your service standards requires more than a promise; you need to set concrete goals and establish effective procedures to meet them. Whether you own the company, handle key accounts or just accidentally encounter your customers, you'll reap huge benefits by applying the following customer service goals:

On the Phone

• Be friendly! No one wants to send a check to people who seem to be bothered by their call.

• Ask permission before putting a caller on hold. If a customer is greeted with "Hold, please," what the customer really hears is "Hang on! Someone much more important than you just called in."

• Keep it professional. Smoking cigarettes, slurping a drink, and playing the drums on your desk makes callers feel like they are getting advice from a guy in a bar.

• Make sure that callers don't have to repeat themselves. Someone who has explained a problem three times to three different people hangs up angry, whether or not the problem is solved. All the Time

• Create a positive image to attract business. Remember that squirrels are just rats with good publicity.

• Display compassion for people who are upset. People who don't think you care won't value your solution.

• Be very clear when you explain a process. When customers don't know what you're talking about, they assume you don't either.

• Do what you say you're going to do. When you don't follow through, people don't think you have forgotten. They think you don't care.

• Know when to bring in someone else. When it becomes clear that the customer thinks you are the problem, set your ego aside and send in a fresh face.

• Establish a simple, easy-to-implement, customer service plan. When something is really complicated, it's hard to tell if it's working.

Well, I think customer service will survive— and I feel better now that I've written this article—but it's important that we help nurse that ailing customer service to a full recovery, ensuring a healthy prognosis for today's businesses. The companies that attract and keep the best customers are usually the most effective at managing expectations and emotions. Successful companies train their people to anticipate customer needs and to solve problems before the customer knows they exist. But before you can do any of this, you have to start with the basics. If you really want customers, set customer service goals. Remember, if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.

Garrison Wynn is a nationally known speaker, trainer, and coach. He is the President and founder of Wynn Solutions, specializing in The Truth about Success.

About The Author

As a speaker, advisor, and entertainer, Garrison has worked with some of the world's most effective corporate leaders and salespeople, from multi-billion dollar manufacturers to top New York Stock Exchange wire houses. He has a background in manufacturing, entertainment, telecommunications and financial services. An experienced actor and former professional stand-up comedian, he has hosted PBS television specials and national radio programs.

www.wynnsolutions.com, garrison@wynnsolutions.com

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

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