For Customer Service

How Memorable Is Your Company
Saturday, February 28, 2009

Writen by Lori Saitz

Lots of companies claim to understand the importance of creating a memorable customer experience, but few of them actually put that knowledge to use. Today, let's take a look at five organizations that do "get it" and see how you can incorporate their practices into your business.

1. The Ritz-Carlton is a classic benchmark organization when you talk about customer service. Their motto is, in part, "we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." Everyone within their organization is treated with respect and they in turn show great respect to their guests.

After checking in to the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City in Virginia, we noticed that our room lighting was much brighter than in other hotels. The mattress, padding and pillows were more comfy and the little card next to the bed claimed they were "allergy-free" and "hyperclean." Indeed, Ed did sleep better than he typically does in hotel rooms. I needed a nail clipper and a toothbrush and both were provided for no charge. But the one thing that really impressed me was that my husband had mentioned in passing to the woman at the front desk that it was my birthday. We returned to our room after dinner to find a plate of chocolate covered strawberries, a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket and a handwritten note card of birthday wishes, "on behalf of the ladies and gentlemen of the Ritz-Carlton" and signed by the front desk agent. How cool is that? I've been telling people about that experience all week.

All of these "little" details add up to an outstanding overall experience. What can you do in your business? Pay attention to all the seemingly insignificant details. People do notice and the small stuff can make a huge difference.

2. Southwest Airlines is an anomaly in an industry that has recorded losses throughout its existence. They've been in business for more than 34 years and have been profitable every year since 1972, and every quarter since September 11, 2001. Sure a business model that was built around low costs and low fares, their ontime record and excellent customer service are key factors to their success. But the most distinguishing characteristic is their people. Heard that one before? This is one company that walks their talk. Unlike at most companies, Southwest's employees seem to like coming to work; they make their jobs fun and they transfer that feeling to the passengers. They joke around with passengers, dress more casually than their competitors and create as enjoyable an experience as you can have in air travel these days.

How can you transfer this to your business? Lighten up, have fun with your customers. Business doesn't have to be so deadly serious all the time.

3. USAA is an insurance and financial services company that serves only military personnel, their families, former spouses and adult children. They refer to their customers as "members" and once you become a member, you are eligible to use their services for life. In 2005, "Fast Company" magazine's "Customer First" awards recognized USAA as an "employee innovator," a company that most understands the link between happy employees and happy customers. (seeing a trend here?)

Based on personal experience, USAA's service reps are knowledgeable, courteous and efficient. They make helpful recommendations, even if it's more in my best interest than their bottom line, and they go out of their way to do what they say they're going to do. I probably pay more for my car insurance than I could, but I'd rather work with a company I know will take care of me when I need them.

What can you take away and use? Always do what you say you're going to do (and maybe even a little more).

4. Starbucks started out with the purpose of bringing the Italian coffeehouse experience and fresh roasted coffee to Seattle. They made sure each new hire (or partner as they call their employees) became a knowledgeable barista who could answer customers' questions about the coffee and make recommendations. Along the way they learned that people were coming not only for the java, but for the community atmosphere as well. They recognized this trend and capitalized on it, making the environment even more inviting with comfortable chairs, hip music, wireless internet access, etc.

Starbucks has become a great meeting place, a work space or a relaxation zone for lots of people who may not even like their coffee (that would include me). Today Starbucks is more of an experience vs. just a place to pick up coffee.

What can you do with this info? Remember that more than selling a specific product or service, you're creating an experience for your customers.

5. Moe's Southwest Grill serves fresh burritos, tacos, fajitas and other southwestern fare with a flare that you don't find in other fast food fresh mex places. First of all, every time someone opens the door to enter, at least one person from behind the counter yells, "Welcome to Moe's!" Check out the menu and you'll see items with names like "Joey Bag of Donuts" (a burrito), "The Full Monty" (a taco) and "Blabbermouth Soup" (a frozen lime margarita). You can't help but laugh when you order "The Ugly Naked Guy" with black beans and chicken.

The customer acknowledgement doesn't stop at the front door. As one of the country's fastest growing franchises, Moe's uses franchisee and customer input to drive store and product planning.

What can you take out from Moe's? Go out of your way to acknowledge clients and their ideas.

Work any and all of these "lessons" into your business and you'll find you're clients will be more loyal and your business will be stronger.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

3 Common Customer Objections What They Mean And How You Should Respond
Friday, February 27, 2009

Writen by Tom Richard

Just because a customer questions your price or a feature of your product DOESN'T mean that they aren't interested in buying it! As a salesperson, you must learn the meaning behind your customers' objections in order to respond appropriately and turn each objection into a personalized sale!

Objections are usually a GOOD thing.

Your customer's objections are signs that they want to learn more about you and your product and are interested in buying! If they weren't interested, they probably wouldn't want to continue talking with you and would be happy walking away with just a brochure.

Your response to an objection could determine whether or not you make the sale. Make sure that your tone and demeanor reflect the positive attributes of a customer's objection.

As a salesperson, your initial response to an objection may sound programmed or defensive. You may go into a spiel about your product or list statistics to prove that your company and product is better than the competition.

Stop! This isn't about you and this isn't about the competition: it's about your customer. To make the sale, you must learn to focus on the customer and learn how to address their specific needs and questions.

Your customer IS interested in buying from you; they just want to know more. The question is "what do they want to know more about?" Once you get to the root of their objection, you will address the concerns and questions that are keeping them from acting on their interest to buy from you.

Getting to the root of the objection

Objection: Price

"Is that the best price you can offer?"

Your customer might as well say, "Your price is too high," right? Not necessarily.

A question regarding pricing is often about more than just the price of the product. The customer may just be testing the waters to see if this is the type of situation where they are expected to haggle, or maybe they are really interested in your product and want to make sure that they are getting the best deal (not necessarily the lowest price).

Immediately offering to lower the price may actually make them reconsider buying from you. They may wonder what your product is really worth and question why you are charging more than the true value of your product. As strange as it seems, sticking to the original price will probably give you a better chance at getting the sale. Show them that the price of your product matches its true value.

But don't just leave it at that! If the customer wants to ensure that buying your product is the best deal, do everything you can to assure them that it is.

Objection: Product Features

"Does that treadmill have small rollers?"

Be careful how you answer questions about product features. Your customer may have heard of a different feature on a competitor's model that seemed more appropriate for their use, or they could just be curious about the feature of your product.

DON'T assume that you know the motive behind your customer's question. You may end up talking them out of the sale by continuously blabbing about something they aren't interested in and showing them what a bad listener you are.

So, before you go into a long speech about roller size and why it is or isn't important in the operation and enjoyment of the treadmill… blah, blah, blah… try keeping your answer short and sweet. A simple, "yes" is more effective because it allows the customer to further explain their question.

Your response will show them that you are upfront and willing to answer all of their questions. They will feel comfortable talking with you and, later, buying from you.

Objection: Unrelated Factor

"I really need to check with my spouse before making a decision."

I know that I would NEVER make a thousand dollar purchase before getting the go-ahead from my wife. And I would certainly question anyone who tried to make me. Wouldn't YOU?

Customers have other factors in their lives that may prevent them from making a decision about your product. This type of objection has NOTHING to do with you. Trying to close the sale may make your customer feel uncomfortably pressured into making a decision and less likely to trust your business.

If you don't know the circumstances behind the objection, try to further the process without forcing your customer to make a decision. Aim to solidify the relationship and rapport you have built with that customer. This will encourage them to return to you once they have made a decision.

All objections are different because they all stem from unique motives. Keeping your responses short and sweet will allow them to ask more specific questions and explain their concerns. Getting to the root of the objections will help you personalize your approach for each customer and eliminate their concerns about purchasing your product, leading you closer to that sale!

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Your Voice Print
Thursday, February 26, 2009

Writen by John Di Lemme

"Mountains are built one pebble at a time and climbed one step at a time." This is a quote of mine that I personally put into practice each day as I progress towards fulfilling my WHY in life.

The word pebble in this quote means that each action you take needs to be productive toward building your mountain of success. As I was retrieving a message today from someone who called me, I had to play the message 5 times to finally understand the phone number he left for me to call him back. We have always heard the smallest things – the pebbles - in life are the most important. Well, this week's tip from me is the importance of the quality of your phone messages, which I call your voiceprint.

When you leave a voicemail message for someone, it is your "voiceprint." It may sound a little crazy that my motivating tip for the week is "How to Leave a Message", but I'll bet that numerous people right now can relate to this. Everyone has had someone who called him or her and prior to calling them back they had a pre-determined feeling about the person before they even spoke to them live. The key is to have positive energy and confident words. Words are your #1 tool that God has given you to produce a super abundant life. Energy means to speak with conviction and confidence in your tone when you leave your message. You need to picture the person retrieving your message and ask yourself,"Will your message make them listen or just press fast forward?"

The following tip alone will earn you a million dollars! When you leave your phone number, speak in 2 second increments leave the area code first, pause 2 seconds, then the next 3 numbers pause 2 seconds and finally the last 4 numbers. You need to practice this! I guarantee that you will see results right away when you put this tip into action. They will remember you as the person who actually spoke clearly and slowly enough that they were able to write down your message the first time they played it. As a person who receives numerous calls daily, I can tell you that I cannot understand the message or phone number in 8 out of 10 messages, nor can I determine WHO THE CALLER IS!

Remember this "pebble of action" is one of the most important. Due to technology, your "voiceprint" is becoming the first introduction you have to many people. Also, do not assume that the person you are calling knows it is you. Always state your name and the best number for the receiver to return your call. You need to leave a clear, precise message, which reflects who you are...a person who knows their WHY in LIFE!

Find Your WHY and FLY!

John Di Lemme, a Former Clinically Diagnosed Stutterer, now the World's Leading Motivational Expert *shocks millions globally* by exposing the truth they've been searching for in order to achieve monumental life success through his Award Winning Live Seminars, Power-Packed Training Programs, Live Tele-Classes, Motivational Club and Weekly E-zine. Take action now and join tho.usands of others that have used John's proven methods to live their life to the Maximum! Visit http://www.FindYourWhy.com and discover how you can finally create monumental success in your life today and achieve all your goals, dreams and desires.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Marketing Relationships Customer Service 8 Ways You Can Build Deeper Customer Relationships
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Writen by Adrian Pepper

As I work with small businesses, I find many entrepreneurs as remarkably ignorant about the current value of the relationships they have with their customers. In my experience, it is far cheaper to get business from clients who already know you than to find new clients and close the same sized sale with them.

So here are eight ways you can build your customer relationships:

1. Think long-term.

When you build consistent relationships with your clients over time, your competitors will struggle to dislodge you. Unless you offend them, your satisfied clients will just keep buying from you and your delighted clients will recommend you to their business colleagues and contacts.

2. Be thoughtful and give help.

Personal touches show your clients that they mean more than an income source to you. Since you have expertise and knowledge in your business, giving advice is an easy way for you to build up credit that will eventually become sales. When you have a reputation for helping with problems and supplying innovative ideas, your clients will prefer you for the value you give them.

3. Listen, listen, listen.

Listening to your clients makes them feel good and gives you important clues about their hopes and fears. Listen to the hints they give about their organisation so you can speak to their business needs. As you get to understand what your customers want, you will easily position yourself to pick up new work before your competitors even hear about it.

4. Make them heroes.

Finding ways of removing stress from a client's job and giving them credit for doing a good job means they will love working with you. If you are seen as a solution-provider for difficult problems in their life, they will pay a premium for the excellent service you give them.

5. Keep them informed.

For all orders placed, keep talking to your customers and avoid giving them surprises about delivery dates or quality. When things do go wrong, ensure your client is the first to know and give them several options for how you can remedy any problems you might have caused. You will find that clients love to participate in choosing the way forward so the pain of bad news is reduced or even removed.

6. Lead opinion.

Where you feel your client has made a mistake, challenge them constructively, showing them why you think they should change their decision. Good friends say when you are going wrong and so do good advisers.

7. Make introductions.

Introduce your client to people who could benefit them. Help them to hear about opportunities, especially where you have no resulting gain. Use your network for your customer's good and you will get a name for being a generous and helpful business contact, bringing you future business.

8. Stay in touch in low periods.

Fair-weather advisers tend to evaporate so if you maintain contact when your client goes through a sales dip, you will be treated with affection. You will also be trusted for the bigger and more important deals when the good times return.

Nothing beats doing a good job.

These are eight excellent ways to build deeper relationship with your clients but the best way is to always insist on delivering your promises and provide consistently good products and services. Remember that customers like to buy dependable and valuable goods and you will find your sales will keep rising.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Practicing Leading Edge Marketing A Guide To Recognizing The Five Customer Types
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Writen by Tom Samus

Every year the consumer spectrum grows more and more sophisticated in both their shopping habits and the way they interact with products and services. Each different type of customer requires a different outlook from sales, marketing, and customer support perspectives. This article will cover the five different types of customers allowing you to better understand how to tune the marketing message for your product.

The transactional customer is a sophisticated consumer who is willing to take part in transactions at any time in any location. This type of customer does not care if they must communicate with a particular device or platform, as long as it allows a certain amount of convenience.

The traditional customer is one who is at home with handling, maintaining and repairing products they've purchased. These types of consumers take no issue with ordering parts for a broken or malfunctioning product rather than calling in service or sending a product back to the manufacturer for free repair.

A conventional customer is one that is somehow involved in creating value of a product. This type of customer can often be found using and contributing to leading edge community websites such as Flickr. Flickr offers a photographic archiving service that comes alive when the customer (subscriber) takes part in the social functionality of the website.

The intentional customer is someone who would like to take part in the design of products they purchase. Examples of businesses that cater to intentional customers are those that allow any type of customization prior to shipping. Apple's iPod sales were stimulated by allowing intentional customers to choose a custom engraving on the back of their iPods prior to shipping.

Finally there is the radical customer. A radical customer is one that will take a product that is originally intended to solve one problem, and somehow use it to solve a completely new one. This may be as simple as changing the output of the product, or as complicated as creating an entirely new industry around an application. An example of a radical customer's influence on products is the small but enthusiastic extreme sport of snowmobile skimming. Here we have a product that was intended for use on the snow, but radical customers created a sport out of running them over open water.

Each of the customer types above have clear and different personal goals when they consider a product or service and should be marketed to and handled differently. By understanding each of these different types you can be more effective in tuning your marketing message.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

What You Need To Know About Crm
Monday, February 23, 2009

Writen by Frank Dazerton

1. It's all about the customer. Some companies focus too much on expensive CRM programs and elaborate IT departments and not enough on what is at the core of CRM. CRM programs need to be designed to appeal to the business' customers. The best Call Centers are the ones which customers find easy to navigate. The best CRM vendors have the customer satisfaction in mind when designing their CRM applications.

2. On-demand is the way to go. Many vendors offer traditional CRM programs and service. I believe, however, that On-demand CRM is the way to go. On-demand CRM is different from traditional methods in that instead of requiring companies to hire new IT people, and use extensive resources to implement elaborate CRM programs, the software comes with support. On-demand CRM is no longer the "bring your own IT department" approach. Many vendors like Salesforce.com, Siebel, and NetSuite offer On-demand solutions that are great for businesses just getting into the CRM market.

3. Customer Relationship Management is not just software. Some businesses would like it to be simply software, but it will never be as simple as that. Customer Relationship Management is an ongoing learning process. The business must learn from the customer and change accordingly. The closer a business gets to its customer, the better. CRM applications and strategies are the methods through which the business can access, analyze, and learn from customer Data. Knowing what CRM applications are actually for is a very important step in understanding how to be successful when implementing CRM practices.

4. It is important to understand that there are hundreds of CRM vendors out there. Many of the vendors claim to be number one, but if you look closely, they may be number one in only one category. Other companies say that they are number one in CRM, but there is no basis for their statement. It is important for companies to choose the right vendor that will attend to all of their CRM needs. This may not always be the most expensive, "number one" company. On the contrary, some simple companies offer CRM solutions that are highly effective. Some of the major CRM providers are Siebel, Salesforce.com, NetSuite, IBM, Microsoft, and SAP.

5. The best CRM technology can be very helpful for any business. Some CRM applications can now be accessed via BlackBerry devices. Major vendors are constantly updating their software and improving their service. It is a good idea to stay as current as possible in terms of CRM technology. However, always remember to balance technology with customer service. There is no substitute for old-fashioned customer service, the most basic of all CRM ideals.

Customer Relationship Management can be very beneficial for a business if it is carried out properly. It is important to keep the customer in mind at all times when you are implementing CRM practices into your business. Remember that there are quite a few CRM vendors out there, and it is important to choose the vendor that is best for your company. Customer Relationship Management seems like a very daunting idea for someone who has never used it before, but if you follow these steps, you will surely see the benefits of successful CRM.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

When 20 Bucks Amp Ego Is More Important Than A Decade Of Customer Loyalty
Sunday, February 22, 2009

Writen by Ed Rigsbee

When are 20 bucks and a store manager's ego more important than a decade of loyalty from a customer? Never! Little things can be much more costly than one might imagine.

I recently had an experience that clearly demonstrated the crucial need for better training at all levels, from entry-level employees to management. This situation occurred at a local tire store, one that is part of a national chain—of which will go unnamed—but claims in their name to be pros with tires. The store manager made the decision that $20 in his cost on labor, and his need to be right was more important to him than a loyal 10-year customer.

Let's Review the Benefit of from 10 Years of Customer Loyalty:

New tires (sets of four) on 3 cars—approximately 8 sets at an average of $300 per set equals a minimum of $2,400 in retail sales. Satisfied customer recommendations to friends and business acquaintances—in this particular case the bare minimum is referral benefit is a fleet of 18 cars and trucks that moved their account to this particular store five years ago based on my recommendation. This referral has resulted in approximately 9 sets of car and truck tires purchased yearly by the company. At an average of $400 (truck & SUV tires are more expensive), the yearly sale to this company is $3,600. The bare bones minimum value this store received from one customer's loyalty and referrals for 10-years is $20,400.

Let's Review What the Store Will Most Assuredly Lose in the Coming Decade from the Manager's Seemingly Inconsequential $20 Decision:

Within the next 2 months, the store will lose the sales on sets of tires for both a minivan and an SUV equaling a minimum of $700.

Over the coming decade the store will also lose, not accounting for inflation, at the very least the same $2,400 from my 3 cars, and most likely more.

After telling the above-mentioned fleet manager that I had recommended to this store five years prior, the one that claims to be pros with tires, this store will most likely also lose my friend's fleet account. The fleet account loss over the next 10 years will be at least $36,000. Lost sales in the community of Thousand Oaks, CA where I live. While for a decade I had recommended these pros with tires to a number of friends, now I will, as would most people in this situation, make it a point to tell anyone that will listen how poorly I was treated by the store manager. How many dollars do you think will be lost? National Brand Damage:

I'm sure you would agree that it is not a good idea to treat any customer poorly, but to treat a heavily published author and busy professional speaker poorly is purely lunatic, as I will now use this story about the brand that claims to be pros with tires at many of my seminars across the country. Will people discontinue using this company that claims to be pros with tires just because I tell the story? I don't think so. But, what will happen is that the next time they do business with this chain and a problem occurs, as is bound to happen, they will remember my story. Now that chain, and the particular store, has an additional strike against it—perhaps their last? All of the above lost, and potentially lost business, because a chain store manager let's his ego and 20 bucks get in the way of making good customer satisfaction decisions. This is a common mistake that many managers and owners make, and not exclusive to retail.

Learning From the Situation:

1. My teenage son took his car in to get the tires rotated and balanced—a free service from the pros with tires, for the life of one's tires.

2. Driving away from the store, my son noticed the car now pulled to one side.

3. He returned to the store where they are pros with tires and asked them to fix the problem.

4. They said they aligned the front end and charged him for the service without his approval (something that is illegal in the state of California). He did not argue the issue as it was the end of the evening and other customers were also trying to get out of the store too.

5. Driving away again, he noticed the car still pulled.

6. The next day I went to the store and spoke with the manager, we'll call him Dan because that's his name. In private, I explained to Dan my displeasure in the situation and asked him to remedy the problem. He said he would.

7. Upon returning to pick up my son's car, Dan personally guaranteed that the car now drove straight. And scribbled on a scrap of paper how he claimed one of the front tires wore unevenly because of the car being out of alignment.

8. When I asked for Dan to refund the charge to my son since my son did not knowingly authorize work to be done that would incur a charge, he got in a huff and started to process a credit.

9. While processing the credit, Dan asked what I did for a living. I told him that I help businesses to be profitable. He snidely asked if I would do work for free. I told him that up to that point, his customer service had been acceptable and cautioned him not to go further. He then told me that he did not want me to ever return to his store.

10. Leaving the store, I noticed that the tires were rotated back to the position they were in when my son originally brought the car in for the rotation. The manager lied to me about remedying the problem. All this resulting in the car back to how it was when my son first came in and the store firing a 10-year customer.

To answer Dan's question—I would absolutely do something for free for a 10-year loyal customer if I even had a hint that my organization or I might have even partly been responsible for a situation that made a customer unhappy. Waiting to speak to Dan that evening, I overheard a customer congratulate Dan on his promotion, I assumed to a district manager position. Just think what's going to happen to the stores that he oversees if he takes this antagonistic attitude with customers that are rightfully, or even unrightfully, dissatisfied with the service delivered by the pros with tires. Receiving a promotion is not a justifiable reason to let your ego control your customer satisfaction decisions.

What Can Be Learned From Dan's Foibles?

Do what your marketing material, advertising material and sales invoices clearly state that you will do. If your business card has the picture of a doctor checking out a tire and your advertising brags that you inspect all tires when rotated, be consistent in your actions with both your branding position. This will most assuredly mean that you have to better train your employees, even the entry-level ones. Too frequently entry-level employees execute complementary services that are offered in marketing materials but are executed poorly or incompetently. If the employees of this store did their job consistent with their company's national branding position, and there was in fact uneven tire wear, they would have told my son about the problem rather than letting him drive away believing they damaged his car.

If a customer believes you caused a problem, either fix it or if you believe it was not your fault, take the time to educate and show them on the actual product what you believe to be true. Don't take advantage of teenagers lacking the life experience of mature adults, even if it is legal to do so. Besides losing me as a customer, the pros with tires, also lost my teenage son. How many tires might he have bought from this national chain in his lifetime? I can assure you that he will never buy a tire from the pros with tires.

Do the job right the first time. In this situation they charged my son for a service they did not competently perform. Had they have correctly aligned the front the first time; my son most likely would have accepted the unauthorized charge. If they in fact executed the service properly, with the rear tire in front and a competent mechanic doing the alignment, the car would have driven straight. When a customer comes into your store and asks to speak privately they do this for two reasons. First, as not to embarrass you in front other customers. And second, because they are very seriously dissatisfied yet want to continue the relationship—hoping that you care enough about them as a customer to take care of the problem.

If you truly believe you are not at fault in a situation, take the time to demonstrate on the product why you believe the problem was customer caused and still offer to cover the cost. If you explain your position convincingly, more times than not, your customer will accept accountability and not ask you to completely cover the cost.

Why in the world would you want to get in a huff with a customer? One thing that Sears and Nordstrom have in common is that they have extremely liberal return policies. They know the value of keeping a customer for life. They know that the buck or two they lose here and there is nothing compared to the lifetime dollar value of a single customer.

Before you fire a customer, determine how much business that customer has done with you and could potentially do with you. If it economically unintelligent to do business with a customer, by all means fire them. But why would you give up income because your ego might have been bruised a little? In my situation, Dan's company has a computer system sophisticated enough to look up customers by last name, but unfortunately, Dan was simply too lazy to check the facts and fired a 10-year loyal customer based on his ego needs.

Don't lie to your customers as Dan lied to me. He told me he had fixed the car when he had not. His store must have been unable to properly align the car as he stated it needed to be, or why would he have put the tires back to how they were positioned when my son brought the car into the pros with tires in the first place?

It's the little things, the seemingly inconsequential decisions, that when extrapolated out into the marketplace that can cost a local store, a national chain, or any business both huge lost sales dollars and agonizing damage to the brand.

While I'm sure you are not guilty of the above situation, it bears repeating: When are 20 bucks and a store manager's ego more important than a decade of loyalty from a customer? Never!

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Information Needed For Shipping Cost Estimates
Saturday, February 21, 2009

Writen by Dr. Alfred Savio

If you are interested in getting an estimate for shipping a package, the following information will be needed:

1. The approximate weight of the package. Weight is an important component of the shipping cost calculation. Weights are usually measured to the hundredth of a pound. Rounding is up from the hundredth of a pound; therefore, a 10.01 pound package is rated at 11 pounds.

2. The approximate size of the packaging. Measure the length, width, and height of the package to the quarter of an inch. In most cases, round up to the next inch if the dimension you are measuring exceeds the inch marker on your tape measure; therefore, a dimension of 13.25 inches is generally rounded up to 14 inches.

3. The destination zip code. Knowing the destination zip code helps rate the package since the country is generally broken down into zones by the shipping companies. The further the origin zone is from the destination zone, the more the package will cost to ship.

4. Commercial versus Residential. It is easier for shipping companies to locate businesses. Businesses generally display their address on the building, whereas many residences do not. Businesses are generally located in the center of town, while residences can be situated out in the "boon docks," or remote areas. Shipping companies generally charge more for residential deliveries than commercial destinations. A home-based business is considered a residence if the owner sleeps at that location. The same holds true for shipping items to a hotel/motel guest. Shipping to a guest classifies the shipment as residential; shipping to the hotel staff (e.g., hotel manager) in the office classifies the shipment as commercial.

5. How quickly you need the package delivered. Since shipping companies have divided the country, and even the world, into various zones, the guaranteed delivery days and times vary by zone. Be prepared to pay a hefty premium for an overnight delivery to a far-away destination.

There are various on-line tools that can be utilized to estimate the cost of shipping a package. At www.theupsstore.com, www.ups.com, and www.usps.com there are cost calculators that utilize the information detailed above to estimate the cost of shipping your package. You can also utilize the services of your friendly, local The UPS Store location via a quick telephone call. Have the listed information available for a fast estimate for your shipment.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Knowing Whos Who Where What And When 10 Tips For Good Customer Relationship Management
Friday, February 20, 2009

Writen by Nick Howard

I have been serving customers, guests, clients, friends and family for over 23 years. Serving customers has brought me more and more into the realm of technology where I have been blown away by what I can buy to help me "manage" those relationships better, more effectively, faster.

With new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology I can cross reference data until my imagination becomes tired, extract a myriad of reports, know in detail who is saying what to whom and when in my organization. In different organizations I have seen staff spend hours and hours typing up phone calls, meetings and other interactions - I have also seen these system unused, these entries unread. As much as organizations like to believe their CRM software will keep their staff informed in reality people like to talk to people about people. This is why I see a return to human customer relationship management, the return of the Relationship Manager - the point of contact for the customer and the organization.

23 years ago, as a student, I started out working with a famous hotel chain and they taught me something very valuable - good customer relationship management. Now this was never based on needing to know everything about the guest in fact respect for privacy was always a priority, no, good customer relationship management was about the human touch, the relationship between the customer and me.

10 Good Customer Relationship Management Tips

1. Respect your customer and that means respecting their right for you not to know everything about them.
2. Show genuine interest and learn to actively listen, aim to always help.
3. Trust is everything.
4. No surprises. Do not let your customer or client find out about something that impacts on them from another source.
5. Give notice, if something is going to change let your customer know in advance and prepare them for the change.
6. Be professional, never talk about other clients or customers to others,
7. Put the customer first; even if you do not agree actively try and come to a good solution.
8. Stay in touch.
9. Always say hello, if you are at an event or just walking down the street, always acknowledge with a smile.
10. Ah yes, always acknowledge with a smile.

For further tips on maintaining good customer relationships go to www.contactcenter.in

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Can You Profit From A Mail Order Help Line
Thursday, February 19, 2009

Writen by DeAnna Spencer

A lot of people are constantly thinking about starting their own business. A large majority of these people will choose mail order because of its intrinsic advantages.

Newcomers to the mail order industry normally ask the same types of questions. Who can help us? Someone, somewhere has to help a newcomer in mail order to become successful. It's inevitable! A lot of people think only large businesses can succeed in mail order. This is just one of the many misconceptions newcomers have toward the mail order industry. Another misconception is that mail order is a rip-off world - which is entirely untrue! Some of the best products and services are obtained through the mail!

The general public entering mail order for the first time cannot understand how the concept works. They are used to going into a store, looking at an item and purchasing it. Mail order (as we all know) is quite different. In fact - it's so simple to start a mail order business that most people can't believe they can do it. But with the proper education, these people can become thriving, money-making companies - ones that will remember YOU as introducing them to the market.

The Idea -If someone started a National Help Line for questions and answers for newcomers it would not only be a big help - but a fantastic money-maker for its owner. In fact, you might use the service to direct business to other mail order dealers by having them submit monthly dues in order to have business referred to them.

Suppose a newcomer wanted to get involved in publishing their own booklets. Several competent mail order publishers would buy the right to have this type of business referred to them. The newcomer calls the "HelpLine". If handled honestly and legitimately - this could turn into a pot-of-gold for you and help our entire mail order and small business industry as a whole!

The only thing left to do now is advertise the HelpLine phone number service you have. Initially, you will have to invest into advertising; and with something of this magnitude you should advertise in some national publications as well as adsheets and tabloids.

Another benefit to the person who would be establishing the 1-900 hotline would be that he or she could promote their own products and services, as well as obtain names and address of hot prospects; in which they could sell in the form of mailing lists.

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, ,

Follow Up Tips For Computer Services Part 1
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

Follow up is an incredibly important aspect of your marketing and contact management systems. You need to be diligent but not aggressive with your follow-up, though. Your follow up should be creative and customized for each lead or prospect but never so overwhelming that you are perceived as a pest. You want your follow up to appeal to people; not drive them away.

Here are some tips for delivering excellent propsect follow up:

Send a follow up letter announcing that you're speaking at an event and invite them to attend.

Advise that you are exhibiting at a trade show. Use your follow up to give them a free pass for the show.

Send a follow up survey asking if anything has changed since the last time you spoke or met.

Ask for a referral in the form of a follow call, email, letter, etc...

After a natural disaster, send a follow up letter offering your assistance.

If you hear about a promotion they've had, some kind of award that they've won, some kind of new business that they obtained, or some positive media coverage, follow up with a congratulatory call.

If appropriate, discuss a joint venture opportunity like a joint trade show, seminar, etc...

Use major holidays as a natural follow up point by sending a card and best wishes.

Bottom Line on Follow Up

Follow up provides a legitimate reason to stay in touch with your prospects. You want to vary the type of follow up you provide. This keeps your name in your prospects' minds but does not become so overwhelming that you turn them off. Use the tips above to start creating some interesting follow up calls and letters. Stay tuned for more follow up tips next time...

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Small Biz Tech Talk. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

A Different Approach To Sending Holiday Cards To Your Customers
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Writen by Liz Ryan

Want to be startled? Don't send a holiday card to one of your clients, but ask him, a week after New Year's, "Did you get my holiday card?"

"Why, sure," your client will say. "Thanks for that." What else can he say? He got dozens of holiday cards from vendors. He figures he got yours, too, but it didn't stand out in his mind, because....vendor holiday cards never do.

This year, save your money. Don't send holiday cards to your clients at all.

Do this instead: pick a DIFFERENT time of year to send cards to your clients. Pick a holiday that makes sense for your business (buy a copy of Chase's Holiday Guide at any bookstore to search for a relevant holiday) or make one up. Send a card that says, "Today is national [here's where you get creative] day, and I was thinking about you."

Or, send your clients a card on their birthdays. That'll stand out. You can use Plaxo to find our your clients' birthdays. Or send them a card on the anniversary of the day you met them. Or send them a card on the anniversary of their founding date! That will be appreciated.

Do something different. Don't let your standard holiday card end up in a pile of recycling. Take the opportunity to put your own stamp on the holiday-greeting thing - and make an impact.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Cross Selling Shouldnt Be Crass
Monday, February 16, 2009

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

The other night I phoned to activate a charge card, expecting it would take a minute or two, and I'd be on my way.

Instead, I was held hostage by a representative who immediately launched into a talk-a-thon about balance transfers and perhaps five more topics that had nothing to do with the purpose of my call.

If I didn't interrupt, I might not have found the time to write this article.

Of course, I was being cross-sold, but it was being done so flagrantly, so crudely, and so insensitively, that even I, an ardent advocate of cross-selling (and up-selling--a kindred art), found the effort offensive.

What ticked me off about it?

(1) There was no attempt to weave this announcement into the fabric of the call. It came across simply as an impediment to keep me from getting what I wanted.

(2) It was a monologue, written as a one-way speech. The best speeches aren't easy to write because they are built on the expectations, needs, and values of the audience. So, even if one person does all the talking, everyone feels involved. But a bad speech can be penned by anyone. Bad speeches sound selfish, like the banter of a five year old. Clearly, this talk-a-thon was written by someone who hasn't a clue about communication.

(3) It was a bitter blast from the past. In the old days of telemarketing, it was common for representatives to do everything they could to keep people on the phone, even against their will. Every objection in the book would be either be ignored or crushed with a canned reply, and a high percentage of sales were consummated only after consumers were worn-down and felt they could resist no longer. Not wanting to seem rude, many buyers would dutifully listen, not out of interest, but because of politeness. These sorts of calls have been curtailed by the national Do-Not-Call Registry and accompanying legislation, but because I initiated the card activation call, and was technically an ongoing customer, the CSR was empowered to offend me, the old-fashioned, outbound telemarketing way.

There ARE alternatives to the techniques that were used on me. Cross-selling and up-selling can actually serve the interests of our customers by informing them about products and services that they might like to use.

There are several requirements for effective selling through customer service calls:

(1) The customer should feel, immediately, that his purpose for the call will be fulfilled, and that receiving great service isn't contingent upon having to listen to a canned pitch. Only then, will he relax and be receptive to an offer.

(2) The cross-sold products or services need to seem relevant to the customer and to the purpose of the call. For instance, when I designed a cross-selling program for a famous camera company, we scoured a list of 38 auxiliary products for the ones that would be most attractive and fitting to callers. We settled on 3 of them, and our campaign was a spectacular success.

(3) The customer should ASK for the information, and not have it foisted upon him. This is where communication expertise is essential in crafting a sales presentation that is seamlessly woven into the conversation. A customer who ASKS to be sold will really persuade himself to buy, and doesn't need to be pressured. Moreover, he'll be happier with his buying decision because he'll feel he made it voluntarily, and he'll be less likely to back-out of the agreement later on.

In a word, great selling feels like buying to the customer. And if you have helped them to buy, and have made the process pleasant, fast, and easy, well, you've then performed great customer service, as well.

If there's any trick to cross-selling and helping everyone to profit, that's it!

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Good Customer Service Is Not Upselling Customers Into Oblivion
Sunday, February 15, 2009

Writen by Lance Winslow

The new buzz-word in the Auto Industry for customer service is; Right-Selling, your customer. In other words do not sell your customer something they do not need or up-sell them into oblivion. The problem starts industry consultants continually talk about; dollars per customer sale.

In other words how much money did you make on average for each person it came in to purchase something? This is a bad way to judge your business especially if you are in a business which requires a repeat business to ensure success.

Oil change facilities, car washes and many other automotive service businesses work very hard and even pay extra commissions to their service writers when they up-sell the customer. But overselling the customer makes the customer think that they have paid too much and are over budget on their auto expenditures.

One industry analyst says; if the customer's butt is sore when they leave they are liable not to come back. But I believe it gets even worse than this, because a customer who feels that they have paid too much for service is when the only win in for an $8.99 carwash or a $19.99 oil change and in some paying $24.99 for a super deluxe carwash and hot wax or $149.00 oil change, transmission fluid change, engine flushing and several other ancillary services is not likely be happy.

This is why the term has been developed; Right-selling. And that means giving the customer services within their budget and immediate needs rather than up-selling them into oblivion. By right-selling the customer, you get a steady repeat customer and referrals too. Over selling means you lose the customer and that is just not good business. Please consider this in 2006.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Is Bad Customer Service Killing Your Business
Saturday, February 14, 2009

Writen by Tim Knox

It's time to beat the old bad customer service drum again. I know, I'm sick of beating the drum, too, but as long as bad customer service runs rampant through so many businesses I feel it is my entrepreneurial duty to bring it to your attention. So grab a pew and prepare to listen to the sermon I've preached before: bad customer service is the bane of business. If the Almighty smote down every business that dispenses bad customer service the world would be a much friendlier, albeit much sparser place. Consider a world without malls and fast food joints… would it really be so bad?

What puzzles me most is if bad customer service is such a death knell for business, why do so many businesses allow it to go on? Don't they read my column, for Pete's sake? I think the problem is that most bad customer service is doled out (or at least condoned) by business owners and managers who have ceased caring what their customers think. When you stop caring what your customers think it's time to close the doors. Go find a day job. You'll make someone a wonderfully disgruntled employee. My latest parable of lousy customer service was actually experienced by my better half while attempting to buy my daughter a pair of basketball shoes. I won't mention the name of the sporting goods chain store in which the bad customer service took place, but I will tell you that its name is similar to the sound a frog with hiccups might make.

As my wife waited for someone to assit, the four or five teenagers who had been charged with manning the store stood in a clump at the cash register giggling and flirting with one another as if they were at the prom instead of at work. When my wife pointed out this fact, one of the employees, a cheeky lass of 16 or so, put her hands on her hips and said, "How rude!" The males in the group didn't react at all. They were too busy arguing over who could take a break so they could chase other cheeky lasses about the mall.

Needless to say my lovely bride, who has the ability to instill fear into the hearts of even the most worthless employees, left the gaggle of giggling teen idiots standing with their mouths open in disbelief. How dare a customer tell them to do that with a pair of basketball shoes?

As much as I bemoan bad customer service I celebrate good customer service. It should be applauded and the purveyor of said good customer service should be rewarded for actually delivering satisfaction to the customer above and beyond the call of duty.

So let me tell you the story of my new hero, Ken. I won't tell you the name of the store in which Ken works, but let's just say they started out selling radios in a shack somewhere long, long ago.

I first met Ken when I went into the store to buy a mixing board for my business that records audio products for the Web. In a nutshell, you plug microphones into the mixing board then connect it to the computer and you can record audio directly to digital format. Totally beside the point of this article, but I didn't want you thinking that I was purchasing non-manly cooking utensils.

When I got the mixer installed it didn't work. So I boxed it up and headed back to the store to return it. When I told Ken my problem he didn't just grunt and give me my money back as so many bad customer service reps would do. Instead he asked, "Do you mind if I try it?"

"Knock yourself out," was my reply, confident that if I couldn't get it to work, neither could Ken. Ken took the mixer out of the box and went about hooking it up to one of the computers on display. He started pulling power cords and cables off the display racks and ripping them open and plugging them in. He tore open a new microphone and an adapter and kept going until he had the mixer hooked up and working. Yes, I said working. It turns out the mixer was fine. I just had the wrong power adapter.

Ken could have just given me my money back and been done with me. Instead he spent 15 minutes and opened a number of other packages that I was under no obligation to buy just to help me get the thing working.

I was so impressed that I not only kept the mixing board, I also bought another $50 worth of products. And the next time I need anything electronic guess where I will buy it? Even if it costs twice as much, I'll buy it from Ken.

Now here's the moral of the story: if you are a business owner who has a gaggle of teenagers in charge of customer service at your store you would be better off replacing them with wild monkeys.

At least monkeys can be trained.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

What Every Manager Should Know About Seeing The World From Where The Customer Is Standing
Friday, February 13, 2009

Writen by Etienne Gibbs

It is important to remember that the customer doesn't necessarily see things in the same way we do. This point was brought home to me one day while I was shopping with my daughter, Stefanie, who was two years old at the time.

As I stooped down to tie her shoelaces, I immediately realized why she was becoming so irritable. She could not adequately see the toys that were displayed on the shelf above her head. At this point, I decided to pick her up and to continue shopping with her in my arms. The pleasant change in her behavior was quite apparent and welcomed.

Stefanie's experience taught me two lessons that I am passing on to you today:

* In dealing with children, with customers, and with people in general who may be from different cultures, we do them and ourselves a great service when we take the time to see their uniques situation from their very special viewpoint.

* Developing an emphatic attitude means listening, really listening, to what they are say. (I'm not referring to the superficial listening we are so prone to do by mouthing words to someone while our eyes and ears are glues to the TV. I'm referring to emphatic listening: listening with our eyes.) They might just happen to be our neighbors, friends, customers, co-workers, or employees are saying. And it means trying to feel as they feel. It's like the song says, "Walk a mile in my shoes."

To help you get into their frame of mind, imagine yourself in their limited experience and highly dependent situation. This will enormously increase your satisfaction and enjoyment of living and, at the same time, make you much more attractive to others as they recognize your sincere attempts to understand them and help them with meaningful solutions.

We all need strong egos to cope successfully with our world, but we need empathy, too. If we want to be successful in business as we are in life, then we must get into the other person's shoes and see the world from where he is standing.

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

© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

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

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Three Myths Of Customer Service
Thursday, February 12, 2009

Writen by Joe Love

At one time or another, all of us have been aggravated by bad customer service. The complaints are familiar: the dry cleaner who refuses to accept responsibility for staining your shirt; the salesperson who talks to a friend on the phone while handling your transaction; the hotel clerk who treats you like a trespasser instead of a guest.

The list goes on. And it happens all the time. Poor customer service is so rampant in this country that we've come to expect it.

Maybe that explains why most disgruntled customers don't bother to complain to organizations that don't give them quality service, they simply take their business elsewhere. They'd rather walk than talk.

Yes, I know, you've heard this before. Just as you've heard about the research revealing that unhappy customers do talk to their friends and family. According to customer satisfaction research studies, the average unhappy customer will tell nine or ten people about the poor service he or she received. In other words, large numbers of dissatisfied customers are routinely deserting organizations that displease them and are encouraging their friends to do likewise.

It's a familiar message. You've heard it, your children have heard it, your dog has heard it; for the past few years everybody has heard it. Service excellence! That's what consumers need!

Companies have certainly heard it. All sorts of organizations are striving to improve their customer service orientation. Hotels, hospitals, airlines, and online businesses now flood their customers with service quality surveys. Everywhere you look you see customer-contact people with service theme buttons on their lapels. Companies spend millions on training programs aimed at improving their employees' service skills. Customer service has been woven into the fabric of so many corporate credos you'd think abrasive employees would be an extinct species by now.

Yet despite all of this, only a handful of organizations have managed to achieve a standard of consistently excellent service. For some reason, it just isn't as easy as it sounds.

I think the problem is this: A lot of companies operate on the basis of some pervasive myths that make it difficult if not downright impossible, to achieve first-rate customer service.

1. The quality myth

"Pay attention to quality, and customer service will take care of itself." Many organizations focus a lot of effort on manufacturing quality. Quality gurus like W. Edwards Deming, Philip Crosby, and Genichi Taguchi have helped hundreds of companies use techniques such as statistical processes control to increase the quality of their products dramatically. But these efforts are often thought to be the sole answer to remaining competitive.

Reality: Quality and service are interdependent. It's impossible to describe quality adequately without considering it from the customer's point of view. If your product can't do what your customer wants it to do, it doesn't matter if your engineering department is proud of its innovative design and your manufacturing department can boost a terrific production record.

Even if you measure product quality from the customer's point of view, however, that alone does not ensure customer satisfaction. A superbly manufactured product with poor sales and service support will breed aggravated customers. How many products have you vowed never to buy again because of the poor service you associate with them?

Organizations that pursue quality improvements as the answer to all their problems are misguided. It is only part of the answer. Without superior customer service, efforts to improve product quality will be wasted.

2. The complaint myth

"Good customer service is a matter of knowing how to handle complaints." "Call 800-111-2222 or contact us at www. customerservice.com if you have any complaints." "Let us know if you're unhappy with your room; we'll change it." "Please fill out this form. We want to hear from you."

Companies have poured millions of dollars into making sure their customers have a chance to complain, complain, complain. The problem is, many of these companies never make strategic use of the complaints. And more often then not, they fail to provide complainers with satisfactory responses.

Reality: Without resolution, or at least some response, customers' complaints are just so much hot air. A company that focuses solely on complaint handling may win a few battles, but it will lose the war to keep customers satisfied. And this approach is no solution for the great majority of dissatisfied customers who never complain, but simply walk away.

Superior customer service involves much more than handling complaints. It means striving to provide customers with no reason to complain in the first place. Strategies aimed at consistently meeting and exceeding customer expectations are a must for achieving service excellence.

None of this suggests that you can forget about complaint handling, but it must be an integral part of a broader service strategy. Well-managed companies see customer complaints as a way to learn: What lesson can we derive from this complaint that will improve our service in the future? Successful companies also see complaints as opportunities to impress customers by going to any lengths necessary to resolve the situation to the customer's satisfaction. In other words, successful companies pay attention to complaints, but dedicate most of their efforts to preventing whatever caused the complaints in the first place.

3. The quick-fix myth

"Good service is simply good common sense." Many organizations try to take the easy road to improving service. They believe that by adopting a new service policy, introducing a new training program, or giving stirring pep talks to their employees, they'll become known for their excellent service.

Reality: This is the most lethal myth of all. As we've seen, it's not easy to achieve service excellence. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes. Organizations that build their reputations on service do so by observing not just one, but every "reality" there is to providing excellent customer service.

Good training without adequate selection is a waste of time and money. Carefully selected and well-trained service employees who are not empowered to look for ways to improve customer service quality are a waste of precious resources. Good service comes only from a well-executed, coherent strategy. All the pieces of the puzzle need to be in place.

The way we treat customers, listen to their needs and strive to meet their expectations will make the critical difference. We can continue to perpetuate the myths. Or we can face the realities, and take action to change.

Copyright© 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many of America's largest corporations, on the subjects of leadership, self-esteem, goals, achievement, and success psychology. Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Computer Service Contracts Moving From Customer To Client
Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

Computer service contracts are the butter of a computer services business. The difference between having a computer service contract and not having one, is what defines the difference between a customer and a client. As a business owner you want clients - people who are on long term computer service contracts.

Your goal is to move your customers into computer service contracts and begin a long term, stable relationship with them. The customers that you are in contact with several times a year should be very receptive to at least a small computer service agreement.

These are the customers you should spend time trying to convert. Make sure you keep in contact with them on a monthly basis. Let them know of special offers you are making and any discounts you have on computer service contracts. If a customer is calling you several times per year then they should benefit from a computer service contract. Outline to them what their savings would be.

Ultimately, you would like to have computer service contracts with everyone. That won't be possible. But even a $500 computer service contract gets them to raise their hand. They are indicating a willingness and ability to pay on a regular basis. This is what your business will thrive on - one regular, paying customer at a time.

Bottom Line on Computer Service Contracts Computer service contracts are golden to your computer services business. When you set up a computer service contract you are solidifying a long term relationship. For customers who aren't on a computer service contract but very easily could be - it is wise for you to keep in regular contact with them. These customers have the potential to turn into clients so you need to do whatever it takes to make that conversion happen.

Copyright MMI-MMVII, Computer Consulting 101. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, helps computer consulting business owners get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for your free access to field-tested, proven computer consulting secrets at Computer Consulting 101.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Dealing With Patient Objections
Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Writen by Carla Rieger

Do patient objections create discomfort in you or your staff? Ironically, if you welcome objections, they can inspire you to grow and thrive. In other words, patient objections can actually be the turnkey to creating excellent service and satisfied patients! The trick is to get to the heart of the matter and meet your patient's true needs. Every objection can be managed, even though not all of them can be overcome.

The good news is that you don't have to argue with patients or pressure them. Once a patient raises an objection, the key is to ask questions to identify the objection. Don't assume you know their concern right away, even if you've heard that objection many times before.

Invite Patients to Look at Your Eyewear

Here is a sample way to invite a patient to consider buying from you:

"Hi Linda, I know there are lots of other choices for eyewear in this town, and shopping around is a valid thing to do. And, goodness knows I love to shop! I also want you to know that we have the kind of styles and quality you can't get anywhere else in town. So, I'd love you to take a few minutes to try a few pair on and see how they look and feel. You might be really amazed."

Empathize

The patient might say, "I can't afford to get my glasses here." Instead of saying, "that's fine" and letting them go -- say,

"I appreciate your concern for the costs, Linda. Before I worked here, I suddenly needed reading glasses – so, I got my first pair from the dollar store! They weren't bad, but they definitely caused me problems. They looked very wonky, among other things. I looked like Dr. Ruth on a bad day.

I just want to make sure you are as educated as you can be, because you are our patient and I want you to feel taken care of. – whether you get your eyewear here or somewhere else."

It is important to empathize with the patient without necessarily agreeing to the validity of the objection. Be sure they are aware that you're concerned with what the patient needs and that you respect his or her opinion.

Determine Real Objection

Next determine if it is a true objection or is there is something deeper.

Ask open questions that require more than a YES or NO answer, such as:

"What gives you the impression that our eyewear is too expensive?"
"What is important to you in a pair of glasses?"
"Is there anything else that is in the way?"
"What kind of budget are you working with?"
"What prompted you to get an eye exam?"
"Who is your favorite glasses-wearing celebrity?" (just for fun)

Summarize

Once you have empathized and determined the real objection --- it's important to summarize and make sure you got it right. Do not refer to it again as an objection, use language that is positive. For example, "It sounds like your previous glasses were uncomfortable and that you are concerned about losing new ones. I also understand that you don't like the way your older pair looked and that your prescription is different now. And most of all it sounds like your arms are just not long enough anymore. Is that correct?"

Neutralize Objections

Now that you have a deeper understanding of their needs, you can more easily neutralize their concerns. Take this opportunity to show benefits or clear up misunderstandings. Reply with:

"If I can address your concerns to your satisfaction, would you consider taking a look at what we offer? You may be surprised about what's available now. Many people get amazed when they try a few pairs on. In fact, this may be the best trip to an Optometrist's trip you've ever had! (tongue-in-cheek, of course)"

If you get a "Yes", proceed to build value in the patient's mind. List the pros and cons of buying here versus elsewhere. This helps establish trust and that you are mainly concerned for what is best for the patient. Include pros and cons on both sides. True objections fall into one of two categories. They are either a misunderstanding or they are a disadvantage. If the objection results from a misunderstanding, do clear it up by giving accurate facts and benefits. For example,

"We offer certain guarantees and replacement insurance that you can't find elsewhere, and our opticians are very well trained to ensure you get the kind of frames that are most comfortable and best suited to your face shape. In addition, we offer a 20% discount if you buy your glasses the same day you receive an eye exam. At that discount, and when you factor in all the extras, a typical pair of reading glasses is about the same price as what you'd find at ________________. Plus, we have some new styles in from Europe that you won't find anywhere else in town – that even look flattering on me! Does that answer your concerns?"

Reassure

"It will only take a few minutes. If, after you've tried a few pairs on, you still aren't sure, then go home and think about it or shop around. No problem."

Patient objections are challenging. When you use this method you can manage the objection so you are in control. You can step up to the challenge and grow through it to more satisfied patients.

Carla Rieger is an expert on creative people skills at work. If you want a motivational speaker, trainer, or leadership coach to help you stay on the creative edge, contact Carla Rieger. Web site: http://www.carlarieger.com Tel: 1-866-294-2988 Email carla@carlarieger.com

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

How Do I Love You Let Me Count The Ways Heres How I Do It At Solutions Ink
Monday, February 9, 2009

Writen by Steven Schneidman

Having been in business for over 20 years I sit marvelling at the change of business. I first started out of University working for a large Canadian Bank. Each account manager had a secretary and the norm was seeing many bank employees with ten, twenty and even thirty years of dutiful service to their employer. Most of the account managers got nominal raises each year and for the most part they were very uncomfortable with computers or technology. If you look around at bank employees today, there are very few employees with over 5 years of experience. All employees are very comfortable with technology and computers. E-commerce and internet banking are very common. There are very few secretaries, and account managers do all their typing for correspondences by themselves. Stock options and performance bonuses are the norm. We have turned into the me generation, where we'll stay with the company as long as it's good for me. Like wise the companies today keep their employees until it doesn't suit their needs, quickly offering severance packages rather than being saddled with an unwanted employee.

Is this really the wave of the future? Having left the large corporate world to start my own business in printing and promotional products, I watch as entrepreneur after entrepreneur tell me that the hardest thing to find, is good people to work for them. Being in this business I interact with all types of businesses both large and small in industries like education, fashion, finance, manufacturing, technology, accounting, medicine, pharmaceutical as well as the appliance industry. Technology is plentiful and you can find a multitude of softwares to run your business properly. Finding and retaining quality employees is the challenge. I decided that if I found that individual that I would do what I could to retain them. This mean't flexible hours, understanding personal problems and listening to constructive criticism. Giving the possibility for advancement to make employees look at their jobs as careers and not transient stops along the way, has also helped me retain my employees. Bosses today must treat their employees with respect and look at them as part of the puzzle rather than the last piece of the totem pole.

Now that we have dealt with employees, how should we deal with customers or clients? The answer in my opinion is listen to them. Don't push something down their throat. What's good for one may be totally wrong for someone else. Don't be dogmatic. Flexibility and speed to react are key to any growing business. Service, service and service will help you retain accounts. As loyalty has become a relic term, and competitive pricing has become the norm, service and the ability to make your customers feel that they are special, will play an increasing important role in growing your business. Rest assured that the only guarantee you have in business is that no matter how hard you try, no matter how right you are in decision making, customers will come and customers will go. Learn to utilize your time effectively. If you lose a customer a wise business practice would be to try to find out why? Once you assertained the reason, see if you can rectify the problem. If after a couple of unsuccessful attempts you have made no progress, Move On. Wasting too much time could devistate your business further. Regroup and try to figure out how you can replace this customer and attract even more new ones. Business is business, try not to take it personally. Living and learning is your best education. If you need help or advice give me a call at 514-337-2238 or visit my web site at Solutions Ink, if I can help it would be a pleasure to help others as many people have helped and advised me.

Steven Schneidman

Steven Schneidman has a B.A. in Psychology and an MBA in finance. He has worked a s a University Professor of Finance and worked for a large Canadian Bank before launching a successful printing and promotional product company.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Are You A Coward I Was
Sunday, February 8, 2009

Writen by Colin Shaw

Over the last month, I have come to hate emails and answerphones; not because I get 100 emails every day but because emails and answerphones are fast becoming the tool of the coward. At Beyond Philosophy we worked with a client a while ago whose account managers and sales teams never used to speak to anyone! They just used to send emails. If the customer called in they were greeted by answerphones which were kept on all day. You see the sales teams were all busy doing "real" work. The customers were just interrupting them. Surely this must be the height of "inside out" behaviour.

But why do people do this?

Primarily, it is because we all feel we can say things in emails that we would never say face to face. In my experience this never works how people would expect. No matter how hard you try, you think you have written one thing and the person reads something else. Before you know it you have lost a customer or lost a friend. We seem to forget that that all important 'relationship' with the customer is built on human contact, not emails!

One example springs to mind a few years ago when I worked in a multinational organisation and was involved in a large internal project. Things were not going well. I decided to send a "broadside" to the party who were driving me nuts! I took great delight in constructing the email. It was actually quite therapeutic. I worked on it to get the right message across so they would absolutely read between the lines and understand what I thought. I pressed the button and off into the ether it went. I remember thinking, 'Great I have told them what I think'. COWARD! How stupid I was, how naive, how self-righteous I was, and how wrong I was!

I lived to regret it. The email caused a big argument. I had said things that were misinterpreted despite my best attempts to be clear. I ended up upsetting a lot of people. I ended up regretting sending it. I was wrong. Since that day I now have adopted a few rules with emails that I would like to share with you.

1. Insist that all calls are answered by people and answer phones are banned other than outside office or opening hours.

2. Never reply to an email when you are emotionally charged. DO NOT type a reply and press the send button, until you have had a cooling off period. Put it in your "Draft" emails and look at it the next day. I always end up changing mine.

3. When you think "Shall I talk to them or shall I send them an email? It is at that moment when that little voice in your heads says; "No, just send them an email that'll be simpler, you don't want to talk to them it may be embarrassing….." That is exactly the time I know I MUST talk to them. So pick up the phone and talk! It's never as bad as you expect and people always appreciate it.

4. Finally a plea. When anyone sends you an email, please reply. Don't just ignore it. Reply even to say "GO AWAY". I find it amazing that you can send an email to someone and they don't even have the courtesy of replying. What's your thought? If you have a view, drop me a line!

Colin Shaw Founding Partner, Beyond Philosophy © Beyond Philosophy 2004 - Ref. QR

Colin Shaw is the Founding Partner of Beyond Philosophy and guru of the Customer Experience Management. He has also produced two most successful books on customer experience which are now available in market. His first book, Building Great Customer Experiences sold out within just eight weeks, is on a third reprint and available in paperback. Colin's second book, Revolutionize Your Customer Experience released in September 2004 and considered as Bible in Customer managment business world. Colin has enjoyed over 20 years of experience working in blue chip companies, including Mars Ltd., Rank Xerox and BT. Colin's final position was Director of Customer Experience for one of the world's largest global companies. In his career, he has held senior positions in a number of different functional areas including Sales, Marketing, Customer Service and Training. Ask Colin A Question View what Colin is saying

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Ten Customer Service Secrets To Win Back Customers
Saturday, February 7, 2009

Writen by Ed Sykes

Recently I was facilitating an Outstanding Customer Service program and broke for lunch. Knowing that the restaurants in the area left much to desire as far as service I gave the students an extra fifteen minutes for lunch.

Sure enough a group of four students came rushing into the classroom with their lunches in hand. They apologized and quickly explained that they received poor service at a restaurant (This restaurant is part of a national chain. Hint: The restaurant's name references a day in the week. I can't give you the complete answer). They explained that after the waiter initially took their order, they waited 45 minutes before their food finally arrived. During the wait, no one came to check on them.

Finally, when the food arrived, it was time for the group to return to class. They were not happy, so they asked to speak with the restaurant manager. The manager approached and asked, "What was the problem?" One of my students explained the situation to which the restaurant manager replied, "The food ticket only shows you were waiting for eleven minutes." My students were still not satisfied and said as much to the manager. She asked them, "Would you like dessert?" My students re-emphasized their dissatisfaction. Each time my students expressed their unhappiness, the manager would say she was sorry. But my students weren't buying it. The manager then left without explaining where and what she was doing. The manager returned and told my students that their meals were free. Even though the manager gave them free meals my students said they will never go back to that restaurant or any other restaurant in that chain.

So why weren't these customers happy? The restaurant had an opportunity to turn a difficult customer service experience into a winning situation for all and squandered it. Not only will these patrons never go back to any restaurant in that chain, but they will tell others about their unhappy experience. The unhappy customer, on average, will tell 27 other people about their experience. With the use of the internet, whether web pages or e-mail, that number can increase to the thousands, if not millions with the click of a button. However, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs, 82-95% of unhappy customers will come back if impressed and actually refer five new customers.

Let's take a look at the ten secrets that will not only win back your customer in any situation, but have them referring new customers that will add more money to your bottom line revenue.

1. Smile

Nothing can turn a hostile situation into positive moment faster than a sincere smile. A smile that says, "I want to help you." It communicates that you are positive about the interaction with the customer. A sincere smile enhances the communication process so that you can find the solution faster.

2. Introduce Yourself as the Solution Creator

Make sure you introduce yourself, find out the customer's name, and let your customer know your position and why you are there. This lets the customer know you are taking responsibility for finding a solution. You might say something like:

"Hello, my name is Mike. I am the manager at this location. I am here to assist you in this situation, please tell me about it."

Notice I didn't say, "What's the problem?" By using "What's the problem?" you start the customer service situation in a negative note. The customer is thinking "You're the problem," "This establishment is the problem," "The whole world is the problem," etc. By starting your conversation with "I am here to assist you in this situation, please tell me about it" you are setting up a "verbal agreement" in the customer's mind to move to a solution. Note: If possible, please use the customer's name throughout the conversation.

3. Listen

Customers to want tell their side of the story and feel like they are not only heard but that you listened to them. Mentally take a step back and dedicate yourself to actively listening to the customer's story with an open mind so that you can find a solution. In the above situation, the manager stood silently while my students were explaining their story. Be active in your listening and create empathy ("put yourself in the customer's shoes") with statements such as:

"I can appreciate what you're saying."

"I can understand how you'd feel that way."

"I can see how you'd be upset."

"It sounds as if we've caused you inconvenience."

"What I understand the situation to be…"

Please stay away from communication that alienates the customer such as:

"I don't know why you are so upset."

"That's the first complaint we ever got on that."

"I know how you feel." (Because you don't) "Boy, you're sure mad"

In the above story, the students told the manager that they weren't happy with the service because they didn't have time to eat their meals. The manager, not listening, said, "Would you like dessert?" The solution was not more food. Listen for the solution!

4. Be Sorry for the Right Reasons

Be sincere in your concern for the customer and say sorry the correct way. Many times in the heat of the customer service situation we want to show some sign of concern so we do the following:

The first words of the interaction are with the words, "I'm sorry." First, you didn't find out any information from the customer to be sorry.

When saying you are sorry, say exactly what you are sorry for.

The students, even though the manager kept repeating she was sorry, didn't think the manager was sincere in her apology. The correct way to say you are sorry is:

"I'm sorry you had to wait so long for your food."

"I'm sorry that you were treated that way."

"I'm sorry that our employee said that to you."

"I'm sorry this situation happened to you."

Let the customer know exactly why you are sorry. The students thought the manager's "sorrys" were insincere because she never mentioned why she was sorry.

5. Give Your Personal Assurance

Let the customer know you will personally create a solution for them. It could be as simple as saying, "I'm taking personal responsibility for this."

6. Ask Them What They Want

One of the fears that we have when trying to satisfy the customer is that we think they want something out of our reach. Ask the customer, "What would you like me/us to do?" or "What would make this situation right for you?" You will be surprised that in most cases the customer will ask for less than you were expecting.

7. Use Statements of Conviction

Say the following to gain the confidence of the customer:

"We're going to do something about that!"

"We will make a change right now!"

8. Present a Clear Plan of Action

Make sure the customer knows what you are going to do to correct the situation for them. Ninety-five percent of making things right for the customer involves making them aware that you are taking action to make a difference for them. Explain to them the actions and timelines you need to take to make things right for them. If you need to leave or make a telephone call to obtain additional information, say:

"Excuse me while I make a telephone call to obtain the best solution for you. This will take five minutes, can you please wait?

"Excuse me, I need to ask the person with the missing piece of information so that we can quickly resolve this for you. Do you mind waiting five minutes?"

Note: Make sure you get back to the customer before the time you specified. If you promised ten minutes, get back to the customer before ten minutes. Rule of thumb, double the time it would normally take to get the information. If you know it will take ten minutes to get the answer for the customer then tell the customer you will get back to them within twenty minutes.

9. Move Quickly to the Solution

If you applied steps 1-8 you are ready to give the customer the solution they wanted for a win-win situation. You can confirm this by saying the following:

"Would this be agreeable for you?"

"Is this the solution you were looking for?"

"Will this make things right for you?"

10. Ask for the Business

If you did everything right this is the perfect time to ask the customer to come back and do business with your organization. You showed that you were professional, caring, sincere, positive, and proactive. Why wouldn't they do business with you again?

Some of the way you can say this include the following:

"We would appreciate the opportunity to serve you again in the future."

"Please come back and I will personally guarantee you receive outstanding service."

"Here is a 20% coupon. Please use it on your next visit to our establishment."

It's important that you let the customer know that you appreciate their business and want them to come back. Remember, if you did everything right, not only will they come back but they will tell other people to do business with you. Use challenging customer service situations to win back your customers and build your business.

Ed Sykes is a professional speaker, author, and success coach in the areas of leadership, motivation, stress management, customer service, and team building. You can e-mail him at mailto:esykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call him at (757) 427-7032. Go to his web site, http://www.thesykesgrp.com, and signup for the newsletter, OnPoint, and receive the free ebook, "Secrets, Stories, and Tips for Marvelous Customer Service."

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

5 Ways To Avoid The Biggest Bottleneck In Your Business
Friday, February 6, 2009

Writen by Paul Speziale

What's the biggest bottleneck in any business? Besides sales, this often overlooked feature of any business could be causing you lost sales and your long term success. Use these tips to reduce the most costly (and annoying) bottleneck with businesses today.

Imagine for a moment that you have just spent a small fortune on marketing...you have a sale that you want to advertise and you have produced full page ads in the local newspaper setting you back $20,000 a day, sent out thousands of flyers, produced signs, sent out press releases and you even went on TV.

The big day arrives and a flood of people enter your store. You look at the people clawing at each other to buy your goods, while you eagerly wait to count your profits.

Then something bad happens...

A cashier decides to take a break to talk to his girlfriend on his cell phone. She breaks up with him on the phone and he comes back 15 minutes later, right into the heat of the crowded store and decides he doesn't care about anything anymore. He starts being rude to the customers, taking his time and tells some off.

Disgusted, your customers leave the store, and the profits you were counting in your head have vanished into the smoke they came from.

So what happened?

What happened is what many believe is one of the biggest problems of any business today...the people that interface to your customers.

Usually they are the most underpaid, under trained people in your business. And they are relied upon to handle all customer inquiries, complaints, joys and questions and basically close the sales.

It's not just in retail either. Any business that has prospects phoning and asking questions or placing orders has this problem.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard a story from a disgruntled long-time customer of some business that was driven away because the customer service person couldn't accommodate their request, I would have lots of nickels.

And you know, the people that represent your business, the ones that interface with the customer everyday ARE your business to the customer. If they are mad because of some "7 dollar an hour can't wait to get home to go drinking" customer service representative, they will lump you and your product right along into their mental state. If you receive a brick in the mail one day, you may be having this problem.

So how do you avoid this bottleneck?

First, isolate who is having any contact whatsoever with your customers.

1. Who's answering your phones?

2. Who's on the floor greeting your customers?

3. Who's answering the emails?

4. Who is responding to your white mail?

5. Who is placing the order?

6. Who is making the sales?

Second, you need to be constantly educating them and training them as to your specials, new products, etc. Make sure you have a networked computer system to take notes for telephone operators. There is nothing more frustrating then phoning one customer service person, only to have to retell your problem to another one 10 minutes later after they mistakenly hang up on you.

Third, educate them on how to deal with people. Once they know why certain customers behave the way they do, they might not be rude with them or they can adapt their behaviour to build rapport and guarantee the sale.

Fourth, give them a little negotiating power. Some customers will try to negotiate. Give the person some room with that just to appease the customer's desire to "get a good deal". Often people will warm up when there is some negotiating room.

Lastly, perhaps give the people that deal with customers a spiff, or small reward for their excellent people handling skills (in other words, closing the sale). It doesn't have to be money. In fact, chances are it will be material things, not money. Find out what your employees want the most. It can be an IPOD, or a trip, your own products, or something to encourage them that maybe they should make an effort with your customers.

Paul Speziale is a direct marketing consultant / entrepreneur based out of Toronto, Ontario. He has served all industries from manufacturers to retailers, from entrepreneurs to professionals. Besides helping clients, he is working on his own projects. He also volunteers his time for several worthy causes both local and global. You can reach him at: http://www.AnelloSolutions.com: Growing Your Business Through Low-Risk, Optimized and Results Based Marketing

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Quality Of Customer Service Is Most Important
Thursday, February 5, 2009

Writen by James Hunt

For those of you who are working in a customer service industry, the quality of that customer service itself is the most important aspect of the job. People respond positively to good customer service. IF you are a business owner then you know how the saying goes, it's easier to keep a customer, as it is to get a new customer. In order to keep your customers and build up some form of clientele that feels loyal to your company. Therefore you must put in the time and effort to keep your customers and your level of customer service up to where it should be.

In most areas of customer service there will be some time on the phone. If your job requires you to place and receive phone calls, you must ensure that you are always polite and customers. This is a great time to strengthen the relationship between the owner and the customer. Customer's respond better to a business owner who is approachable and interested in their lives then someone who seems bothered and rushed. However, there are those that can become annoyed when the customer service representative becomes too personal. For those people who are in the customer service area, they should attempt to find a happy medium between being too friendly and not friendly at all.

At times in the customer service industry you will come into contact with less than satisfied customers. These people may become angry and they may yell. Sometimes it is hard to contain yourself and you might want to argue back. However, when you are working as a customer service representative then you must be able to control yourself. You should never interrupt an irate customer. If they are getting angry with you then you should just let them vent. Let them have their say and once they are done you can begin explaining what you can do to help solve the problem. The key to customer service is to always be obliging and polite.

James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest. Read more at http://www.customer-service-central.info

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Customer Service A Chickens Way
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Writen by Holly Powers

Anyone who knows me knows my favorite fast food restaurant is Chick-fil-A. Aside from the fact their chicken is especially good and I can always get sweet tea, I have a valuable business reason for eating there – they serve up amazing customer service. And these lessons aren't just served in my nearest location. But in any city, any town, any time I have been to a Chick-fil-A, I have left feeling like the most valuable Customer.

Now you may wonder what you can learn for your business, from a fast food restaurant. In short, plenty. Just because your business is different does not mean you can't take someone else's ideas or techniques and make them applicable to what you do. So I challenge you to be open to what you can learn from a chicken.

They are focused.

Chick-fil-a knows their expertise is making good chicken. You don't drive up to their window with options such as beef, pork or fish. Their focus stays on what they know. No empty promises of the best steak in town or a delicious oriental creation, just chicken. We should do the same for our Customers.

Don't pretend to have expertise where you can't deliver. Customers are good at sniffing us out. If you promise something you can't deliver just to get their business; you will be without a Customer.

They give me what I want.

I love Polynesian sauce (dipping sauce for nuggets) for my French fries. Chick-fil-A never charges me extra even though I don't order their nuggets. They are happy to give me what I want.

How many times to we charge our Customers all these added fees if they want something that is not the standard? When your Customer is hungry for something different – make it easy for them to eat.

They rest.

I often crave chicken on lazy Sunday afternoons but Chick-fil-A is never open for business due to clear company values and beliefs. They choose Sundays as a day to rest. They are never open, no exceptions, and according to their business plan they never will.

So often we cheat our Customers by not breaking from our work. Too much work can lesson our ability to concentrate, cloud our focus, and leave a bitter taste in our mouth. How much help are we to Customers if we are burned out?

They train their employees.

At a Chick-fil-A visit you will hear things like, "It is my pleasure to serve you." "Please." "Thank you." "I look forward to seeing you at the window." The atmosphere includes smiles, laughter, and happy workers who appear to love their job. And I doubt their happiness is based on a love for chicken – they have been trained to value the Customer.

If you want to excel as a business, hire superstars that believe the Customer writes their paycheck. Set expectations with your employees and staff that outstanding Customer Service is expected, not optional. Add Customer Service as a major part of an employee's orientation. And most importantly lead by example. S.Truett Cathy, chose to do things his way by taking care of Customers and employees by hiring operators and managers that believed in his philosophy. To date, Chick-fil-A, the company he founded has more than a billion in sales annually.

I encourage you to visit a Chick-fil-A when you get the chance. I will continue my weekly visits to reaffirm my Customer service beliefs (and to get a chicken sandwich, no pickle with a large sweet tea!). p.s. You will notice in both articles the word Customer and Client are capitalized. Capitalizing the word is just one way we can remind ourselves of the great importance Customers have for our businesses. After all, without them, we wouldn't be in business.

Holly Powers is passionate about Customer Service in her role as the Client Development Princess for The Kevin Eikenberry Group. She is also the editor of Unleash Your Potential, an electronic newsletter devoted to helping leaders, professionals and organizations reach their full potential. To learn more about Unleash Your Potential or subscribe go to http://www.KevinEikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp.

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Develop Loyal Customers For A Lifetime Part 1 1 10
Tuesday, February 3, 2009

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 first 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 of them, choosing your favorite five and making sure they become a part of your marketing efforts will pay off handsomely.

1. Call your clients every Monday morning just to say "Good Morning," and to check in on how things are going. This extra ounce of attention will keep you forefront in the minds of your clients, and they will greatly appreciate your extended care and concern.

2. Keep a list of birthdays, special days of celebration, and upcoming special events in the life of your clients and their families. On these special days, send a card or small gift to let your clients know you are thinking of them. On the same note, keep a detailed list of hobbies, interests, favorite foods, preferred music, and the like. As you travel or are out and about, and you see a small token which you know your client would appreciate, buy the item, and ship it with a note that says "I thought of you when I saw this! Enjoy!" One of the most desirable "client perks" is tickets to a favorite sporting event or concert. Many companies purchase packages of sporting event tickets strictly for the purpose of entertaining champion clients and for building a long lasting relationship with the individual.

3. Be "Newsy" and a Trend Setter. One of the best ways to develop loyal clients is to become a trendsetter, continue your own education and training, and to become a forward thinker. By attending training events and reading cutting edge magazines such as Dwell, Futurist Magazine, FAST Company, Gourmet, Architectural Digest, and even Cosmopolitan Magazine, you will be able to follow trends which are current, allowing your clients to receive the newest and best information available on a variety of topics from business to fashion to design to travel to new foods on the market.

4. Attend conferences for your clients. For clients who are too busy to attend a conference, you can offer to attend a conference in their place. The best approach is to choose a conference that will benefit both you and your clients, and you pick up the tab (you will be able to deduct your cost as a business expense, so keep records and receipts for all expenses). While attending the event, collect a "goody bag" for each of your clients, that will include samples from the conference exhibit and any written materials, which you feel may be of benefit to your clients. When you return from the event, host a one-hour conference call or teleclass to update your clients on the latest/greatest in their industry.

5. Feature your clients or referral partners on your website or in your newsletter as your honored man or woman of the month/week. Contact your clients or people you often refer others to one month prior to publication, and invite them to be interviewed as your "guest expert" for the month/week. Record the interview, transcribe the interview, and post the recorded interview and transcription, along the client's photograph, biography, and contact information on your website or in your newsletter. The enhanced visibility will speak volumes to your clients about your support for their lives, and will show others that you are committed to the personal and professional improvement of others.

6. Invite your clients for a "sneak peek" to test a new product, service, or teleclass before the general public is invited to participate. Make this "sneak peek" unforgettable. If you are offering the preview in a live setting, provide wonderful food and drink. If this is an online event, teleclass, or virtual offering, make the sneak preview say "WOW" with fabulous graphics, distinct digital audios or videos, a dynamic power point presentation, and a copy of a 15-20 page document which will add value to the life of your clients.

7. One day each week, send your clients a special quote or a brief story of inspiration. A wonderful online free resource for quotes and stories of inspiration can be obtained through the www.cybernation.com. Cyber Nation is one of the largest online quote libraries celebrating the famous words of men and women from history, both past and present.

8. Adopt the philosophy of Fed-Ex. Do you know what Fed Ex says? "When it's a matter of hours, it's a matter for FedEx. We can pick up and deliver door-to-door 24/7/365 including weekends and holidays and give you immediate confirmation. Just pick a service and pick up the phone." Quick service, 24/7/365 is the number one reason that the majority of consumers in the United States choose Fed Ex over other parcel delivery companies. As a coach, you will develop loyal customers by being highly responsive and by delivering answers with lightning speed. When your customers expect a response, they usually expect it within 24 hours, so give them what they want, and you will develop a long list of "raving fans."

9. Be highly accessible. Provide your clients with multiple ways to contact you, including e-mail, fax, mobile phone, business phone, and home phone. If you travel, contact your clients in advance to let them know you will be away from the office for a few days and let them know how they can reach you in the event of an emergency. Simply letting your clients know that you are always available is very reassuring and will send the client the message that you care enough to be there for them at any time.

10. Open a private page on your website "For Clients Only." This special page on your website will be a private area which will include valuable resources not made available to the public at large. This page may include a free e-book, free audio course, free articles authored by you, or a growing list of resources you make available at no charge to those men and women who do business with you. The key to a successful private resource page is to continually update the page, adding new resources that are fresh and "cutting edge."

© 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, ,

How Customer Call Centers Have Improved And Why They Are Crucial For Your Business
Monday, February 2, 2009

Writen by Gregg Hall

When it comes to call center support for customers, there are dual benefits seen for both the consumer and the company. There is a great need for the answering of questions or need for the necessary walkthrough in regards to a service or product that could occur at any hour of the day. This is when the call center for customer support becomes a much needed tool for all of the everyday, unexpected questions that may arise. Today, call centers handle a high volume of calls and depending on the ease and helpfulness of service, a customer will feel comfortable coming back to use these services.

Customer support is a vital tool for making a connection with a customer. The service helps to save money, as well as increase the potential profits of a business or company. The establishment of a call center allows service to reach a wide range of locations throughout the world. Call center maintenance and customer service availability is not only offered through telephone means, but also offered in other ways. Another popular mode of communication is through the Internet. There are numerous websites that feature customer and technical support. These websites are also built on the foundation of providing help to customers in an effort to keep the customer happy, as well as decrease common costs. For example, the shipping, handling and delivery of product review costs money. If you can provide the customer with the knowledge and tools to access and fix their product on their own, this may avoid additional costs, time, as well as manpower.

It is not uncommon to encounter call center services that offer customer support in the form of convenient, automated services. By pressing a few buttons, you could be well on your way to getting the answers you are looking for. This eliminates the cumbersome wait time to speak to an individual. It also cuts costs for the company by not having to employ a high amount of workers to handle calls. This is also more beneficial for customers because they can reach answers at any time of the day. The time it takes to receive assistance is reduced and the potential for finding a solution is increased. This form of call center help is quite convenient and cost efficient when the automated service is equipped to handle a wide range of common, as well as uncommon problems.

Some of the most common call center services offered include technical, online, billing and sales support. There isn't one answer to solve all problems; therefore, there is a need for different branches and levels of service provided from various call centers. When done efficiently, a customer support call center can lessen the void between companies and their customers. This can also promote better communication between different businesses, keeping all parties involved much happier and satisfied.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as business communication at http://www.businesscommunicationsolution.com

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,

Complaint Letters How To Respond In 7 Simple Steps
Sunday, February 1, 2009

Writen by Robert Warlow

Ask many small business owners what goes into providing great customer service and you have answers such as, being polite, serving promptly, keeping your promises etc. But in this hi-tech age, we tend to forget that the humble letter has just as an important role in ensuring good customer service. Yet how many times have you received a 'letter of apology' which makes you even more dissatisfied? The message it conveys, the language used – all designed to wind you up!

With some careful thought, a well-crafted letter can provide comfort to a complaining customer and enhance your reputation as a customer-focused business. In this article I am going to share some tips on how to write a great letter.

What are you writing for?

To write a great letter you have to be in the right frame of mind. Are you writing to handle a complaint, answer a query or to thank them for placing an order? Framing the letter in the right context means you will use the appropriate language and the tone will be right. Try writing a thank you letter as if you are responding to a complaint – the message is totally different.

Before putting pen to paper, think for a minute and decide what your aim or goal is.

State your purpose

Start off by summarising why you are writing. Open your letter by saying that you are responding to a query, or to resolve a problem they have had. This set out to the reader why you are contacting them and puts them in the right frame of mind to accept your message. An opening summary will grab their attention.

Include a W.I.I.F.M.

No, this is not some obscure radio station! WIIFM stands for 'What's in it for me?' To truly engage your customer and get them on your side, you have to include a benefit for them. They have to get something out of your letter so they feel satisfied. What could their WIIFM be? Their complaint may be resolved; they may get a discount voucher; a priority service the next time they use you. If the compliant is a minor one, a simple, heartfelt apology may be enough!

Study your letter carefully and make sure you have a WIIFM moment.

Don't say 'I'

Wherever possible, avoid littering your letter with I's. The reader will find it hard to link with you if they receive 'me, me, me' letters. Review your letters and wherever possible substitute 'I' with 'you'. Change the focus to the reader. Make them feel valued.

Write as you speak

I forget the number of times I have received letters, which read as if they were written in the early 1900's! Packed full of boring, stiff and outdated language – too formal. Your writing style should reflect the way you talk. After all, providing good customer service is partly down to how you interact or communicate with your client and letters play an important role.

So, review your letters and get rid of those phrases you learnt in school letter-writing lessons!

"Please do this…"

Having written a great letter, you don't want it to tail off into nothing. Have a clear action-orientated close. Make sure your reader knows what you expect him to do next – "call me so we can discuss this idea in more depth", "Fill in the attached form and pop it in the post", "send me an order" (a bit strong perhaps but certainly to the point!). A resounding call-to-action is a great way to finish a letter and leaves the customer in no doubt what he has to do next – another element of good customer service.

Ask someone to check your letter

If you are writing a very important letter or one containing a complex message, it's wise to ask someone to proof read it. This is not just to check your spelling but also to check readability. Is the structure of the message you wish to convey clear and understandable? You'll be amazed by what someone else will pick up which you have completely missed!

So, there you have it. Some useful tips on how to write a superb letter, which will further enforce your image of providing exceptional customer service.

© Robert Warlow Small Business Success

Small Business Success is a resource dedicated to helping small business owners be more successful. If you are looking for a regular flow of ideas and tips then subscribe to Small Business Success a free newsletter, which provides you with quick tips, ideas and articles. Visit http://smallbusinesssuccess.biz

posted by Alexis WATERS @ 1:00 AM, ,