For Customer Service

Getting It Together Integrating Customer Focus Involvement And Horizontal Management
Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Writen by Jim Clemmer

If we don't change our direction we are likely to end up where we're headed.

In today's "Nanosecond" culture, successful organizations are doing what was once considered impossible. They are increasing customer satisfaction, shortening process cycles and response times, reducing costs, and developing innovative new products and services -- all at the same time.

Not long ago, organizations could succeed by excelling at one or two of these areas. But the corporate landscape is now littered with the once mighty victims of this obsolete thinking. Today's winners are capitalizing on the changes and challenges facing all organizations by being better and faster and cheaper and newer then their less nimble competitors.

Pointed In The Wrong Direction

Transforming a traditional organization to one that's better, faster, cheaper, and newer is extremely difficult. That's because organizations have built powerful cultures, systems, and practices that are now pointed in the wrong direction. This misdirection can be found across three key areas:

• Internally-Focused -- most decisions about products, services, and organization direction are inside out. Product and service development specialists, technical experts, managers, planners, and other professionals spend most of their time inside the organization pushing products and services out to the market.

Too often the needs of the organization are put ahead of those people it's trying to "serve". As John McDonnell, Chairman and CEO of McDonnell Douglas put it, "we did not always listen to what the customer had to say before telling him what he wanted". This we-know-best approach is now finding many long time leaders out of sync with their markets. The ratings (and revenues) of many mighty corporations are plummeting. Their "loyal" (once treated as captive) customers find products and services that better reflect their changing perceptions of value.

• Functionally Managed -- individual departments work to optimize their own internal efficiency. Goals, objectives, measurements, and career paths move up and down within the narrow, functional "chimney walls". Functional managers and their employees focus on doing their own jobs or segment of the production, delivery, or support process.

Functionally managed organizations typically reduce service/quality levels while increasing cycle times and costs by; 1) fostering an "us-versus-them" approach to communications and fighting for organizational resources, 2) leaving unmanaged gaps between departments which disrupt cross-functional work processes, 3) making improvements or changes in one department which hurts the effectiveness of other departments in the process, and, 4) losing sight of customer-supplier relationships and meeting everyone's needs.

Since the 1950s, Toyota has worked tirelessly to reduce the walls and gaps between departments. By the 1970s, their manufacturing methods became widely known throughout Japan as the "Toyota Production Methods". In the early 1980s, their highly successful practices migrated to North America as Just-In-Time manufacturing. Stressing the importance of managing across organizational boundaries, a Toyota executive said, "It is not enough to manage the affairs within your own division. One of the most important functions of a division manager is to improve coordination between his own division and other divisions. It you cannot handle this task, please go work for an American company".

• Management-Centered -- management's needs, goals, and perspectives are the starting point for all activities. Managers and their staff professionals are the brains and employees are the hands. Employees serve their managerial masters and do as they are told. Broad business perspectives and strategies, operational performance data, problem solving and decision making authority, and cross-functional skills are kept by management.

But the world is now moving too fast to maintain this archaic "command and control" approach that puts management at the center of the universe. Managers can no longer know enough, fast enough, about enough things, enough of the time to anticipate enough of the changes that are needed to improve the organization enough to become better and faster and cheaper and newer enough.

Partial Improvement Patches and Pieces

Recognizing the urgent need to quickly reverse direction, many organizations are implementing a variety of improvement programs and process. These include:

• Employee Involvement and Empowerment -- many training and motivational programs, as well as structural changes aim to move daily problem solving, decision making, customer satisfaction, and productivity improvement responsibilities closer to the front lines.

• Teams -- a rapidly growing employee involvement trend uses departmental, problem solving, cross-functional, project, process improvement, planning and coordinating, and self-directed work teams in many combinations and configurations.

• Customer Service -- increasingly organizations are identifying key customer groups, clarifying and ranking their expectations, working to realign the organization's systems customer around those expectations, and training employees to deal with customers more effectively.

• Process Improvement and Reengineering -- data-based tools and techniques, flowcharting, and other "mapping" approaches improve processes at micro or departmental levels. In other cases, processes are radically reengineered across vertical departments at macro or strategic levels.

• Training and Development -- many executives recognize the need for massive improvements in skill levels throughout their organizations. This is leading to major increases in technical, personal communications and effectiveness, team (leaders and members), data-based tools and techniques, process improvement and management, and coaching skill development.

• Technology -- investments in factory automation, information systems, voice and data communication systems, inventory control systems, and so on are growing rapidly as companies push for higher productivity, faster response times, and improved service/quality.

Many of the above efforts are piecemeal or implemented in isolation. For example, training and development, customer service, technology, and process reengineering are often implemented by separate departments with little or no joint planning and coordination. As a result, products or services are either better or faster or cheaper or newer, but rarely all four. That leads to a weakened competitive position. And cynicism for subsequent change programs grows throughout the organization.

Total Quality Management (TQM) is one management approach that can successfully integrate all of the above improvement efforts. But very few organizations are implementing truly total quality management. Most so-called TQM efforts are really PQM -- Partial Quality Management. That's why many studies now show that 50-70 percent of what are called TQM efforts are dying or dead. The good news is that 30-50 percent of TQM implementations (those that are truly total) are dramatically increasing customer satisfaction, shortening process cycles and response times, reducing costs and strengthening innovation. Although it's very tough to do, it can clearly be done.

The Labels Rarely Describe The Contents

The TQM/PQM problem is hardly unique. Most labels describing a number of organization change and improvement efforts have become meaningless. For example, when an executive talks about building a team-based organization, he or she may mean instilling a "teaminess" attitude. Or this might mean using temporary task forces to solve problems. Possibly the executive envisions filling their organization with employee improvement teams (similar to quality circles). Or he or she may want to develop self-directed work teams with no direct supervision. Some times "Reengineering" describes layoffs or traditional "slash and burn" cost cutting exercises. In other cases, reengineering means a change to the organization's structure. Sometimes it means installing new information technology systems. Or reengineering could be a radical revamping of the macro, strategic processes that establish how most work and customer interactions flow across the organization.

Successful change and improvement initiatives are integrated or "whole" rather then partial and piecemeal. They flow from the organization's basic reason for being, values, vision of the future, and strategies. The effort is intertwined with the organization's operating goals, systems, and measurements. These changes and improvements aren't programs bolted on the side of the organization. These approaches are tightly intertwined and connected to management systems, daily practices, and behavior.

As he continues a long string of successes in building "the new GE", CEO Jack Welch observed, "The winners of the 90s will be those who can develop a culture that allows them to move faster, communicate more clearly, and involve everyone in a focused effort to serve every more demanding customers". At Multifoods, the international food processing giant (brands include Robin Hood and Bicks), Human Resource vice president, Bob Maddocks finds that "the improvement process isn't separate from good leadership and management practices". He adds, "We want everyone involved in operating the company, focusing on customers, and improving our processes and systems. It's got to become a way of life for all of us".

Whatever labels are used, a "wholistic" or systems approach to change and improvement means reversing the inward focus, management-centeredness, and vertical management found in most organizations.

Reversing Direction

1. From Internal Focus: Products and services are pushed out to the market

To Customer Focus: Products and services are pulled through the organization

From Internal Focus: Management and internal professionals "know best"

To Customer Focus: "Naive listening" keeps everyone tuned to changing needs

From Internal Focus: Performance measurements are top down and aimed at maximizing internal control

To Customer Focus: Rigorous measurements are based on customers' perceptions of value

2. From Functional Management: Departments are narrowly accountable for the results of their individual units

To Horizontal Management: Managers are accountable for understanding and managing core strategic processes that flow across departments

From Functional Management: Departmental walls cause work and customers to "fall between the cracks"

To Horizontal Management: Customer needs drive the key work processes that are managed across departments

From Functional Management: Management intuition and hunches drive decision making and resource allocation

To Horizontal Management: Rigorous data and analysis help clarify systemic cause-and-effect relationships

3. From Management-Centeredness: Management's needs come first in a "command and control" hierarchy

To Total Involvement: Managers become "servant leaders" to a team-based organization

From Management-Centeredness: Employees serve management

To Total Involvement: Employees serve internal and external customers

From Management-Centeredness: Information is hoarded

To Total Involvement: Information is widely shared

For most organizations, these are not minor course corrections. Each of these three key areas demands changing direction by a full 180 degrees.

Besides changing direction in any one of these key areas individually, there is an ever more pressing need to integrate all three as an organization-wide system. This can be either an area-by-area evolution or a broad scale simultaneous implementation. For example, an organization might start by focusing on customers, begin managing processes with basic teams, and then move toward shared leadership and self-directed teams. Or the change effort may begin by involving employees through teams, focus on customers, and then move to incorporate process management.

An executive at a US-based telecommunications equipment manufacturer illustrates how these areas can evolve and merge, "We hit the cultural change wall because people didn't want to do the behavioral stuff (skill building, dealing with conflict, changing habits and practices). People didn't want to do that because it hurt too much. That got real ugly. So we said, 'we're not going to do that behavioral stuff. Instead we're going to do process improvement work.' And, after beating our heads against the process wall for a few months, some people found out that they're really not separate and distinct. You can't do one without the other. And, oh by the way, the only way that is going to work is to have teams. So, we're starting to break through the barrier of linking all of those pieces that were originally perceived to be separate. We're really breaking through the barrier and recognizing that this is all interconnected."

However the transformation is begun and whatever it's called, effective long-term change and improvement efforts integrate all three of the key areas. Only through an integrated systems approach to customer service, process management, and employee involvement can organizations become industry leaders who are clearly better and faster and cheaper and newer than their competitors.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Mail Services To Benefit Any Business
Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Writen by Joel Meadowridge

All businesses, no matter what their type, will receive mail. Bills, payments, invoices, merchandise, letters, and much more are sent from and delivered to businesses all around the world. While sending and receiving mail may seem easy enough it isn't always, especially for businesses. This is why the development of mail services is important.

Mail services being offered to a business are most commonly being provided by an individual or a company who specializes in offering a healthy connection between businesses and their clients. There are a number of features that could be included in a mail service package. The features being offered will all depend on the individual or company who is offering the mail service. While the features being offered may vary there are a number of features that are commonly found in a mail service.

Professional mail services are likely to offer a new business mailing address. This business address is typically in the same city where the mail services are being offered. A new business mailing address is a great way to up the appearance of your business. Having a mailing address in New York City is much more glamorous than one in a small town that is hard to pronounce. A new business mailing address is a great way to provide small business owners or contractors who work out of their home with a business address that is not also a home address. This could help to make a business appear more professional.

When a business gets a new mailing address the mail will go to that address. This means that somehow that mail must make from the mailing address to the physical address. This is why mail forwarding is one of most popular and most needed of all mail services. The individual or company running a mail service business will receive your mail and then forward it to your home or business. Mail forwarding can be done all year round; however, it also possible to do it on special occasions. Instead of having important documents sitting at the post office many business owners prefer to have their mail held by a professional. Once a business owner returns from their vacation or business trip they can have the mail sent to their home or business.

In addition to forwarding mail to the home or business of a business owner, it is also possible to have mail sent from the address. If you need to use the same address it may be possible for you to send mail to mail service company and then have them forward it the recipient. This will require extra postage, but many business owners use this method to only have one business address instead of multiple ones.

A business address and mail forwarding are just a few of the mail services you may find beneficial to your business. Business mail is an important thing; therefore, you shouldn't let your mail services be handled by just anyone.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

5 Action Ideas To Deal With Difficult People
Monday, December 29, 2008

Writen by Alan Fairweather

When was the last time you had to deal with a difficult customer? It was probably and external customer but perhaps it was an internal customer, such as a member of your team, a colleague or even - your boss!

I'm sure that you always want to provide exceptional service to both your internal and external customers. However, in the real world, things go wrong and mistakes are made. These "customers" will often judge your level of service based on how you respond to a mistake. Do it well and they'll probably forgive you and possibly even say positive things about your business or your abilities to other people.

The important thing to realise when dealing with an upset customer, be they internal or external, is that you must - deal with their feelings, then deal with their problem. Upset customers are liable to have strong feelings when you, your product or service lets them down and they'll probably want to "dump" these feeling on you.

You don't deal with their feelings by concentrating on solving the problem, it takes more. Here are 5 action ideas that deal with the customers' human needs:

1 - Don't let them get to you - Stay out of it emotionally and concentrate on listening non-defensively and actively. Customers may make disparaging and emotional remarks - don't rise to the bait.

2 - Listen - listen - listen - Look and sound like your listening. The customer wants to know that you care and that you're interested in their problem.

3 - Stop saying sorry - Sorry is an overused word, everyone says it when something goes wrong and it's lost its value. How often have you heard - "Sorry 'bout that, give me the details and I'll sort this out for you". Far better to say "I apologise for ......" And if you really need to use the sorry word, make sure to include it as part of a full sentence. "I'm sorry you haven't received that information as promised Mr Smith". (It's also good practise to use the customers name in a difficult situation).

4 - Empathise - Using empathy is an effective way to deal with the customers feelings. Empathy isn't about agreement, only acceptance of what the customer is saying and feeling. Basically the message is - "I understand how you feel". Obviously this has to be a genuine response, the customer will realise if you're insincere and they'll feel patronised.

Examples of empathy responses would be - "I can understand that you're angry", or "I see what you mean". Again, these responses need to be genuine.

5 - Build rapport - Sometimes it's useful to add another phrase to the empathy response, including yourself in the picture. - "I can understand how you feel, I don't like it either when I'm kept waiting". This has the effect of getting on the customer's side and builds rapport. Some customer service people get concerned with this response as they believe it'll lead to - "Why don't you do something about it then". The majority of people won't respond this way if they realise that you're a reasonable and caring person.

If they do, then continue empathising and tell the customer what you'll do about the situation. "I'll report this to my manager" or "I'll do my best to ensure it doesn't happen in the future".

Make no mistake about it; customers, be they internal or external, are primarily driven by their emotions. It's therefore important to use human responses in any interaction particularly when a customer is upset or angry. If customers like you and feel that you care, then they're more likely to accept what you say and forgive your mistakes.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

All Of The World Of Business Is A Stage
Sunday, December 28, 2008

Writen by Doug Emerson

One of the basics of acting taught to me in grade school was the important principle of "staying in character." Staying in character means holding the image and personality of the character you are assigned to portray without letting your own personality leak through.

Applying the principle in school, I would lock my legs stiffly and allow my arms and hands to flex gently as if they were in a flowing breeze. It was not easy for me as a third grader to stay in character as a tree.

My professional acting career still lies dormant, but the concept of being in character is wide-awake. I heard a story last week about a small business that makes a point of having its employees remain in character at all times during the work day. No, I'm not talking about Disney World. I'm talking about a dentist's office in the UK. The owner is so adamant about the professional staff acting in the best interest of the practice when dealing with the patients (customers), that a sign is installed on the employee lounge door that says " BackStage". The backstage sign makes the important point that the rest of the office space requires an onstage performance for all on the team.

The help wanted advertisements never have the following wording included in the job description; "Acting Experience, a plus". Employers should include the phrase.

Wouldn't it be nice if other businesses would enforce the onstage performance of their employees?

· Grocery store cash register operators would end their cross- chatter with each other, act in a friendly way and would acknowledge the customers' existence.

· Receptionists would present an image of helpfulness and appreciation for customers as they enter and exit the office.

· Retail clerks would joyfully point out where items are on the shelves.

· Professionals would acknowledge that they are running behind on appointments and apologize for the inconvenience.

· Staff would notice when customers, even those not within their assigned area, are not getting the proper attention they deserve and would ask on their own if they could be of help.

Businesses that have a written plan and policy for maintaining a professional level of service always are the most impressive. They are impressive because the standard of service against which they compete is so unprofessional. It's not hard to distinguish yourself from the rest of the group when your business stays in character.

Is your business or organization in character for customer service or just playing out its own melodrama?

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service For Gas Stations Has Changed
Saturday, December 27, 2008

Writen by Lance Winslow

Perhaps you do not remember but the old gas stations of yester year included quite a bit of more service than those of today. Today you are often forced to go into the impulse C-Store from hell with all sorts of items practically falling on you, simply to get the darn pump turned on. And forget a free window cleaning unless you allow some homeless guy to spit on your window and wipe it clean and then tell him where to stick it when he puts out his hand for some donation over a couple of bucks.

Indeed customer service has changed but why? It is not as if the customers said; Hey we do not want customer service anymore, No Sir, not us. Is it worth more money for customer service? Sure it is and we often vote with our dollar for it in many ways. We might pay more for a cup of coffee or shop at a different store, which we know to have slightly higher prices; why? Customer Service of course.

As I travel across the United States occasionally I do go to a service station off the beaten path, which still gives good old-fashioned country style great service. But for every one of these gas stations that I go to; I most certainly fill up at least a hundred times where I get ho-hum service or none at all.

Is it possible to run your service station the old-fashioned way and if you do will you reap the rewards? Well, I asked one gentleman this and he said that it costs a little extra to pay that gentleman to clean everyone's window, to smile and even sometimes but air their tires, but look across the street their service station is empty and we charge three cents more per gallon and that was my proof.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service In Auto Services Is Not Offending Women Customers
Friday, December 26, 2008

Writen by Lance Winslow

In the auto services industry there are generally more women customers than men. This is because men will typically do some of the auto services and preventive maintenance on their car themselves, whereas women customers will have someone else like an auto shop do the services for them.

Even women who have men around the house will sometimes have a man take their car to the auto service shop for them. Still, even with that there are still more women customers by about 15% more.

Needless to say customer service in the auto services industry is about pleasing your women customers and when they fill out reader service cards or customer service surveys you need to listen to what they say.

Women customers would like to see more women at the facility and not a bunch of guys gawking at them. Women customers would also like to see clean bathrooms and a clean waiting area. Women customers do not like to see trash around the facility or around the landscaping.

Women customers do not wish to be over-sold or treated in a condescending manner. Women customers do not like greasy fingerprints on their car when you are done. Women customers would like to have some women's type magazines in the waiting area and not ones, which are two years old.

Women customers also like to have an awards program or a discount if they are regular customers. Please trust me when I tell you that all these things are comments that I have read on our own customer surveys for our auto detailing shops. Please consider all this in 2006.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Always Thrill The Customer
Thursday, December 25, 2008

Writen by Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

You may wonder if the car dealer has gone overboard with his service and perhaps he has in a way. The customer can decline his offering at any time but at least he is there to offer it. You can go overboard with your willingness to please but you cannot go overboard with a good customer service policy. You really want to over deliver your promises but you do not want to under promise what you will do.

There must be value attached to everything you do for the customer. If they do not perceive a value in the service, then you will not keep that customer for life. I recently had a contract with a company in the Bay Area; their motto was "To Thrill the Customer Everyday". Each person that came on board was also asked to take the motto and implement it in every way possible. As a result, this company is doing extremely well in a slumped economy. The customer service they offer goes beyond just doing the job, the quality of work, the professional attitudes, and the insightful solutions make this company tops.

Service for customers will help to you maintain and develop additional business relationships. What I mean is that customers will continue to do business with you because they know what they will get, plus they will give referrals by word of mouth. The important part is that not only should your service thrill the customer but your work should also be of excellent quality. Service and value cannot be matched by anyone that does not have the customer at heart.

I remember going into a store not too long ago to get some garden supplies. This company was fairly large and had a few branch offices. This particular store had three employees that were sitting around chatting and reading a paper when I walked in. I started searching around for an item I needed and NO ONE bothered to get up and ask what I was looking for. I finally had to ask and they just pointed to where it might be. I just walked out and went elsewhere. I also let the owner know that his customer service was bad and no matter how much cheaper his prices were I would never shop there again.

In this case word of mouth worked really well. I let everyone know of my bad experience and his business was rarely full of excited customers. He could improve his profits tremendously if the customer service alone were to improve.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Are You A Commodity Or Experience Retailer
Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Writen by John Stanley

The world is dividing into two and customer service providers need to know which camp they belong to.

I work mainly with retailers and the selling game is rapidly changing. Customers are either wanting to save time or savour time and your customer service will be judged on how you read your customers and which of the above two concept you adopt.

Let me explain, generally, when customers are in their 'save time' mode, they are buying a commodity and price is a major issue. If I'm a commodity shopper, I'll tolerate low customer service levels and often will expect it. Commodity retailers include supermarkets, department stores and large hardware retailers. If customers get good customer service when commodity buying, they are often surprised.

When you and I are looking for an experience, we expect high levels of customer service and will complain if we are not receiving it. When experience shopping, price is not the key issue. We are savour time and the experience is the key issue.

Remember, the product can stay the same. You can buy an apple as a commodity from the supermarket or as an experience at a farmers market. You can buy a coffee at a fast-food outlet or as an experience at Starbucks.

The amount of input you put into customer service depends on where you see your business in the marketplace, but don't get squeezed in the middle either, sell me a commodity or sell me an experience!

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Cost Vs Customer Control
Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Writen by Laurie Brown

Last night I went to a local restaurant to purchase dinner for my family. I like this place. The food is eclectic and well prepared. They had a special written on their chalk board. It sounded great, turkey meatloaf. I knew that their version would be perfect and I ordered it.

The waitress told me it came with mashed potatoes and wilted spinach. Well I am watching my carb intake and I asked if they could substitute vegetables for the mashed potatoes. She thought not, but would go in the back and ask the chef. The answer came back "NO". I asked if I could have more spinach instead of the potatoes. She said "NO." "Why not?" I asked. She replied "cost control, spinach costs more than potatoes." Well, I knew that this was a small, probably struggling business and I could appreciate the need to be cost sensitive, so I offered. "No problem, I'll pay extra for the spinach" (I'm thinking that I will get the award for most understanding and reasonable customer of the month)

But boy was I wrong! Not only did I not get the coveted most reasonable customer award, I got one more big "NO!" At this point I was frustrated at their unwillingness to meet my needs and I left without ordering anything.

So their cost control efforts created a profit control of much bigger proportions. Even though they had saved money on the vegetables they had lost my four dinner orders that evening, which didn't seem to phase the waitperson or chef one bit.

Clearly this was not a cost control issue, this was a control issue. The chef had created a "perfect combo" and was not about to ruin his piece of art for a mere customer. He was devoted to his vision and not his customer's needs. He forgot he only gets to create because of people like me, his customer.

Perhaps as you read this you are thinking, wow I would NEVER treat my customers that way. Maybe you wouldn't. But if you have said "no" to your customer in the last month, you might have to rethink that idea.

Sometimes our customers are unreasonable. Sometimes they ask for outrageous things. But sometimes it is easier for us to say "no" then to find a creative solution that meets everyone needs.

The next time you are about to say "no" to your customer, stop for a moment, catch your breath and instead say "Let me see what I can do." If nothing else the customer will feel that you are on their side and trying to help them. Then get creative and find a way to give your customer what they need.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Conversion Mistakes That Will Cost You
Monday, December 22, 2008

Writen by Shawn Meldrum

The following are common mistakes that Sales Managers and Owners make in the sales process which could be costing you thousands or even hundreds of thousands in lost revenue.

- No system to capture and log prospect information/contact data on incoming ad calls.

- Poor tracking of incoming calls for source and ad success.

- No attempt to offer something to a prospect that`s `on the fence`,like free information, a cost savings comparison or an informative video or audio with testimonials.

- Not directing or leading the prospect towords what you want them to do. This is usually caused by not knowing what you want them to do next - what the next step in the sales process should be.

- Not following up on leads with a phone call.

- Turning leads over to a sales person that hasn`t been trained properly.

- Not tweaking your ads so that only those who are really interested and pre-qualified call, example: `Don`t call us if you`re satisfied with your monthly mortgage payment`.

- Selling/quoting prices before pre-qualifying the prospect.

- Selling price instead of unique benefits, payment or service.

- The `wrong` person answering incoming ad calls, example: over worked/cranky receptionist, busy assistant, lazy sales person, etc.).

- Not sorting and sifting (smart cherry-picking) through leads to determine the `good` from the `bad`.

Shawn Meldrum has spent the last two decades marketing everything from almonds to landscape lighting. He currently specializes in marketing for mortgage brokers, loan officers and real estate agents. For free mortgage marketing articles and much more visit: http://www.mortgagemarketingtips.com/

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Why Cant Microsoft Make Quotsoftquot Packaging
Sunday, December 21, 2008

Writen by Eileen McDargh

Why is it that Microsoft wants you to buy its product but does not want you to open the plastic case that is welded around the cardboard box? I believe that such packaging along with cockroaches will survive atomic disasters!

Good luck finding any clue as to an easy way to open this fused bit of skin-tearing packaging. I split my scissors trying to pry open the ends. I ripped a fingernail attempting to wiggle into a miniscule space. I wedged in a letter opener to see if I could leverage any kind of muscle and rip that sucker open. I seriously thought of using a chain saw.

Finally, in a fit of anger akin to the Hulk, I seized one small, dagger-like split in the plastic, held the plastic casing with the other hand and yanked with all my might. I cut my hand extricating the box from the opening I'd created.

And what does this hidebound, 81/2" x 11" x 2" box contain: a CD! I trembled thinking it too would be wrapped in that plastic that yields to neither man nor woman.

Thankfully, the innocuous little CD was without wrapper. Good thing. My scream would have reverberated in the hallowed halls of Bill Gate's Washington mansion. It's pain enough to upgrade software without going through the physical machinations of opening a #$%^& box.

Moral of the story: The customer's experience is everything. Don't let packaging ruin their day.

(c) 2003 by Eileen McDargh. All rights reserved

Reprint rights granted to all venues so long as the article and by-line are used intact.

About The Author

Eileen McDargh is an author, radio commentator, organizational development consultant, professional speaker and retreat facilitator. Author of four books including Work for a Living & Still be Free to Live and The Resilient Spirit and a frequent contributor to numerous business journals. Visit her web site http://www.eileenmcdargh.com or contact her toll free at 877-477-4718.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Creative Customer Service Can Clinch The Sale
Saturday, December 20, 2008

Writen by Lance Winslow

What is creative customer service and how can you apply this to your company? Well, creative customer service is exactly as it sounds. It is finding ways to give the customer an extra and unexpected treat to exceed their expectations and you can do this really easy. For instance if it is valentines day, give them a little heart pin to wear, sure it may cost you a little bit to do this for all your customers, but it is worth it and if you buy in bulk it will not cost much.

When I was a young man we ran auto detail shops and we use to leave a red rose, a piece of candy and a thank you card in every females car we did. It surely clinched sales, referrals and the word of mouth eventually got all around town. It is the little things that with Creative Customer Service that can clinch future sales.

Buying a high performance motorcycle can get rather costly these days and yet when they send you a Free T-Shirt in the mail or a cap or racing poster every so often it you never really consider how much you have actually spent over the years on all these super sonic race bike toys. And when it comes time for the next one, well they know where your brand loyalty is. Why? Because Creative Customer Service can clinch the sale.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service Disaster You Just Blew It For The Whole Industry
Friday, December 19, 2008

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

Whenever we think we've lost a customer, instantly we fear that our loss will be our archrival's gain.

That happens a lot. But it's not the worst scenario.

Bill, who owns his own consulting business, was never that fond of flying. Even being bumped up to first-class and being plied with liquor, lost its cache for him.

Then, September 11 came along, and flying got a lot worse. He had to arrive at the airport earlier, and this cut into his consulting time. He had to pack differently, leaving his favorite Swiss Army knife behind.

Airplanes and airports were more congested; his checked luggage was lost more often.

And the miles he earned were becoming meaningless because the last thing he wanted to do when he earned a vacation was seeing more airports, hotels, and rental cars, even if they were free.

Then, it happened, the proverbial straw that broke Bill's back.

He was told he'd have to check his only bag because it wasn't going to fit in the overhead compartment on the plane. He disagreed, voices grew louder, and an embarrassing episode followed.

Sure enough, his flight was late, making him late to his meeting. Had he been able to carry on his bag, he would have arrived out of breath, but under the wire.

On the flight home, he vowed not only to not use that carrier again. He decided to get off the road, to stop flying altogether.

This necessitated changing his business model. He'd have to do more phone work, and conduct his out of town selling though videoconferences, web talks, and other devices, but he figured when all was said and done, he'd cut costs and come out ahead.

More important, he'd spend more of his nights at home with his family, his waistline would be smaller, and his stress would abate.

What the airline never appreciated was the fact that it didn't just shuttle Bill's business to another carrier; it lost a customer for the entire industry.

When a customer defects to our rival, he may come back to us later, having seen, first hand, that the grass wasn't greener. But when he washes his hands of an industry, friends and foes alike, lose.

This happens more than customer service models and surveys recognize, because few of us have the imagination to ask this question:

"Are you fed up with us, or with everyone?"

If it's the latter, that's a sad commentary on the perceived service level of the industry.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

In The Villa Of The Sick Cat A Lesson In Customer Care
Thursday, December 18, 2008

Writen by Caroline Jordan

If you're a pet owner, you know the stress of having a sick pet and you know that having a great veterinarian is a wonderful thing. My cat, Zoe, came down with a nasty infection that had me racing off to the vet's office last week with an unhappy, howling kitty in tow. (She's doing much better now.)

This was my first visit to this vet's office, having just moved here last year. When I arrived, the building was under construction. Lots of hammering, sawing, and loud noises—not exactly the controlled, calm atmosphere preferred by a sick pet. But fortunately, Zoe lives in the House of Perpetual Construction Projects, so she did okay.

But, what really struck me was the construction project itself. The waiting room has been transformed into an Italian Villa with high ceilings, a graceful figure-eight-shaped pool in the center of the room, a decorative fountain, and "faux" plants. It is gorgeous and would make a great setting for a romantic Italian meal complete with fine wine and a strolling violinist.

My first reaction on walking in was "This is beautiful, I wonder how high my vet bill will be." As Zoe and I sat waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting), I watched all the other customers coming through the door. Each one looked around at the beautiful setting and said "I wonder how much this is going to cost me."

The newly designed waiting rooms and exam rooms were not designed for the customers—dogs and cats. They weren't designed for the humans bringing in their pets for medical care. It's a total ego design. Impressive. Elegant. Grand.

And instead of all the customers (animal and human) being wowed by the design, they reacted negatively. You see, sick cats and dogs want quiet, dark spaces and they want their visit to the vet's office to be over quickly. Instead, the new design with its concrete floor (fashionably treated to look like a sun kissed rock patio) and its soaring ceilings means that every time the phone rings the noise reverberates throughout the waiting area. The poor scheduling means that a sick pet has to stay in that waiting room for what must seem an eternity. And of course, the humans immediately understand that the money to pay for this project has to come from somewhere…namely their wallets.

Fortunately, our new vet turned out to be competent and caring and Zoe is recovering nicely. But, the business lesson remains. Focus on what your customers care about and you'll never go wrong.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

The Number 1 Rule For Businesses Be Professional
Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Writen by Denise Hall

Have you ever walked into a store and things looked sloppy? Stores should have nice neat displays, right? Normally, yes, but sometimes they get a bit messy on busy days and we all understand how that can happen.

But what if you were to walk into a store as soon as it opened in the morning and the place looked liked it had been ransacked? What would you think?

You'd probably think it wasn't very professional-looking. If a rack of shirts was haphazardly thrown together, with all the styles, colors and sizes mixed up, you'd probably walk right past it without giving it a second glance.

If a sales associate wouldn't answer your questions or help you find something, you would consider that unprofessional, too, not to mention rude.

When we do business in the offline world we expect a professional appearance and professional manner from those who deal with customers. The same is true for online businesses.

Your business depends on how professional you are. Your website, your customer service and the appearance and quality of your work all reflect upon you, the business owner.

Two key factors of professionalism:

1. Good Customer Service/Relations

2. Quality Appearance and Writing Skills

Recently I had problems submitting information to several websites. After trying for several days I finally e-mailed for technical support. (After all, the website owners had messages posted that said to contact them at any time.)

I didn't expect an immediate reply to my inquiries. I know they're busy running their businesses, and dealing with other people, too. But I have yet to receive any replies.

Where is the customer service? Why would I want to do business with someone who seems to be ignoring me? At the very least, if it typically takes them more than a couple of days to reply to e-mail, support questions or other requests, they should post that information on their website so customers/visitors know what to expect.

Without good customer service, you're shooting yourself in the foot. Don't expect customers to buy from you if you can't afford them some common courtesy.

A professional appearance is mandatory to your business, also. How many times have you read an ad or article that had numerous spelling or grammatical errors?

We're not perfect. We all make mistakes. But if we frequently had those little red check marks on our composition papers in school, we should probably use spell check and have someone proof-read our copy before sending it into cyberspace.

A prime example is a website I visited a few months ago. As I started reading about the product the owner was selling I noticed an error with the use of the word "our." The site said "When you use "are" product....." OK, one little mistake. No big deal.

However, as I continued reading, I discovered the webmaster referred to "are" products and "are" website on the whole page! Not once was the correct word, "our," used.

Frequently I read ads and articles that contain many spelling or punctuation errors. For instance, "Thinking back to when I first started my business. I had no idea how or where to begin."

I'm not a teacher, but I can see that it should be one sentence, not two. The writer cut off the first sentence before actually finishing it. It's like the train of thought came to a screeching halt. (In this case, I'm the writer giving you an example. So if this sentence resembles someone else's work, it was not done intentionally.)

The correct way to write it is "Thinking back to when I first started my business, I had no idea how or where to begin." It's one flowing sentence. Now it tells you what I was thinking.

Another option is to change it just a bit to make it a complete sentence. "I think back to when I first started my business" or "I remember when I first started my business." Then continue to the second sentence.

I'm not wanting to demean anyone or be overly picky. Ads, web pages and articles just look much more professional when written with no errors, or at least very minor ones.

Many customers will shy away from a website or ad that seems poorly written or put together. The customer may see the business owner as an amateur, therefore their product, company or service may not be worth much.

Do your customers expect perfection? No. But they do expect professionalism. You're running a business, so you're supposed to be a professional. If you give a professional appearance, they'll believe in you and your business.

About The Author

Denise Hall is the publisher of Home Business on a Budget Newsletter. Her weekly publication contains helpful tips, articles and resources. To subscribe mailto:home_business_on_a_budget@rapidreply.net or visit http://www.home-business-on-a-budget.com

This article may be reprinted in its entirety with this resource box included.

dmh0226@voyager.net

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Commit To Excellence
Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Writen by Ginger Marks

The potential for success lies within you. Granted you must be brave, committed and flexible; you also must remain clearly focused on your goal. Whether that goal is to build a small customer base or you intend to capture a large market share, your commitment to excellence in relation to your customers and your product or service can be the key ingredient to your success.

Remaining compassionate while staying on track can be a bit of a trick. While at times a valued customer may have special needs and you might want to go that extra mile for them, you must clearly distinguish when and where to draw the line. Yes, be flexible but don't get taken advantage of. Give them anything you can while remaining true to yourself.

If a customer needs to be a little late for an appointment or requires an extension on the pay-by date and you can accommodate them do so with stipulation. Help them to recognize there is a limit to your understanding and generosity. Don't just blindly let them slide into a bad habit.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is "fire" a customer or client. You may consider that impertinent, or even unrealistic, however if a customer or client is overly demanding, constantly late, or in any manner inconsiderate, you don't have to continue to service them. They may ultimately wind up costing you more than they are worth.

Recently, I read about a young woman who had built a thriving company. She permitted her biggest client to constantly stretch their pay-by date and when her client suddenly filed bankruptcy she was faced with down-sizing her business. The end result of the loss of this business client forced her to impose a pay-cut on her employees and herself. Thankfully, her company survived; could yours? Let us recognize the lesson revealed by her setback. Don't be afraid to say "no" when you are uncomfortable with a situation.

To be truly successful in business today, competitiveness, compassion and clarity of vision are entrepreneurial musts.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

I Beg Your Pardon
Monday, December 15, 2008

Writen by Vivian Gilbert Zabel

The woman tapped her foot as she waited for assistance. The young man continued his personal conversation on the phone. The woman cleared her throat. He glanced in her direction before turning his back.

"May I have some help, please?" she asked.

He whispered into the receiver, "Just a second," before covering the mouth piece. "I'll be with you in a bit." He returned to his phone call.

The woman placed her package on the counter, pivoted, and walked off, muttering, "I won't be here."

That business lost a customer because an employee put a personal conversation before doing his job. Every time someone takes care of personal business rather than his duties, he or she harms the employer by costing the company money, clients, and reputation.

The illustration given previously cost the company a customer, which in turn takes money that pays the employees wages, causing a lost of income to company and employees. The wages paid the young man during the time he wasn't working for the company, but was visiting, are wasted since the business gets nothing in return. Many of us have "horror" stories about poor service and refuse to return to that store or company.

Two clerks chatted as one rang up the purchases of a customer. The customer tried to get the clerks attention, but the young woman on the register ignored the man, continuing to talk with her friend as she ran bar codes past the scanner.

"Please, ma'am," the customer insisted, "you need to know about this slip. The chairs are being loaded. . ."

"Don't worry about it. I'll get it rung up." The cashier didn't even glance toward the man as she answered.

"But, you don't understand, I'm suppose to tell you that there were six chairs," the man added.

The cashier, not much more than a girl, rolled her eyes at her friend as she waved a hand toward the customer.

The man and his wife shook their heads as they walked away from the counter with the bags holding the rest of their purchases. On the way home, the wife examined the register tape. "That girl only charged us for one chair. I thought the total seem mighty low."

"We'll call the store when we get home," her husband replied. They did call when they arrived home, but the manager, once he heard the story, told them that since it wasn't the couple's fault, not to worry about the price of the other chairs.

That store lost several hundred dollars, but it didn't lose customers because of the good manners of the manager. Still the store wasted money on wages that weren't earned and on the loss of the price of the chairs.

The lack of good etiquette costs businesses money through loss of unearned wages and loss of profit if mistakes are made because of employees not doing their jobs carefully. Also poor customer relations causes customers to leave and not return. Those dissatisfied customers and clients also tell others about their experiences, possibly causing others to stay away from that company.

This spreading of dissatisfaction hurts a company's reputation. As word spreads concerning poor customer service and employee lack of good manners, people start avoiding the business. The result becomes a deterioration of reputation for being fair and caring for clients.

Finally, employees are either fired or the company folds, causing the employees to be unemployed. Then those very people, whose lack of good business etiquette led to disaster, wonder why they no longer have a job.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Are You Suffering From Customer Service On The Brain
Sunday, December 14, 2008

Writen by Lance Winslow

Every customer loves great customer service and nearly every company claims to have great customer service. Unfortunately the customers who have been surveyed generally say that only about 10 to 15% of the companies out there have this so-called great customer service.

So what does this tell us really? It tells us that the rest of the 85 to 95% of the companies out there that tell us they have great service do not have good customer service at all.

Show me a company with great customer service and I will show you a company full of employees from the top CEO all the way down to the janitor who are suffering from customer service on the brain. Are you suffering from customer service on the brain? You should be.

If you are suffering from customer service on the brain perhaps you have seen what this addiction is causing your company. Increased brand recognition, increased quarterly profits and extended word-of-mouth advertising, which goes far and wide.

If you are not suffering from customer service on the brain then this is one virus your company needs to catch and luckily once you catch it; it is contagious. There will never be any substitute for great customer service and it is about time you got that through your thick skull. Consider this in 2006.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service Tips For Mail Order Businesses
Saturday, December 13, 2008

Writen by DeAnna Spencer

Can we be too good to our customers? No way! Our customers are the backbone of our business! They're right no matter what!

I'm sorry to disagree with you. As small, honest and legitimate businesses - we have a tendency to place our product quality above money. While this is the "right" way of building a strong, solid business; there are customers that will try to take advantage of you. You have to learn how to notice this possibility coming and "bow out gracefully" without losing the customer.

Remember that most newcomers to the world of mail order think that they are ordering from BIG companies just because we have a company name! They cannot conceive how poor and struggling a lot of us really are. They think we can absorb costs and because they are poor themselves, will often try and take advantage of people like us. (If they only knew the many times I have personally had to hold an order up for mailing because I couldn't afford to pay for the postage to mail it back, or the guy who bounced a $2 check and caused a close friend of mine to go "in the hole" $15 in bad check charges.)

But because we are honest people who place our product ABOVE money we sometimes let people walk all over us. In fact - a mail order buddy of mine (who distributes shareware computer disks) is normally so happy when she gets an order that she gives the customer almost 10 times more than what they pay for. She is so excited about keeping a customer that she goes overboard to make them happy.

Unfortunately, a lot of people will take advantage of this situation. They think, "Hey, if I can get this much for hardly nothing, I'll see how much more they'll give me. Look at all the "freebies" I could get and all the money I could save." They'll lose respect for you. However, this line of thinking is only short term. Sure, as a customer, you might get some more free stuff with the next order, but pretty soon the business owner will realize what's going on. Then you'll lose that business contact forever! I can still recall the people who ripped me off before and I would NEVER do business with them again! This is a sad situation!

As a dealer, you can learn to give your customers what they pay for.
Go that extra mile on special requests, but never over-extend yourself if it means lost profits to your business. This line of thinking will cause you to set yourself up to be taken advantage of and then you'll become resentful toward your customers; which is bad.

Another friend of mine was so stunned by landing an on-going, monthly publication that she promised the customer "the moon" without even having to do so. When she lived up to all her promises she ended up paying $215 out of her own pocket to publish each issue. Of course, she had to cancel her contract forever - which is "bad business."

In mail order we all have the ability to make ourselves look "richer" than we really are. We can work co-op deals with other people to barter and trade for things we don't have and could never pay for. Then, when orders are filled professionally, the customer suddenly thinks the mail order dealer has a lot of money to spread around and can afford to lose a few dollars on them.

If a customer does not send the correct amount for you to fill his or her order - simply write them a nice letter explaining that they did not enclose the proper amount. Send them an invoice showing the amount they still owe and bill them before filling the order.

If someone calls you up on the phone and talks a "good" sales pitch (with the intention of getting you to fill their order before they pay you)kindly explain that your company policy is to receive payment first since they are a new customer. No other explanation is necessary.

However, don't go overboard and get crazy. If a new customer forgets to enclose a stamp, go ahead and send them information. It's silly to waste another stamp yourself to tell them to send a stamp. And not filling the order is also crazy. If the customer cared enough to write in the first place, you at least owe them a response. Besides, it might bring a big order. Don't get hung-up over a stamp!

Some dealers refuse to take personal checks because they are afraid they will bounce. Again - this is not good customer service since it's a lot of trouble to buy a money order when most people have checking accounts. This line of thinking will cost you lots of lost orders. However, you can hold the check for clearance before you fill the order if the amount is over $25. Use common sense and you'll make it!
stamp. And not filling the order is also crazy. If the customer cared enough to write in the first place, you should fill the order. Good customer service is the key to keeping your customers.

Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer
This article may be reproduced and redistributed freely on the Internet as long as the resource box
remains intact.

DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

10 Reasons To Turn Your Customer Service Into A Crossselling Platform
Friday, December 12, 2008

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

Cross-Selling is a great way to boost revenues and profits by gently persuading existing customers to purchase an additional product during service conversations.

There are ten really great reasons your CSR's should make an effort to cross-sell to existing customers and clients:

(1) You Already Have The Customer's Attention!

This may sound obvious, but it's a critical fact. Marketers wrack their brains thinking of clever ways to simply get prospects to focus upon their offers. When you have existing customers on the phone, you don't have to compete with other companies for their ears—they're already tuned into you, and only you. From a communication perspective, your signal-to-noise ratio is extremely favorable, so you may as well take advantage of this fact.

(2) You Can Customize Your Offer On The Spot!

One of my clients cross-sells insurance. When clients phone in with a question about their homeowner's policy, they're treated to a quick offer that can save them money on their auto policy. The information as to what insurance clients currently have with the agency is displayed prominently on the CSR's screen, so reps can always offer a pertinent, additional policy.

(3) Customers May Be In A Perfect Mood To Buy More!

At a famous camera-maker's four service centers, reps used to field thousands of calls every day from disappointed and angry folks whose film or cameras failed their expectations. They'd solve problems, and nothing else, until a senior executive asked this question: "Can we transform this cost-center into a profit-center by selling new items to these callers?"

We showed them how to cross-sell carrying cases, photo albums, and flash attachments. The more effective CSR's closed up to 50% of those to whom they made offers! Contrary to common sense, customers were happy to buy. Having been convinced their problems would be solved, they settled into a receptive mood.

(4) It Takes Less Time Than You Think!

A concern is that conversations could ramble on and on if cross-selling is introduced. Actually, the opposite occurs. When reps are trained to control conversations, and they take on modest sales duties as well, they actually have explicit ways to "end" calls, where they may not have had them before.

(5) If Your Customers Already Like Your Products, They'll Feel You're Doing Them A Favor!

Some CSR's perceive that they're intruding when they offer an additional product, but this is just not so. By definition, products and services offer value, and by offering more of them, you're offering more value. Through what other means are clients to learn about your other items—advertising? By speaking to them, and being able to accept their orders, you're also bringing them the ultimate in convenience.

(6) It Contributes To Profits In Two, Significant Ways!

A simple way to calculate profit is to think of it as what's left over after you take revenue and deduct costs. There are at least two ways to boost profits: raise revenues (or margins), or lower costs. By cross-selling, you do BOTH. When customers accept your offers, they spend more, which increases revenues. Because your only investment is your effort and your time, your financial outlay for the increased revenue is nearly zero. No wonder senior managers are sold on cross-selling!

(7) It Will Increase The "Capital" Of Everyone Associated With The Campaign!

In general, CSR's have a limited career path. They can climb into supervision and ultimately into operations management, but along the way they're vying for very few slots.

Salespeople, on the other hand, are always in high demand, and I've never met a senior executive who didn't say she couldn't "make room" for another top seller. Moreover, because sales folks hone their persuasive skills, they can move into numerous niches that call for negotiation skills.

By starting in a cross-selling campaign, CSR's can practice their selling abilities in a low-risk setting. If they meet the challenge, they can greatly accelerate their career progress, while commanding greater compensation in the bargain.

(8) Managers Will Have An Added Way Of Quantifying The Contributions Their Units Make To The Well Being Of Their Companies.

It's one thing to assert (and never an easy one to prove!) that your folks serve clients well. It's another to actually show the added revenue your team has brought in. Which assertion would enable you to retain your headcount in an economic downturn, or justify weighty bonuses and promotions?

(9) It Will Change The Mentality Of Your CSR's From Being Reactive To Being Proactive.

They'll learn, first hand, that it is they who control call outcomes, and not customers. They'll become better at selling, and their general contact management skill will also improve. There's even a chance that their new ability will serve them in their personal lives, as well.

(10) It's Very Trendy Right Now, So Why Not Get With The Program?

Cross-selling is a hot topic right now, and it's generating excitement nearly everywhere. But more important, it looks like it's here to stay. So, give it a try!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, Copyright 2006

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

The Simplest Solution To Customer Satisfaction
Thursday, December 11, 2008

Writen by Jason Tarasi

"Thank you for calling XYZ Company. Your call is important to us but not important enough for us to answer it. Please hold for eternity or leave a message and a representative will contact you as soon as it is convenient for us."

If you've ever used the telephone to contact a business you can relate to the frustration that can result from voice mail or automated answering services. Undoubtedly, when they first became "the way to do business" it was extremely annoying; however, times are changing, folks are automating and imprudent business practices such as this are gaining acceptance (or at least tolerance).

Of course the ole' time principles of customer services – such as answering the phone before the third ring, avoiding putting a customer on hold if at all possible, and providing personal service – are still superb solutions to customer satisfaction. But, in our automated world, it is vital to recognize the importance of responding to customers quickly and appropriately, especially if they have been forced to listen to a long recording and traipse through a jungle of push buttons in order to leave a message for you instead of being afforded the luxury of speaking to a warm-blooded human.

Whether a customer makes contact in person, via telephone or through email, businesses should strive to provide a timely, if not an immediate response. Customer satisfaction is reliant on responsiveness.

So, you may ask, "What is a timely response?"

Honestly, the definition of a timely response really depends on the customer's perception. The urgency of their need may play into the mix or their idea of a timely response may be linked to their expectations.

For some reason there is a perception amongst business people that a 24 hour response to a customer inquiry is sufficient. From the customer's perspective; however, having to wait 24 hours for a quick answer to a simple question or a viable solution to a serious problem is ridiculously aggravating and neglectful on the part of the business.

When customers have a bad experience, from the customers' perspective, they are sure to seek other options for fulfilling their needs. Plain and simple – poor customer service results in lost business.

Regardless of the type of business you are in and whether you receive customer inquiries via telephone, email or a website contact form, it is absolutely critical that you get back to your customers right away. Placing responsiveness at the top of your customer service objectives is the simplest solution to gaining a competitive advantage, producing satisfied customers, maintaining your customers through repeat business, and building your market share through client referrals. Responsiveness is the single most important factor to enhancing customer satisfaction.

Copyright 2005 Jason Tarasi

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Satisfaction Insight The Uglier The Car The More Reliable It Is
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

I was just reading an interesting article that maintains that initial customer satisfaction with cars is positively correlated with their long-term dependability.

So, if our rides are solid during the first 90 days, they'll probably hold up well for the next three or four years, so they say at J.D. Power & Associates.

Topping the article were photos of some reliable cars: the Buick Century, Toyota Echo and Acura CL., which are no longer made, by the way.

If you study these pictures you'll notice something dramatic: All three models are ugly.

I have two pet theories: (1) Car makers TRY to make models ugly because that induces us trade them in more often; and (2) Ugly cars, for some unexplained reason, are more reliable.

Just think about the most beautiful designs in history, many of which came from Jaguar, before it was acquired by Ford. The lines were gorgeous, interiors burnished and silky, and they rode pretty well, too.

But they were always in the shop.

Exotic and gorgeous sports cars are known to be finicky and expensive to maintain and repair.

Recently, my head has been turning to the Range Rovers I've seen ambling down the highway. They boast clean, symmetrical lines, nice large windows, and a certain amount of grace and poise.

And Range Rover is yet another impressive luxury nameplate absorbed by Ford.

Where did it rate in a recent initial customer satisfaction survey?

Dead last, but I'm coming to expect that from cars that are drop-dead gorgeous.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Gift Cards Under The Gun Is Retail The Next Target
Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Writen by Lance Winslow

The Federal Trade Commission is concerned that many companies offering Gift Cards are not disclosing all the terms and fees. The SEC is questioning which quarter the gift card revenue is put into? Should it be listed in the fiscal quarter it is issued or the fiscal period that the consumer actually uses it? Additionally it is widely known that most gift cards have balances that are never used and eventually expire. The industry average is some 15-20% and this means the companies retain that as income.

Now we see that Regulatory Bodies already trying to control the growth of gift cards;

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2004481,00.asp?kc=EWRETEMNL082406EOAD

This is problematic as it adds fodder to the lawyers to sue companies, which may not be in compliance, it hurts smaller companies attempting to bundle services and lock in customers from their major Box Store Outlets. Also gift cards are being used as a form of currency by many?

This electronic bartering will cause issues with the currency say some forward sub-sector economists. All this is interesting. But can we trust the government to regulate this, as they are messing up everything else they regulate and in the end Always end up hurting the consumer they purport to protect? Consider all this in 2006.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service The Best Way To Deal With Customers
Monday, December 8, 2008

Writen by Andy Britnell

Dealing with customers is not easy - each one brings to the transaction their own history, experiences and current state of mind. Some may, consciously or not, be seeking to let off steam, and you may be a convenient outlet!

Having acknowledged that customer service is a tough job to do well, it is hardly surprising that those in the front line sometimes assume indifference and act as though they don't care. We have all come across the 'jobsworth' who explains away poor customer service by blaming company policy or another department. Indifference can be a protection against what sometimes feels like a very personal attack.

Without the protection of indifference, we run the risk of customers upsetting us either by hurting our feelings or by being drawn into an angry confrontation. Or we may keep our cool while speaking to the customer, but once they are out of the door or have put the phone down, we let loose with a torrent of abuse! Maybe we feel we can handle all the stress of our day, only to drive like a maniac on the way home or arrive in a foul mood.

Ideally, the best possible way we can approach customer service is to use each and every encounter with a customer to enhance our company's reputation. We live in an imperfect world where we all make mistakes and inevitably sometimes things go wrong. In my experience, when something has gone wrong and the customer complains, you have a wonderful opportunity to create a much stronger loyalty to your company than if everything always goes right!

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

How To Get More Customers Just By Knowing Their Name
Sunday, December 7, 2008

Writen by Kenneth Ajoku

In this article you will learn the importance of knowing your customers name and the positive impact that it has when conducting business.

Whether you greet your customers personally or on the phone it's always a good idea to know them by their name.

If you don't know their name, simply ask them. You may say in response, "that's a lovely name!" or "How do you spell that so that I can remember it?"

There is a big difference between saying "oh you", "hello sir", "hello madam" compared to "hi Jack" or "hi Jane, how are you?" There is something very special about being referred to by your name. Your customer will know that you are addressing them and them only.

This is a very powerful communicational marketing tool that you can use with your customers at all times.

When we send out Christmas cards to our customers we always make sure that we include our customer's name and that we spell it correctly. We also include leaflets on any current promotions that we are doing and guaranteed we get a good customer response rate.

So always spell your customer's name correctly. Ask your customer how they spell their name, check it with them and spell it correctly every time. On your customers invoices, Christmas cards, birthday cards, promotional materials, or whatever it may be. Get this right and you will be pleasantly surprised by the impact it has.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Follow Up Tips For Computer Services Part 2
Saturday, December 6, 2008

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

Follow up, as we said last time, is a critical component of your marketing system. You need to stay in touch with your contacts. The tricky part is making sure your follow up doesn't cross over into pestering. This is where creative follow up comes in.

Last time we gave you some follow up tips, here are some more to help you kick start your follow up strategy:

Ask your contacts to get together with you over breakfast, lunch, dinner, golf etc... to catch up or explore potential business energies.

When you are running a special promotion, send your prospects a follow up letter extending the offer to them personally.

Pass along a newspaper or magazine clipping or URL that you think could be of interest to your prospects.

Periodically send along some educational tips or FAQ's as a creative follow up.

Send along a case study. This type of follow up showcases how you are helping other businesses like theirs.

When something new and interesting happens, use the opportunity to send a follow up letter. Examples include when you win a major account, win an award, move to a new location, launch a new product, or provide a new service guarantee.

An excellent type of follow up, and one that will help hold you in high regard, is to send a warning letter about a virus outbreak, a hoax, or some other IT security issues.

Bottom Line on Follow-Up

Follow up is used as a reason to stay in touch. You want your name to remain in your leads' minds. To do this effectively you need to come up with innovative excuses to follow up. Don't use your follow up to make a hard sell - that's not the point. You want to be perceived as a friendly, neighborhood computer business whose follow up is helpful, interesting, and engaging. We have given you a number of creative follow up ideas, now it's your turn to get out and try some of them.

Copyright MMI-MMVII, Small Business Computer Consulting .com. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Business Yoga
Friday, December 5, 2008

Writen by Siva Parvati

Have you ever talked to a service provider and thought they were wrong for you? Then you talked to your colleague and they raved about them. So you went down the path of hiring them and found them to be the "service provider from hell". This is not an unfamiliar scenario.

Business styles vary from company to company and within the company, from person to person. We tend to check out our friends before we let them into our circle. However, we rarely spend time on checking out our service providers to that degree. This is especially true of entrepreneurs. They rely heavily on referrals. In fact, referrals from trusted colleagues are often taken as gospel truth. Most entrepreneurs learn their lessons the hard way.

So how do we check out our service providers so there are no problems down the road? Let's analyse this with a case study. Recently, Vintage Company (not its real name) was considered to do a website for an entrepreneur. Initial calls to the company were met with no calls back. Therefore, the company was eliminated as a possibility for business. This was a great move. However, as time passed, a respected source referred the company in glowing terms. Considering the opinion of the source to be highly reliable, the company was hired to design the website

Initial discussions went well and the company was hired with a deposit. From then on the attitude of the designer went sour and there were second thoughts with firing the designer in mind. However, this must have been sensed because the designer changed her tone in phone conversations to be more amiable and eager to work to satisfy. As time passed, however, the designer was unfortunately consistently argumentative and defensive. How does a customer communicate difficulties if all they are met with are "I know more than you on this and that's the way it goes"? The job was finished up and account settled if only to get rid of this hellish nightmare from the world of the entrepreneur struggling with other issues at the time. The website was completed in Flash so no search engine could find it. When queried about this, the designer did not respond.

How do we not repeat such an episode? Intuition must be listened to at all times. It supersedes referrals. Don't allow the cerebral part of you to get in the way. It is true that business decisions have to be based on data. If your intuition tells you something, then feel it out and go with it. It is making you aware of data that you are forgetting.

Get to know your service provider at different times of the day and be relentless. Talk to at least 5 people they have recently served. Do not stop at one customer. Make time to contact many more.

Don't try to get even with unfortunate circumstances. This is bad for you. The yoga of business dictates detachment and takes the event as a learning experience. We are here to learn, even through our business decisions. We must take the lessons learnt and move on to spending our energy on more positive activities. If your personality is different from your service provider and you need to work closely with them, you are in for a bad surprise. Try to talk about business philosophies when you are interviewing them. Different business styles are what usually ruin the experience. Perhaps this is true for both parties, however, it is the one that is paying that hurts more because of the monetary loss.

Yoga is not just for the body. It is a body-mind-spirit experience. Learn to make decisions with your whole being. Try to understand that, even in a business world, it is ultimately the personalities that get together. For more information on yoga and its relevance to everyday life, look at: www.getshanti.com

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Make An Action Plan To Improve Customer Service
Thursday, December 4, 2008

Writen by Kevin P. Dervin

Customer Service is a critical factor for keeping your clients coming back and ensuring they'll refer you to others. Growing your business will be a difficult task at best if you don't perform, meet and exceed your client's expectations, and provide service that creates customers for life.

Customer service is all about the customer's perception. You have to do more than just get the job done. You must deliver on all the things (big and small) that affect the relationship with your client. Consider opportunities for improvement in the following areas.

1. Setting/Reviewing Expectations. Do you work with your client to set clear, appropriate, realistic expectations that you can always meet or exceed? Are you clear about the responsibilities (both yours' and the client's), timelines, and expectations of results? Are you then willing to go back and review these expectations with the client at key points along the way?

2. Communication. Do you have mechanisms in place to ensure you're communicating with clients at every stage of the engagement, from the sales process through to completion of the project? Being clear about where you're at, what's been completed, what's coming up next, who's responsible, what results you can expect, etc.? Has the client ever had to ask you for these things?

3. Organization. Are you organized? Punctual? Reliable? When you show up to work with your clients, have you done the work and are you prepared to make them feel comfortable and taken care of? Even though you've done it hundreds, maybe thousands of times before, do you take the time to organize and prepare to make it the best client experience possible?

4. Committing to the Little Things. Don't ever dismiss the power of all the little things. Together they can make all the difference and really separate you from the competition. Returning calls and emails in a timely manner. Providing useful information to folks on a regular basis. Showing appreciation for your clients through things like thank you notes, exclusive client-only briefings, and open house, etc.

Clearly these are not the only relevant areas for creating great customer service. I'm sure you can think of more. But, pick just one of these areas and create an action plan to improve it in your business today. Make a commitment to continuously improve the level of service you're providing and see how it pays off. When you've done it, pick another area and work on it.

(c) - Kevin Dervin, KPD Marketing

About the Author:

Kevin Dervin is focused on helping small businesses that are ready to grow, but struggle with how to consistently attract more clients. Visit http://www.proven-small-business-marketing-solutions.com for more great marketing information you can put to use in growing your business today.

Find Kevin's Kansas City based KPD Marketing practice at http://www.ABCDgrowth.com and subscribe to his free ezine called ABCD Grow.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Whats Your Serv U Quotient Surprise Extras Remembrance Amp The Very Unexpected
Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Writen by Rosemary Rein

I was sitting at a new hip day spa and salon when the entire staff of stylists and technicians suddenly disappeared. "Wait a minute! Where are you going? I'm wrapped in foil!" I think to myself. Moments later, the ownership team re-appeared with the entire Broadway staff, donning party hats, clown noses and a birthday cake for one of the other patrons who were celebrating her 48th birthday. You see, this Savvy Staff had waited for the "precise" moment when our birthday girl had gone into the Changing Room for maximum Surprise Power when she came out. Well it sure worked!

The reason I go to this particular salon, is not only because a girl knows a good haircut when she finds one, but it's because of attention to customer service. It's the Extra's and Surprises and not just on your birthday. They Remember that I like my coffee, black with equal and have it ready for me and imagine my delight, when during a standard "Wash" I get a relaxing scalp massage. That's Very Unexpected and Extra.

But S-E-R-V-U is not only important in Customer Service to distinguish one company from another. It is also important in personal relationships. It's what makes our partners, children and employees feel "Valued and Important".

Test your SERVU Quotient with 4 simple questions:

1. S: In the last 30 days, how have you used the element of Surprise to provide a memory for a customer, colleague or loved one? A note slipped into the luggage of a family member who is traveling, wishing them well and saying you will miss them, a surprise birthday celebration for a customer.the possibilities are endless.
2. E: In the last 30 days, site specific examples of how you have exceeded expectations by providing a littleExtra in a personal or professional relationship or task? What do I mean by that? Well It's the type of thing that prompts the other person to says "Gee—that's was above and beyond the call of duty.
3. R: Fortunately technology is making it a lot easier for us to remember special occasions. What's your system for remembering the birthdays, anniversaries, and special interests of your customers, those you live and work with? A colleague and friend of mine, sends me via snail mail, articles he knows will be of interest to me. In the age of e-.mail, his occasional, unexpected, hand-written notes and attention to my interests makes me feel like I'm dining by candlelight. It's also great to get something other than Publishers Clearinghouse in the mailbox.
4. Do you V-U People?: Say again? Yes, Do something Very, Unexpected! To delight others and shake things up a bit? While flying recently, a flight attendant during the safety demonstration stopped mid-sentence and said "Hey, I don't think you're listening". That sure got our attention and then she warmed our heart with a smile that said - "I'm fooling with you". Very Unexpected and Delightful. When you do something totally unexpected, you're unique and that often translates into something and someone very special.
So this week, this month, today - Apply the S-E-R-V-U Formula to those most important to you. Customers, Employees, Family and Friends. Remember to Surprise them, Give Something Extra, Remember the little things and occasionally do something Very Unexpected.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Develop Loyal Customers For A Lifetime Part 2 11 20
Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Writen by Alicia Smith

Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their businesses by adding new customers. In today's competitive world of business, it is more important than ever to aim for more transactions with existing customers by using the power of customer follow-up and attention to good service.

These second ten tips will help you in turning your existing customers into walking billboards for your business and loyal customers for a lifetime. While we aren't advocating that you do all ten, choosing your favorite five and making sure they become a part of your marketing efforts will pay off handsomely.

11. Conduct surveys one time per month in order to find out what your clients want and need. Your ability to deliver solutions to current problems will position you as a coach who is solution oriented and who is willing to be flexible to deliver what it is that the client most wants and needs. An online survey tool such as www.zoomerang.com is a fantastic tool for providing online surveys to your current customers and clients.

12. Support your clients by attending their events and by sending them referrals. Are your clients leading a workshop or a teleclass? Are they holding a special "grand opening" or announcing a new product or service? Will your client be playing the piano for a special event or helping with a charity auction? Find out what special events are in the future for your client and attend those events with enthusiasm. This one perk will let your clients know that you are committed to them through and through. In addition, become a walking billboard for your clients, telling others about their products or services, and send them referrals on a regular basis. The building of a strong relationship and strategic alliance begins with you, so let your support be known by "showing up" and "talking your client up to others." If you cannot attend the event, contact the client on the day of their big event, wishing them well and letting them know how much you wish you could attend.

13. Set aside a 3 hour block of time each week strictly for the purpose of being "on call" for your clients. During this 3-hour block of time, you will be providing "spot coaching" for clients who want to call in for questions, a quick dose of motivation, or to get support in the area of problem solving. Limit each call to 15 minutes so that everyone who wants to talk with you will have a chance to do so.

14. Host a "Client Only" Call one time per month. As you begin to coach more and more of your ideal clients, you will begin to notice "common problems" shared by your clients. Watch closely for these common problems, and use your knowledge to build a "Client Only" call one time per month. The Client Only call will provide your clients with information and value around a particular topic which is on their minds such as how to increase profits, how to get more customers, or how to deal with negative thought patterns which block success. The Client Only Call will also support your clients in extending his or her network, which is a wonderful value add.

15. Answer each and every question asked by your clients with a positive and helpful attitude. Quite often as a coach, you will find that your clients want one thing...your help! Each time a client sends you a question by e-mail or calls you by phone to ask a question, respond with compassion and with the A to Z details which will provide the support they are seeking. Studies show that approximately 68% of all people will choose to continue doing business with you based on your attitude, so treat your clients as if you are honored to answer their questions, and as always, answer their questions as quickly as possible (within 24 hours is recommended.)

16. Update your website every day, adding new content, a new quote of the day, a new article, or a cutting edge resource. Your customers will want to know that you are savvy enough to stay ahead, updating your website frequently and that you are alive and well and devoted to details. If you have a website which is outdated and "stale," your clients will move on to a coach who is both present and future focused. On the same note, if your website will be down for repair or down for a facelift, notify your clients in advance that your website will be down and keep them updated on the status of your site.

17. Develop a collaborative partnership with your clients, and team with them one time each year on a joint venture. Clients of today want a partnership that is collaborative in nature, and they want to feel that you are a part of their "team." Invite your clients to join you in hosting a fundraising event, to co-lead a workshop or teleclass, or to co-author an article or an e-course. The relationship with your client will shift during this process, and you will develop a bond that is strong and long lasting.

18. Add new products, services, and features to your coaching business every month. In order to keep clients coming back again and again, it will be important for you to continue adding interesting features to your business. Write a new e-course, offer a new assessment, post a new audio, list a new teleclass series, add a 1-800 number to your business, or do something fun like adding a kids page to your website. Each time you add a new feature, your clients' interest will be sparked, and they will feel a surge of enthusiasm around their decision to continue working with you as their coach.

19. Provide Instant Message Coaching two nights per week. By using AOL or MSN Instant Messaging services, you can provide an amazing amount of value for folks who work during the day. Set aside two hours two nights per week to provide IM coaching for individuals or for a group. This can be a great time to communicate with your clients through the power of the written word.

20. At the end of each month, send a card to each client thanking him or her for being your client. Make this note special to each person, and let them know how much you value the relationship and how much you enjoy working with them. Remember...your clients make your coaching business possible, so thank them graciously and often!

© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith and Bea Fields

Alicia Smith is a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping coaches to Make Money Now. This article is derived from just one of the 90 lessons contained in her e-course, 90-Day Marketing Marathon. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit the following sites. (You also can email her at alicia@aliciasmith.com.) http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com http://www.discninja.com http://www.InternetAssessments.com

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Types Of Answering Service
Monday, December 1, 2008

Writen by Miranda Keene

Answering services have been around for years, but with the rise in multilateral corporations and self-employment, they have mushroomed to meet ever rising needs. The lack of an answering service can have a serious impact on one-man businesses as important calls are missed. In the beginning, answering services only took messages after business hours and relayed them to the relevant parties.

Outsourced telephones/fax services Companies and individuals, especially freelancers and the self-employed, use answering services to take their calls and make their appointments. Some answering services are set up so that calls to the business's number are automatically forwarded to the answering service. The person making the call has no idea that the call is being answered by a person / receptionist elsewhere.

Call centers Most large corporations, especially those that get hundreds of calls from customers on a daily basis use call centers to man these calls. These call centers are not always at the same location where the business is situated. In some cases call centers are actually thousands of miles away in another country. Calls to call centers are normally toll-free numbers.

Many call centers operate around the clock, that is, twenty-fours, seven days per week. Customers demand efficient, readily available customer service responses to their problems, thus effectively ensuring the continued survival of call centers.

Automated Some answering services are fully automated, with software available to relay messages to you wherever you are. Some phone answering services can be set to inform callers that the business is closed and that they should leave a message etc.

Others types of answering services include paging services and answering machines. They operate differently, but allow prospective clients and service providers to communicate. The prices of answering services vary depending on scope of service.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

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