Customer Service

Practice Management For Dentists - Why Your Patients Leave

2008-06-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading an article in an old issue of Dental Economics regarding building trust in your patients. The article cited a survey of 1000 consumers in which 25% of the respondents said they stopped seeing a physician due to communication problems.

You say, "But I talk to my patients all the time, my communication with them is great!"

Okay, point taken, but we have to remember, (and your spouse will tell you) communication is a two way street. It does not mean just talking, but LISTENING.

Case in point, this morning I was at the dentist, and had just began a prophy when my worst fears came to realization... Grape flavored prophy paste... YUCK!!!

Now, I have been going to the same dental office for the last 3 years, and every time I experience this little bit of discomfort. I am not a big fan of these "flavored" pastes at all, and prefer either the regular mint, or the No Flavor paste. (Who taste tests these anyway?)

I have let the office know this every time I have been there, and yet every time I go in it seems I have to tell them again. And, usually I am the one left with a bad taste in my mouth.

Being in the industry, I know there are places in the practice management software, or special "alert" stickers that can be placed on a file. These are usually reserved to alert the dentist to any allergies, or special conditions. In other words, the best interest of the practice.

Now, in my case, there is no alert sticker, note in my file, or even a yellow sticky note alerting the hygienist to my request for flavorless paste.

It is almost as if my likes/needs have not been documented for sake of practice efficiency.

All it takes in this instance is a little extra step from the hygienist or dentist (who also noted my flavor choice aloud) to write this in or on my patient file, or make a note in the fancy computer system, and next time I won't be surprised by the newest sensation in flavored prophy paste.

It's small things like this that make people leave the dentist. You may have done your cleaning and checkup to perfection, but when I taste grape in my mouth by surprise, that is what I (the patient) will note.

So, when communicating with your patients, make sure the patient gets a chance to talk, and make sure you take the opportunity to listen.

Don't leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Action-To-Take Tip: Implement a system that allows for easy documentation of your patients' needs, as well as their likes and dislikes. Put a small piece of paper on the front of each patient's file. Even if the paper remains blank, at least it is there for you to be able to quickly jot down any comments that the patient may make regarding their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with your processes.

change management

Handling Complaints

2008-06-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

No company can avoid it completely. Eventually you're going to have a customer come in who's angry with you.

There simply isn't a way to please everyone, but how you handle a customer who's mad can do a lot to ease back any potential damage and improve your standing with them in the end.

The first steps are the most basic and can be done before that angry customer ever walks through your door. Creating a friendly office environment will do wonders to prevent any further hostility when a person first walks in. The simple gestures like printing greeting cards or other ways of acknowledging them says from the very beginning that you care about their business and the troubles they're facing.

Make sure you listen to exactly what the complaint is based on the assumption that the customer is justified in being angry. Don't jump to any conclusions until you've heard everything they have to say.

One of the most important things is to make sure that you don't confront emotion with more emotion. Stay clam and collected and also be sure that you let them know that you care about the issue they're bringing up. If you sound too cold and detached they'll only become more agitated, and if you return their hostility with any of your own, the situation is going to get a lot worse.

Once the problem is known make sure you come up with effective solutions, no matter what the problem may be. If it's something on your end, do your best to offer them different ways to make things right.

Make sure that you handle everything yourself from beginning to end. Nothing can annoy someone more than the feeling that they're being passed around from one person to another. I've had to deal with it before just as I'm sure plenty of other people have and it isn't a pleasant feeling. If they know that you're going to get to the bottom of the issue they'll be a lot more confident in your companies ability to handle complaints.

Once the initial meeting is over make sure that you follow up with the person. Using postcard printing in combination with postcard marketing to send a response directly to them letting them know that the issue has been taken care of will help coax them into coming back to do additional business with you.

The follow up is particularly important due to the opportunity it gives you. By using postcard marketing you're taking a greater effort to show them that you care about their concerns, which will not only make them happy, but also give you a person willing to tell their friends about how effectively you handled the situation.

So long as you aren't surprised when those complaints do pop up you'll be in a much better position to answer them. If you go above and beyond by printing greeting cards and using postcard printing you'll not only solve the problem, but gain a strong customer base at the same time.

fundraising

How Are You Keeping Your Clients Happy?

2008-06-12T18:56:00.000-07:00

More and more, corporate America is more interested in getting rich than the needs and wants of their clients. They are forgetting about the clients that made their pocketbooks as fat as they are today. For instance, look at the gas prices. We all know the prices are high and it is hurting the little guy, while the oil companies are making record profits (but I digress).

As a small business owner, we have to make sure that we are keeping our clients happy. I'm not saying to go out and decrease your profits by offering free services constantly, but maybe send them a thank you card with a gift card in it for a local restaurant, offer a discount on their next month invoice, something just to let them know that you care about them and their needs and wants. Do this at other times besides Christmas. Your clients will really appreciate the fact that you are thinking of them and you appreciate them.

If you don't have the finances at the time to do this type of thing, contact them once every six months or so and ask them if they are happy with your service and if there is anything that they are unhappy with. Sure, this might be tough to hear at times but your clients will appreciate the fact that you value their input and you value their business so much that you are willing to get their opinion. Also, if anything that they are unhappy with is something that you can fix or change without costing a fortune, do it. They will appreciate it.

Some customer service follow-ups can be automated. Look over your website, and see what it can be doing to help keep your customers happy -from providing easily accessible support, to automating customer awards, or collecting customer feedback.

Make sure that if you are in a business where service or product fees decline over time, that you keep your older customers up with the current pricing. Nothing is more distressing to them than to look at your website and realize that you are offering a higher service for a lower price to new customers, while the existing customer service package has not changed. Customer incentives need not be expensive to work - they just need to be meaningful and sincere

Also, if you created/maintain your own website, do a client spotlight once a month or so. Have a link to their website, a write-up about them and their business, why you chose them etc. Just make sure that it is okay with your client first.

Once you start making a comfortable living doing the business of your choice, don't forget your current clients. If it wasn't for them, you wouldn't be where you are today.

continuity disaster recovery

Legitimate Ways Of Making Mega Bucks Online - The Nigerian Experience

2008-06-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

At first I thought it was a huge joke as many Nigerians have been made to believe that scamming or perhaps 419 as many would call it is the only officially recognized way to make easy money online: making money online this way (though I never tried it, even when it almost became a trend) is the hardest, toughest and most time consuming money making exercise, however, those involved in this sad and unfortunate melee are yet to make this discovery; those who have, have chickened out.

To be frank with you I'm still a green horn as regards making legitimate money online, but yet I can attest to the fact that legitimate and easy money online opportunities abound: but majority of those involved in this evil scheme (419) are yet to re-train their minds and instincts to believe this well acknowledged fact, besides, their 'income' is not steady and they live in constant fear of being caught by the authorities. Perhaps, their worst disadvantage is that they rob themselves of their resourcefulness and their ability to earn money legitimately.

Hey! Is making money online the latest trend? Or is it the home based money making craze that has infected every adult since the internet became a house hold name; that is affecting our psyche? Well not really; but it is the necessary end to every means today, in the words of millionaire Bill Gates' there are two kinds of businesses, those online and those who are out of business' so one can rightly say that online business is the niche today world wide ,and Nigeria is no exception. Then how can we Nigerians then say we can't take our own fare share of this national cake? Just because we have been called the bad dog and therefore must be hanged?

Well it is rather sad and unfortunate that a country as large as Nigeria ,with all it's potentials: both material and human can be so marginalized as to be de-listed or black listed from every idea and opportunity online by the western world(lead by the united states) who think the internet is their birth right. But let me state it here and now, that it is no fault of theirs but ours that we find ourselves in this precarious situation today, not as a result of our fraudulent online activities (statistically India and Pakistan are by far the largest scammers second only to Nigeria) but because we have refused in our ignorance to take up the opportunities that abound online and make a decent living out of it.

My reasons to putting this little piece of information together today is not to bemoan our fate, but for us to take charge of our lives: as we are the only ones that can make the desired change to occur. More so, I am here to make a list of some yet to be discovered online money making ventures and how some works. Recently I was going through some ideas posted in one particular Nigerian forum on how to make money buying and selling e-gold/currency, it sounded unreal at first but today I can assure you that e-gold is really working since online payment solutions like visa, MasterCard, pay pal etc don't transact business with Nigerians, e-gold is now the easiest solution, however if you want more information on how it works you Can visit www.e-gold.com ,there you'll learn more on e-gold and how to open an account which is free and funding it.

Other online opportunities I'll list out with links for more detailed information on each of them include: Google.com which is by far the most visited site, as they have their information portal in every language in the world; as such they utilize this advantage by introducing programs like google ad words, ad sense etc where so many people world wide are raking millions of cool dollars every day. Other search engines like yahoo, AltaVista etc have programs of such manner, yet we (Nigerians) are yet to discover this proverbial gold mine beneath our feet.

E-publishing/books is still very much new thing to us in this part of the world; since publishing of books (off line) could be regarded as a very prodigious exercise as a person must be skilled in the area which he is make his desired impact, must have a writing style, and lastly a fat bank account (except he/she have a sponsor). But all these upheavals and bottlenecks have been eliminated since the discovery of e-books. E-books are so easy to prepare all you need is a very good idea on a topic or a niche you are very familiar with; from my discovery, how-to do e-books are by far the most sought for; as every individual as the world becomes more advanced is looking for a first class information on how to make life easier for himself and his family.

E-books on information such as: how to become a GSM engineer in 1 day, how to make money lying comfortably on your bed etc. are information every person who sees it will want to get to its root and as such will be ready to part with a sizeable amount of their income to get this very important information. For more I'll advise you to read my article posted on this blog titled 'how to become a publishing guru' there you'll get some useful information on e-books and how a person can make some cool bucks getting one on the shelf.

Though I'm not necessarily an expert on FOREX trading, but one thing I know is that it is the systematic buying and selling of currencies online, based on the currency's current exchange rate as against the dollar. Another fact I know is that a lot of people worldwide are making good money trading FOREX and Nigerians are not exempted from this profitable venture; all you need is good knowledge on interpreting fundamental and technical analysis, avoiding bull traps, and avoid being a victim of constant market fluctuations. To know more on FOREX visit any search engine like yahoo, google, msn etc then type the key word 'FOREX' on the search bar, from the displayed results you can visit the links for a detailed information on FOREX trading.

Online money making ventures suitable for every person, Nigerians inclusive are so many, but it takes time to get this ideas on course, as it not as easy as it sounds, however if you have the desire and passion the sky is your limit. Online business just like any other business is profitable if well implemented and vice versa. In all; I want Nigerians to take up the courage in the midst of upheavals and bottlenecks and take their fare share of this rave going on in cyber space. As we all know one thing 'we are the giant of Africa and the window of the world.

Feel free to post your comment on the above write up as I also want to state here that the information contained here in, is an opinion and my experiences as an aspiring entrepreneur. You can hit this blog any time for more updates and personal experiences in the world called and understood as cyber space.

ethics news

Some Very Good Reasons to Love Your Customers

2008-06-12T17:48:00.000-07:00

I wrote a poem that played off of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's 23rd sonnet, How Do I love Thee, about the importance of customer service. The entire poem came to me on vacation, as I awakened from a dream and realized that the poetry of service makes the sense of service a beautiful thing. I began by writing:

How do I love thee, let me count the ways.
I love thee during working hours, in the hopes of simpler days.

I finished the poem, which became the organizing framework for an entire book, each section and chapter drawing on a stanza from the poetry. Writing the book was just as easy, an act of love flowing from a place of love. The poetry was the key! Maybe it came so easily because I was relaxing in a top floor condo above a quiet beach, with my darling beside me, and only the sound and smell of the breeze and the waves washing over my subconscious awareness. But when I awoke I had the entire poem in mind, and somehow it all made perfect sense to me. I leapt up, sat down, and kept writing until I'd written it all down. The rest of that day, and the next and the next, I was walking on air as I walked on the beach, fulfilled in having expressed some ineffable truth in such a wondrous way.

Yet several days later, after a particularly bad experience of service after returning home, I realized that the initial leap that I had taken, that customer service is based in and delivered in love, might need a little explaining to those unaccustomed to service excellence.

In fact, you may be wondering what love has to do with service. I can't say that I'd blame you. Great service is the exception to the rule. Service is usually so minimal that most of us opt to use machines rather than deal with people. It's just easier to order online, to submit a ticket, to talk to a robot, to use a machine, than to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageously bad service. And the place of love in all this obviously isn't apparent to the people providing such meager service. Many service providers view customer service as a barely necessary part of their work, something that requires you to show up, follow the rules, and get it over with.

So, what's love got to do with it? To me, the answer is obvious. The essence of great service IS love. For example, when you deal with people who love their jobs, you can feel it. When companies love their customers, you notice the difference. And when love is in the air, (love of work, love of coworkers, love of the chance to make a difference, love of the opportunity to touch someone's life, love of the moment and what wonders it brings, etc.) you find less problems there. It's fair to say, when love's in play, we know the people care.

I'm talking about Real Love. I'm talking about a relationship based in, built on, nurtured by, and developed through service. What does that have to with work? It's simple. Without the principles of love to guide you, your relationships grow complicated, people turn sour, and communication becomes progressively more difficult and non productive. Painful even. Yet serve with love, and you find fulfillment. I believe it was Albert Schweitzer who said "I do not know what your future holds. But one thing I know: The only ones among you who will really be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.

The principles of love in service include making your customer feel welcome, by giving a greeting and getting a name, honoring your customer, understanding their perceptions and doing the little things that count big, healing your customer when problems occur, by focusing on emotions before focusing on solutions, keeping your promises, doing what can be done instead of talking about what can't be done, educating your customer on how to receive the greatest benefit from your organization's products and services, solving your customers problems with good record keeping and reports, and digging deeper to get what's behind the surface, and advocating for your customer's needs and interests.

And yes, sometimes, you have to use the principles of Tough Love, because when customers behave badly, a more strategic response is needed. But done with love, in the spirit of love, bad behavior isn't so tough to deal with after all. As long as you know where you're coming from, you have the better reference point than merely reacting to someone who clearly needs a little love.

Perhaps the binding principle of love is that you win when your customers win, that you find fulfillment when your customers find fulfillment. Otherwise, what do you have after an interaction? You'll never get back the moments lost to dealing, coping and waiting for it to be over. I think that's why life's true meaning can only be found in the powerful side effects of loving service to others.

The meaning of your service presents itself to you, in those often unexpected and surprising moments of clarity when you experience the reality that someone's life has been made better as a result of the service you rendered.

So, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee in my waking hours, and enjoy these happy days.

Franchising

Customer Service in Your Dollar Store Business

2008-06-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges faced by every dollar store business owner is how to staff so that there are just the right number of employees on duty to deal with the customers that are shopping. Having too many employees means they are likely to be standing around. At the very least employees will be looking for, and finding trivial tasks that don't add to the overall profitability of the store. Payroll expenses will be too high for the workload and sales in the store. Having too few employees means that employees cannot keep up with the workload. Customers will likely not be greeted when they enter the store. They will also be waiting for help in finding items and in checking out when they are ready to pay for their selections. While payroll will be more in-line, employees will feel stressed and overloaded with work. Customer retention will likely suffer, as shoppers will not feel that there is good customer service in your store.

The ongoing challenge is finding the right balance. For most store owners the decision will be to have the store slightly under-staffed rather than to over-staff. When executed properly, this strategy can result in the lowest possible payroll cost for the business. While employees will feel as if they are busy throughout their work-shifts, they don't need to feel over-worked. If done properly customer service does not need to suffer in the mix either. In this article we will focus on customer.

There are a variety of steps that can be taken to make the customer feel as if they are important. Simple practices such as assigning the cashier who is closest to the front door the task of saying a simple 'hello' to everyone who enters the store can have a huge impact. This can be done without taking away from sales transactions that are in-process. That one simple action makes shoppers feel as if they are welcomed into the store.

All employees who are on the sales floor need to make it a practice to say 'hello' as they are performing their assigned work. If they are checking prices, or locating items for another shopper, or preparing the store to close, that simple gesture is important. Those 'hellos' also do much to let potential shoplifters know that there are employees out and about in the store.

At the cash register there are several steps that can help those who are waiting in-line for service to be more understanding. For example rather than shouting 'next' cashiers should make eye contact and then invite the next in line to come to the registers with an request such as 'May I help you?' or 'May I help the next person in line?' It is also helpful just to acknowledge those waiting in line to pay. A quick smile and, 'I'll be right with you' or something similar is very helpful. The same goes at the end of the transaction. Make eye contact, a smile and then say 'thank you' at the conclusion of the sales transaction.

The power of a smile cannot be under-emphasized. Every customer contact should include a smile. It sets a positive tone, and the shoppers will feel like they are appreciated. Make your dollar store business a place that shoppers want to shop. Establish great customer service practices to deal with every situation. Make sure your employees never forget to smile!

To your dollar store business success!

branding news

The Truth About Why Clients Choose Your Business

2008-06-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

As a business owner you've probably heard about three criteria people use when deciding to do business with you. Consciously, or subconsciously, people do business with people they know, like, and trust.

Of course you must deliver a quality product or service but that's not enough. Options are abundant so when it comes down to making a choice, how a person feels about you can make the difference between choosing your company and choosing someone else.

So how do you become known, liked, and trusted? It's all about being authentic and sincere. You can't fake this stuff so don't even try. Make it a habit to keep these three factors in mind as you work in, and on, your business.

If you're a solopreneur then it's all about you and who you are. If your business has employees then they are included as well and each employee can directly impact whether or not people know, like, and trust the company.

In addition to people, it is possible to know, like, and trust a brand. It isn't always about an individual relationship. So whether it's all about you, a group of employees, or a brand, this concept applies to all businesses.

Let's take a closer look at each of the three reasons people choose your business.

KNOW

The way you get to know someone is to build a relationship over time. You exchange ideas and information and develop a connection. There are many ways your prospective clients can get to know you better. Here are few:

- Spend time together with you in person

- Talk with you on the phone

- Read your e-mails

- Read your articles or books

- Listen to an audio recording you created

People have a choice of who they do business with, and it's logical that they gravitate toward people they like. Think about it, when is the last time you invested in something from someone you didn't like?

Find out how likable you are by taking the L-Factor Self Assessment from Tim Sander's book, The Likability Factor. Here is the link to download your free assessment and find out how likable you are: http://www.timsanders.com/images-downloads/l-factor-self-assessment.pdf.

TRUST

Trust is built between people when you are open, honest, and keep your promises. It's about doing what you say you are going to do. So it's quite simple. It's about being impeccable with your word (which is the first agreement in the book The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz). This is about showing up on time, delivering when you promise, and keeping your commitments just to name a few. Make the choice to be true to your word you will create trust.

You can't make people know, like, and trust you. They either will or they won't. What you can control is who you are and how you act as the owner of your business.

Are you starting to see how building the 'know, like, and trust' factor can help you attract more clients and increase profits? Ask yourself often if you are creating a business that invites people to get to know you, see what you stand for, and builds trust. Do this and you will ignite your business!

accounting payroll news

How to Keep Customers From Leaving

2008-06-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

Four years ago my husband received his first paycheck from his new job so we decided to celebrate. We went out to our favorite sushi restaurant for dinner. The excitement and pleasure we normally experienced was soon shattered by disappointment and a little rage.

The wonderful service we received was replaced by a waitress who was too busy to take care of us. She had no problem serving the tables to the left and right of us, but we seemed to be an inconvenience. We had to call her over for our order and for refills. She forgot our straws, forgot our wasabi, forgot my daughter's dipping sauce, and forgot my husband's soup. She finally brought the soup and straws upon our second request, but the wasabi and dipping sauce never arrived.

"That's okay," I thought. "Everyone has a bad day sometimes." But then came the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my entire life! It was heavily suggested that my husband and I were LIARS!

When we received our bill, I noticed that we had been charged for two coffee drinks. The problem was that while I had ordered two coffees, we only received one.

When the hostess came by, I explained that I would like the second coffee taken off because I never received it. Her reply, "yes you did. I brought it to you." I looked at her and said, "Yes, you brought me the first coffee I ordered. The second coffee never arrived." She left the table to discuss the matter with our waitress.

The waitress returned and said, "You had two coffees. I picked up a glass." My husband and I looked at her and politely said, "Yes. You picked up the first glass. We never received the second coffee." She then said, "Well the bartender made two drinks." We said, "That may be so, but we never received it." She walked away to discuss the matter with her manager who in turn went to discuss the matter with the bartender.

The bartender swore he made the drink. We didn't deny the fact that he made the drink, we simply stated that we had never received the drink. The manager came to our table and said, "We have a dilemma here. My waitress, the hostess, and the bartender said you received your drink."

We looked at him and said, "We don't deny that the bartender made the drink or that we ordered two coffees (Baileys Irish Cream and coffee, to be exact.), but that second coffee never made it to this table."

Doesn't sound so bad, right? Well, here's the kicker! The manager looked us dead in the face with a look of anger and in a harsh voice said, "Well, I can always go look in the dishwasher for the second glass. My bartender assures me that you are the only ones who ordered one of those drinks."

My husband looked at him in disbelief.

"Did the manager just call us liars?" I asked myself.

My husband simply replied, "Look, we understand your position, but we never received the second coffee. Go look in the dishwasher."

Frustrated, the manger threw his hands up in the air, and with a disgusted voice said, "Well here is what I am going to do. I am going to credit you this drink." No apology. No sorry for the misunderstanding. No sorry for the inconvenience. Nothing.

I looked at the manager and said, "We come here every other week. We never had a problem before." He just walked away-no reply, no words.

The manager came back with the check and a tally that showed the times each of our orders were put into the system. Guess what? The second coffee was not listed on that sheet, but he had written down two times in blue pen and said, "The first coffee was put in at 5:58 and the second coffee was put in at 6:40."

We looked at him and said, "We aren't denying we ordered two coffees; just that the second one never came."

Then my husband added, "Look at this table. Everything from the second order is here. Do you see that cup here?" The manager didn't even look, he just walked away disgusted.

We paid our bill, left a $10 tip since the bill was $100 and we didn't want to stiff the sushi makers, and walked out.

My son, who hates waiting for the bill because he always feels bad when we spend too much money on eating out, had gone outside when we asked the waitress for the bill. The look of bewilderment and anger on my face must have given me away because my son asked, "What's wrong?"

After a little nagging, I finally told him what happened. He looked at me and said, "Mom, you never got that second cup of coffee." I said, "I know and you can bet we will never eat there again."

The moral of this story...sometimes bad customer service can cost you a long-time repeat customer. If you're having a bad day, try to take a deep breath and don't take it out on your customers. And remember, sometimes, employees lie to cover their butts. And sometimes, mistakes just happen.

accounting blog news

Customer Service For Townhouse Associations

2008-06-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

As I think about customer service, it seems like such a generic and overused term today. Googling "customer service" in quotation marks resulted in 378 million responses. Googling "townhouse customer service" brought 3 responses, one in England, one in Illinois and one in Washington, none in Minnesota. Sounds like an opportunity for a resourceful manager! Googling, by the way is not something construction workers do to women on work sites. If you don't know what it is, come see me after the session.

OK, so why customer service? You might have heard that everyone is our customer. That clients are customers, that employees are customers, that vendors are customers. Everyone else is really a customer! Your panelists are actually going to cover all of those areas. So it's all about others, but the following simple sentence puts it all into perspective for me, maybe it'll be meaningful to you: "The entire world, with one minor exception, is made up of others" So, with that, why do I think that these people are experts?

I want to learn from people that are knowledgeable, show hard work and commitment. This group taught me about this during their preparation for today's meeting!In preparation for this 2 hour seminar, I received better communications and planning than I did from my business accountant for all of last year. That sounds like a panel of experts! Thinking about communications with customers, Holly set a new example for me. When I sign an email or a letter, it's "steve" and maybe a phone number. She'll be focusing on The Balance Between Technology and the Human Touch.

Business online blog

Stores, Magazines and Great Customer Service!

2008-06-09T04:42:00.000-07:00

Stores, bookstores, online magazines, they are all different in their own ways, but they are all the same in some ways too. When we, the public, think of any kind of business, we usually like to think of their idea of what good customer service is like.

What happens when you write for an online magazine? What do you contribute and what do you receive back? Have you ever had an surprise package arrive in your mailbox? I write this wondering how many individuals have received their coffee mug and how many appreciate it the way that I do. This article is not about coffee mugs or gifts but more about gratitude. I have always loved companies that think of their employees or customers or of their volunteers and I have always watched --from the background, what happens in those businesses.

Take for example, Barnes and Nobles Booksellers. That store is so tremendous, yet usually they are putting customer service first and formost. Years ago you could go into almost any of their stores and find big comfy chairs and tables and rest rooms and water fountains, public pay phones and even cafes and music rooms to listen to music in. Now that is a store that knows how to treat its customers. So what experience have you had that is similar to experiencing great sustomer service?

Online magazines, in their own ways are stores also. They market articles and their customers are both the readers and the writers. And though there are many online that call themselves magazines, I have to say that I enjoy Ezines the best. Ezines goes one extra step over all the others. And so in this article about great customer service I have to add a THANK YOU!

Thank you! Wow, I do have an attitude of gratitude myself here. Yesterday, when I arrived home, I found my package, a package that I had not asked for. And I had no clue it would be coming in the mail to me so this truly was a wonderful, unexpected surprise in the middle of my day.

There is was, that cool-little white box from Ezine. I opened it up and saw this awesome coffee/tea mug. I love Ezine! It has a beautiful big, red heart on it and the Ezines logo mark. That made me smile immensely. Ezine you made my day yesterday!

Have you ever come home to an unexpected letter or package? What was the feeling that you had as you began to open it? Think back into your life and try to remember that time, that feeling and that occasion. I will be that it was a great day for you and that you remember it like it was yesterday.

There is nothing better than an expected surprise that brings a smile to your face and joy to your heart. What Ezine did not know about me is that I happen to love mugs. Yes, I am mug-craved. I am one of those people who believe there is a mug for every single occasion and yesterday, having no clue what awaited me in the mail, I returned home to discover one delightful package at my home.

First class delivery-priority all the way brought this package to my home. The mug is so cool. And, as an added treat, there is a package of unique coffee packed inside of it. Thank you, Ezine!

entrep

The Eyes Have It

2008-06-09T03:55:00.000-07:00

In the TV show Friends, massage therapist Phoebe is accused of flirting with one of her clients because she got a pedicure, new toenail polish and a toe ring. Obviously - as a massage client, looking down through the hole in the table, Phoebe's feet are the only part of her he can see.

My husband would be relieved to know that my masseur yesterday was definitely not foot-flirting with me! As I peered down through the hole in the table all I saw were some scuffed shoes and a very plain boring floor. As someone who has the attention span of a goldfish I must admit I was a little bored (not by the massage - just the view).

As I sat there peering at beige linoleum I was reminded of my firm belief that as many people as possible within a business should experience the business from the client's perspective.

If the masseur had been in my place, perhaps next time I went back there might be a bowl of water with lilies or even goldfish as a friend of mine once experience while getting a massage in Vietnam.

If all dentists sat in their own chairs once in a while (and felt the terror that many of us do), perhaps they may all have the very groovy television on the ceiling I've heard one Sydney dentist has where you can watch a TV show or movie and pick up from that point next time you come in.

Where do your clients eyes go? If you run a gym, what is there for your clients eyes to go to while they're on the spin bike or on a treadmill. My gym has little motivational quotes on the equipment. What about when you're flat on your back doing a chest press - your client's eyes are on the ceiling - what's there for them?

My eye's always go to the bathroom with me (shock horror) when I'm in a restaurant. If you work in one, head on in there and look around with your client's eyes on (metaphorically of course!).

If you're in retail, perhaps it's your dressing rooms you need to study (see Interaction Enhancement for more ideas on client service and being a dressing room superstar). In real estate the eyes may be focussed on your car (what is that smell?) or the insides of your client's cupboards (the buyer's eyes will almost definitely go there).

Take a moment and be your client for 10 minutes today and change what doesn't delight the eyes.

accounting blog news

A Customer Experience Lesson From Microsoft

2008-06-09T03:06:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago I tried an open source word processor, AbiWord . It's a decent product and does everything you'd expect. I tried it because I was tired of Microsoft Word taking so long to start and crashing so often.

But before long I found myself using Microsoft Word again. Even though its startup and crashing problems remain, it still has something no other word processing software has (that I have found).

It saves me time.

You see, I tend to be a clumsy typist. Always have been. I had hope it would improve with age. It has. I get clumsier every year. Typos, mixed up letters, caps in the wrong place, missing letters. You name it and I do it.

So I am constantly re-typing my mistakes. This takes time. And, what's worse for me, it's disrupting.

When I use WordPad, AbiWord or others, I have to retype a lot. But, when I use Microsoft Word, I don't. It corrects for me. It doesn't fix everything but it fixes most of my mistakes.

This is how technology is supposed to work. And it's how a product makes itself indispensable.

I have no loyalty to Microsoft (though I'm a big fan of Bill Gates). I dumped Outlook two months ago and never looked back. Many of their products annoy me. I have gone out of my way to try to use other non-Word products.

But Word has won my heart. It makes my life easier. It helps me spend less time on the mechanics of writing (typing) and more time on the fun part (creating).

It has become indispensable in my world.

Do your customers say that about your product or service? Do you provide something so valuable they would fight to keep doing business with you? Is your product or service so useful to your customers that they can't imagine doing without?

When you reach that point you have achieved greatness in your field. You have discovered what your customers want and you have delivered it to them.

If you are helping your customers in a way that is remarkable or outstanding then your marketing becomes much easier. You have a story to tell that people will listen to. They'll listen because you can help them accomplish what they want. They are motivated to want to learn more.

Amazing Service means giving your customers what they want. Do this well and you'll have them lined up.

accounting payroll news

Client Satisfaction Is The Key To Success

2008-05-28T13:49:00.001-07:00

In business we are often taught in school and from peers to focus on profits and revenues as the key indicators to success in Small Business consulting (or at least that is how we are measured against others in our industry). I am going too respectfully argue this point simply because if you are completely focused on having the highest revenues and in turn driving more profit to your bottom line you are losing sight of what I believe is the most vital and critical key performance indicator for any business large or small and new or old.

Complete Client Satisfaction is the only key performance indicator that is crucial to our success in business. When we are focused on taking care of our client's best interest and ensure that we are delivering the most effective level of service, innovative solutions that bring value to our client base, billing them properly and timely only then will all the other stuff (profits, cash flow and anything else) will automatically fall into place.

When our teams focus on providing only the best quality support and the right technology solution that meet our client's business needs, only then will our businesses begin to flourish and be on the road to complete success (also this is the one least travelled). So why is client satisfaction so important? This is a very good question, when we achieve total client satisfaction we have happy clients who enjoy transacting with us (great CSAT scores), we have clients that pay their invoices on time (cash flow is healthy), our clients easily refer business to our companies (healthy pipeline), the clients we are working with continue to invest in solutions that our companies recommend (increased sales revenues) and maybe the most important reason why it important for our business to have a very high client satisfaction score is this, we will have employees that enjoying taking care of the clients that they are assigned, this will increase staff retention, creating a bond between our teams and our client base and we have a bunch of happy people who enjoy coming to work and transacting with our corporations.

Who is responsible for ensuring that our businesses can maintain a high level of client satisfaction? Ultimately, this is the responsibility of our Directors of Business Development, not our operations manager, not our service manager and not our staff. Why is it important that your Business Development person take the charge in ensuring that client satisfaction remain high? In my experience this is the key person who maintains the relationship between our firms and our vendors, our companies and the local business market and when this key role is firing on all cylinders, our Business Development Director can bring together all components to ensure solutions are recommended to our clients, concerns from our clients can be escalated to our vendor partners openly and rapidly and our overall business goals are met across the board.

In business today, it is important that everyone on our teams understand the goals, mission, vision and values of our company and the effect that having this key information has with our overall client satisfaction. When we have our team aligned with our business goals that client satisfaction is important, our employees and staff are now empowered to make key decisions at our client's office, in our client meetings, with every interaction they are now focused on ensuring that the client is completely satisfied with the dealings that they are having with our businesses. It is very important to our business success to empower the teams we have in place to make critical business decisions that is aligned with our business goals, mission, vision and values.

We must also always deliver what our clients are asking for, this is another critical area to ensuring that our clients are satisfied, take steps to understand what they need and what they are looking for. There are many great tools available today to assist in the information gathering, however, no tool that is available (surveys, newsletters or other technology) compares to face to face interaction. It is important to maintain a balance of face to face interaction with other communication methods. We must get up from behind our desks and visit the people we are taking care of.

Client satisfaction is the golden egg to success, especially today during the uncertain economic times we live in today; don't worry about the price of gas or the investment in time. When we take of our clients they will ensure that they take care of us. When we have our businesses focused on ensuring that we are creating a positive experience with every client interaction we are definitely on the road to success. Here is my formula to success in small business IT consulting:

High CSAT = Profit and Revenue

Low CSAT = Broke

accounting payroll news

The Mammoth, The Dodo Bird, The Dinosaur - Is Common Sense Next?

2008-05-28T13:13:00.001-07:00

I recently paid a visit to a local "Everything's a Buck" store to pick up a stack of greeting cards for church. When I got to the checkout, I noticed a sign saying "We accept VISA." Great! Often those Dollar stores don't take credit cards because of the fees charged by the bank. That meant customers needed cash or a check to purchase merchandise.

I said to the cashier, "Do you take Mastercard as well as VISA?" "Yes," she replied. I ran my card through the card swipe and got an error message. The cashier cleared the machine and had me run the card again. Another error message. She cleared the machine again and had me run the card. Once again, an error message appeared. We did this once more, still no luck.

She had me hand her my card. She looked at it and said, "Do you have another way to pay for this? We don't take Mastercard."

I calmly asked (honest, I was calm), "So the part where I asked if you take Mastercard...?" "Oh," she said, "I thought you said Discover." I asked, "Do you take Discover?" The reply, "No, just VISA and debit cards."

Now, here comes the really scary part...She turned to the new cashier she was TRAINING and said, "It's really important that you listen to the customer." No kidding!

Poor customer service, unfortunately, isn't hermetically sealed into "Everything's a Buck." It creeps out the door and ends up in restaurants, offices, auto repair shops, and doctor's offices. Poor customer service has become the norm. And, there is a direct correlation between the growth of poor customer service and the decline of common sense.

Businesses need customers. Businesses with employees need sales to cover payroll. Treating customers as an easily replaced commodity creates a business environment that's sure to create a drop in sales resulting in Cash Flow Extinction.

Poor customer service kills small business's greatest advantages. Let's take the local hardware store as an example. Hemmed in on all sides by big box competitors, Ye Olde Hardware store can't compete on price. There's got to be something else that cause customers to bypass the big box and shop at Ye Olde instead.

If you add to Ye Olde's troubles by offering poor customer service, the business environment gets really tough. You've removed the strongest advantage a small business or professional practice can offer. Along the rocky road, customers leave, business drops off, and the business slides deep into the Cash Flow Swamp.

The flip side of that slimy, algae-covered scenario is this. Use customer service (and well-trained customer service people) as your number one best business practice and you set yourself at least one giant step above your competition.

Then, if you can train your employees to become excellent helpful and suggesting salespeople (Think "Do you want fries with that?") now we're approaching something that resembles improved cash flow.

And by the way, excellent customer care is a perfect justification for charging higher prices. Let's use a day spa as an example. The drugstore and department store shelves are lined with products to make you look younger, feel better, have fewer wrinkles, etc. For eight bucks you can get yourself an at-home beauty treatment guaranteed to take years off your face. Yet, spas attract hordes of people looking for the same results while they're paying way more than eight bucks.

Why is that? Spending the day at a spa goes far beyond slapping some goop on your face in your bathroom while your kids are knocking at the door and your husband wants to know if you've seen his other black sock Spas create a customer experience, a sense of pampering and care that no mere jar on a shelf can ever offer.

Creating a customer experience can be done in any business. Consider the auto repair shop that advertised to women. Women could come to the repair shop and not worry about getting taken advantage of. Terrific. Almost. When the women arrived to get their cars fixed, guess what they found? A dirty, greasy waiting room, hunting and fishing magazines on the banged up coffee table, calendars with bikini-clad models, and a bathroom that encouraged women to say, "I'll wait til I get home.". A consultant set the business owner straight and the waiting area was transformed. The business prospered. It's all in the details. A well-created customer experience changes your customer's perception from thinking that your business should be selling "Everything for a Buck."

continuity disaster recovery

Look For Good Customer Service

2008-05-24T00:59:00.000-07:00

Where has the service gone? Do we really want to go in to a place of business and not be greeted? Are the employees really being paid so low that they do not care about their job or their customers? As consumers do we really not care anymore about the service we get when we walk into a place of business.

It is sad that we have gotten so busy that we just walk in to a store get what we want and pay for it and then leave. We do not care if the cashier smiled or even said a word, as long as they are quick and we get out. What ever happened to hello or how are you? If a cashier asks, how you are, it is almost like they have wasted our time, we shrug them off and out the door we go.

Retail stores now think they are giving better service with their self-check out lines. Not dealing with human beings is considered better service? Doing it all yourself is better service? With self-check out the customer has to scan their own merchandise they have to bag it themselves put the money in the machine, there is no smile, or no hello, or no one to say thank you for shopping with us and have a nice day. And this is better service?

There are some people who do not mind this kind of service if that is what we are calling it. But there are still people out there who want the attention when they go in to a business. These people what to feel like they are the only customer in the store. They want to have small talk with the cashier and they are very happy when the sales clerk asks how they are doing. Those customers are more than likely to return to that place of business before going somewhere else.

Maybe service is just the way we should treat people. Or the way we expect to be treated in return. Probably more like the golden rule is to treat others the way you would want to be treated. And this really should be done at a place of business and at our own places of business. We should treat our co-workers and our employers the same way, with respect and consideration. We should smile at them and ask how they are today. If a supervisor or manager of a department asks one of their employees to do something it should be done with kindness not demand.

Sometimes we get busy and someone above the supervisor needs something done so they snap at their employee to get it done not meaning to upset him or her. But we do not stop to think how we should say it or how we would want it said to us. Once again we are so busy we do not stop for the service, we just want it done.

It might be wise at this time to mention a service that most businesses can use to help with their service issues. Hiring a secret shopper is a great way for a business to evaluate their service and sales skills. A secret shopper can be an unbiased voice that can help showcase good skills and highlight not so good skills at the business. Businesses that are looking for a secret shopper can find information on the internet about hiring a secret shopper. Let us all make an effort to provide better service to our customers, our co-workers and each other and if hiring a secret shopper will help, do it!

continuity disaster recovery

Professionalism Tips - 4 Ways To Show Customers They Can Trust You With Their Business

2008-05-24T00:31:00.000-07:00

Professionalism can be defined as conducting your business with complete respect for the feelings of your prospect or customer. It is vital for you to convey professionalism to every prospect and client, as they will not trust their business to a person or company that does not respect them.

Here are four tips to keep you on track:

1. Loosen up at the same rate as your prospect or customer. People look for a company and business with a similar style and personality as them. If your prospect wears a suit, you need to wear a suit. If your customer addresses you as "Mr. West," you need to address her as "Ms. Edwards."

In fact, it is even better to stay one step ahead. If your prospect wears khakis and a button-down, you should wear a light suit. If your customer calls you by your first name, continue to address them as Mr. or Ms. until they ask you to use their first name.

Keeping up your professional appearance and manners is vital to gaining customers and keeping them.

2. Avoid bringing up personal matters in a new business relationship. This goes along with the first point. Your prospect is looking for a particular level of professionalism. Let your prospect introduce personal information before volunteering your own.

Many businessmen and businesswomen believe you must get buddy-buddy with a prospect or customer to have a good relationship with them. In reality, prospects and customers are not always looking for friendship--sometimes it is just business.

Wait for personal cues from your client. If you become too informal too fast, they may view you as unprofessional, disrespectful or even untrustworthy.

3. Bashing competitors is taboo. When competitors are brought up in conversation, the natural reaction is to go on the offense and begin bashing them. Never, ever do this. As far as you know, your prospect is currently working with that competitor and actually hired them personally.

You should believe in your product so much that you don't even view yourself as having competitors. If your competition is brought up in a sales meeting or other such situation, all you need do is list a few ways your product is different from that competitor and, therefore, better.

Bashing your competitor may get your point across, but it will also probably wreck your image and lose your business. Blasting rivals is highly unprofessional.

4. Be punctual for all appointments. Never leave your client waiting. Not only is lateness unprofessional, it is insulting. Your prospect's or customer's time is no less important than yours. They have meetings to attend, calls to make and letters to write just as you do. To be late to an appointment is to tell a prospect or customer you do not value their time.

Make sure you are on time to every appointment. If the appointment is not at your place of business, it would even do well to be two or three minutes early.

Punctuality is an absolute must for every professional. Show your respect by being on time.

As business places become laid-back, professionalism is becoming overlooked and underrated. Never fall into the trap of informality. Prospects and customers want to work with people and companies that are professional and respectful.

Follow your customer's lead in loosening up, avoid personal matters, don't bash your competitors and be on time for all appointments. If you obey these four rules, your prospects and customers will see you as a professional and will trust you with their business.

Business online blog

Customer Engagement - 7 Principles To Fully Engage Your Customers - Part 2

2008-05-23T23:52:00.000-07:00

There I was...excited to dine in a popular steakhouse with my wife. After all, this night was to celebrate her final day of coursework in her professional degree program. Although we eat out regularly, we especially were looking forward to dining on this night.

The food was good, waiter was good, service was good...in general, no problems. Afterwards, I told my wife that we won't be going back to that restaurant anytime soon. Why? Because "good" was not my expectation. If I wanted a "good" experience, I would've taken my wife somewhere else with "good" prices. In business, your price point says a lot about the promise you make to your current and future customers. In this case, the high prices (which I don't mind paying) suggests an exceptional, not "good" experience. As a customer, I am expecting the business to create a total service experience...which happens to be Principle #4 from the 7 Principles to Fully Engage Your Customers (which are listed below).

Here they are:

Principle 1: Be eager to serve

Principle 2: Be welcoming

Principle 3: Create an inclusive atmosphere

Principle 4: Create a total experience

Principle 5: Turn customers into ambassadors

Principle 6: Offer a gracious goodbye

Principle 7: Earn your customers' confidence...reap the rewards

Principle #4: Create a total experience

Creating a total experience begins with having the right people in the right roles. It means that the greeter must be the person with the most welcoming personality on the team and have the biggest smile. It also means that every person the customer comes in contact with should not only like other people, but they should be happy and excited to be of service. That may sound trivial, but I've been in many businesses where the front line employee's demeanor is sending the message of "leave me alone...I don't want you here". Perhaps the biggest thing to remember about creating the total experience is that the experience is comprised of many touchpoints. Touchpoints may vary from answering the phone, to escorting a customer down the hallway; the point is that the overall experience is built on individual touchpoints. At the end of my service experience with your business, if you ask "Overall, how was your stay with us?", I will be responding to the overall experience.

Principle #5: Turn customers into ambassadors

Turning customers into ambassadors is about fostering loyalty. Successful businesses don't measure their success by the amount of new customers they get, they measure success by the amount of business they receive from their existing customers. This is sometimes referred to as organic growth. You want your business to be the first choice when existing and potential customers want to purchase a particular product or service. It doesn't matter if your business is selling rooms, food & beverage, ad space or even hospital beds. Your customers need to know that you look forward to serving them again in the future.

Principle #6: Offer a gracious goodbye

Offering a gracious goodbye is an extremely important principle, yet it can be very easy to bypass. Some service providers feel that after they have given the customer what they paid for, then service is done. Not so. Everything has a beginning and an end. Service is no exception. The purpose of the gracious goodbye is to thank the customer for their patronage. The customer did not have to patronize your business. Every customer should be reassured that their decision to spend their money with you was greatly appreciated. In fact, one best practice is to inquire if there is anything else you can do for your customer. And this is after you have provided the customer with what they came to purchase in the first place; no matter how small the request. After serving my coffee, ask "is there anything else I can do for you?" or some variation of it. The point is that your customers should feel like your job's main purpose is to not just meet, but exceed their expectations.

Principle #7: Earn your customers' confidence...reap the rewards

The rewards here are not just repeat business and referrals. Rewards are knowing that you have made a positive impact on someone's day. You should be confident that the service that you and your team provided made a difference in how that customer views your industry. You are not just doing a job, you are representing your team, your company, and your industry. Like any relationship, earning your customer's confidence is about building trust, and trust is built on doing what you say you will do every time. When I pick up the phone, browse your website, or visit your facilities, I should feel confident that the service will be one of two ways: Just as good as the last time I visited or better than the last time I visited. That is how trust is built.

So commit to fully engaging every customer you have. Use your team huddles and department meetings to engage your team in a meaningful dialogue about the importance of engagement. As customers become more savvy shoppers, simply competing based on fancy equipment or "bells and whistles" won't suffice. Today's customers want to feel like you value and appreciate their patronage, or they will simply go somewhere else.

Let 2008 be the year where exceptional service is not just a buzzword or flavor of the month. Commit to not settling for "good" or acceptable service delivery from your team and yourself. Only exceptional service will do. Fully engaging your customers requires dedication, commitment, and action. Follow the 7 principles, and your customers will always follow you.

Written by Bryan K. Williams

Franchising

Improve Listening Skills For Enhanced Efficiency And Productivity

2008-05-23T23:27:00.000-07:00

With all the talk about honing our communication skills, we rarely hear about improving our listening skills. Yet those are just as important.

Good listening skills are especially critical in a business environment. Listening attentively saves valuable time throughout your organization. As you know, time is money.

People who listen carefully make fewer mistakes. Customer orders are handled correctly the first time, eliminating the costs involved with fixing problems, reshipping merchandise, and issuing refunds or credits.

Your operations run more efficiently as well. Employees fulfill their duties without constantly asking for clarification. An added benefit is that there is less chance for misunderstanding, which in these litigious times can be costly.

These tips will help make you and your staff better listeners:

Complete existing tasks before addressing a question When approached, politely say, "Let me finish this first." Trying to do two things at once shortchanges both.

Overcome distractions Loud radios, chatty co-workers, and ringing phones make it difficult to concentrate on the speaker's comments. Find a quieter room to continue your conversation.

Concentrate on the speaker Lean toward the person slightly and maintain eye contact. Turning one ear toward the speaker can help as well.

Keep your mouth shut We have a nasty habit of interrupting while someone else is speaking. That is rude. Also, in doing so we tend to arrive at the wrong conclusion. Wait until the person finishes speaking before formulating and delivering your reply.

Take notes Not only does this help prevent misunderstandings and errors, it shows that you are paying attention. While taking notes you are less likely to open your mouth, as discussed above.

Listen between the lines A grumpy or surly attitude may not be caused by anything you've said or done. The person may be under duress due to personal or professional problems. Gently probe for the underlying cause and take that into consideration.

Recognize your biases Perhaps the person has a strong accent, speaks slowly, is from another culture, or is dressed oddly. Any of these, and more, can cause you to develop opinions about the speaker and get in the way of good listening.

Becoming a good listener does not require a lot of work. Focus on what the speaker is saying, and ignore competing noises and other distractions. You will be rewarded with a more beneficial conversation.

continuity disaster recovery

Important Customer Service Tips

2008-05-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

In the world of business providing the best customer service to your customers is essential in order to expand your business. The type of service they get will determine the reputation of your company. So, it is very necessary that you master the skill of excellent customer service to master your business. You will get a brief idea about the Customer Service Tips in the following article.

This article provides you all the necessary and the important Customer Service Tips that you will require while handling your business. You will have to make sure to the customer that he is attended carefully and his needs are taken into consideration. Always talk about what you can do to the customer rather than speaking about what you can't do for them. Greet them within 20-30 seconds when they enter your office.

While on telephonic conversation, use the name of your customer at different points in the call. Always remember to ends all of your calls by saying "Thank you" or a verbally pointing out towards the appreciation of their business. Be sure that your voice and tone synchronizes with what you are saying because many times can contradict the message completely. It is always good to take extra efforts and time to make your calls meaningful as well as service oriented. Make them feel that they are very special.

Some customers might be irate. Let them vent and do not interrupt till they complete their talk. You can diffuse their anger by saying that "I apologize" or "I'm sorry". Then you also take a step forward by taking a proper follow-up for the customer. You may re-contact the customer that everything is going on well and that the outcome ois satisfactory. Don't forget to ask them if you can do anything else for them.

Customer Service Tips also includes you going to the extra mile. You can attract your customers by including a thank-you note in the customer package, writing a congratulatory note if they get a promotion, sending a birthday card on their birthdays, clipping the article when you see their name, etc. these are some of the different ways through which you can be in touch with the customers and bring them close to you.

Remember money is not the only matter that will invite customers to your office. If you want to win your customers, you have to master all the necessary skills mentioned in the article above regarding Customer Service Tips.

fundraising

Small Business Owners - How to Conduct 'Champagne' Customer Research on a 'Beer' Budget

2008-05-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get vital information about your customers. In most cases, you simply need to ask your customers what they think about your service.

Following are a few very cost-effective ways to get vital information about your customers'wants, needs and expectations:

1. Start a 'MYSTERY SHOPPER' program

Many organisations in retailing, hospitality and service industries use this valuable tool for assessing organisational efficiency and staff performance based on set criteria such as their individual Customer Service Standards.

To do this, you can employ a professional mystery shopper service or simply write a set of standards that you want for your business and employ someone to 'be a customer'. For example, if you had a fashion store and 'add-on sales' were lower than you expected, you could get a 'mystery shopper' to visit the store and rate staff on their sales skills. In this case, the staff member serving this 'customer' would be assessed against the standard for your business on how complementary goods are offered to customers. Say, for example, you were selling swimwear, then the sales assistant would be expected to offer a sarong, beach towel, beach hat or beach bag (depending on your product lines) to go with the original purchase. If it were a men's wear store, you would expect business ties to be offered with the sale of a business shirt.

Getting back to the 'Mystery Shopper' idea - other criteria by which you assess staff might include:

* How long the customer waited to be offered assistance
* The actual greeting used by the staff member
* How long the customer was left in the change room before being offered further assistance
* Whether further add-on products were offered to the customer
* Whether the customer was thanked and invited back

The 'Mystery Shopper Customer' then writes a report stating how well the staff member met the organisation's criteria. This information provides a wealth of knowledge about your customer service and can be used positively to motivate staff, by publishing good reports in newsletters and on noticeboards. It also identifies gaps in staff training that you can act upon immediately.

2. Develop CUSTOMER SURVEYS and FEEDBACK FORMS

Develop a Customer Survey Form that can be included with information mailed to your customers or put with customers' purchases. Ensure these are available at the counter so that customers can complete them on the spot and place them in nominated boxes. Some customers may prefer to remain anonymous, so allow them to send the surveys back using a prepaid self-addressed enveloped marked 'Private and Confidential'.

It's easy to get ideas for what to put on your 'Customer Feedback Form'. Simply pop into any major retail store and get a copy of their Feedback Forms. Then, change it to suit your individual needs - and you have instant Customer Research!

Most customers are techno-savvy, so make sure you have a section on your website that allows interactive communication from customers and enables them to complete feedback forms and surveys online. For an example of a company that does this very well, visit Tradelink www.tradelink.com.au.

They have an in-depth six page questionnaire that covers stores in a range of geographic areas and assesses performance on products, stock levels, face-to-face service, availability of staff, telephone service, sales and comments. This is vital feedback...and it's free!

Most important of all - follow up on complaints and suggestions and thank your customers for all of their ideas. We all like to feel 'special' so keep this in mind when dealing with your customers and watch your business take off.

3. Conduct FOCUS GROUPS or CUSTOMER PANELS

Invite your customers into your business to tell you what they think. You'll be amazed at how much you learn - and at how much fun you have in the process. You don't need a big budget to conduct customer research - you just need to think like your customers.

A very successful printing business has the slogan: 'Is our service any good? Ask the customer'. They have these signs all over their stores so you can imagine how good their service is. Would you dare follow this example? You'd have to be pretty good to make such a strong public statement.

Customers often have very valuable suggestions for improving your service, so tap into this wealth of information by asking them to be on customer panels or focus groups to keep you up-to-date with their needs and expectations.

It's also a good idea to run focus groups and customer panels for non-customers to establish what they don't like about your business. You'll wonder why you didn't do this before - it's so simple, yet so effective!

Here's the nitty-gritty of how to run a focus group or customer panel:

Invite eight to ten participants to share their ideas about the business and offer them a small incentive for their time - this could be a monetary reward or gift vouchers to use in your business. Choose a person with strong communication skills to act as a facilitator and put participants at ease. Then, write a series of questions that you want answered and have the facilitator bring these into the conversation in a relaxed way. For example, the facilitator might say 'What do you like most about the ABC Widget?' Follow this with 'What can do to improve the Widget" Make the most of the time immediately after the focus group or panel meeting to build relationships with your customers. Provide morning tea and personally thank your customers for their time and willingness to assist you. Guess which organisation they'll be talking about from now on...

This is so simple! You'll be amazed at how much information you'll get that is invaluable for finding out what customers really think about your service, products, staff, premises - you name it - they won't hold back and you'll be in a much better position to make important changes and improve your performance.

4. Use TELEPHONE SURVEYS to get information about your service

Another simple technique is to use telephone surveys to ascertain what customers think of your products and services. Write a short list of questions relating to your business, including customer service, prices, product range, etc. Contact customers on your database. State upfront exactly how long the survey will take and stick to it. Usually, people will be happy to give you five minutes when they know your organisation.

You could also offer to put everyone who participates in a draw for a prize such as Gift Vouchers for your business. Finish the survey by asking if the customer can suggest ways to improve your service to them. Conduct regular surveys and you'll stay on top of any market trends and meet problems head-on, before they really become problems. You'll also get some brilliant suggestions to build your business.

So, no excuses - start finding out what your customers want ... and give it to them!

careersemp loyment

Know What To Give Your Customers

2008-05-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

Do your employees have excellent real estate property management knowledge ? Do they know what will fit into a 5x10 self storage unit or a three bedroom apartment? Do they have advice they can give a customer as to the best way to store their items so it will fit comfortably into the unit or moving advice? Can they give a good visual as to the size of the unit or apartment and what will fit into it, over the telephone or via email? Excellent real estate property management knowledge is essential, first and foremost. If the employee blows this, then a customer is not going to pay attention to anything else they have to say.

Can they give excellent directions to the facility, rental property or home for sale? Can they give well known landmarks to the locals, while at the same time give detailed and easy to follow directions to out-of-towners, or someone new to the area? If there is several self storage or rental communities in the area, can they make it easy for the customer to know which location is theirs? For example, tell a caller that it is the first driveway past the stoplight, or the building with the red roof. Telling a potential customer that you are the facility or property located next to ABC self storage is not a good idea. Instead mention crossroads or other popular travel paths. If you have a large mall or industrial park nearby people might be able to associate that location as nearby your site or property.

Are your access hours occasionally flexible for special customers? Construction workers, salespeople, doctors and landscapers can be great customers, but they may need odd access hours to accommodate their working schedules. Offering to stay a little later to accommodate these customers will show in their appreciation and their loyalty to your business. Some self storage sites will allow certain customers with pre-approval to have 24 hour access to the site. These customers have been cleared with the owners and extra information is usually on file if needed. Also, by charging an extra fee for extended gate hours will keep some folks away. The average renter does not usually need extended hours and will find the time to go to your site when the regular hours are posted.

The first thing to do to make your real estate property management staff the best that it can be is basic training, no, not push ups and sit ups. Rather, the basic training about the ins and outs of the self storage and rental property business. Accomplishing this will allow you to make certain your staff is well trained. There are many different companies out there that offer training. Doing some homework to make sure the training you are paying for fits your business will allow your training dollar to go farther. On-going training in sales and customer service will keep your staff the best it can be.

Real estate property management is a job that many people can do. You must have some customer service and field experience to be successful. A good balance of people skills and great selling techniques will go a long way in the real estate property management business. Make sure your business is up to date on their sales and service skills and your business will profit.

ethics news

How Critical Is Customer Loyalty To The Longevity Of Your Online Business?

2008-05-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

There is always a tendency, especially with less experienced business owners or entrepreneurs to spend all or most of their time seeking out new business or new customers.

Although it is very important to seek new customers on a daily basis it is also critical that we develop and maintain a good relationship with our present customer base. It is hard enough to get a customer in the first place, so we should try our utmost best to keep that customer for the long haul.

You might have seen businesses starting up in areas that are not conducive to business, yet they have survived the test of time and have gone on to become highly successful enterprises.

On the other hand you've also seen businesses that have opened up in highly trafficked, conducive neighborhoods with all the right conditions in place, yet after 6 months they wither and die. You pass one day and see the building up for lease or sale.

Now you must have heard this in the past many times about the importance of location when starting a business, but is it the deciding factor in the success or failure of that business?

Although location plays a vital role in the decision making process - most times customer loyalty is the critical element that decides the fate of that business. Below I've taken the time to list four reasons which I think is very important in creating and maintaining healthy customer loyalty.

=>1. A loyal customer is a repeat customer. This is a customer that know you and know what to expect from you and your business.

A mutual relationship that is built up over time between you and your loyal customer will create a bond - where they will stick by you and support your business even sometimes at their own inconveniences. Yes they will. Repeat business is vital to your business survival.

=>2. Another powerful feature of creating and maintaining customer loyalty is the word of mouth advertising that occurs.

Say you have a grocery store and you've developed a good relationship with mom. As time goes by mom recommends it to dad, kids, brothers and sisters, neighbors, co-workers and soon you have a viral effect happening. You soon become a shining light to a lot of people in that community. Wow! That's powerful!

=>3. To take this a step further - you've developed a relationship with the households in the area, but then you realize that the community is made up with other businesses. Furniture store, barber shop, bakery, insurance office etc.

Now establishing a good relationship with these other businesses is priceless! When you have other business owners and operators recommending your business to their customers, you have now created a solid foundation for your business.

=>4. Perhaps the most important reason for developing and maintaining a loyal customer base is the fact that most times the initial order is just a setup for greater things.

Repeat business is when customers will buy in greater quantities, or purchase more pricier items after they have developed trust in you and know that you have their best interest at heart. Repeat sales can become the bedrock of your business over time and as I said before - can be the deciding factor in the success or failure of your business.

Establishing and maintaining good relationships with your customers is critical in developing customer loyalty. If handled well this could lead to a long and lasting business which will continue to grow exponentially over time.

advertising blog news

How To Tell If HR Hired The Wrong Person

2008-05-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

It's Monday and your new class is set to arrive and begin day 1 of training.

You have high hopes for this class as the new hiring recruiter; the one with the innovative hiring practices has personally hired this class of 22 agents. Your assistant trainer is pacing the class room floor in anticipation. At ten minutes to 8- they start walking through the door, all fresh faced and ready. You smile and welcome each of them as your heart drops to your stomach as you start calculating your attrition rate for the class.

Oh No! To hit your goal of 10%, you'll need to retain 20 of these smiling shiny faces! You might be in trouble...

How to tell if HR hired the wrong person:

During introductions, the individual tells the class "I was fired from my last job because of cursing at a customer" or "I lost my last job for a no call no show" or" I could not call in because I was in jail". You know they might have hired the wrong person.

When training over system "hot keys", the new hire began checking his own pockets- you know they might have hired the wrong person.

You know the wrong person was hired when they type with one finger, closes the entire screen when asked to minimize or (the biggie) they have no idea what a mouse is.

Another way of telling that the wrong person was hired is if they have no clue what words such as appropriate, courtesy, or empathy mean.

When excuses flow like hot lava erupting from a volcano, you know, of course that you have hired the wrong person.

Finally, when after two days in training their name appears in the paper as a fugitive from justice. You know with out a doubt that you have hired the wrong person.

Oh well, there is always next class.

Special thanks to Sherry Beasley

branding news

Business Management - Customer Service Is Overlooked

2008-05-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever visited a store and decided to leave before you bought anything because the employees working there were rude or too pushy? I have and I'm sure you've had at least one experience like this. Customer service is one of the most overlooked aspects when running a business. Managers tend to think that customer service will just fall into place. However, that is not the case. It is an aspect of business that needs to be worked and improved upon, just as you would work on sales and advertising.

There are a number of reasons why customer service is so important :

1. If you have good customer service, your customers should feel a personal relationship with your employees. This helps increase customer satisfaction and loyalty with your company. An increase in these two areas alone will boost your overall business performance.

2. With the continual increase in competition in today's economy, good customer service is necessary just to survive. If your clients do not feel that they are receiving the attention and concern that they need, they will go elsewhere, simple as that. You can perfect all the other areas of your business, but if you lack customer service you will lack customers.

3. Even your company has very few competitors, customer service is still important when it comes to keeping your business rolling. Customers will come to your business more frequently if they are treated with respect. If your business is associated with a pleasant experience, it obviously will be a place that people want to go.

4. News travels fast. If your current customers are happy with your service, you will get new, future customers by word of mouth. People always take recommendations from friends and family. If your customers like your business and the relationship that they have with your company, they will recommend it to others.

5. Trust is a huge factor. When customers are happy with the service they receive and establish a trusting relationship with your company, they are more likely to feel more comfortable spending more money. Make sure your employees know your company's expectations. When employees know the specifics of what you expect out of their service, then there is no excuse for anything else.

No matter what type of business you are running, customer service is an absolutely critical aspect. A business with poor customer service will never be successful for long. Do not overlook this - it can help your business stand out from the rest. Your success depends on it.

change management

Flip Flop Training

2008-05-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Trainers- the odds are stacked against you.

How can I say that? I don't even know you or your training style. Let's think about it for a moment or two. You have a room full of adults from different backgrounds and skill sets, looking to you to train them on Everything they will need to know to do the job they were just hired to do. Wow- I guess you better get hopping. You have a huge job ahead of you! That's when I say- "wait a minute, we are in this together". This needs to be a group effort.

How do you turn the tables and make learning a group effort and why even try? Think about it this way.

Statistics show that people generally retain information at the following levels:
90% of what they say as they do
70% of what they say or write
50% of what they hear and see
30% of what they see
20% of what they hear
10% of what they read

If the information retention rates above are correct, it would appear that the best results would come from a trainer that understands that training must include the whole person. The person needs to hear it, read it, say it and do it to actually have the best odds at retaining the information.

Sounds exhausting. How do you this?

Have you heard or tried the 70/30 method?

As the trainer, how much of your training time do you spend in front of the class, actually speaking? For most, I would you say 70% is a good guess. The other 30% would be divided between the trainees reading and participating in learning activities. Am I close?

At my last site we flip flopped the percentages to 30/70 with the trainers training 30% of the time and the class self training the other 70%. While it sounds odd, this actually made a tremendous difference in the agent's performance and reduced training attrition.

Give me a moment to explain what the Flip Flop to 70/30 means, how we did it and how it reduced training attrition. While this is no magic pill to aid all that ails training, it is a fresh idea that most of my trainers loved. You can't win everyone over and that is fine.

Trainer Prep:
The trainer divides that days topics/lessons (using the curriculum outline) into manageable segments
The class is divided into small groups that are for the current day only.
The groups change each day to stimulate increased participation of all trainees.
To determine group size follow this simple formula: divide the days topics into the class headcount = group size

After the trainer starts the day with a review from the previous day and clears up any outstanding parking lot issues the small groups are given their topic for the day and the line up of when they will be presenting their topic
The groups are given approximately 45 to 60 minutes to research the topic, prepare flip charts, PowerPoint presentations or create an activity in which to train the rest of the class.
The groups have full access to all needed materials i.e. computer systems, lesson plan, training manual, white boards and flip charts with markers.
The group line up is posted in the class with approximate time lines
Each group then trains the class with their presentation.

Trainer responsibilities during the group presentations:
The trainer and training assistant are present at all times and are available to assist the groups during the preparation time.
The groups are encouraged to create interactive hands on activities to reinforce the lesson they are training--- and they did!
The trainer manages the time and informs the group as they near the end of their allotted time.
The trainer aids the groups when a question is presented and they have are stumped, stepping in to assist when it is apparent that no answer is available.
Trainer reinforces the material at the end of the day with an end of day review.

Tying the Results back to the Flip Flop:
Having the trainees so deeply involved in their training shifts the responsibility of learning from the trainer to the trainee. We found that the small groups were so creative in their presentation that the other students were able to understand and relate to the material very quickly (this was validated with higher test averages). We also noted that the trainees were more apt to bond with each other and show signs of becoming an actual part of the company faster than with our old training style. We also found that with the increased interaction and investment on the part of the trainees, they came out of training more knowledgeable and better able to grasp the concepts from class. This was validated over and over through higher quality scores, lower handle times and lower attrition rates over previous classes.

Give it a try and see what you think of our Flip Flop Training. I would love to hear your feedback and results.

Business online blog

Weekly Quality Flag

2008-05-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Let's Fire Up the Teams to Drive Quality!No doubt about it, maintaining high standards of quality in the call center world can be a challenge. Call Center information changes are more frequent than the weather changes in Texas and I'm sure that you have heard the old saying about Texas weather. If You Don't Like the Weather in Texas... stick around a minute...it'll change!

One terrific way to drive overall site quality performance is by creating a long term team competition. A well run competition can be a sure way to drive performance, improve employee morale and have a little fun! I love this program because the team that is in 1st place holds bragging rights for the next week and that's when the Quality Talk starts flying!

Quality Flag
Try this idea to help drive quality and team spirit in your center by recognizing the team with the highest quality average for the week (or month to date).The rules are straight forward and easy to communicate to all participants.

Competition Summary:
1.Each Supervisor Team will create a Team Quality Flag decorated by the team using ideas that represent the team as a group. I.e. A supervisor named Brandy might have a team named Brandy's Bull's and have a Bull theme to their quality flag. 2.Once the flags have been created the competition can begin.3.After the previous weeks Quality Stats have been announced, each team that meets or exceeds the Site Quality goal will have the honor of having their team Quality Flag in their designated area.4.The team with the highest Quality average for the prior week (or month to date) will have the honor of having their flag posted at the site entrance for all to see! Bragging rights naturally follow the 1st place team.

Good Luck!!!

Flag Decorating Rules
Each team must construct a team flag the size of a standard poster board. The flag must contain either the first or last name of the supervisor. **Please do not include agent names as teams may change**

The flags and basic decorating materials will be provided by the company. Additional materials supplied by the individual teams to add to the team's unique style are welcomed. Flags will be supplied for any new supervisors as necessary.

Each team will be allowed two 30 min sessions to have a team meeting and decorate the flag.

Each team must have their finished flags turned in before the 1st of the month. This allows 2 weeks for team brainstorming and actual Flag decorating.

Quality Flag Competition Rules
Each team will display their flag continuously as long as the team Quality average remains at or above the site goal. If a team falls below the site goal, the flag must come down until the score is again at or above goal.

The team with the highest Quality for the previous week will have their flag displayed prominently in the front lobby for one week beginning each Monday.
**The weekly average is from Sunday to Saturday of the prior week**

The score will be based upon in house Quality team monitors.
**Supervisor monitor scores will not be calculated in this total**

Give this quality promotion a try at your call center and watch for rising flags and rising quality scores.Good Luck!

change management

Don't Forget Your Loyal Customers

2008-05-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

In the rush to draw in as many customers as possible, companies fail to remember those who have already given them business. The idea of expanding your customer base is so ingrained in the minds of most business owners they don't think about who they already have in their rush to get more.

Getting new people to shop with you is always going to be harder than bringing back those who already have. Trust in a company is an important part of choosing where to do business. The more I trust a company the more likely I am to give them more business again.

But many companies focus only on the initial sale and not the return business. This is especially true of things that are only bought every few years. A car dealership might not worry about keeping in touch with customers because how often do most people buy a new car?

Just because a service isn't needed very often, when the time does come for a person to buy another car, you want to make sure you're the one they go to. For any kind of business this is going to be the case. If you focus on only the moment, you're potentially losing future business.

Because of this your company needs to be careful to encourage previous customers to keep coming back. You've already proven to them that they can trust you. Why not use that trust as best you can to ensure a strong, loyal customer base?

With how easy it is to keep track of sales and other customer data your company should be easily able to get a list of former customers. Go back as many years as you want to get the largest pool of people possible. The smaller your business is the farther back you'll be able to easily go.

There are a variety of ways to keep in touch with different customers. Postcard printing is an effective way, especially if your company has a larger customer base to focus on. The great part about using postcards is how cost effective it is to target a large crowd.

Unlike when dealing with people for the first time, you by default have a certain amount of good faith established with these people. They've shopped with you and they know what they can expect when they come in again. Because of this the focus you need on your postcards is going to be different.

You don't need to describe what your business is and why it's so good because they already know this. Emphasize upcoming specials or other sales that might encourage them to come back in. A well-designed full color postcard can be as simple as an invitation to come back in again.

Sometimes all it takes is a reminder for a person to feel like coming back. You want to make sure your name is always at the front of their minds when it comes time to go shopping. Postcard printing is a cheap enough method of keeping in touch that the cost of sending out those full color postcards is more than worth the return business it will generate.

accounting payroll news

Employees Drive Customer Loyalty

2008-05-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

According to research studies over 70% of customers will stop doing business with you because of how they were treated! This does not mean they had an issue related to quality or price (only about 20% total leave for those reasons). They leave because they feel they were not treated up to their expectations. Further only 4%-6% of all customers will express their dissatisfaction to someone in the business; most simply take their business elsewhere.

So what can you as a business owner do to prevent this? Well there are a number of steps that you should be taking already...

First getting a better understanding of what your customers think about your business. This will help you identify the areas that need improvement within your business. This should be the cornerstone to any business who is customer centric.

This feedback can be gathered in many ways. For example your staff, as they interact with customers, is probably already getting some of this. Another common method is having someone on the management team speak with customers as they come in or reach out to call them. Both of these have some flaws specifically in measuring employees and your service. Finally you can institute a formal feedback program. This would include a process of systematically asking your customers to provide feedback that measures the core areas of your business and why (or why not) customers are doing business with you.

Second you need to hire, train and manage your employees in ways that build upon the image your business is putting forward to the public. Employees who are customer focused and believe in and represent your brand will inevitably be an asset to both you and your customers and contribute to building loyal customers for life.

Using the data you have gathered you can classify customers into 1 of 3 categories -

Detractors - These customers have done business with you and have generally decided not to continue to do business for some reason. These folks often will tell friends and family why they should also not do business with you.

Passives - These are customers how have done business and will continue to be repeat customers but are not particularly loyal to you. These are the customers that are ones that are often lured away by your competition or who will not tolerate any mistakes.

Advocates - These are your loyal customers. They will generally be there with you through good times and bad and will tell others about how great you are. These are the people that give true meaning to word of mouth marketing.

We can also classify employees into a similar set of 3 categories -

Detractors - Those who are negative and will not only be willing to leave your employment, they are also not properly representing your business and may actually be working against you with both current and potential customers.

Passives - These employees are happy coming in and performing their job. Their performance is often average to above average and they deliver the proper brand image and message most of the time.

Advocates - These are the real superstars. They are eager to help others; they serve the customer and represent the brand and company in a way that far exceeds other employees. They often tell their friends and relatives how great the business is and are also providing word of mouth advertising.

What we know is when hiring employees they are not automatically one of the 3 types. They become Detractors, Passives or Advocates based on the interaction they have with the management team. How they are managed and trained will shape them into one of these 3 categories.

The way in which you hire, train and manage staff will be reflected back to you in the form of customer loyalty. The next time you are thinking about how to grow your business and increase repeat business look to your employees. Customer loyalty is a lot like a skyscraper. It is made up of many floors and needs to be maintained to remain in peak shape. The foundation of the most successful businesses begins with its employees.

accounting payroll news

Updating Your Business Plan Using CRM Strategy

2008-05-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

As wonderful as it is to see lasts year's business plan work, it is still vital to update that plan for this year. Often time companies get so wrapped up in their end-of-the-year work on a plan that went well that they neglect to tweak it for the next year. A sales process that works may not need to be changed, but people change and companies change. Fine-tuning your messaging and lead generation efforts is necessary for progress. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is about increasing the positive experience of working with your company. To accomplish this, you need to commit to planning, evaluate opportunities for growth, forecast, and attend to your client base.

Plan and Evaluate

Planning is a process. Not only do you need to dedicate time out of a busy day to orchestrate a meeting, but also you must build a strategy on what to plan before the meeting. To get the most out of your planning process, choose when and who wisely. When do you like to plan? Who else in your company should you include in that planning process? Establish the most optimal time and brain power for your planning, and work from there.

Working with a CRM strategy will boost your efforts to develop the best plan. Increasing the positive experience your company offers means evolving with people and technology. Evaluate your opportunities for growth. What technology do you offer that can evolve? What tools and resources do you have in place to strengthen relationships with your customers? What kind of trust levels have you established with your clients, and how can you strengthen them? Keep up with the changes that are taking place around you. Continue to improve the strategies that work.

Forecasting

Forecasting is more of an art than an exact science. Customer trends typically run in cycles. It is therefore easier to plan for future revenue from existing clients than future clientele. For clients who have a service contract that is near due, anticipate an 80% renewal rate on those contracts. Even if your renewal rate is currently 95%, it's best to underestimate. If you have less than an 80% renewal rate, you need to completely overhaul your customer service department. Attrition is inevitable, but losing more than 20% of your customer base is a huge problem. If the client is profitable, winning them back should be a priority. Fortunately, many customers who go elsewhere for what appeared to be better service or pricing will come back if you want them. Having worked with a competitor presents an opportunity to use them as references. Remember to track that in your CRM system.

The next step is to tally the total amount of existing customer revenue from last year (excluding service contracts), and multiply that by 30%. This should be the baseline of minimum revenue you should expect from your existing clients. Thirty percent may be high depending on your clientele, but many companies gain more than 50% revenue from their existing customers. In either case, you want to add new clients. Add your average existing customer revenue to the expected 80% renewal rate on your service contracts. This provides you with a solid number to prepare a support and operations staff. The tougher job is to deduce what the company needs to develop for new business and plan accordingly.

Winning Over New and Existing Clients

New business comes from a variety of areas: advertising, lead generation calling, direct mail, email broadcasting, industry publications, trade shows, alliances, and referrals. Have you tracked where your business comes from and how much revenue each source brings? This is important for planning and execution. Outline several sources of business and initially focus on strengthening the top three. Gauging how these sources perform this year will allow you to plan more effectively next year. Take the next three revenue sources and develop a plan to expand those initiatives. Use creativity when developing resources. For example, hold a customer conference and invite manufacturers to review the latest and greatest technology. Remember, many customers cannot go to the national trade shows or send more than a handful of people to attend. Another idea is to hold "training" or "certification" workshops. This would strengthen relationships with your clients. You could charge for some of these events, but you may see huge dividends if you only charged a nominal fee or nothing at all. Include prospective customers by inviting them to your customer conference. Let them talk to your customers and hear their experiences working with you. Invite prospective customers to a client site that would be comparable or larger in size and scope to their future prospect. They get a chance to see your quality of work and speak to a reference first hand. Best of all, you are attending to the needs of your current clients while letting them help win you new clients.

Neglecting to build on last year's business plan will leave you falling behind your competitors. Progress doesn't have to be a costly or complex process. By utilizing your CRM Strategy and attending to the ever changing needs of your clients, you will stay competitive. Focus on your lead source strengths and capitalize on those efforts. Last year's plan worked well last year. Evolve with your clients and ensure that you're celebrating success again next year.

continuity disaster recovery

Introduction To Call Center Services

2008-05-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

Technology is what makes the world go round today. It is the factor for the exponential growth of markets, industries, companies, and products. Technology is what eases the lives of people, and, ironically, it is also what causes us considerable pain.

If you have ever broken a TV, a VCR, or if you have experienced not being able to figure out how to get out of a certain buggy computer program, then you may have experienced feeling helpless and at your wits' end. You may have turned to checking your machine's box for information on how to fix your mess. What? The instructions are cryptic too? Oh no!

And then you spot that unassuming little string of numbers in an unnoticed spot on the box or manual of your gadget. You've hit pay dirt: you now have the contact number of your product's customer service help desk. And so to make the long story short, a nice, patient gentleman or lady greets you and helps you back into sanity.

This is an average consumer's mundane encounter with customer service as routed to a call center. While you can always complain at the office of the service you subscribed to or the product you bought, let's face it, most of us would rather stay home and call someone than drive all the way, only to be frustrated all the more. With calling customer service, even if you get angry and throw a temper tantrum, at least no one would see the smoke coming out your ears.

You may not realize it, but a call center may well be a cornerstone of your life as a consumer. When you need to pay your bills, when you need help with the services you are subscribed to, when your gadgets go haywire, when you make a call with a plea for someone to assist you, you are actually accessing a call center.

Call center agents make your life easier by helping you through your technical and service messes, but they do so much more aside from that. Beyond the technical support, the help or complaints desk, the billing service, call centers play a more important role in the dynamics of consumer satisfaction, and even sales, beyond what you can imagine. Call centers actually have several other services that encompass all consumer needs that the world's industries have been able to identify so far. This chapter will help you get familiar with the basics of call centers, the types of call centers, and other rudiments that will answer the question "What".

So join us, as we take you through the world of the call center, contact center, virtual call center, and its variations.

entrep

Checklist for Giving Great Customer Service

2008-05-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

A while back, I wrote an article on getting great customer service. It received a significant response, so here's a little bit from the other side of the counter. If you want to be known as the service person people remember, try these tips:

Look at the customer.

For heaven's sake, make some eye contact. I will walk away from a salesperson, a customer service representative, or even the appointment secretary at my doctor's office if he or she won't give me the courtesy of acknowledging my presence.

Present a professional appearance.

If you're a man, don't sag your pants. Customers aren't interested in looking at your underwear or what's under your underwear. If you're a woman, keep your bra straps out of sight and your midriff covered. You're at work, not a club. Cover up your tattoos during the business day. Self-expression is fine, but some customers are turned off by an excessive amount of body art or piercing. Leave your message tee shirts at home, especially the ones that have to do with bodily functions or sex. And while you're at it, watch your mouth, too. The workplace is not an appropriate arena for filthy language, especially within customers' hearing.

Keep your mind on your work.

Talking on your cell phone or holding a long gossip with a co-worker is just plain rude if there's a customer waiting for your assistance. He or she probably isn't interested in what Tanya told Jerod and vice versa. You're at work to do your job, not to entertain your co-workers.

Give answers that consist of more than "yes" or "no."

If you're out of something, don't just mumble, "We don't have that." Find out when more will be arriving. Offer to call or e-mail the customer when another shipment arrives. If you really want to bond customers for life, tell then where they can find the item, even if you direct them to the competition. They won't forget you. They'll come back because you helped them. Guaranteed.

Solve the customer's problem.

Don't argue. Don't justify. Don't disagree. Don't tell the customer, "You have to understand our policy." If you can't do precisely what the customer wants, offer up what is possible. And if you don't have the authority to resolve the customer's issue, find the person who can. Right away. Customers' time is valuable. Don't waste it if you can't help them.

Remember that customers are not an interruption of your work. They're the reason you have a job at all.

ethics news

Surveys - Consumers Opinion Or Verdict?

2008-05-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

This is an attempt to find the meaning, relevance, types, and methodology of surveys in consumer industry with especial emphasis on online surveys. Some advantages and disadvantages to the customer are also listed.

Survey is a method to obtain Consumers Opinion., covering one or more aspects of the product or services.

Surveys prior to launch of the product or services help to gauge the market trends and preferences and post-launch survey identifies the level of acceptability of product and so that ways and means could be found for improving their market presence.

As all views, comments, opinions, reaction, suggestions or information of "consumers' verdict" as are factual and hence needed to be fully evaluated before survey results are finalized. Surveys contribute immensely to market research. For example (an X brand air conditioner was super in performance and price compared to other brands in the market but it was not in demand. Survey revealed the consumers' choice and a lighter model introduced later was a runaway success.

Opinion Polls, Popularity surveys, product Surveys, Population Surveys, telephonic leads for personal or home loans etc. come under the term survey. These are conducted either online or off line. However, or focus is son online surveys. Online surveys are either web or email based. Web based survey will be of greater advantage over other forms of online survey.

Before commencement, a survey format is designed by the research team to include all the points intended to be surveyed. Simple and direct questions will evoke genuine response. Lengthy, leading, offensive or too personal questions should be avoided. Then competent and well trained team or teams are chosen to conduct the surveys smoothly and on time. . Time and topicality are interred connected to the subject and ongoing events in many surveys viz. opinion poll before scheduled elections or players popularity at a given time.

With the advent of computer era and revolution of Internet, Online surveys are most preferred as it involves no personal contacts or any appointment or time or place. The customer can respond to online surveys sitting at home or from place they happened to be present. Often the surveys begin after the contacted person agrees to be surveyed and all the questions are to be answered online in the designed format. It takes about 7 to 10 minutes in general and you get some rewards.

Advantages

To Customers:

1. Opportunity to express their views or opinion on a product or service.
2. Product betterment and price cuts
3. Costumers Glory and awareness
4. Boost to Consumer movement
5. Gifts and prizes

To Business:

1. Identification of market presence
2. Important clues to improve their product and market share
3. Customer data base
4. Publicity and advertisement

Disadvantages

To Customers

1. Frequent disturbance
2. A farce or rigged survey
3. A disguised sales campaign
4. Misuse of consumers responses for other purposes
5. Possible leakage of Contact details
6. Scam or hoax surveys

To Business:

1. Costly
2. Distorted or inconclusive or fragmented results
3. High pitch demand or expectation from Consumers
4. Vulnerable to exploitation of product weakness by competitors
5. Wary consumers and frequent shift in options

accounting blog news

Whatever Happened To Customer Service?

2008-05-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Whatever happened to good old customer service? There was a time when delivering great customer service was the number one priority of any business. Today, I am sure the (SOP) standard operatingprocedure of any restaurant highlights the importance of great customer service. But its a long wayfrom the manual to the implementing stage.

We all love to eat out. Millions of dollars are spent eating out every day through out the world. Weas customers set the expectations on what we desire during our visit. Customer service should reallybegin from the time a customer pulls onto your lot. This is where the experience begins. The areaaround your restaurant should be clean and appealing. Your first impression should always be apositive one.

As soon as you enter a restaurant an employee should make eye contact and smile. This is soimportant. Surveys show that nothing makes the customer more displeased than to be ignored.Some restaurants are good with this. Most are not. Perhaps you think I am generalizing, but Ieat out alot. In addition, I am a former Restaurant General Manager with 2 decades of experience.

The customer has to be the most important thing in your universe from the time they enter untilthey depart. What you do in-between will define success or failure for your bottom line.

Greet your customer with a smile, make eye contact and then make small talk as you seat them.I always taught my waitresses the importance of being sincere to every customer. Talk to them,not at them. The most vital aspect of good customer service is the ability to listen. That's right, listen.

Hear what your customer wants and needs. Of course the waitress can go above and beyond butthe product has to be excellent as well. In addition the restaurant has to be clean. (QSC) quality,service and cleanliness. The big three in the restaurant business.

The best customer service I ever got was at a Italian restaurant here in Hickory, NC. They followedall of the points I set above and went beyond. When I prepared to leave with my family it was raining.

One of the employees held an umbrella over my head all the way out to my car. They did the samefor my family. I was very impressed. It is hard to find that kind of service anymore. For the mostpart the service we do see is not sincere. Perhaps times have changed. Younger people work theentry level jobs in restaurant and "respect" isn't what it used to be in previous generations. I hopethat once again, customer service will become a noticeable priority in restaurant world.

accounting blog news

The Importance of Proper CRM KPI Implementation

2008-05-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Call centers all over the world exist for one sole purpose, and this is to make things more convenient for the end users of the companies they work for. Ironically, the mere act of contacting a call center representative is far from boasting convenience, as it should. Have you ever tried contacting a call center to report, let's say a product defect, or just to ask for technical support regarding products and services? If you have tried, then you surely must have gone through pressing so many prompts just to get a live person at the end of the line. And when you do talk to that live person, the line just goes dead.

Now, how frustrating is that? What's more, this is just one of the many frustrating things that can occur in any call center setting. Thus, there is a need to implement CRM KPI, or customer relationship management key performance indicators.

In the scenario mentioned above, who is at fault here? Is it the customer service representative? Or has the caller fallen victim to the occasional hazards that come with technology? Whatever the reason may be, one thing is for sure: the CRM KPI implemented here are faulty, resulting to the unpleasant and very frustrating experience of the caller.

You have to understand that customer satisfaction plays a very vital role in the success and growth of a company. Thus, there is a need to implement key performance indicators to measure customer relationship management. Keeping good customer relations can very well lead to customer satisfaction, and these KPIs are implemented to keep track of the performance of all employees towards achieving this goal.

And that is not all. Any business or organization, at the time of its inception, would have certain goals and objectives that they want to achieve. The typical call center, for instance, would surely have these corporate goals and objectives that it wants to achieve. For the most part, businesses would have a span of roughly 5 to 10 years, for the achievement of these goals and objectives. Customer relationship management would surely be one of these major goals and objectives.

However, it is so easy to become engrossed with the immediate goals and objectives any business wants to achieve, especially in the context of call centers. You see, call centers have a lot of figures to deal with, such as monthly quotas and performance appraisals, that the long-term goals just might be shelved off for a period of time to give way to the short-term goals at hand. But with the implementation of CRM KPI, the tool would actually serve as a constant reminder that there are long-term goals to be achieved. Thus, the attention of both employees and the management staff would be called accordingly.

Where CRM KPI is involved, always remember that it is the perception of the customer that sticks out here.

Thus, it is important to choose KPIs that can accurately measure just how satisfied a particular customer is with the service that has been provided to him or her. If your KPIs can answer this accurately, then you would know that your tool is on the right track.

accounting payroll news

CRM Software - How To Make Customers Feel At Home

2008-05-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

For customers to feel like their opinions matter to a company is very important to many of them. Most people want to feel as if they are needed and valued in some way, and this is true not just in their personal interactions, but in their professional interactions as well. Because of this, more and more businesses are using CRM software in their dealings with customers. This is not the only reason for the use of this software, but it is part of what makes it so appealing to companies that want to have good relationships with their customers for a long time to come. These companies know that CRM software can be used quite easily to work with names, addresses, and dates, but that there is much more to it than that. This software also helps to keep track of conversations and customer complaints, and it makes it possible to email customers with new information, sales offers, or surveys that they can complete.

CRM, or customer relationship management, software is a great way to make customers feel like they are valuable, but it is also an important tool for the company, especially where the sales force is concerned. By storing information on customers, it is very easy for a salesperson to feel more at ease and have a better idea what a customer might be interested in. This is valuable for a couple of reasons. First, it does not waste the time of the customer by inundating him or her with useless offers that he or she would not be interested in. Second, CRM software helps the salesperson use his or her time more effectively by providing a clue as to what each customer might need and want. This does not mean that every salesperson-customer interaction will result in a sale, but it does raise the chances of making a sale and helps the salesperson to seem more knowledgeable about the situation and the customer, which are both good selling points for any company.

Customers who feel important and salespeople who feel knowledgeable are going to work better together. When a customer feels uncomfortable, or like he or she does not matter to the company, the chances of that customer taking his or her business elsewhere go up. In addition, there are a lot of salespeople out there who do not really know that much about their product, and this does not inspire any confidence in the product or the company on the part of the customer or potential customer. CRM can help individuals to avoid all of this by providing software that makes understanding and keeping up with the customer-salesperson interaction much easier. There are so many new options for CRM software today as well, and this can make a company much more eager to try it out. There are many free trials that can be utilized, and a company that does this will be able to pick the right CRM software for its sales force before spending a lot of money. This savings can be passed on to the customer.

Self Storage Customer Service

2008-05-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

Self storage has become a very competitive industry. There are many parts of the country where it is not uncommon to see several different self storage facilities within a short distance of one another. And nowadays almost all self storage companies provide their customers with basically the same types of security and amenities. All self storage facilities have some kind of access panel so only customers can get into the area. They are equipped with door alarms and video cameras. And most locations usually have an onsite manager living on the property.

If two storage facilities are located very close to each other, and offer virtually the same amenities and prices, then what differentiates the two of them? It is the people. And the excellent customer service that these people provide.

Everyone is accustomed to okay customer service in this day and age. We see it everyday at the bank and the grocery store and the dry cleaners. If anyone was really rude or incompetent, then that would stand out in our minds. But as long as the customer service is all right, then everything is, well, okay.

The service at a top notch self storage facility needs to be more than just okay. That is what everyone has, and what every customer is expecting. Going above and beyond good, to excellent customer service, is what is going to bring about devoted customers. These elated tenants are the people that are going to rave about the self storage facility, tell their friends and families and coworkers how fantastic this location is. And all business people know that word of mouth is the best and the least expensive form of advertising available. Plus, these loyal customers will keep coming back to this self storage location anytime they need self storage, or boxes, or a rental truck, etc.

The only way to get employees with awesome skills is with awesome training. They need to first learn the very basics of their job, and to be able to do it almost in their sleep. They need to be familiar with how to use the computer and answer the phone and how much stuff will fit in a 10x10 self storage unit. Anything they do not know from memory they need to be able to find the answer to quickly. Nothing says poor service more than incompetence!

Once the employee is proficient and feels comfortable with their new position, then the training needs to go deeper.

The way to get the best possible customer service skills out of employees are through proper training. They need to be trained on the basics of their job, but the training needs to go deeper. They need to be taught the little intricacies that go along with it. Often these things are a learn as you go type of a thing. But even more often seasoned employees forget to mention it to the newbie. A written step by step check list needs to be gone over with new employees to be sure nothing vital has been neglected. And the list needs to be updated, as this is an ever changing industry.

Veteran employees also need to be periodically updated on new information. It is vital that everyone stays on the same page. Nothing says incompetence and poor service more than two employees saying different things.

Demystifying Analytics

2008-05-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

Analytics: The very term seems designed to confuse. Yet, it's everywhere - CRM analytics, market analytics, website analytics - and everyone seems to be using it. If you're wondering what the fuss is all about but didn't know whom to ask, we have news for you. Read on for a crash course!

Let's begin by saying that your state of bewilderment is not entirely out of place. Most experts agree that there is no set definition of analytics, and vendors use the term to describe different things, as it suits them. The well known research and consulting firm Gartner has tried to set the confusion at rest with a definition as follows: "Analytics leverage data in a particular functional process (or application) to enable context-specific insight that is actionable." If you're none the wiser, let's de-jargonize that statement. Simply put, it means that analytics helps to collect and interpret business data and convert it into wisdom, that can form the basis of future action. For example, a study of the visitor behavior on your website using analytics might reveal a high dropout rate before the buying process; this leads to further investigation which might tell you that the shopping pages are too cumbersome to deal with.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) analytics is widely used as a tool to improve business' insight into customer behavior. This can help answer many questions that dog marketers - for example, how can I segment my customers, and which of them have the highest potential? Or, what is the probability that a buyer of product A will also want product B? In fact, CRM software vendor Salesboom www.salesboom.com claims that their web based CRM software can help pinpoint the best and least selling products, identify the biggest or smallest customer, analyze market trends, streamline Supply Chain Management processes and anticipate future growth and other critical business issues. No wonder, more and more marketers are using CRM analytics to crystal gaze, and predict likely outcomes of different marketing actions.

Website analytics, on the other hand, also facilitates similar understanding, but is of greater relevance to businesses that are highly Internet dependent. In our earlier article titled "An introduction to Website Analytics" we talked about how a web based business can leverage this to understand visitor behavior, evaluate effectiveness of online advertising and study its impact on sales. If your business falls into this category, it may be well worth paying www.onestat.com and www.iwebtrack.com a visit.

Analytics also plays an enormous role in the world of finance. It helps bankers, economists and financial strategists assess risk, study costs, analyze assets versus liabilities and do a lot more.

While these are just a few examples, it is crystal clear that analytics can find application in virtually any business. It improves the quality of decision making by providing greater insight into past history and creating a scientific model for predicting the future. No longer do professionals need rely on gut feel alone. Analytics has made managing and understanding data ever so easy!

Franchising

Mini Storage And Mystery Shopping

2008-05-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

Private mini storage companies hire people to do marketing research by shopping secretly at certain stores. Mystery shopping evaluates customer service quality, employee involvement and products or services provided. These shoppers allow the business to make improvements from the unbiased reports submitted. The main service a mystery shopper provides is an objective picture of the experience the consumer has.

Mystery shopping has been a form of research for private mini storage for many years, although it has become popular recently due to more people wanting or needing extra income. Someone looking at this type of job should be aware of the many scams targeted towards the work at home job seeker. Never pay a fee to apply for shopper jobs.

There are many good reasons to become a shopper. The top four are listed here.

Number one is the shopper can try new things with this type of job. Hiring on as a shopper gives you the courage to work out at the brand new gym with the great new equipment or to dine at the ritzy new restaurant that just opened. Many different industries hire shoppers including retail establishments, restaurants and fast food joints, car dealerships, banks and service companies, theaters and amusement parks. With mystery jobs you can try new products and services that you did not dare try before.

The second reason is you can take on a different personality. You can dress up in clothes that are not your normal style. You can be the difficult consumer, the prominent wealthy customer or the complaining hypochondriac. You are required to act and pretend to be someone your not. With mystery jobs you act as the customer to get the information the client needs and for that you may have to take on a new persona.

The third reason is mystery shopping helps others. With this job, the shopper helps the private mini storage company in concrete ways for improving their products and services. This might in the end help other customers have a good experience with that company.

The final reason is no special qualities or training is necessary to be a shopper. Stay at home moms, part time workers, students and full time employees are all perfect for this job. With mystery shopping there are no set schedules, so it can fit in around your current work. Men and women of any age and background are private mini storage shoppers

The most important skills shoppers need are honesty and reliability, attention to detail and good communication. They should also have good grammar and report writing ability.

The shopper can choose when and where they want to work since jobs are available in a variety of places. The shopper can choose a place near where you live or work so there is no extra gas or travel necessary. Taking your children or friends along on the job usually is allowed. And the bonus is you are often reimbursed for any purchases.

Private mini storage shopping can be done in their spare time. Earnings range from 100 dollars or more per month for part time to full time incomes of around forty thousand dollars a year. The average pay per assignment ranges from 5 dollars to 20 dollars with video mystery shops around seventy five dollars. Shoppers will not make fast money, but with time and work can make extra income each month.

Mystery shoppers will not make a lot of fast money, but if you like to try new things, experience new characters and help others, you might just enjoy trying mystery shopping.

accounting blog news

Deal or No Deal to Extended Warranty

2008-05-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

Deal or No deal to extended warranty

Introduction
Warranty is a written guarantee given to the purchaser of a new product by the manufacturer, usually specifying that the manufacturer will make any repairs or replace defective parts free of charge for a stated period. Extended warranty is providing service contract for defects that could arise after the manufacturing warranty run out. An extended warranty is coverage for electrical or mechanical breakdown. It does not cover peripheral items, wear and tear, accidental damage, or any consequential loss. The guarantee is to cover the cost of repair and may include replacement if deemed uneconomic to repair. In retail consumer products, extended warranties cost 20% to 30% extra of the product price.

The main reason companies sell extended warranties is because of the huge profits. Consumer Reports magazine about 50% to 60% of what a department store makes comes from extended warranties. Combine that with the fact that an estimated 80% of consumers who purchase extended warranties never make a claim and it's clear how these service contracts can equal huge profits for retailers. The price you pay for an extended warranty is determined by calculating the average maintenance and repair cost of a given item (say, a washer) over the duration of the warranty (say, 5 years), and then adding an amount for "profit" to that figure. The amount of profit can vary considerably, but can sometimes be multiples of the expected repair cost, i.e. the warranty on an appliance with an expected repair cost of $70 might be sold for $250.

Is it worth it?

Consumers do not realize that extended warranties are not offered to the consumer's benefit. For instance, when an auto warranty is offered through a dealership from the manufacturer, repairs on the vehicle are reimbursed at a lower negotiated rate. Some mechanics might fraudulently attempt to defer the needed repair until the warranty has expired so that the ordinary (higher) shop rate will apply. David Butler of the Consumers Union says, "The extended warranty is definitely in the best interest of the company, but isn't often in the best interest of the consumer." He adds, "The Company is much more likely to profit from the extended warranty than the consumer is."

Extended warranties are not a good investment. Consumer Reports, the Better Business Bureau, Canadian consumer organizations, and the Federal Trade Commission as well as the chartered accountant all are against purchasing extended warranties. I believe they are right about it, I think not all extended warranties are a good buy. That is my personal viewpoint and that is what all the consumer watchdogs are saying. "They're foolish things to buy". "They are an impulse buy". You don't go into a store, thinking you're going to buy an extended warranty. The sales person suggests it. Don't be afraid to say NO. There's nothing worse than being pushed into buying something you don't want.

Does extend warranty buys you peace of mind?
Every consumer should ask themselves a question before they buy a extend warranty does the warranty actually buys you is the peace of mind? It's also important to realize that most breakdowns for reasons of "manufacturing defects" occur during the first few months of use-- and thus are generally covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

It seems that these days you can get an "extended warranty" on anything from a blender to carpet. In deciding whether to buy an extended warranty or not, is a risky process. The salesperson makes the extended warranty sound like a hassle-free insurance policy. Even if the extended warranty does sound good, follow this advice: Don't believe everything the sales staff tells you: Sales team often scam consumers by saying that a warranty would cover damage if dropped. However, the warranties had a clause that excluded repairs due to "abuse or misuse." They are going to make it sound like a great deal. Instead of believing the sales team, ask to see a copy of the extended warranty and read it thoroughly. Don't accept a company brochure as a copy of extended warranty information. Ask to see the official warranty. Make sure you understand everything in the extended warranty and don't expect anything more than what's written in the warranty.

Analyze the extended warranty:
Are all parts covered for repair or only certain ones? Remember that some extended warranties will cover the parts least likely to break down. Is the cost of parts and labor covered or just parts? What is the period of the extended warranty? When does the extended warranty start? Immediately or after the manufacturer's warranty expires. (It's best if it starts after the manufacturer's warranty.) What company is responsible for the warranty? If this information isn't readily available, hold off on buying the warranty until you can get it. You may be able to find full details of the warranty online or by contacting the head office of the company. Ask the sales person

1. What happens if the extended warranty company goes out of business?

2. Is there a back-up insurance policy? Who does the repairs? Is it done in-house, sent away to another third-party repair centre, or sent to the manufacturer?

3. Do I have to buy the Extended Warranty now or is there an extended time where I can purchase it?

Finally, buyers should be aware of the way sales representatives are paid. They are on salary (not a very good one) and margins are so thin that they do not get commissions on sales. But they do get a commission on extended warranty sales. That is the reason they try to tell you so many tales of woe about what might go wrong. Buy the item and leave. Yeah, you might lose on an individual item. But if you ALWAYS turn down the warranty, in the long run you will come out as a winner.

Learn from experience
Lesson 1: What you think you bought isn't always what you get
My understanding of extended warranty was completely different (i.e. warranty would be covered for the entire four years, regardless of the number of repairs) then what the sales representative explained things. My understanding was not correct. As a fact, I had purchased a one-time replacement or refund contract that expires after four years or when I made a claim, whichever came first. That wasn't exactly clear in the Protection Plan terms and conditions. As for the service plan description that came with the original receipt, it states that "The Protection Plan....starts on the date of purchase and extends for the life of the plan." Thus unit was covered either way, but this important difference of interpretation had consequences.

Lesson 2: Keep everything that came with the product or you will pay a price Next I learned that it's not enough to return the defective unit: One must bring in all of the various bits and pieces that came with it including original box and all cables? If not, deductibles would apply. For example, failure to produce the original "manual" would result in a penalty of $12.03.

People must remember that they have right to goods that work, and to choose between a refunds, repair, replacement, or part refund if they are faulty. Retailers must provide these rights anyway. Consumers also have new rights to cancel the warranty within 45 days and get a full refund, if they have not made a claim.

Is extended warranty worth it? In most cases, the answer is "No". Therefore, my verdict on this issue is No deal to extended warranties.

careersemp loyment

What Sized Unit Do You Need?

2008-05-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes its hard to figure out what sized unit is right for you. There are so many options to take into consideration when you are looking to rent a unit. Moving can be a difficult and stressful time and trying to figure out which size you need can be rather taxing.

Now let us breakdown the different sizes of the units.

The 25 square foot units can hold some furniture. Like a dresser or chair, a few boxes, and other small items. This unit is for miscellaneous items that would fit in a small half bath. The 50 square foot units can hold some furniture, perhaps a couch, chair, mattress, and some small items. The 75 square foot self storage units are about the size of a large walk-in closet. They hold the furnishings of a one bedroom apartment, but no appliances. The 100 square foot units hold the furnishings of a one bedroom apartment with appliances, or about 100 standard boxes. The 150 square foot units hold the furnishings of a two bedroom apartment or house plus some miscellaneous boxes and such. The 200 square foot units hold the furnishings of a house with appliances and or a car or truck. These units can hold over 200 standard file boxes. The 250 square foot units are the size of a large one car garage. These self storage units hold the furnishings of a large two bedroom home, with appliances and miscellaneous articles. The biggest or one of the biggest units you can find on a facility is the 10x30 units. These units hold the furnishings of a three bedroom home, or the contents of a 40 foot van. It is always hard to figure out exactly what unit would work the best, so it is always good to speak to a customer service representative or manager to figure out which unit would best for your needs.

Self storage units also have a variety of different features to suit your needs. One of these features is climate control. It helps to avoid too hot or too cold temperatures. Other units provide heating for locations that endure extreme cold, like Minnesota. The opposite is true for Florida, here the units have air conditioning. Some self storage units are lighted and have outlets. Other units have roll up doors for easy access for moving large items, and other units have only door access. Some self storage units have carpeted floors and a heated ground floor. Most units are 8 feet high, however some are 12, 14, and 18 feet tall. Units also can have slanted ceilings. Since these have an odd symmetry, the price for these units is usually a little less expensive. Once again it always best to speak to a customer service representative or manager of the facility.

The units you choose depend on what you are going to store. For instance, if you have antiques, musical instruments, or leather it would probably be best to store in a climate controlled unit. If you have heavy or awkward items, a terrace locker would probably not be the best choice. Ladders are sometimes the only way to access these self storage units. Storing motor vehicles is also a dilemma. Boats and cars can be parked inside or out. Different states have different laws, so you must be careful about that legal aspect. These are just a few things to take into consideration when moving into a unit. Never hesitate to speak with a customer representative or facility manager to help you find the right unit.

careersemp loyment

How To Make Friends With Your Loyal Customers

2008-05-03T13:25:00.000-07:00

You can't make friends without talking to people. Even in today's computer age, where people make "friends" online, they still interact in some way. As a businessperson, it is important for you to "make friends" with your most loyal customers. Doing so will not only benefit you through increased sales and positive word of mouth, but will also make your customers happier to be a part of your growth. That, in turn, will lead to more loyal customers and, of course, more profits. But the only way to enter into this type of relationship with your loyal customers is to talk to them.

Ask for feedback

You want to get as much feedback from your customers as possible, both positive and negative. On your product packages, ask for feedback and provide contact information so customers can reach you. When you design your next business card printing, include more than just your phone number and email address: explicitly ask the recipients to get in touch with you and tell you about their experiences with your company.

Make it clear that you are asking for all types of feedback, even if it's not good. Customers who can give you examples of shortfalls in your business are the most valuable of all. You can't fix something if you don't know it's broken.

Use the feedback in your advertising

The feedback you receive from customers is only valuable if you use it. Fix the things that customers have complained about, and emphasize the things that they like. When you do a flyer printing, use it to put your company's greatest strengths on display. Even better, put customer testimonials on them. You will probably have plenty of loyal customers who would be more than happy to let you use their positive reflections in an ad or flyer. Customer testimonials can be tremendously effective.

Keep your loyal customers engaged

Once you have used customer feedback to alter your marketing strategies, don't stop there. Keep interacting with these customers; keep "making friends" with them. Send them postcards asking for more feedback. A good idea is to offer your loyal customers special offers or bonuses, simply for being loyal customers. This can do a great amount of good, as it gives those customers a sense of privilege and honor. They may end up spreading the word about your company through personal experiences, which is the most valuable advertisement of all.

Invite your friends to a party

At some point, you may want to invite your loyal customers to a gathering with you and the leaders of your company. This can be a good way to let them know how important they are to you, and to reward them with an exclusive chance to interact with the decision makers in the company. It can also increase sales, as these customers are very likely to buy more of your product before, during, and after the meeting.

As a business, the best friends you can make are your customers. Never forget that they are the ones who will make or break your company.

advertising blog news

The Key To Balanced Scorecard Banking

2008-05-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Balanced scorecard banking is quite different from the other scorecards that companies use to measure how they are performing in terms of CTQs or Critical to Quality standards. Any business needs to have a standard of reference of what is right and what is wrong. These standards are always based on the specifications of the end users or customers, as well as the financial impact a process will bring.

There are many ways to measure performance. In many manufacturing industries, performance is measured in terms of productivity and quality of the output. In some, like the Business Process Outsourcing industry, performance is measured in terms of average handle time. In almost all industries, though, the ultimate measurement of a process or business output is customer satisfaction.

The results of these numbers are then translated into percentages and are computed against the other metrics called KPIs or Key Performance Indicators. To achieve a balanced scorecard, one must ensure that the average of all the metrics combined is acceptable. Usually, these metric numbers are converted into weighted averages. Some are converted into scale-the most popular of which is the 5-point scale-and are then averaged to see if the results are lagging in terms of basic standards held against the target.

In the financial world, balanced scorecard banking is a determinant of how well a business has placed a strategy in terms of finances. This means that the strategy should be driven across all areas of operations, and the implementation of these strategies or action plans should translate into results. In many cases, if the scorecard is not balanced, statistical analysis then becomes an imperative.

This happens if the variation of the result from what is being achieved is random. There are two causes that can trigger failure-the common cause and the special cause-which will help people identify what solution is appropriate. If a common cause is treated as a special cause, what will most likely happen is likened to adding insult to injury, since the process in question only needs to be changed gradually. A common cause is an occurrence that happens randomly. A special cause is something that happens out of the blue that is unpredictable yet severely impacts performance.

If the issue that impacts the performance of a company-or the pan, as it is called-is a special cause, there is no need to conduct an analysis to bring balance to the performance scorecard. A special cause can be likened to a natural disaster. If there were an earthquake or a typhoon and the production is severely impacted, it is illogical to conduct an analysis because it is obvious that the cause of the problem is natural.

However, if the company is failing in the delivery of adequate service for many reasons-employee behavior, external factors, management decisions, etc.-then there has to be an analysis to determine the real cause of the problem. Only then will one company find the right solution and implement action plans to balance the scores in the Key Performance Indicators. That is the only time one can achieve a balanced scorecard banking situation.

accounting blog news

Working At Home - 5 Tips To Be A Customer Service Agent

2008-05-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

The New York Times has recently released a survey that shows customer service work at home job opportunities have increased by a large amount in United States. Customer service jobs also called call center jobs require employing agents who work at home as customer service agents. The advantage of this type of work is that it provides a steady income to single or stay-at-home parents and the physically challenged.

Customer service agent jobs vary from call handling to technical support. If you apply for such a job, you would need to have the basic essentials, like a modern computer, which has the latest operating system installed on it . You will also need a reliable internet connection, which is normally supplied buy your phone service. Excellent communication skills will be required by you to handle the various customers that you will be dealing with.

How to get a customer service work at home job?

If you wish to get a genuine customer service work at home job that will provide you with a income, then you will find that the under mentioned tips are essential for you

1. The first step in getting a work at home customer service job is to understand the type of employment that you will be applying for. This job will entail that the company hiring your services routes their incoming customer service calls to your home phone.

2. Then you must understand the type of duties that you will be required to be perform. Nearly all customer service jobs include taking and logging orders, processing transactions, providing help and assistance to customers as required by the company that has hired you, etc.

3. You will soon discover the benefits of working at home. Work at home customer service jobs are of great advantage to stay-at-home mothers, disabled people, retired seniors and college students. If you are unable to step out of your home but need to earn a income, then you can select any of the large amount customer service jobs that are available, according to your ability. Since agent hiring, training and scheduling jobs is now being conducted online, you will not even have to leave your home to get a job.

4. Once you decided to work at home, you need to do a lot of homework to select a legitimate home based customer service job. You should start by browsing through the internet to find a list of companies and websites regarding this.

5. When you find a company that fits your requirements, then submit your application and resume to the company. Always take the care to prepare the application properly and professionally, just like you would do the case of any job you apply for.

There are various benefits of doing customer service jobs at home. This is the reason why one quarter of customer service agents in North America start work at home. The convenience and independence of working at home are the two main benefits of customer service work at home jobs.

Every business requires customers and it is very important to retain an empathetic and trusting relationship with your customers. This will ensure customer commitment. Loyal customers will add to the long term success of any business and so their requirements should be dealt with as soon as possible.

This is why there is a overwhelming need for customer service agents. This is a good situation for you, as it will provide more available job opportunities. If you have the ability to do this sort of work, then you can earn a income that will fit around your circumstances.

Employing you as a work at home customer service agent, is of a great advantage to any company. As they will save money on office rent, utilities and equipment. So as you can see, customer service agent jobs benefits both the companies and the work at home agents.

continuity disaster recovery

Call Center Performance Appraisals

2008-05-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

Encouragement is the key to performance. Reward is even greater source of encouragement when it's beyond just words. Call Centers have over the years developed a performance appraisal system that's including all the components of good communication. Nowhere else does appraisals matter so much as much in call centre business, as its all about customer experience which sells and is at CSR discretion, he can make it most memorable or the worst at the same time. Technology has turned the way in the favor of Call centers and has reduced the hassle of managers and supervisors who had to listen to live calls to evaluate the performance of CSR, now with advanced software recording option; the calls can be replayed for evaluation of the quality and customer satisfaction.

A contact center should first offer quality training to the staff and then expect high performance appraisal, otherwise all the activity is useless. Whether you listen to live calls or recorded streaming, you should have well-defined standards for evaluation of scores and it should be pre-agreed with CSR, this way you can be in better position to motivate and advocate the CSR to improve his performance. Avoid such digital recording vendors who consider the length of call as a parameter of quality call, set your own professional parameters to evaluate the quality of call.

One of the best possible made evaluations models includes all the ingredients of good communication. The appraisals is made on the basis of one of the basic elements of good communication and it is expected from CSR to demonstrate these good practices to get good results towards the end for themselves and for the company. The honesty level of the CSR can make real difference and in case the CSR is lagging short of words to depict his honest support, customer experience won't me very appreciable. Next to honesty, performance is evaluated on the basis of the attention that CSR invest in his overall attendance. His reply will reflect his presence and if he is giving hundred percent, favorable comments will be added out of the overall experience. Interest level is also among the factors that are considered during performance evaluation. Furthermore, duplication should be avoided and CSR should not ask anything twice, this creates really unpleasant impression on the caller. Refraining from making experienced based assumptions is really very important; otherwise the call will not be converted into prospect.

Sense of responsibility, control of CSR on the call, friendliness and professionalism are some other determinants of a quality customer service call on the part of CSR. Many other factors need to be considered seriously when making call evaluation, other than just call handling and call quality. No one learns communication skills by birth and for the stuff that has not been able to enter main-stream careers, it's even further a less realistic expectation. Training and skill development of s can yield considerable results towards the end.

entrep

Customer Service For the Internet - How to Impress Your Online Customers

2008-05-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

If your business is based on the internet, you already know how difficult it is to earn just one new customer. The effort it takes to keep a customer is insignificant in comparison, if you use the proper techniques. This article provides key elements you should implement in your internet-based customer service program. Adapt them to your unique business model for consistently astounding results!

Make your communication personal: Have you ever made a purchase online and received an automated confirmation of your order? Chances are you have and it was probably obvious that there was little or no actual human input to that email.

While it might take a few minutes, reply personally to the order you receive. Your customer will appreciate the personal touch. Ways to make your message personal might include mentioning what a good selection they made or some other comment that recognizes them as a unique person.

Promptly thank your customers: This can be separate from your order confirmation email but can easily become part of the same communication. Again, adopt the concept of a personal communication. Mention details and or comment about the unique aspects of their transaction. For example, if they live in a city or State you have a connection with or know something about, mention it. This will help develop a unique relationship with your customer.

Provide honest expectations: Make sure your customer understands what they can expect in terms of the product, service, and delivery. This is best done on your web site by thoroughly covering these issues before a sale is made. You do not want to disappoint your customer. If it is going to take seven business days for order processing and delivery, it is better they know in advance rather than become frustrated over a product arriving later than they expect.

Encourage questions and comments: Take every opportunity to encourage communication with your customers. Even if the communication is associated with a problem, customers appreciate that someone is addressing the issue. Resolving a customer complaint in a positive, professional manner can leave a lasting positive impression with them.

Keep them informed: Take the opportunity to inform your customer of changing status or circumstances. For example, there might be several stages in the order process. These might include manufacturing for special orders, packaging and shipment complete. Also, be sure to include a tracking number for the shipment. It is especially important to communicate unexpected delays. You want to be proactive by initiating communication before the customer develops concern.

Stay in touch: After your customer has received their product or service, follow up with an email or phone call to make sure they are satisfied. This small effort will make a positive impression and might even lead to another sale.

Do not be a pest: This is a cautionary note associated with staying in touch. Constantly being contacted too frequently can become a negative. Related to this is the use of promotional emails. Be sure that customers you send these to have agreed to receive them. You do not want to be perceived as a pest.

Combining all of the customer service techniques presented above will positively impress your customers and set you apart from your competition. People remember when they are treated with a personal touch in the communication they receive. While explanations and examples were provided above, consider each point and adopt details that fit your unique business. Your customers will appreciate the special attention you give them.

entrep

Future Of Online Business And Importance Of Live Customer Support

2008-05-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

It is a very well known fact that online sales will grow in the coming years and hence the importance of selling your products and service over internet. As we all know, a good customer service is a mantra for retaining your customers and it applies to the online business as well.

Today, the websites offer their visitors many ways of communications like phone support, email support, off line query, or live chat support. Phone contact, in most cases works well only for a particular geographical region. If you have visitors from outside your geographical boundary, phone contact may not be best option. That leaves the options of email contact or off line query. Both of these methods work very well beyond your geographical boundary but they do not provide the instant help to you visitors/customers. That leaves us the option of live chat support.

Live chat support works very well beyond your geographical boundary and it is instant like a phone call. It can be very well integrated with your website. Your visitor/customer can be anywhere in the world and you can resolve his queries just like you do it on phone. There are many live chat softwares in the market today and they offer a lot of features and flexibilities. A live chat software with audio alert can help your customer service agents do their job effectively and efficiently. Particularly in the case of small businesses, where multitasking is unavoidable, a good live chat software can be a nice tool.

ethics news

How To Handle The Difficult Customer

2008-05-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

7 ways to convert a challenge into a solution

"Houston , we have problem." Have you ever felt like this famous movie line applied to you and one of your customers?

If you have been in business any length of time, I am sure you have had to handle situations with the occasional difficult customer. You know the type. They have your contract staring them in the face and swear there is no agreement on detail. They demand that your crew work overtime on weekends and holidays to finish their project for a party they planned just last week. They place a call to your office every hour, on the hour, to find out when the Cable Company is going to connect their HBO. These situations are real and they call for special skills over and above your normal amiable, professional self. Here are seven ways to manage these rare and infrequent circumstances.

Know That it is Real

Understand that the situation is real to your customer. It may seem elementary to you, the professional who has experienced it all. To the customer, this situation is new and the uncertainty of the outcome is the most bothersome thing to your customer. Certainty is one of those innate human needs that we all must have. Uncertainty may have created anxiety that manifests itself with anger, accusations or the charge that you are unprofessional. In this case, people may say things that later they will regret. In any event, allow them to vent their feelings. This may give you insight to what else they may be experiencing in their life while you are working on their project. It allows you to get a broader perspective of the challenge and more information to create a solution.

Put It into Perspective

Is this a "code blue" situation? In other words, are lives in danger? Is there a serious threat to your reputation? Will there be severe financial damages? Consider the answers to these questions from your perspective and from that of your client. An honest appraisal of the event will help you to more freely create solutions. Putting the situation in perspective means that you will analyze the impact on your business and should influence whether to set the situation aside and for how long. Once the importance of the challenge is candidly appraised, open communication with the client is easier and hopefully, your client will see it in the overall scheme of the project. By all means, do not take it personally. See it as a situation or an event, not as a definition of you or your customer.

Express Appropriate Sympathy

Acknowledging the challenge and expressing appropriate sympathy for the situation is imperative. When you acknowledge verbally that a challenge exists, your client knows that you have heard them. They feel as though you have an understanding of their plight. This validation settles their mind to a place where they can begin to work with you on solutions. Even if there is a question about who the responsible party may be, expressing sympathy places you on common grounds with your client.

Get the Facts

Double-check the facts of the situation. Do not hesitate to ask lots of questions and take notes in front of your customer. When a story is repeated and verified over and over, the truth tends to surface. Verifying all of the facts creates responsibility. Get clear on as much as possible. You want to know what has created the difficulty. The inquiry itself may set up a multitude of solutions.

Actively Solve the Situation

Work to actively solve the situation. Be proactive in your approach to the solution. A challenge that is unsettled only allows matters to get worse. However, an energetic approach indicates good intent on your part. When the other parties in the situation get involved and actively work toward a solution, a synergy is created. When many people work together on a challenge, good things can happen. Your customer sees your proactive approach as a sign of sincerity. Every solution to the challenge may not be known at the outset. Your active and interested involvement may generate more solutions along the way.

Enlist Expert Help

It may be necessary to get qualified help to solve the issues. This may be in the form of outsourced experts to endorse your position or to verify that a challenge even exists. An objective opinion in many cases will diffuse the emotion of the moment when dealing with clients. An outside expert may offer solutions that neither party had considered. The expert may also help put the priorities of the issue in logical order. Experts may come in the form of engineers, product experts or specialized consultants. The idea here is to get a qualified individual to offer an unbiased opinion with the outcome of creating a solution of the issue at hand.

Agree and Deliver

In all cases, if a challenge with a client is to get resolved, there must be agreement and delivery. My attorney friends may not like to hear this, but our objective as contractors is to keep our clients happy, our companies profitable and everyone out of court. When all of the facts and options for solutions are known, there must be mutual agreement between contractor and client for the way the matter is going to be resolved. This mutual agreement is a huge step, but delivery of the solution is the determining factor of success. It is like my father told us while growing up..."There are only two things that matter, the E's and the R', Excuses and Results." Deliver the results and likely you will regain the confidence of your client. I am not naive enough to believe that every client challenge can stay out of court. I do believe that if we ask enough questions, actively search for plenty of solutions and deliver the results, we can convert the majority of client challenges into client solutions.

Until we have the honor to meet in person, remember, "Success is YOUR choice, choose well."

Franchising

Why Clients Go to Your Restaurant

2008-05-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

There are two basic motivators that propel us to purchase goods:

We need them

We want them Groceries, toothpaste and toilet paper are good examples of items that we need (and most people don't dispute their necessity). However, most of our purchases aren't made because we need them. They don't fit in the first category. We really only need just a few essentials, like clothing to protect our bodies, a basic amount of food to maintain energy, and a shelter to protect us against the elements. In most modern civilizations, we also need reliable transportation vehicle (not necessarily expensive).

These are the items we need to survive in today's world.

But, the reality is that we spend quite a lot of money buying garments that makes us look good, a big house or a fancy car to impress our friends or gadgets and other accessories that gives us pleasure to use and display. These purchases fall into the second category. They are "wants" not "needs&".

When people come to your restaurant, that visit fits into the second category.

They don't go to your place because they need to eat. To feed the body, they could eat at home, bring a meal with them, or just buy food at the local convenience store.

Always remember that your clients go to your restaurant looking for an experience, a sensorial experience.

Restaurants play a very important social role in the lives of your clients.They are a gathering place where people go to be surrounded by other people: friends, family, a date, coworkers, etc.

We humans are social animals and enjoy each other's company, even the company of strangers that we've never seen before and probably will never see again.

This is why bars, clubs and restaurants provide such an important social component.

Did this ever happen to you: you're hungry, looking for a place to eat and there are two restaurants (both you've never experienced) near each other? One of them was almost full, with lots of people and action; the other one looked nice, and the menu and prices were reasonable, but it was empty.

Which one would you choose? I guarantee you that 90% of the time; you will choose the busy restaurant (unless you are out with a big party whereby you are bringing the social component with you). You could reasonably assume that the busy place is probably busy for a reason, and perhaps they have better food.

This could be true, but consider that certain bars and similar gathering places fill up despite offering the same products as the bar next door. After all, a beer is a beer and you'll get the same beer in both establishments.

The reality is that people go to restaurants looking forward to having a good time; more than that, they're looking forward to sharing some good moments with the people they are dining with.

When potential clients walk through your door, they don't come just to be fed and quench their thirst. They come expecting to have a great time, to share good food, good drinks and good memories with their loved ones, their friends, their families, perhaps their date...

Your job as a restaurant owner is to provide them with that great experience that they so much look forward to and deserve.

Try this exercise: Every time people walk into your place, try to put yourself in their shoes. Try to guess what's in their minds. Why are they coming to your restaurant? Do they come with friends? Do they come with relatives? With other loved ones?

Each client is different, and has different reasons for coming to your restaurant. If you can't guess what they are...; just ask them!

Ask your clients if there is a special event that they come to celebrate. Ask them if they have been in your place before (if you don't recognize them), greet them sincerely, the same way that you'll greet a friend. Make them feel welcome to your place. Make their experience wonderful right from the beginning.

One word of advice here: Please don't fake this. If you don't feel like greeting your clients a particular day, either because you are having a tough day or because you are just tired or not in the mood, then ask somebody else in your staff to do it. People are really good at identifying false feelings and fake smiles. It will backfire on you.

Once your clients feel welcome, they will instinctively think that they made the right choice by coming to your place.

But, what if your place is full? (Hey, it happens sometimes :.) If you have this problem, just be honest with them and tell them the truth about the waiting time. I have never gone to a restaurant where I was told that I had to wait around 20 minutes, later realizing that it wasn't true, and I left pissed after 45 or 50 minutes of waiting.

It is better to apologize to them, tell them that the wait could be up to one hour (or any reasonable estimate based on your experience) and suggest them to go out for a drink and come back (you should have a table for them guaranteed if they are willing to do this), or just give them a business card and politely recommend to them that they make a reservation the next time that they want to come on a busy day.

I can assure you that they will be back; if your place is full and you handle the situation truthfully.

If they decide to stay and wait, offer them a complimentary beverage to make their wait more acceptable.

Once they are seated, don't wait to offer them something (drinks, bread, a little appetizer, etc.). People often get grumpy when they are hungry or tired (and specially when they are both!).

Check on them once in a while, but not too much. Especially don't interrupt them if they are engaged in an animated conversation. You and your restaurant are there to make their experience great, not to become the center of their conversation or to stroke your ego by getting compliments from them about you or your place.

Always address quickly and decisively any problem that arises with the food or the service, even if your guests are not right, and you feel that they are complaining unjustly. Think about these guests as your clients, your most important reason for doing business. Your job is to please them and make sure that their experience is the best it can be.

Everybody is unreasonable sometimes. You probably have been, your friends likely have been, so it's likely that you will find situations where your clients will be as well. Don't take it personally.

Think of the benefits of making your clients happy, even at the expense of the profit from their meal. Being understanding and taking quick action will compensate you 100-fold versus having a disgruntled customer that not only won't come back to your place, but will tell all his friends, family members, their colleagues and - nowadays - thousands of other people giving you bad reviews on websites like restaurants.com, Zagat.com, yelp.com, citysearch.com and many other restaurant review places.

A bad review on any of these places can damage your reputation and your place many more times than the cost of the food and drinks, if you refund your guests to make them happy.

Surveys indicate that people make decisions based on other people's recommendations more than listening to the opinion of experts and pundits. Like it or not, the customers are in control, and the best thing that you can do is to try to have them in your side - not against you.

By losing some upfront money to compensate an unhappy client, you not only win back this client (who may come back to your place) but you'll also avoid the negative reviews and badmouthing that will cause you many more future losses.

In my detailed Seminar I dedicate the first 3 modules to your clients and why you should change your focus from being cuisine- and chef-centric into a client-centric business. Leave your ego at the door. It won't pay your bills.

Your clients are the ones who give you the money, your revenue. You can have the best chef in the world, the best food, and the fanciest place; but if you don't attract clients, make them happy and bring them in over and over, nothing else matters.

However, if you provide your clients with what they are looking for; if you can adapt to serve their needs and their wishes; if you can make their experience in your place memorable; you will become a very successful restaurant businessman.

Your clients will love you unconditionally, and will come back again and again, and recommend your place to everybody they know. I guarantee you.

Please feel free to email me with any ideas, suggestions or feedback that you have regarding this newsletter.

Happy Sailing!

Jose L. Riesco

accounting blog news

How To Talk To Your Customers On Their Own Terms

2008-05-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

It's the cardinal sin of marketing, and it's the one that is most frequently committed in every area of marketing, in every industry. I've seen it time and again, not only in the stuff I see on the street, but even in the stuff my own clients initially think they want me to write for them. Luckily, they have me to persuade them to do the right thing, instead.

What is this blight on the marketing landscape? It's what I refer to as "Me" marketing. Pick up just about any brochure from any industry, and you're likely to see something like this:

"Since 1022, we've been doing stuff, giving us an edge. We know more about doing stuff than anyone else around; you can trust us when we say we know our stuff. And we back up our strong history of doing stuff with exceptional customer service, and an attention to detail that makes our stuff much stuffier than any of our competitors."

We're Stuff Doers, your number 1 source for Doing Stuff.

Guess what? Your customer doesn't care about the stuff you do, or how long you've been doing it. You know what else? Your competition talks about their exceptional customer service when they talk about doing stuff, too. And like you, they aren't giving any examples, which means that they are probably lying.

Not that you're lying...I mean, you've said it there in black and white. Exceptional Customer Service. What's not to understand?

Right now, your audience wants to tell you where to stuff it. Which is a shame, because you and both I know you've got great stuff! Your stuff can change your customer's life! You do stuff they never imagined. And your employees will bend over backwards to make sure their stuff gets done right. They'll chase you down in the street if you forget your stuff. They'll check up to ensure you have enough stuff. If you don't, they'll deliver it right to your door.

Wait-why aren't you telling your audience about that??? Don't tell them that you do good stuff...give them examples that show how good your stuff is...more importantly, show how you made a difference in someone else's business!

Generalities are the key to wasting your marketing dollars. If you have something worth saying, then use specifics to illustrate exactly how impressive it is. Give an example. A case study. A guarantee. If you can't use specifics, then there's a pretty good chance that you're either being lazy or you can't back up what you're saying (perhaps because it's just not true?). In either case, you're better off simply leaving it out of your ad or brochure, then raising a question in the prospects mind that you can't or won't answer.

Move on to something else. Something you CAN be specific about. Bite onto something that you can claim as your own, and chew the hell out of it! You'll get a much stronger response from your marketing, and all of that effort won't be wasted on thousands of brochures that no one will remember ab hour after reading it.

fundraising

Keep Your Customers And Employees Safe From Slip and Falls

2008-04-30T23:40:00.000-07:00

Are you aware that one of the leading causes of death today in the United States is caused by slip and fall accidents? A simple slip and fall lawsuit can ruin someone's dream by bankrupting their business. However, there is a product available that will not only make your floors safer, but will, more importantly, protect your livelihood. There is a system that offers a cutting-edge technology that takes slip-proofing to a whole new level.

Slip-proofing technology, which has the potential to make a real difference in people's lives, has remained stuck in the "Dark Ages" with obsolete surface treatments. These outmoded products either wear out quickly, or change the look and feel of the floor, or don't work well when the surface becomes wet. Still others like etching, can permanently damage flooring, by physically roughing-up the surface. However, slip-proofing floors is about to change. This system, on the other hand, offers an amazing product, which is not a coating that can "wear off". This process works at the microscopic level and does not "etch" the floor; rather, it creates a "Tread Pattern" that makes the surfaces slip-resistant. It literally changes the finger print of a normally "Slippery When Wet Floor", making the floor more slip-resistant wet than dry! The best part about this process is that there is no visible change in the appearance to the surface. The look and feel of your flooring remains exactly the same. Further, it is guaranteed to remain slip resistant for a full 2 years.

You really should see this to believe it. A simple 10 minute demonstration will show you how slippery your floors really are and how their product works. The process for testing your floors is the same process used by OSHA to test the slip coefficient of friction (SCOF) of floors. This process will determine if your floors comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and if not, this simple process can make your floors ADA compliant and safe in no time, while showing you something you have never seen before. In addition, applying this process to your nonconforming floors to make them conform to ADA standards, may offer you a tax break. (Please consult your tax attorney or CPA).

This process works on:

Ceramic Tile, Marble, Polished Stone, Terrazzo, Porcelain, Enamel, Concrete, Brick, etc.

accounting payroll news

Using Entertainment to Create Great Customer Appreciation Events

2008-04-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

What's the most valuable asset of any business? No, it's not the product or service you provide... it's your customers or clients. And there's almost nothing as beneficial to your long term business success as finding effective ways to make your customers feel important, valued, and appreciated.

And of course, in terms of developing new customers, finding ways to set yourself apart and offer a little bit extra will go far in bringing new business to your company as well. If you're willing to think outside the box, and take a fun, creative approach, there are some great ways that you can use entertainment and "hospitality" to grab the attention of your customers, clients, or prospects, and show them a great time they won't soon forget.

There are a variety of different types of customer appreciation events that you can plan, and depending upon your type of business and your target clientele, you may decide to have it at your business or to hold it "off-site" at an appropriate location. And you may wish to center your event around a special occasion, such as business anniversaries or milestones.

For retail and sales businesses, you may decide to have an "open house" in which you both entertain and offer special sales or buying incentives of some kind. These are often used successfully for automobile dealerships, for example, but the idea can be adapted to just about any other type of sales related business.

For these types of events, strolling entertainers can be a great attraction to encourage people to attend. Magic is terrific of course, but depending on the tone you wish to set, some other options worth considering include strolling musicians, jugglers, or other variety entertainers.

If you expect children to also be present, or if you specifically want to target parents or family groups, you can also include children's entertainers such as clowns, face painters, or stilt walkers, for example. If you hope to assist parents with sales or other issues during the event, having activities for the children will keep them happy and allow you time to chat with the parents.

You may wish to choose a special theme for your event (such as an Irish theme for events around St. Patrick's Day) to make it more fun and interesting. In this case, you can also choose entertainers that fit the theme, such as Irish cloggers, or Celtic musicians.

For the sales open house, you may also wish to team up with a local TV or radio station, particularly if you already advertise with them, and set up a "remote" event, where the station broadcasts live from your location. This helps to bring a bit more excitement, and of course to better promote all the attractions at your event.

For professional services, such as realtors, financial planners, and health care offices, you may choose to arrange a more formal "thank you" event to wine and dine both your past and current clients, as well as their friends, referrals, and other prospects. These can be held on site if your office has the space, or you can use a banquet hall or other appropriate facility. And the event itself can run the gamut from a simple cocktail hour, to a more formal dinner party.

The more formal affairs call for a slightly different approach to entertainment, but there are still some great choices, (including magic, of course!) A small string quartet or light jazz combo can set a great tone. And you can have a feature performer of some kind, such as a magician, comic, or singer, to provide a great way to wrap up the event and make everyone feel they've been treated royally.

Another approach to these types of events that can be valuable to your clients is to mix the "hospitality" with an informal "educational seminar" and actually offer them some valuable information. This could be estate planning or investment seminars for financial planners; tips on staying healthy for health care offices such as chiropractors; or a short seminar on refinancing for realtors or mortgage specialists, just to give a few examples.

Even with this approach, entertainment can be a terrific addition to help balance out the information and ensure your guests have a truly enjoyable time. The more experienced entertainers (like me) can also customize their programs to fit into the educational theme of your event. For example, using magic as way of illustrating key topic points you wish to emphasize for clients can be a great way to give the ideas more emotional depth and make them truly memorable.

If your business attends trade shows or sets up booths at community business expo's, entertainment can be a great way to grab people's attention, bring them to your booth, or just make them feel special. And at many of these types of shows, you may also choose to provide a hospitality suite to wine and dine clients, in which case light music or casual strolling entertainment can be a great choice.

These (and many other) types of customer appreciation and "thank you" events can be a terrific way to keep your business in the minds of customers and prospects, and even help develop deeper, more long term personal relationships with them. No matter what kind of business you're in, this kind of specialized attention and consideration towards your customers will pay off many times over in referrals, customer loyalty, and repeat business.

fundraising

Customer Relationship Management - Where Is The Relationship?

2008-04-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

CRM - where is the emphasis? On the C on the R or on the M? More and more we see the acronym CRM being bandied about in the business press, CRM or Customer Relationship Management is a hot topic. In the field, consultants have been asked what is the difference between CRM and Customer Service. From a purely semantic point of view - customer service could be defined as something which you do 'to' your customers, whereas Customer Relationship Management is what an organisation must do 'with' its customers.

In real life, in companies there is often a feeling that it would be great place to work if the customers would behave themselves and that customer service is the responsibility of one department that is seen as a cost centre as opposed to adding value! The 'them and us' scenario is alive and well in Irish companies and as things get busier, the gulf between the organisation and customer increases. The Celtic Tiger may have been partially responsible for the development of this culture as there were plenty of customers, the recent down-turn may well lead to a re-evaluation of the approach taken to customers.

The use of information technology as enablers in the field of customer relationship management has been hailed a major breakthrough in CRM, and has spawned its own sub-acronym -- e-CRM. The business press abounds with articles and advertisements on the e-solutions available to bring e-CRM to the 'masses'. More and more companies are investing in e-solutions to redefine and elevate their customer service activities in the organisation, often without the desired effect. . When we look at the e-CRM solutions, are we actually reducing the relationship aspect and increasing the management aspect? But without the relationship will we have any customers left to manage? This brings in another side to CRM, that could be termed h-CRM , where the h stands for human.

To have an effective and sustainable h-CRM system, CRM has to be embodied in the culture, and this can only be truly so if the emphasis is on building the relationship with the customer. The mindset of the organisation from the highest levels down must be focused on the customer, the processes must be customer centric. The strategy and function must be aligned so as to deliver maximum value to the customer. Often, when faced with the question regarding whether or not the organisation is customer focused, management will pull out a mission statement that usually invokes some platitude towards the customer.

So what about h-CRM, with emphases on the h and R - how can it actually improve our bottom line ? The newly updated version of ISO9000 standard along with the Business Excellence Model from the European Foundation for Quality Management, have a distinct focus on the customer in terms of how do our systems actually deliver benefit to the customer, and how do we measure it. Having a systematised approach ensures consistency, having the h-factor as a valued aspect of the system ensures the relationship. But as with every system, to know how we are doing we need to be able to measure what we are doing.

As a business, how do we actually measure our service levels, we -

- Undertake customer satisfaction surveys (flawed perhaps by the fact that only those customers who are on good terms with us will respond and paint a rosier picture than is actually the case).
- Look at the number of complaints that we receive.
- Look at our turnaround time for customer issues.
- Look at how many calls we can answer in a hour.

These metrics are primarily based on things that we 'do' to the customer, but what measuring what we do 'with' the customer, what about the relationship? Is our customer service ethos based on the alternative-PDCA cycle where the letters don't stand for Plan, Do, Check and Act, but instead represent Panic then Do lots of Chaotic Activity! How then, do we measure the relationship aspect? How do we measure, what we do 'with' the customer?

By having information on what we do with our customer, what they expect, what they value and their potential for growth, we can adjust our offering to allow them to deal with us on a continuing basis. Information technology, even as basic as an Excel spreadsheet with accurate customer information, should be a help to us in the capture and accessibility of information on customers across the organisation. There is real value in having an e-CRM solution, but it needs to be linked with the people aspect. The realisation that customer information is not customer knowledge is also worth taking on board - when we look at our customer information databases, how much do we really 'know' about our customers? Technology will take us part of the way, but the real value is in the human aspect that builds relationships through getting to 'know' the customer. This generates a TOTAL relationship with the customer that can be defined as one where there is trust, openness, transparency, appropriateness and longevity.

For a TOTAL relationship that is delivered by the h-factor and enabled by the e-factor, there is a need for integration of the customer into the organisation. The main barrier to this has been found to be fear, a fear of letting the customer see that we are in fact human and operate under fairly much the same constraints as they do! The barrier is even apparent in how we communicate with our customers - only when it is safe and absolutely necessary!

Up to this point, the focus has been primarily external, out towards the customers. Now let's focus on the staff with whom our customers interact. How customer focused are they? How do they treat our customers? What is the attitude expressed towards customers by our people? What type of image of our organisation do they present to our customers? In HR circles it's often said that people don't leave jobs - they leave people. From a CRM viewpoint could the same thing be said - how often do we lose customers because of the interaction with our people? How many companies actually use information gathered from the CRM systems to help specify the training requirements of staff? The basic point is that the best CRM products and customer service processes are of no consequence if the people cannot deliver on the relationship aspect.

Looking at how most companies conduct business, relationships are not considered as key entities - its more like warfare where we select our 'target' market, gather 'intelligence', devise a 'penetration' strategy, 'take out' our competitors, 'consolidate' our position and 'attack' through our sales 'force' in an aggressive 'campaign'. Militarily we are moving towards e-warfare, and the danger is that in our customer interactions we are moving in the same direction with an over-emphasis on e-CRM solutions as the panacea. The question is, can our customers have a relationship with an e-CRM interface, or more importantly, do they want to?

For the best possible CRM solution for our organisation - we need to make sure we we don't lose the emphasis on the R and this can only be achieved by having people who are ready, willing and able to establish, develop and maintain the relationship. This is a key skill, a value adding process for any organisation, because in the final analysis, CRM is the acronym for Customers Really Matter - is this the case for your organisation?

accounting payroll news

Happy Customers Buy More

2008-04-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

Customer satisfaction is essential for long term business success for two very important reasons. Firstly happy customers spend more money. Secondly happy customers are ten times more likely to recommend your business to other people. I discovered the second benefit by accident when I ran a test to try and reduce my refund rate. I began sending all my new customers a gift basket two days after they made their first purchase with a note saying thank you for purchasing from Tyvar Marketing, we hope you enjoy our service. My initial plan was to see if sending an unexpected gift would reduce my refund rate. Happily it did, my refunds dropped from 10% to virtually zero. But the most surprising result was the number of referrals that came flooding in from those customers. My referrals increased by more than ten times what they were normally.

At the time I was selling a high priced product so I could afford to spend $80 on a gift basket but there are a lot of businesses out there with lower margins, so I've written this article to show you how you can give your customers valuable gifts that bring a smile to their face and ultimately sees them buying, more and referring your business to more people for virtually zero outlay.

For this to make sense you must understand that there are a lot of businesses out there looking for new customers. These businesses know they have a good product and will get a lot of repeat business if they can encourage people to try their product or service, so they would be quite willing to give you some FREE or heavily discounted products for you to gift to your clients. This is a win-win deal for both your business and their business. You increase customer satisfaction and they gain exposure for their business.

The simplest way to find businesses like these is to take advantage of a free business listing on a Joint Venture Directory such as www.1000Legs.com saying that you are looking for FREE or discounted products to send your clients as gifts. This will allow businesses which are looking to promote their products to customers such as yours, the chance to contact you with valuable gifting offers.

You don't need to limit your gift sending to just new customers, you can send gifts to ALL your customers. Send them Christmas gifts, send them birthday gifts, Valentines Day gifts, gifts to celebrate the years you've been in business or just a random out of the blue gifts, to say thank you for being a valued customer.

Business online blog

Do You Have a Suggestion Box?

2008-04-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

If you're currently using a suggestion box for your business, are you sincerely considering the recommendations and complaints you receive? If you haven't yet created an input collection system, I encourage you to create one and actively seek to fill it.

If you yourself have ever tried to offer constructive suggestions to business owners or customer service representatives -- only to learn that they had no way to collect them -- how did it make you feel?

The last three out of five times that I've tried giving suggestions, I've slammed into a dead end. Since I'm continually coming up with new ideas about how businesses can improve their customer service, I'm always disappointed when I find they're not waiting with open arms and ears to receive to them -- especially when an issue may have caused me considerable frustration as a customer.

This article offers several tips for using the input you collect to actually strengthen your business and bring in more revenue.

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Ideas for Mining Your Data

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Your customers deserve no less than the very best of experiences with every facet of your offerings. Revealing and remedying annoying hassles can stem the exodus of any cranky customers and help you begin building a base of "raving fans."

So, once you have a suggestion box or even technical support logs that contain customer feedback, you can comb through them to identify hassles of every type. What's really been bugging your customers or stopping them from getting things done? Look for patterns and trends.

For example, are people having trouble installing something, or wrestling with getting started? Are they reporting bugs or service problems? Are instructions incomplete or confusing? Look for the following possibilities:

- Immediate but basic problems that you can remedy right away.

- Major malfunctions occurring that should be documented and fixed.

- Gaps in the internal hand-offs for converting prospects into customers.

- Customers or prospects needing something that you don't offer, which could spark ideas for new offerings, accessories, and promotional campaigns.

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More Ideas for Uncovering Customer Hassles

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Below are additional ways to reveal the sources of your customers' aggravations.

1. Poll customers using Web, mail, or e-mail surveys, or support calls.

You might ask what your customers love and don't love about your products and services, and how they might suggest improving them. You could even consider expanding routine customer support calls by asking customers: "Is there anything you can think of that could enable our products or services to better assist you?" Customers may find it very refreshing to finally reveal their pet peeves.

2. Visit your customers and observe them actually using your products.

It may be a real eye-opener to watch your customers try to install, set up, learn, and troubleshoot your product without having someone guide them through every step. If you had intended your products to be self-explaining and easy to use, this could reveal several aspects in which they are not.

3. Prioritize your findings using the 80:20 rule.

Try to evaluate which 20% of the issues (the "vital few") seem to be giving your customers 80% of the headaches. Then, strive to work toward eliminating the worst problems until you've removed everything down to the noise level. It's easier said than done, but in the long run, your customers will really appreciate it!

In conclusion, your suggestion box, customer database, or other observations may represent an under-exploited source of new income streams. The information you glean can eliminate customer headaches, boost customer loyalty, and lead to new or improved offerings and precisely targeted marketing campaigns that open revenue doors. Therefore, you have everything to gain by taking charge of this data and mining its treasure!

entrep

5 Simple Steps To Improve Your Customer Service Right Away

2008-04-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

There are 5 Simple Steps that you can do that will make a difference in your Customer Service right away. Some of the Steps will seem obvious.

It's just that we assume everybody has what is commonly referred to as "The Basics."

I'm here to tell you.......WAKE UP! And smell the coffee before it's too late.

Here are the 5 Simple Steps to teach that will make a big difference.

1. Teach them to SMILE. I know, it seems too simple, doesn't it? Why would I need to point that out? It's because I travel all over the country and consistently receive better service whenever I am Smiled at. And I can always tell when I am about to receive less than Average Service when I don't receive a Smile.

In today's faster, unfriendly and discourteous world it makes a HUGE difference.

It may not seem too scientific, that Smiling thing. Just try NOT Smiling to your Customers for a couple of days and see what happens. Understand this is a big part of the Perception. When people Smile at us, we perceive it to be a much better experience, even if it was mediocre.

I recently had a meal at a restaurant in Bellingham, Wa. that quite frankly, was average. It was not bad, it was not great, it was good. Average. However, if you asked me my Perception of that restaurant I would say it was Great! based on the interaction and Smile quotient that my waitress gave me. She was outstanding! Smiles will make the meal taste better and the Service sweeter.

2. Say their Name. It's the most wonderful sound to our ears. Our Name. And when someone takes the time to learn ours, we feel really appreciated and will respond appropriately. Even in a quick Customer Service environment like fast food or dry cleaners, we will always return to a place that remembers our name.

It's quite simple to do actually. Introduce yourself, and ask their name. It goes like this, "Hello, my name is Leonard, it's a pleasure to meet you. Your name is...?" Whew, that was hard, wasn't it? Here is the trick. Remember it by focusing on their name and either the color of their eyes or an article of clothing.

If you are in the restaurant business, introduce yourself, ask their name and when delivering their order, set it in front of them and say "Mary, you'll really enjoy this dish." Watch your tips go up.

3. Use Courtesy. Use those words you learned when you were little. They include "Please", "Thank You", "May I help you", "How are you doing", "Is there anything else I can do for you today", "How did you find your service experience today".

Courtesy also extends to actions, not just words. I worked at a dealership that emphasized things like walking your Customer to the item they asked about, cleaning the bathroom sink with a paper towel after using it and presenting the best possible face to the Customer along with other things that demonstrated their commitment to the Service Experience.

4. Ask for feedback from the Customer on the use of and experience of your Customer Service. Ask the right way. Instead of "How was our service today?" which will get you a "Oh, it was fine" kind of answer, ask "On a scale of 1 to 10 how would we score on providing Service to you today?" (It is the "Specific" question that gets results) You might get a lot more interesting answers especially if you ask the follow up question "Specifically, how could I make it a 10 in your eyes?" for any answer that is not a 10.

5. Invite your Customer to come back. The right way. It's all in the presentation. "It was good to see you today, and I look forward to seeing you again. If for any reason you remember something we could have done better, call me at 111-111-1111 and ask for me personally." If that is too long winded, say "My name is _____. Please ask for me when you come back." You might even say "It was a pleasure to take care of you. Please come back and ask for me, ________."

I read somewhere that the most complex questions we face in our society are often solved with the simplest of solutions. Here are 5 Simple Steps you can take right away.

Customer Service is not that complex. It's a Simple Business. We make it complex.

advertising blog news

5 Traits You Cannot Teach In Customer Service

2008-04-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

There are character traits you cannot teach in Customer Service. If we could, we would because it makes the whole world a better place, not just Customer Service.

We can't, and therefore we work with people whom we believe to most exemplify these traits. Here are 5 you cannot teach.

1. Enthusiasm. We see it, we feel it and boy, do we wish everyone had it.

Many people don't though. It is often reflected in their faces when a request is made and reinforced with a sullen "just a moment" that does nothing to help us believe that we are about to receive a Service which we so desperately hope is better than what Mr. or Ms. Sullenface has just prefaced us with.

Enthusiasm is infectious, contagious and outright fun. It seems the Enthusiast is everywhere, ready and willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that we have a fantastic Customer Service experience. It is reflected by the pride they take in doing the job right, the care they take making sure everything is just so and the delivery of "Is there anything else I can do for YOU Mr. or Ms. Customer?"

The Enthusiast is nearly extinct these days. The victim of "Faster, More, Cheaper" Customer Service.

Are you exemplifying "Faster, More, Cheaper" or are you trying to grow Customer Service Enthusiasts?

2. Happiness. A feeling of pleasure. I have come to believe that Happiness is sometimes misused for the word Enlightened.

I know, now you think I am really off my meds. Let me ask you something. Have you ever met a person who was Happy? I mean really, really Happy? Really, when? Where do you think "Happy Hour" comes from? My point is that when people feel Happy, it leads to the ending of Happiness, or a state of Unhappiness. In other words, there is a limit.

I don't think there can be a limit to Enlightenment. Either way you think about it, it is not something you can teach. You can feel it. You can see it when another person really has it. You just can't teach someone to be Happy or Enlightened. They have to find it themselves.

3. Commitment. The feeling one has when one decides to do something no matter the cost or the journey. The ability to see it to the end. People who have commitment are not easily swayed. They keep putting one foot in front of the other, keeping their eye on the prize, the goal, the end.

Oh, they have trials and tribulations, and when you ask them about it, they shrug and say things like "That's the way we do it" or "It needed to be done." They have little concern or care for the thoughts of others who can't see the world through their eyes. They shrug and say "It's got to get done, and I'm the person to do it." You can't teach that.

4. Belief. The thought that someone feels completely, through and through that resonates deep inside them and tells them that they are on the right path. They don't need your beliefs, and are quite content to let you have yours.

Once it is felt between a group of people, it sings to everyone's heart in that group. A drumbeat that is felt by and played by all. It brings a natural power to a person that is unquenchable and unwavering. When all else is in doubt it is Belief that carries a person through.

I have experienced total Belief and a loss of Belief and I can tell you that when there is a loss of Belief, it literally can crush a soul. It's at these times that a person has to find that small spark, that ignites and starts the fire anew. You can't teach that.

5. Attitude. Among all, I really want to have the ability to teach Attitude. You could point out to someone what Attitude looks like and say things like "He/She has a great Attitude, you would do well to be like this" and the person would say "Oh, I see. No problem. Attitude is adjusted to maximum. Thanks." And it would be.

Or say something like "Study this book, read chapters 3 and 4, answer the questions at the end of the chapters and you will have the Attitude you need to make it through life." Right. The world would be a much more interesting place if all of our Attitudes where in sync and working towards a common goal.

" Imagine," as someone once said. You can't teach Attitude in Customer Service.

If you are trying to teach one of these to your personnel in the hope that they will morph in Customer Service Professionals, forget it. You have a better chance of seeing Santa Claus, The Tooth Fairy and The Easter Bunny playing bocce ball on your front lawn one morning.

Concentrate on finding those people who best demonstrate these traits.

Help them grow their own Enthusiasm, Happiness, Commitment, Belief and Attitude. You will be much happier with the results. (Or Enlightened)

change management

Appealing To The Customers Emotions

2008-04-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Discovering the steps to securing more sales

The key to success for any sales situation is to know who you are aiming your message at. If you are preparing written marketing/sales materials you need to speak the language of your ideal client and let them know you understand their situation and can help them solve their challenges with your product or service.

To ensure instant rapport, you have to think like they do! What are they thinking, what words do they use? Are they technical, informal, slang, street? Show you can help them solve their challenge with your product and service?

Remember selling is an emotional process and the more you can subtly appeal to prospective buyer's emotions, the better the chance of the sale. People buy based on what the product can do for them, the emotional benefit.

'Written rapport' is having the knack of getting the benefit message across on paper, saying the right thing to the right people in the right way to ensure the sale is completed. It can be the basis for long term relationships with good customers. Emotions are evoked with benefits so you need to establish exactly what the benefits are of your product or service. People buy for pleasure or to avoid pain! So you need to find out whether you offer a pleasure factor or solve a pain.

Get this inner understanding and your sales and belief will increase hugely:

Your company Your products and services Your customers Yourself

Whenever you address a prospective client whether face to face, at a meeting or via a sales letter or online, you have to create an emotional desire which sparks their interest to read or listen further.

Rapport can be built by showing understanding. It can be created by knowing exactly what to say, how to say it (convincingly and confidently)

It can become easier if you are face to face as you can read their body language, encourage eye contact, smile without looking like a killer crocodile and remain sincere. If you are not face to face you have to instill a sense of real understanding by evoking emotions in the words you use so they have a desire to own your product or service.

Get this right and the prospect can pay attention to your message like and trust you.

Within the sales letter you might ask them questions to tap into their situation, then as it progresses, offer a solution based on this with your product or service.

When you are referring to the solution always talk features and benefit of your service or product.

Good phrases: State Feature.... which means that.... And the real benefit to you is....... State benefit based on what they have told you is the problem And remember to be honest and tell the truth, never make unsubstantiated claims about what you can do, it will catch you out and you will lose out long term.

fundraising

Importance Of Online Customer Service (Chat & Email Support)

2008-04-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

Online customer service has become an essential factor in the growth of any business. Global competition is fierce and service providers are trying their best to improve customer loyalty. It is extremely important to keep customers happy and satisfied. This can be possible only by providing top quality services to customers. If they are not happy with the performances and deliveries of the service providers then this will not only stop the growth of the business but can also terminate the business completely. Companies who look deeply into the details of customer service will prove to be most successful in winning customers and increasing their own productivity.

It is important to think proactively about customer service. Service providers sometimes fail in their efforts to execute strategies that help build an effective online customer relationship. A successful online customer relationship can be developed by incorporating certain tools like often used shipping addresses, billing information, and services such as the ability to access gift registration and product availability.

Interactive online live chats, email support are 2 important, popular and emerging ways to provide effective services to customers leading to potential growth of the business.

Live Chat and Email support:

Live chat and email support are the two most effective and efficient ways to provide customer support/services. Customers have always preferred these two to other modes. These two methods are drastically different form each other. Live chat is providing instant answers and professional services on various products customers inquire about. Email support is a method of clearing customer queries through electronic mail service. This involves tracking big volumes of email, analyzing them thoroughly and replying with required solutions. In any case it is important to clear customer queries with right solutions and treat them with utmost respect.

Providing customer services in both cases of live chat and email support is not an easy task. Representatives must be well trained on products and operational functions. The service quality and teams should be intact.

Top strategies to provide effective customer services:

Never use tricks: Treating customers with respect should be considered the biggest priority. Never lie, breach or use any rude tactics.

First impression matters: This sets the mood for further business development. When you receive a customer online, make sure you respond quickly. If it is through email, and you need some time to analyze the request, then send confirmation saying you have received the request and will answer soon.

Be warm: Let it not be limited only to their queries and your solutions. Get more personal. Try discussing various topics like weather and world affairs. Its time you get friendly with your customers.

Get them involved: Take one step further to get more personal with them. After you are done with your services, ask them politely to write testimonials for you. A few words on your services towards them and your company will help build an interactive time.

Business online blog

What Is One Customer Really Worth To Your Small Business?

2008-04-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

Every small business owner and manager needs to know this number. You need to place an annual or lifetime value on each customer who buys your product or service. Here is an example of what I am talking about:

Some years ago a burger restaurant placed a $100 coupon ad in a newspaper for whom I worked. One ad: two offers. Cents off on a hamburger or cents off on a milk shake. Or both.

A few days after the coupon ad ran, the sales rep stopped by the restaurant to check results. The burger meister was not happy! Only 17 hamburgers and 18 milk shakes were sold off the coupon, a total of 35 returns.

The burger meister often worked his own counter so we knew that he had a good handle on the daily flow of his business. We asked how many NEW customers came in from the 35 returns. His guesstimate was 20.

In our ensuing discussion, the burger meister shared that his average customer spent $6 per visit and returned to his burger haven approximately once a month.

Using his numbers, this means that if the food and service meet the expectations of each customer, the meister could expect 240 visits from the 20 new customers in the coming 12 months.

240 visits x $6 average ticket equal $1,140 of incremental revenue in play. $1,140 is a very decent return on a $100 investment!

And that is assuming that each of these new customers come in alone and that they do not tell anyone else how great the burgers and milkshakes are at the meisters!

Over-simplified? Perhaps, but this true-life example deals with two of the keys to making a small business grow and thrive:

1. Knowing what your customer is really worth.

2. Making sure you DELIVER on your value promise each and every time the customer crosses your threshold.

Lifetime customer values are frankly best suited for larger tickets-- vehicles as an example. Let us surmise that the average vehicle owner from age 35 to 59 buys a different vehicle every 4 years. In 24 years that equates to six vehicles --a conservative number for sure! Use your own numbers and assumptions.

Let us further assume that this average customer buys both new and used vehicles equating to an average ticket of $20,000. Another conservative number!

The lifetime value of the customer in this example is $120,000. That is what the real sales pros see when a prospect walks through the front door of the dealership: $120,000 in 2-foot high red letters blinking off and on above the head of the prospect!

Too often small business owners measure only the immediate sale from a given ad or promotion. That is short sighted. It is the lifetime value of each customer that is important.

The real value underscores the crucial importance of over-the-top- service and consistency in your customer dealings. These are the two key elements that will allow you to leave your competition in the dust, even the Zillion Dollar Goliaths!

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Is-One-Customer-Really-Worth-To-Your-Small-Business?&id=1112861
change management

Customer Loyalty Requires Customer Relationship Management

2008-04-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

The key to a profitable business is customer loyalty. Everything else is secondary. Why is this? Because you will make more money selling over and over again to the same people than you will trying to find new people to buy from you. That is the logic. So how do you build customer loyalty? Here are three things you can try right now.

People like to be remembered. For example, remembering a customer's name will go a long way to winning them over as a repeat buyer. On the other hand, forgetting their name could turn them off. They wouldn't think twice at buying from someone else after that. So, how can you use this simple aspect of human nature to build customer loyalty?

Call or Send a Card on their Birthday

I just had an experience with this today. I saw in my calendar that it was the birthday of a friend of mine. I only sent a simple email wishing him a happy birthday, nothing special. The response I got was one of extreme gratitude. He couldn't believe I remembered his name.

When you are dealing with customers, be sure to be sincere when wishing them a happy birthday. If it at all appears automated, it could really turn them off.

Recognize Anniversaries

Find out the various anniversary events that me be important to your customer, such as their wedding anniversary. Do they have their own business? Find out when their business was established. Send a nice card or make a phone call on these occasions and wish them a happy anniversary. Be sincere and you will build deep customer loyalty as time goes by.

Consumers like convenience. Maybe there will be a time when it is more convenient for your customer to purchase from one of your competitors. This may be nothing against you. It's just a matter of convenience.

On the other hand, if you have established a deeper relationship with them in the ways mentioned above, then they likely would not let something like convince cause them to purchase from one of your competitors. They will wait until they can purchase from you.

Finally, always make a note of the date that a customer first purchases something from you. Then, each year send them a card recognizing the anniversary of your relationship and thanking them for their business.

How many other ways can you think of building customer loyalty by addressing the simple human need in all of your customers to be remembered and recognized?

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Customer-Loyalty-Requires-Customer-Relationship-Management&id=1108368
branding news

7 Easy Ways to Thank Your Customers

2008-04-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

Saying thank you to your customers is a great way to win repeat business and get a 'customer for life'.

In today's market, we are under a constant assault from sales pitches and advertising. Don't YOU get tired of feeling like everyone is after your money? Well, it's no different for your customers.

Show some appreciation today. Make your customers feel like you really value them and appreciate their support of your business.

Here are 7 easy ways you can thank your customers:

1. Send a thank you card
Whether it's a post card, a card in an envelope, or even a good quality thank you e-card, it doesn't take much to express your thanks and appreciation to your best customers. Make sure that you address it specifically to your customer (avoid generic 'Dear Valued Customer' messages if you can). Ensure that your card is signed from a specific person (either the head of your company, the CEO, or the head of customer relations). Do NOT use this as an opportunity to market or try to sell anything more to your customer. Purely thank them and express your gratitude and offer your service if they require any additional help with their product purchases.

2. Send them follow-up bonuses
Over-delivering is such a wonderful way to thank your customer. Aren't you delighted when someone gives you more than was advertised? It always impresses me. Especially when they do it more than once. You can always build this expense into your pricing, but delivering a greater value than the dollar cost of your product or service is fundamental to long term riches.

3. Call them up to say thanks
This needs to occur within a week or two of purchase of your product or service. Just a friendly call to say hi, to thank them for their purchase and to make sure that everything is working for them. This just demonstrates that you care about your customers.

4. Send a gift
Everyone loves receiving presents! It doesn't matter how old and cynical you get, somewhere inside you get a little spark of joy when someone gives you a gift. Whether you stick a dollar or a lottery ticket to your catalogue or send a completely unrelated gift to your customer, it will lift you above the herd of your competitors and make you stand out in your customers mind.

5. Send a discount coupon
Giving out coupons to your valued customers has always been a great way to show appreciation. This is particularly so if you have a business where the customer needs to buy from you repeatedly (they will appreciate the discounts).

6. Publicize your appreciation
You will need to use creative thinking with this one (and discernment). However you could have a website Super Customers page, a listing of your valued customers. You could induct them into some kind of Valued Customer Club. You could make a charitable donation in their name and thank them on your website.

7. Personalize your thanks
If your business allows you to gather any additional data on your customers, you could personalize your gratitude. If you have date of birth, you can mail or email them birthday greetings. You can send them anniversary messages (even 'It's been a year since you first graced us with your business...' type messages). The more personal you make your thanks, the more powerful the impact you have on the customers mind and heart. Personalization says you care - about me!

Okay, there you have 7 off-the-cuff easy ways to thank your customers. You really can thank and grow rich in business if you engage a little heart and a little ingenuity.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Easy-Ways-to-Thank-Your-Customers&id=1104383
change management

Internal Customer Service - Our Customers are Inside the Company Too

2008-04-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

Remnants of an old "cubicle" mentality still persist in many organizations today. By this I mean that departments within a company sometimes see their role as isolated and focused on a single, or set of departmental functions. This focus is often reinforced by the fact that department performance is measured, and performance reviews are based, on these limiting criteria. If your organization is suffering from a lack of interdepartmental consciousness, consider adopting the approaches presented in this article.

Let me set the stage by sharing an experience of my own. While working as a materials manager for growing manufacturing company, I was responsible for scheduling production to meet forecasted customer demand. The marketing department was responsible for providing the forecast. Over the course of time, it became clear to me that marketing would often under estimate customer demand in order to insure they always hit the benchmark they set for themselves.

I had a decision to make, plan materials and production according to the marketing forecast or modify my plan to compensate for marketing's built-in buffer (also referred to as sand-bagging). You would think that if I choose the former, I could defend my actions by referring to the forecast, which would not only reflect badly on marketing, but also create backlogs for our external customers. My solution: Analyze marketing's historical variance and adjust my materials and production plan accordingly. My reasoning: Marketing is as much a customer to me as the external customers that purchase our product.

As you read this, you can probably reflect on a number of experiences where you were faced with a similar dilemma. It's so much easier to hang your hat on a traditional measure of your performance; that being, "I did my job and if there is a bad result, it must be someone else's issue". Let me suggest that this approach is at best misguided, and more likely will result in interdepartmental feuds, finger-pointing, and inevitable lost revenues for your company.

Now that we have considered my example and your own business environment; what are some things a company, department, or individual can do to proactively develop internal customer service?

One method I adopted was to put together a customer service survey for other departments in my company. I was pleasantly surprised to find, that by simply asking for feedback on how well my functional area supported them, their perception of my service to them improved! If they had any doubts about how much I cared, approaching them with the survey eliminated their concerns. They believed I really cared; and I did!

Another method I have tried, with success, is to invite a representative from another department to one of my department's meetings. A variation is to ask to be invited to a meeting in another functional area. For example, if you are in the engineering department, arrange to attend meetings with accounting or marketing. Simply being there and listening will show you care and expose you to valuable insights as to how you can collaborate to achieve improved relations and organizational success.

Internal customer service is every bit as important as customer service to your company's paying customers. Think of yourself as a customer service department, regardless of the functional area you are responsible for. Be proactive in your interdepartmental relationship building by implementing customer service surveys, integrated meetings, or other methods that encourage communication and understanding. Initiating this approach and adopting these processes is usually contagious. Soon, others will see the value and thank you for your insight and initiative.

Franchising

The Benefits of Customer Relationship Management

2008-04-16T11:34:00.000-07:00

Building a business empire requires several facets of the industry to be understood. One department to another, employees must take into account the customers interest no matter what it is your company is selling. If potential prospects cannot be turned into a client or getting continuous sales over time from your best customers is a problem, then there is something wrong and changes need to be made. This is where the customer relationship management system (CRM) comes in and is utilized to create an organization like never before.

Where Does The Organizing Start?

Once the company integrates the CRM system, there are several areas it can start working. Anyone who owns a business understands the importance of having targeted leads in their industry. If it's a travel company, you want people who like to vacation. This is just one example of the many we see out there on a daily basis. Other areas of interest include marketing, sales, support, and more options are accumulating as the years progress.

No matter what the reasoning, it all starts with the database a CRM system has, to build upon the organizational skills of the company. It allows employees to get a better understanding of their customers with a little inside information. Each interaction can be documented for the next worker who comes along and speaks with the client. Its an all around benefit for both parties so situations only have to be recapped.

Companies Who Use CRM The Best

Your local phone and utility companies are prime examples when it comes to using the customer relationship management system. They have the ability to use an automated system where customers can call in and without talking to a live representative, they can access account information. This will have a noted history of what has gone on with any individual account over months at a time to help with issues, upgrades, or even just paying the bill.

However, it's businesses that offer stock market services we find to be the most beneficial. In fact, any company dealing with sales over the phone could use the CRM system to their benefit. For instance, having a group of employees making pre-qualified calls with specific information input to the system is where it all begins. Pass it on to a sales rep, let them tailor a package to the potential clients needs and this gives the company more revenue and more importantly a good reputation for customer service.

What You Can Expect

It doesn't matter if you need analytical, collaborative, geographic, or an operational CRM, the software is available for whatever you need. Keep in mind if this something you are planning on doing in the near future, be sure to tailor your system to the company needs, not what everyone else is doing. In the end, better organization means a stronger business.

careersemp loyment

Policies And Procedures With Customer Focus

2008-04-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

A company's policies and procedures are a framework upon which a firm operates to ensure efficiency of operations. While these employee guidelines may serve well a business's internal operations, there are no guarantees they will satisfy its external goals. This is crucial for a firm to consider, as its main business goal is customer retention.

To maintain a competitive advantage in today's economy corporations must keep their focus on the customers who are the lifeblood of their business. Leadership effectiveness within an organization shows its true stuff when it is able to harness the best qualities of its employees to serve its customers. Often the policies and procedures a company works so hard to implement and enforce can get in the way of the achievement of the goal of customer satisfaction.

Improper policies and procedures can stifle an organization's progress. Some of them are too constraining on employees and can cause some to lose their creative spark. These result in bored, unchallenged, even resentful employees who may not perform at their optimum level.

It is wise for firms to seek input from all employees when it comes to developing policies and procedures that will work. "Policy should be developed in consultation with those affected..." (Fern Richardson, June 2006).

A retail firm may have an employee who would love to run with a decision to offer a discount to a long-time customer. Company policy dictates that the decision must come from the employee's manager. The manager may be new and have no idea of this person's status as a valued customer.

In addition, this manager has had no personal relationship with the customer to desire giving an incentive to them. The result is a customer under-appreciated and an unsatisfied employee who has no decisional autonomy in his or her job. A policy and procedure prevented the firm's ability to extend goodwill to a customer helping to keep the company in business.

Ineffective policies and procedures have a widespread effect on an organization as a whole. When applied across departments that interact with one another they may create conflict. For organizational health, there must be a collaborative team approach to reaching company goals. This team approach must focus on a common goal, the gaining, and keeping of customers. Any policy or procedure that prevents them from doing so is a counter-productive one that needs modification.

A certain set of operational stipulations may unknowingly favor one department over another and cause friction between departments. This will significantly reduce productive collaboration. Conflict between employees dampens productivity.

This conflict forces employees to focus their energies on dispute resolution instead of product or service betterment. Conflict also can produce a 'who cares?' attitude among employees which may decrease quality, whether of product or service, along with productivity.

All of this of course filters down to the end user, the customer. While everyone sometimes plays the fool, people, as 'customers' do not. They will exert final judgment by penalizing the company with a loss of sales. The customer may go further and give the company bad publicity through poor word-of-mouth advertising.

That is why every policy, procedure, and collaborative effort in an organization must have the end user of the company's product or service as its focus. "Procedures are developed with the customer/user in mind. Well developed and thought out procedures provide benefits to the procedure user." (Policy and Procedures Team UC-SC, Dec 1994)

Policies and procedures should not exist as parameters that prevent employees from giving customers the level of service they desire. Policies and procedures should not be an end unto themselves where a company considers adherence to them more important than customer needs. A customer satisfied is a customer who knows an organization has fulfilled their promises to them.

When policies and procedures promote creativity, outside-the-box thinking, and a collaborative atmosphere then a company produces more and better product. If it's in the service sector, the service it sells will be superior to its competitors because its employees are firing on all cylinders and content. In the end, the company, its employees and the customer wins.

ethics news

How Buying New Customers May Be Costing You Existing Loyal Customers

2008-04-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Are you buying new customers through special offers? Have you ever considered that these actions may be costing you your existing loyal customers?

Do you offer coupons to entice new business? Or maybe you give a preferred discount to a new client? If so, have you ever considered what your current loyal customers are thinking?

A successful business small business owner was sharing a story about her recent experience with a long time business. Over the course of 20 years, she had consistently patronized a framing specialty store located 20 miles away. She found the quality of work to be superior and was willing to invest not only the additional travel time, but the additional dollars that this store demanded.

Then she read of a special offer to new patrons providing a 20% discount on their framing needs. Never during the lifetime of her customer tenure did the owner of this small business provide her with any discounts; acknowledge her patronage or take any to further actions to develop a loyal customer relationship.

Now she is actively looking for a new framing specialty store because the Point of Connections - Seeing and Feeling - were violated. Additionally, the Points of Potential, the operating systems, that include processes, policies and procedures were not in alignment with the other purpose of business of building relationships.

In the book The Ultimate Question, the author explores the concept of bad and good profits. Bad profits are those where the business have tried to buy growth, to increase sales through new customers. Good profits are those where the growth comes from loyal customers.

Achieving those business goals comes from making the customer service experience exceptional through the Points of Potential and the Points of Connection. Just remember to be careful if you decide to buy customers or buy growth. For you may be also losing those existing loyal customers that are your competitive advantage.

continuity disaster recovery

Money - What Money Means To You And Your Customers

2008-04-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

"The ultimate aim of consumer research is to encourage people to spend money on your particular product or series of products. Therefore it is important to understand how people feel about money and to look at differences in spending patterns. In modern civilization, goods or services are traded in the exchange of money in the form of coins, notes, cheques and credit cards. You should note that money means different things to different people. Here are 7 factors that determine the relationship between your customer and their attitudes towards money.

1. The Employed - Those who are employed may see it as a good thing whilst the unemployed see it as a source of worry and its absence as shameful. Males associate money with competence, financial risk-taking and management whereas females see it as a means of obtaining goods and enjoyable experiences.

2. The True Value - The worth of different types of money may not be accurately interpreted. A coin will be seen as having less value than a note of the same denomination. Credit cards are seen as less 'real' than cash.

3. Symbol And Status - Money has a symbolic value presenting power, security, happiness and satisfaction. It is not generally acceptable as a gift since it symbolises status and seniority.

4. Employment And Income - People are more likely to spend on expensive cars and appliances if they feel good about their future finances. However our expenditure on food and other consumables is influenced by our income.

5. Spenders And Savers - 'Spenders' are generally healthier, happier and more optimistic than self-deniers. The money-troubled are dissatisfied with life, themselves and their relationships.

6. Pricing - A fair exchange is expected when purchases are made. People generally have an idea about a product's 'worth' and which price range it will fall into. They have a reference price which is the price they expect to pay for a particular product based on fairness or past price.

7. Quality - For many products price is also considered to be an indicator of the quality of the goods. The higher the price, the more valuable the product. This may not always be the case but presents a perceived value for the product that your customers will question.

What is important to understand is that the subjective value that money has for your customers. If you want to persuade them to make purchases they must feel that they are getting value for money. Offering your product that is too low and people will not take you seriously. Sales can be adversely affected as it raises doubts about the quality."

fundraising

How To Keep Your Customers ''In The Loop'' By Automating Your Sales Process

2008-04-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

In this day and age everything can be automated, and that means that you are able to do more business. However, it's very important, and even more so when you are on the internet, to keep your customers in the loop. To do this, all you need to do is keep your sales process automated so that they always know what's going on.

This is something that is easy to do, and they even make software that you can buy to help you do this. By keeping your customers in the loop, they will feel better and know that you have not forgotten about them. So what does keeping your customers in the loop really mean? To have things automated for your sales process, there are a few different things that this can mean.

However, usually it's talking about automatic emails that can get sent to your customers. Usually when you buy something online, the site asks for your email address so that it can send you email. One good thing about giving out your email address is that you get the status about your order so that you know all the time where everything is and what is going on.

There are a few different emails that usually get sent out to you. The first one is usually just telling you that they got your order, and your credit or debit card has been billed. After that you will normally get an email when their product has been shipped to you. At this time they normally give you a tracking number so you can track your package online, and know where it is all the time. Now you never have to wonder where your packages are.

The overall best thing about this is the fact that not only can your customers keep up with everything, but you can too. Knowing that your customer is happy will allow you to worry about other business related things and spend less time having to answer the same questions all the time. Keeping your sales process automated is efficient and easy to do.

This is where a good autoresponder takes all his sense. Autoresponders are simply email addresses that automatically answer requests with a message that you create. For example, if you have a e-commerce store selling food supplements, you could put an autoresponder on your web site saying, "How to loose weight with food protein supplement'' and ask for your visitor's email address so that you can e-mail them the information right away.

You can find autoresponders all over the internet but I prefer to use Aweber. Whatever autoresponder you choose make sure you have no size limit, quick response and the ability to send unlimited follow- up messages. Free autoresponders are also a good option but have a big disadvantage: They're free because other marketers pay to have their advertisement added to each message you send out.

Automating your sales process is a sure way to fire up your sales and keep your customers happy.

accounting blog news

Why Good Customer Service Is Essential For The Success Of Your Online Business

2008-04-12T01:17:00.000-07:00

No matter what kind of business you are in, there is one thing that is essential for your business to do good, and that is good customer service. However, did you know that if you are running an online business your customer service has to be on its guard all the time, and it has to be better than most other companies' customer service?

This is because the internet, for an online business, is the only form of communication that you have with your customer. Not only do you have to have good written speech, you have to know what they are thinking without actually seeing or talking to them. It's hard to have great customer service all the time, but one thing is for sure, if you do then you can rest assured that your online business is going to be around for a long time to come.

Customer service plays a very big role in keeping your customers happy. When you are online you get questions asked to you all the time, and you have to be able to get to them all. The best way to do this is to have a few different people in charge of customer service. However, you have to stay in close contact with each other.

This way you all know what is going on at the same time. Also, there has to be someone taking care of the customer service all the time. During the day you can have someone on the phone, and at night you can have people writing the emails. Either way, it's important for you to give your customer the service that they deserve.

The most important thing about the customer service is making sure that the customer leaves happy. If the customer leaves happy then there is a good chance that they are going to come back and shop with you again, and this is true for the internet as well. If your customer has a problem you can simply contact them, make it better, and there should be no hard feelings. Remember, the customer is always right. So never argue with a customer. Even if you know that he is wrong.

Another key factor is to go go beyond your customers' expectations by giving them more than what they expect from you. The will that you demonstrate to help your customer will create confidence and trust from your customers. Your courtesy will make the difference because we all want to be treated well when we are a customer.

You have to do everything in your power to keep them happy, because it's their money that is going to keep you going. They are the ones paying your bills and you owe it to them to give them the help they need when they need it. Giving special attention to your customers may lead to further business and more customers when your great customer service is passed on by a happy customer.

careersemp loyment

Why Good Customer Service Needs a Recession

2008-04-12T00:39:00.000-07:00

I think it was Ray Kroc, the founder of one of America's greatest institutions, McDonald's once stated, "If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours." Has America's love of money forced us to forget why we need money in the first place? Do we need a recession so people can realize the importance of doing what you love and in turn forget about all of those items that we needlessly have gone into debt to acquire? I believe that we need a recession as Americans, so that we can correct our misgivings and learn about what is truly important to us, and only then will our customer service take a turn for the best, instead of a turn for the worse.

On a recent trip to a major metropolitan city, my wife and I decided, hey what the heck, we have a lull in the action, let's take the kids out for a movie... First off, let me give you a bit of a back story, we have two small children, try a two year old and a four year old; now taking a 2 and a 4 year old anywhere is an ordeal into itself, but time to time we make it happen, and for us to get to a movie right at the beginning or even exactly on time is often a result of several acts of GOD!!! But at any rate, we go to see a newly released Dr. Seuss movie, and we arrive about 10 minutes after the movie start time, and after looking around for someone to buy a ticket from for another 5 minutes, I tell my wife to go ahead and go inside the movie. After I finally locate somebody to sell me a ticket, I am given a pleasant bit of information, "Our policy dictates that 15 minutes after the start time of a movie, I can't sell you a ticket..." After a bit of surprise, I went to go give my wife this bit of bad news. When I finally make my way back into the theatre, I notice that outside of my wife and two children, there are exactly two people in the movie theatre!!!!

I then walked back outside the movie theatre and asked to speak with the manager, and I was subsequently told, "Sorry, but I can't take your money. Our policy states... blah, blah, blah..." Now maybe I live in another world, but it seems to me that if our economy is that bad, why turn down paying customers?? Is it possible that in order to get good customer service, America needs a recession? Are there so many opportunities out there for people to earn income, that corporation throw good sense out the window in light of policy? Has our quest to pay for more "things" placed our eyes on the dollar so much that we have thrown good common sense out of the window? I believe that as the normal cycle of evolution calls for natural selection, that our economy needs natural selection, through the process of recession, which will enable our customer service experience to thrive, and maybe even let me and my wife buy a ticket to a movie, even if we are 15 minutes late. (smile)

careersemp loyment

Your Customers Have the Answers

2008-04-12T00:03:00.000-07:00

Who can give you the best advice on improving your business? Your accountant, marketing specialist or perhaps a business consultant? The truth is the best source of ideas for building your business is free. It comes from your customers and prospective customers. All you have to do is ask. Listen to what you customers have to say and you will discover your strengths, weaknesses and, most importantly, what they would like.

I know, I can hear you saying that you do listen to your customers. But which customers do you hear? Probably those that complain because they were unhappy with your products and/or service. At the other end of the scale, you also hear from the customers who are your biggest fans. While the input of these two groups is undoubtedly valuable, they make up less than 10% of your clientele and they most certainly are not representative of the silent majority that accounts for the bulk of your business.

The best way to find out what your customers and prospective customers think of your business and what they want from you is to conduct a customer survey. Excellent survey software such as Survey Tools for Windows makes it very easy to create, run and analyze professional quality customer surveys.

The following story illustrates the value of customer surveys. A modestly successful retail store owner was proud of his business that offered an extensive selection of top quality merchandise at very reasonable prices. He paid above average wages to ensure his customers received attentive and knowledgeable service.

After conducting a customer survey, he discovered that his customers did not care about his extensive variety of high quality merchandise and, in fact, wanted some less expensive options. Service was not a major consideration in the decision to shop at his store and neither were good prices. The main reason that people shopped at his store was its convenient downtown location and ample free parking.

You can guess the rest. He dropped items that were not selling well and added some lower quality lines. Prices gradually rose while his wages decreased. All his ads now prominently mentioned his convenient location and ample free parking. His sales increased somewhat but, most importantly, his profits tripled. And one more thing, he now does regular customer surveys.

Business online blog

"Value Added" - That Little Extra Something Makes The Difference

2008-04-11T01:40:00.000-07:00

What do you sell?

Are you the only onewho sells it?

Why should I buy it from you instead of from someone else?

Seriously... what makes people buy from you instead of buying the identical item from someone else? All things being equal, the answer is price... and when you compete on price no one wins.

Let's say you reduce your price to beat your competitor, he will just reduce his... then it's your turn. It's a vicious cycle with no winner... not even the consumer wins, because in order to reduce your price to compete, you will also probably have to reduce your level of service.

The solution to the problem is to create a "value added service" that sets you apart from your competition.

Do you provide a guarantee? Do you deliver? Will you sell re-orders (at reduced quantities) for the same price as the original order? Do you provide free shipping? Do you get free fries with your meal? Do you reward repeat customers for their loyalty? Do you have a "frequent buyer's card?"

Find something to set yourself apart from your competition and you will reap big rewards.

I have an associate in the flooring business who would take his large customers on a cruise every year. When he first told me about the idea, I asked him how he could possibly afford to do something so extreme, and he simply told me that his customers "are willing to pay more because they know that they are going to get a trip out of the deal."

What is your "point of difference?"

Whenever I shop online I always look at the shipping costs... actually, I look at the shipping and handling costs. I've found that some businesses charge an extra $5- $10 (for some reason) as a "handling fee." Apparently they "handle" things differently than their competitor (who only charges for shipping). If you want to "handle" my money (and the business of several thousand other frugal shoppers out there), start by not trying to nickel-and-dime-me to death. If you want to set yourself apart, provide free shipping... it's an easy start.

And what about your repeat customers? Are you doing anything special for them? Are you giving them an "Oh, I'd really miss it if I couldn't find someone else who (fill in the blank)s for me" reason to stay with you? If not, find one. Do you send your customers Christmas cards? Birthday cards? Well so does everyone else! Do you send your customers Ground Hog's Day cards? No? I can guarantee that if you got a Ground Hog's Day card you'd remember it... and isn't that what you want?

Find a "something" that adds value to your product or service and you will not only set yourself apart from your competition, you will also give your customers a reason to buy from you!

careersemp loyment

Honesty Is The Key To Your Customers Pocket Book

2008-04-11T01:03:00.000-07:00

Honesty is key to creating a relationship between you and potential clients. If visitors to your site feel you are an honest ethical business person they will most likely spend their money on your product, but if they should feel that there is shady handling's going on they will take their money and run.

Your marketing strategy should include knowing the importance of honest business dealings. You should make it a point to go the extra mile in letting my clients feel safe in their transactions with me.

Customers usually feel cheated when they buy a product and find out that the shipping costs have been jacked up two or three times what they need to be. Nobody likes to see a product sold for a dollar or two and find out that the shipping costs are through the roof.

Exorbitant shipping costs will cause customers to feel that you are being unethical and many will choose to back out of buying the product and go elsewhere. When you shopped online, wasn't it nice when you ordered something and found out shipping was free or just a few dollars.

Remember that a quality product sold at a reasonable price will sell quicker than a cheap product sold at outrageous prices or a product sold for pennies but with sky high shipping costs.

If you choose to be fair to your customers they will recognize this and put their whole hearted trust in you. You will find that they will return to you for many of their online needs, and most likely refer your business to friends and family.

With customer feedback so readily available, it is easy to find out the reputation of nearly every online marketer out there. So remember that your reputation precedes you, even in the wide world of the web. Make sure the reputation you have flying around is one of honesty, integrity, and care for your customers. You will be sure to draw in twice as many customers and make twice as much money as you would have by cheating a client.

continuity disaster recovery

Customer Service Coaching Tip - Excess Is A Good Thing Especially If You Desire Business Success

2008-04-11T00:26:00.000-07:00

For many, the word excess suggests negative behaviors from unhealthy eating to playing video games. Yet, the word excess is good when talking about delivering exceptional customer service by making each and every customer experience an incredible success.

Robin Crow said: Your success in any business will always be in direct proportion to your ability to consistently exceed expectations of your customers. Excess, going beyond the norm, will separate you from your competitors and will help you to build raving fans.

How do you know if you are delivering excess customer service? This begins within the prospecting stage when you continually keep in touch with your prospects by providing value added information. Sending articles, giving referrals are behaviors that exceed your potential customers' expectations. Customer Service Coaching Tip: By providing excessive attention to your qualified prospects may shorten your normal sales cycle.

After the prospects become customers, you need to continue to bring value added "touches" to your customers. Letting them know of new services and providing them a special offer is one such way to exceed their expectations. Customer Service Coaching Tip: Loyal customers are far more profitable to the bottom line than seeking new customers.

Unfortunately, what happens is that many businesses fail to maintain existing customers. They are so busy chasing new business that they forget to build loyal customers. And all of this activity creates a negative drain on the bottom line even when posting new sales.

Research by Bain and Company suggests that the average business losses 10% to 15% of its clients each and every year. Just by keeping 5% of those lost customers will have a 25% to 100% positive impact to your profitability.

Yes, excess is a good thing when it comes to customer service. Maybe it is time to assess your customer service strategies and see where you can become excessive. For excessive loyal customers are always good things.

ethics news

Consumer Protection In India

2008-04-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

Introduction

Consumers play a vital role in the economic system of a nation because in the absence of effective demand that emanates from them, the economy virtually collapses. Mahatma Gandhi said, "A consumer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us, we are on him. He is not an interruption to our work, he is the purpose of it. We are not doing a favour to a consumer by giving him an opportunity. He is doing us a favour by giving us opportunity to serve him. But, of late, unfortunately cheating by way of overcharging, black marketing, misleading advertisements, etc has become the common practice of greedy sellers and manufacturers to make unreasonable profits. In this context, it is the duty of the government to confer some rights on consumers to safeguard their interests.

CONSUMER RIGHTS

1. Right to Safety: The right to be protected against goods which are hazardous to life and property.

2. Right to Information: The right to be informed about the quality, quantity, purity, price and standards of goods.

3. Right to Choose: The right to be assured access to a variety of products at competitive prices, without any pressure to impose a sale, i.e., freedom of choice.

4. Right to be Heard: The right to be heard and assured that consumer interests will receive due consideration at appropriate forums.

5. Right to Seek Redressal: The right to get relief against unfair trade practice or exploitation.

6. Right to Education: The right to be educated about rights of a consumer.

Protection of Consumer Rights

Consumer protection means safeguarding the rights and interests of consumers. It includes all the measures aimed at protecting the rights and interests of consumers. Consumers need protection due to the following reasons:

1. Illiteracy and Ignorance: Consumers in India are mostly illiterate and ignorant. They do not understand their rights. A system is required to protect them from unscrupulous businessmen.

2. Unorganised Consumers: In India consumers are widely dispersed and are not united. They are at the mercy of businessmen. On the other hand, producers and traders are organized and powerful.

3. Spurious Goods: There is increasing supply of duplicate products. It is very difficult for an ordinary consumer to distinguish between a genuine product and its imitation. It is necessary to protect consumers from such exploitation by ensuring compliance with prescribed norms of quality and safety.

4. Deceptive Advertising: Some businessmen give misleading information about quality, safety and utility of products. Consumers are misled by false advertisement and do not know the real quality of advertised goods. A mechanism is needed to prevent misleading advertisements.

5. Malpractices of Businessmen: Fraudulent, unethical and monopolistic trade practices on the part of businessmen lead to exploitation of consumers. Consumers often get defective, inferior and substandard goods and poor service. Certain measures are required to protect the consumers against such malpractices.

6. Freedom of Enterprise: Businessmen must ensure satisfaction of consumers. In the long run, survival and growth of business is not possible without the support and goodwill of consumers. If business does not protect consumers' interests, Government intervention and regulatory measures will grow to curb unfair trade practices.

7. Legitimacy for Existence: Business exists to satisfy the needs and desires of consumers. Goods are produced with the purpose of selling them. Goods will, in the long run, sell only when they meet the needs of consumers.

8. Trusteeship: Businessmen are trustees of the society's wealth. Therefore, they should use this wealth for the benefit of people.

Methods of Consumer Protection

There are four main methods of protecting the interests of consumers:

1. Business Self-regulation: The business community itself can help in achieving consumer protection and satisfaction through self -discipline. Businessmen can regulate their own behaviour and actions by adopting higher ethical standards. Trade associations and chambers of commerce can check unfair trade practices used by some businessmen.

2. Consumer Self-help: Every consumer must be alert as self-help is the best help. He should educate himself and know his rights. He should not allow unscrupulous businessmen to cheat him.

3. Consumers' Associations: Consumers should form voluntary associations. These associations can educate and awaken consumers. They can take organized action and put pressure on businessmen to adopt fair trade practices.

4. Government Regulations: The State can ensure consumer protection through legislative, executive and judicial actions. The laws enacted by the Government must be strictly enforced by the executive. Government of India has enacted several laws to protect the interests and rights of consumers. Some of these laws are as follows:

The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 which aims to regulate and control the production, supply and distribution and prices of essential commodities.

The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 which aims to check adulteration in food items and eatables.

The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 which seeks to ensure purity and quality in drugs and cosmetics.

The Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1956 which aims at ensuring that consumers get the right weight and measurement in products.

The Household Electrical Appliances (Quality Control) Order, 1976 which seeks to ensure safety and quality in the manufacture of electrical appliances.

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 which seeks to provide speedy and inexpensive redressal to the grievances of consumers.

THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT, 1986

The Act provides following remedies to an aggrieved consumer:

Removal of defects in goods or deficiency in service.

Replacement of defective goods with new goods of similar description which shall be free from any defect.

Return of price paid by the consumer.

Payment of compensation for any loss or injury suffered by the consumer.

Discontinue the restrictive, or unfair trade practice, and not to repeat it.

Withdraw the hazardous goods from being offered for sale and not to offer them for sale.

Provide for adequate cost to the aggrieved party.

The Consumer Production Act provides for a threetier system of redressal agencies: one at district level known as District Forum, second at state level known as 'State Commission', and third at national level known as 'National Commission'. A complaint is to be made to the district forum of the concerned district where the value of goods and services and compensation, if any, is up to Rs 20 lakhs, to the 'State Commission' between Rs 20 lakhs and Rs 100 lakhs, and to the National Commission for more than Rs 100 lakhs. Interestingly, there is provision for appeals against the orders of a particular redessal forum by the aggrieved party before the next higher echelon and even from the findings of the National Commission before the Supreme Court.

Conclusion

Invariably, consumers are a vulnerable lot for exploitation, more so in a developing country with the prevalence of mass poverty and illiteracy. India too is no exception to it. Instances like overcharging, black marketing, adulteration, profiteering, lack of proper services in trains, telecommunication, water supply, airlines, etc are not uncommon here. From time to time, the government has attempted to safeguard consumer's interests through legislations and the CPA 1986 is considered as the most progressive statute for consumer protection. Procedural simplicity and speedy and inexpensive redressal of consumer grievances as contained in the CPA are really unique and have few parallels in the world. Implementation of the Act reveals that interests of consumers are better protected than ever before. However, consumer awareness through consumer education and actions by the government, consumer activists, and associations are needed the most to make consumer protection movement a success in the country.

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Emerging Trends In Customer Relationship Management

2008-04-10T01:21:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION

The biggest management challenge in the new millennium of liberalisation and globalization for a business is to serve and maintain good relations with the king-the customer. In the past, producers took their customers for granted because at that time customers were not demanding nor had many alternative sources of supply or suppliers. Since he was a passive customer, the producer dictated terms and had little customer commitment. But today there is a radical transformation. The changing business environment is characterised by economic liberalisation, increasing competition, high consumer choice, enlightened and demanding customer, more emphasis on quality and value of purchase.

All these changes have made today's producer shift from traditional marketing to modern marketing. Modern marketing calls for more than developing a product, pricing it, promoting it and making it accessible to target customers. It demands building trust, a binding force and value added relationship with the customers to win their hearts. The new age marketing aims at winning customers for ever, where companies greet the customers, create products to suit their needs, work hard to develop life time customers through the principles of customer delight, approval and enthusiasm.

WHAT IS CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT ( CRM )

The process of developing a cooperative and collaborative relationship between the buyers and sellers is called customer relationship management shortly called CRM.

CRM aims at focusing all the organizational activities towards creating and maintaining a customer. CRM is a new technique in marketing where the marketer tries to develop long term collaborative relationship with customers to develop them as life time customers. CRM aims to make the customer climb up the ladder of loyalty.

CUSTOMER FOCUS IN BANKING SERVICES

As the intense competition becomes a way of doing business, it is the customer who calls the shot in deciding the nature of products and services offered in the market. The customers are becoming demanding, dominant and selective. In fact the perceptions and the expectations of the customers have undergone a sea change, with the availability of banking services to the customers at their door steps through the help of technology.

Marketing of customer services aims at two important goals: prosperity to the bank and satisfied customers. Banks offer tangible services like loan schemes, interest rates and kinds of account and the intangible services like behavior and efficiency of staff, speed of transactions and the ambience. The banks may need to include customer oriented approach or customer focus in their five areas of businesses such as Cash accessibility, asset security, money transfer, deferred payment and financial advices.

There are four strategies available to customer relations' managers:

To win back or save customers

To attract new and potential customers

To create loyalty among existing customers and

To up sell or offer cross services.

The future of banking business very much depends upon the ability of the banks to develop close relationship with the customers. In order to develop close relationship with the customers the banking industry has to focus on the technology oriented innovations that offer convenience to the customers. Today customers are offered ATM services, access to internet banking and phone banking facilities and credit cards. These have elevated banking beyond the barriers of time and space.

MARKETING OF BANKING SERVICES

Marketing of banking services means organizing right activities and programmes in rendering right services to the right people at the right place, at the right time at the right price and with right communication and promotion. Marketing of banking services embrace the following unique features

Intangibility-they cannot be seen or possessed physically but can only be experienced.

Inseparability-their production and consumption occur simultaneously.

Variability-they are highly variable depending on the merit of customers.

Perishability -they cannot be stored.

GLOLBALISED SCENARIO

"Change" is a continuous process and banking industry is no exception to this natural law. Change in the Indian banking industry is inevitable due to the implementation of the financial sector reforms and policies in the country. The main objective of financial sector reforms is to promote an efficient, competitive and diversified financial system in the country. Indian banking industry has undergone tremendous transformation after liberalization and globalisation process initiated from 1991. These changes have forced the Indian banking industry to adjust the product mix to effect the rapid changes in their process to remain competitive in the globalised environment.

COMPETITION FROM FOREIGN BANKS AND NEW PRIVATE SECTOR BANKS

The entry of more and more foreign banks and new private sector banks, with lean and nimble footed structure, better technology, market orientation and cost effective measures, have intensified the competition in the Indian banking industry. Financial Institutions have also started entering into the domain of banks. In recent years, the share of business of public sector banks has declined considerably. So there is a compelling need for the Indian banking industry to modify its marketing strategy to attract the customers and to withstand the stiff competition from foreign banks and new private sector banks.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT

The advent of technology both in terms of computers and communications has drastically altered the methodology of banking business. In the banking sector, the technology has opened new vistas and in turn has brought new possibilities for doing the same work differently and in a most cost-effective manner. Technology helps to have 24 hours a day banking, all seven days in a week. Tele banking, Internet banking and E-banking have opened new business potentials and opportunities which hither to remained unexplored. All these technological advancement may pave the way for home banking rather than branch banking.

INNOVATION

Another important force of change in the Indian banking sector is innovation. Banks are innovative, pro-active now-a-days and offer top class service to customers. They play a dynamic role not only as a provider of finance but also as a departmental store of finance. As a result of this, new products like merchant banking, mutual funds, leasing, factoring, forfeiting, corporate advisory services and venture capital are emerging. These innovative services may augment revenue with cost effective measures.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SKILLS OF BANK PERSONNEL

To meet the new challenges, banks have to devise novel ways of meeting the customer's demands. To help the banking staff to get sufficient exposure to technology, suitable packages relating to hardware and software applications in relation to their works are to be provided. Further, a separate marketing wing may be created in every bank to market their banking services. They must be trained suitably to keep pace with the changing environment. In order to meet the challenges, the Human Resource Department in banks have to prepare appropriate manpower plans and strategies.

CONCLUSION

The recent trend of globalisation and liberalization has posed serious problems to domestic banks. The entry of new foreign banks and private sector banks with their advanced knowledge base of automation in the banking operations and aggressive marketing strategies has pushed public sector banks to a tight corner. Potential customers have started moving towards foreign banks and private sector banks. To survive and succeed, banks must identify their marketing areas, develop adequate resources, convert these resources into healthy and efficient services and distribute them effectively satisfying the manifold tastes of customers.

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Good Advice on Bolstering Your Customer Service

2008-04-08T04:10:00.000-07:00

I was on the phone the other day trying to get to customer support for an issue I was having with a product that I own. It seemed like forever to actually get through to a real live human being, and when I did, I think I landed the person who must have started with the company about twenty minutes before they took my call.

It seemed after every question I asked they had to put me on hold to go ask someone else. I really should have just said can you just put someone else on the phone? I think it would have saved both of us and the person she kept bugging to get answers, a lot of time and frustration.

In the end I was able to get my issue resolved, so the end result makes it well worth the aggravation...I think.

I do not know how you think, but for me, when I call in to get assistance on something, nothing is more frustrating then either one, not talking to a live person, two, constantly getting someone's voice mail, or three, getting a person who really is not ready to talk to live people on the phone.

Does your business handle phone calls from the outside world? Either for help desk or customer support? If you do then you really should have your people prepared. In the case above the person I talked to clearly was not educated on the topics I needed covered and therefore cost people involved a lot of time. The best thing would have been to transfer the call to a more knowledgeable staff member and then have her listen in to learn how to handle the situation.

If you have employees who talk to customers over the phone, they really are your first line of good customer service. You always want people to leave a phone conversation more pleasant then when they called. If they are calling customer support, then chances are they are already aggravated by something that your company sells, services or supplies. Your customer support personnel should be well trained to be sympathetic to their needs and even though they might not be able to help them, have the ability to make them turn 180 degrees to feeling good about the progress and potential results of their phone call.

So many times I personally have encountered, whether it is over the phone and even in person, customer service just not caring about the needs of the customer. There is nothing more frustrating then trying to get help on an issue, only to experience that you leave more angry then when you started because the person you were working with just does not care.

Do your company, employees and your customers a favor, and spend the time to train your employees on good quality customer service. Let them know that customers, regardless of how irate they might be, should be treated with respect and dignity. You could even make a contest out of it as to see which one of your employees has the highest rate of customer service satisfaction.

Whatever method you choose to bolster your customer service department it should ultimately in the end yield happy customers.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

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Your Customer Service Is In The Toilet - Wake Up!

2008-04-08T03:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever done business with a company for 3-4 years and then when there is a problem or issue, the folks in charge will not even talk with you? Instead they have some underling call you back and give you some ridiculous excuse. An excuse that may not even fit the actual complaint or issue, well it happened to me the other day. Worse, the underling's cell phone dropped my call and he left a voice mail apologizing. My gosh, give me a break, enough excuses already.

And we all know what happens when you piss off long standing clients, vendors or customers; well, they just tell everyone, as they are livid and feel completely disrespected, even revengeful. Indeed, that's exactly how I felt, and yes, I will tell everyone in the industry sub-sector, even though the company has little if any competition. Perhaps they need some right about now.

What's that saying; If you fail to give customer service, your competition will. And thus, is the pendulum of market share. Customers vote with their dollars, time and energy and do not expect to be able to piss off customers and still keep them, unless you are the only game in town. Even then, you won't be forever, and when someone else enters the market, you just watch all those folks migrate to them.

Give good customer service and not lip service, stop making excuses and solve the problems and fix the complaints. If your customer service is in the toilet now, don't wait, and don't let those customer migrate.

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Is the Customer Really "Always Right?"

2008-04-05T23:18:00.000-07:00

When I am the customer, then absolutely, the customer is always right. :-) However, when I am not the customer, then I am not so sure...

"The customer is always right," is a nice pithy phrase, but by falling back on that little aphorism I think people end up missing the point.

Here are four situations where the idea "the customer is always right" may not be enough.

1) Ludicrous Requests

One of the biggest life lessons I have come across is, "if you don't ask, you don't get," and it's related corollary, "the worst thing they can say is no."

(Sidenote: If you've ever made a cold call or approached someone in a bar that led to a person berating and humiliating you, well then you know there are worse things they can say then "no." The best example of this is in the movie "Love Potion #9" with Tate Donovan and Sandra Bullock. Early in the movie Tate gets destroyed by a woman after his friends convince him, "the worst that can happen is she will say no." Later, when he is using his "super-pheromone spray" he gets to turn the tables and reject the same woman in the same way. If you have ever been rejected in this fashion, than go see this movie just for that scene - it is the ultimate "rejection revenge fantasy." But I digress...)

The challenge with this belief from the business side is that people will ask for anything and everything on the slim chance that you will say "yes." Requests range from the "within range of what everyone does," such as requesting a refund even though you have a clear "no refund" policy posted everywhere, to the absurd, such as a person who once demanded to come to one of my association's meetings at the member rate, even though she was not (and admitted that she was not) a member. She also did this in a rude way, and offered no justification why she should be allowed to come at the member rate, other than she just wanted to pay less, I guess.

At some point, the company or employee needs to draw the line. "The customer is always right," implies there is no line. The real issue is training people to know where that line is, and then training them to know how to effectively communicate that to the customer.

2) The Needs of the Many vs. the Needs of the One

This is my biggest pet peeve when I am a customer standing in line. There always seems to be one person who monopolizes the employee's time with mind numbingly inane questions and requests. I'm pretty patient, and I'm not talking about basic questions a person may ask. I can also understand when a person asks lots of questions to get information to help them in their buying decision.

I am talking about when a person feels it's appropriate to talk the employee's ear off with their life story (which is completely irrelevant to the buying decision) and then goes on and on and on and on and on and on in their indecision and vacillation. While they are chatting away with this person, the line backs up five, ten, twenty people deep.

Great customer service policy says to stay with the first person and help them. However, at what point does giving great customer service to one person equal giving terrible service to twenty others. What's the best approach here?

Tough question, and there's no clear answer. You can't train the employee to brush off the first person. At the same time, many other customers are getting irritated. This is where flexibility and tact come into the play. The ability to divert a chatty person with a "why don't you look at some of these options and let me help these people, and then we can chat about some of your thoughts," is invaluable.

I will say that my favorite person, and the one who gives me hope for the future of the human race, is the inane person who is chatting the clerk's ear off but who then has the presence of mind to pause, look at the line, and say, "why don't you help them first?" Warms my heart.

3) The Customer is Clearly Wrong

Customers make mistakes. I once mistakenly tried to return a pair of Bugle Boy jeans to an American Eagle store (they did not take them). When I was a kid I once tried to order an Egg McMuffin from Burger King (I didn't get one). For those who don't know and weren't tipped off by the whole "McMuffin" thing, an Egg McMuffin is a McDonald's breakfast sandwich. Delicious and fantastic for clogging arteries and causing acne, but not available at Burger King.

We've all heard the story of the person who returned snow tires to Nordstrom where the clerk accepted the refund without question - even though Nordstrom doesn't sell tires! This story is used as the quintessential "customer is always right" story. Unfortunately, according to Snopes.com, this story is most likely not true...

True or not, it's a nice story. Stellar customer service is a brilliant business tactic, even though it's unfortunately going the way of the Dodo. We all love people who go above and beyond for us. But let's face it, sometimes the customer is flat out wrong. Giving in to every customer request is not the best approach.

It's important to differentiate between tactics and strategies. "The customer is always right," is a great philosophy and strategy, but not a great policy or tactic. In the case where the customer is wrong, it's important to not be rude or insulting to him or her, but you can't just roll over to please them.

Unfortunately, some people have learned that even if they are wrong, if they push hard enough others will eventually give in. This leads us to:

4) Rude Customers

If there's one unfortunate side-effect of the "customer is always right" mentality it is that it somehow gives carte blanche to customers to behave rudely as if it was their right.

I hate rude people. I would advocate for fining people for rude behavior, but I don't think the courts could handle the volume of cases that would create (though if the government did fine people for being rude, that pesky federal deficit would be gone before you know it.)

There are only two excuses for a customer being rude:

1) The employee was rude to you first. I personally would rather kill 'em with kindness and walk away, but I suppose a quid pro quo response is justified

2) You are a member of the FBI's Counter Terrorist Unit in the midst of a national crisis. If watching six seasons of "24" has taught me nothing else, it's that sometimes you, "just don't have time to explain!"

Other than those two cases, rude customers are never "right." If you can, fire them. I love the idea of "firing customers"! Life is too short. Of course, you have to do this with tact, and this applies more to long term service contract type people. If you get a rude customer trying to order a hoagie from your deli, get 'em in, get 'em out, and keep smiling while you take their money.

I believe one of the main reasons people and companies (especially small businesses) should strive for financial abundance is to have the ability to walk away from any customer who is not worth the aggravation.

"The customer is always right" is a philosophy, not an action plan. A strategy, not a tactic. I teach a principle called "say 'yes and' instead of "yes, but." This basically amounts to not arguing with people and working with them. A common concern when I teach this idea is that people are afraid they will end up saying "yes" to things they don't believe in. This is the same as the idea of "the customer is always right." If you take it literally, you will give away the store.

If, as a business owner or employee, you have the customer's interests in mind and know how to communicate effectively with them, you will have a sound strategy in place to give any customer a great customer service experience.

Lesson: It's not about right and wrong. It's about getting rapport and communicating with people. The customer will often not be right, but he or she must never feel that he is wrong.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-the-Customer-Really-Always-Right?&id=1086898
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Middle Easts Customer Service Relationship Issues!

2008-04-05T22:39:00.000-07:00

As any company or person working in the Middle East /Africa region will tell you, customer service can be extremely frustrating, or at times even none existent. However as the region is experiencing an explosion in growth and Direct Foreign Investment DFI, the government as well as companies are realizing more and more the importance of improving its customer relationship standards. Market factors such as liberalization and increased competition, coupled with growing populations around the region, mean that services and the concept of customer service are coming under increased scrutiny.

In its deliberation around services, the Middle East can look to European market analysis for some compelling trends.

The independent survey by Association for Service Management International (AFSMI), a not-for-profit, educational association for professionals in the technology driven services industry, represents the first in-depth study of the European technical and technology services industry or S-Business.

The term 'S-Business' refers to organisations that are services-focused, services measured, and indeed services-driven, regardless of whether they also manufacture and sell products.

The survey is based on detailed interviews with influential service executives across Europe, of which 70 percent either have decision authority over total service business strategy or provide significant input to strategic issues and decisions. Four areas critical to service success were investigated: strategy, financial, customer-centricity and efficiency/effectiveness.

The research found that more than 70 percent of European companies surveyed are unable to determine customer revenue and profitability in real-time. As a result, there is little appreciation within these companies of the value each customer represents to their business and therefore how service and commercial responses should best be directed.

Most companies still respond to the customer that shouts loudest, regardless of their value. The inability to identify the truly valuable customer can be seriously detrimental to any business. Businesses could be losing some quiet but highly profitable customers who are walking away in silence and disgust.

In order to rectify this problem, companies need to achieve real-time business intelligence through better integration. However, AFSMI researchers found that two thirds of companies are struggling with this 'because most company systems were not designed for integration and certainly were rarely designed to accommodate the information-intense nature of a service business system'.

Almost half the companies surveyed (45 per cent) still consider the utilisation of information about customer or product performance as poor, suggesting inadequacy of systems or processes or both. Yet the information architecture to provide that business intelligence is already here.

More often than not, organisations already have the necessary information on their customers, but do not have the appropriate systems and processes in place to utilise the available data.

Business intelligence tools cover data quality, data analysis and information access. Deployed correctly, business intelligence enables companies to gain timely and accurate insight into internal business operations, as well as customers and suppliers. Ultimately, this should lead to greater business profitability and return on investment (ROI).

Worryingly, half the companies questioned still defined their culture as product-led, despite professing the significance of their service business.

Researchers found that only 30 percent of the companies analysed are customer-centric and even fewer, 18 percent, are service-led. Yet according to AFSMI, service now presents the primary opportunity for many businesses to develop and maintain closer relationships with their customers.

It is clear that a customer-led approach is more of an aspirational desire than a business reality. The lack of a true customer-led approach to business may be due in part to the fact that service executives seem to have a poorer understanding of the value of CRM than their colleagues in sales.

The study found that only 24 percent of service organizations view CRM as a significant driver of business development, whereas sales executives are the main driver (50 percent) of CRM activities. As a result, we find that CRM projects are often not implemented across the entire business.

According to AFSMI's research, while companies increasingly recognise the importance of the service department and its relationship with the customer, many businesses lack a true service culture and their staff do not have the necessary management skills.

Top management struggles to recognise and understand the full value of service and how to transform strategic policy into operational reality.The evidence shows that when implemented correctly, CRM can be hugely beneficial.

A number of organizations in the Middle East, from banks to telecoms service providers to automotive service centers are either considering or have implemented CRM strategies, which reflects the new regional focus on service.

The survey found that customer-centricity in many leading organisations came when service-centricity was supported by enterprisewide CRM systems and processes.

As this research demonstrates, with the right information at its disposal, the Middle East's emerging service industry can treat its customers in a more thoughtful, less haphazard way. In doing so, it can maintain its customer relationships, keep them loyal to the brand and see a healthy rise in revenue.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Middle-Easts-Customer-Service-Relationship-Issues!&id=1084683
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How To Build A Customer Base Without Being Obnoxious

2008-04-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I was initially afraid to get into direct sales was that I was afraid of becoming the stereotypical pushy salesperson. I had visions of friends and family rolling their eyes whenever I came near, whispering under their breath "Oh no, here comes Theresa. Get ready for the Avon sales pitch!" Right before I started my first campaign with Avon, I actually had nightmares about people avoiding me, and not being able to make any sales at all without chasing people down. But I took a deep breath, and plunged in.

The first "casual" conversation was definitely the hardest. I had a bunch of brochures with me at the bowling alley where my four children bowl in a league. I was so nervous, my hands were actually sweating. I reached into my Avon bag and pulled out a few brochures, placing them in a small stack by the table. Before I could work up the nerve to rehearse a clever way to introduce my new Avon business into casual conversation with my fellow bowler-parents, I heard, "Is that an Avon brochure?" I looked up to see a woman I knew only by face, I couldn't place her name. I was so dumbfounded, all I could do was simply nod. This was all the encouragement she needed. For the next five minutes, she proceeded to express her delight that I was now selling Avon. She had just lost her old rep, and was such a fan of the skincare and makeup ("I use nothing else on my face, not EVER," she insists), and was worried that she would have to order from Avon directly and pay a bunch of fees. Soon, a few of the other women sitting nearby sauntered over, also expressing their interest, asking for a brochure, and leafing through it right there and then. That's all it took. I couldn't believe it.

Later on, I approached some other ladies I knew, from church and other locations. Some were interested, some weren't. But everyone I know is aware that I sell Avon and that they can approach me for a brochure whenever they wish. I don't need to be pushy, or deceptive, or obnoxious. the truth is, Avon has a wonderful reputation that makes it very easy to sell. Avon really sells itself, I don't need to push so hard. I can still be me. I may never be a millionaire from selling this stuff, but I will have my integrity intact. I am slowly but surely building my customer base, and I'm feeling very comfortable with the way I handle my business. My customers will know that I want them to be happy with their purchases more than I want to make a sale. And my friends and family don't need to be afraid I'll try to sell them something everytime I'm around. Everyone wins.

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Why Marketing Is Really All About The Customer

2008-04-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

Contrary to what we've been taught in marketing, modern advertising is now focused on the customer rather than the product provider. In every decision you make as a business owner, it is crucial that you put your customer at the center. And this principle should not only be a concern of the CEO or the business owner. It must be the focus of every employee and department in any business enterprise.

Looking through the eyes, wants and concerns of the customer adds a significant value in the development of your products and in your business strategies. And in order view things from the to the client's perspective, you need to research and get to know your customers on a more personal level to be able to offer benefits that you know are close to their needs and desires.

This customer-centered marketing approach requires 5 items you have to remember.

Person.

Any expert marketer would tell you that the heart of every marketing campaign, whether in postcard printing and marketing, your full color brochures designs, or direct mail flyers, is the customer. The goal of every printed media you deliver is to elicit a positive response from your readers that can only be attained if you say what your clients want you to say, do what they want you to do and in the manner that they want you to say it.

It's not anymore about a group of people. Marketing strategies are now geared to the needs and satisfaction of each individual. Now more than ever is the time that you need to know your clients as intimately as possible for you to be more effective in promoting your business.

Passion.

Your passion for facts and statistics and how you use this information makes all the difference in gaining leverage over your competition. Research and results from postcard marketing campaigns, returns, data from your CRM, all these can be derived through your passion to deliver the needs of the consumer. Never base your decisions on assumptions that can mislead you. Only base them on facts and nothing less.

Process.

Instead of segmentation in your organization with different departments planning and running their own campaigns, you need to have a clear customer-oriented objective that is shared by everyone in your company. In this way, every individual's time, effort and brain power contributes and pushes toward one common goal.

Platform.

Create and implement a policy that your organization will apply to improve day-to-day operations and tools that can help you manage and maximize information from your customer base. Get as much data from customer service, the sales team, and even the IT department if you have an online business. All departments must work together to build and maintain a process that drives better customer experience.

Partners.

Marketing will never be complete without you getting a partner that can offer additional value to your marketing campaign. Other services that can be provided by other companies can help you be more cost efficient with your promotional ads.

When done right, all these items can help you provide a more effective marketing campaign that appeals to the most important element in your business: your customers. Achieve this and all the rest will follow.

change management

How to Keep Your Customers Happy and Satisfied

2008-03-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some principles on how to keep your customers happy and satisfied and be able to earn their loyalty.

1. Analyzing and understanding your customer needs. One of your goals, of course, why you put up your business is to provide services and products to your pre-determined market or customers. You chose that business not only because you like it but because it is needed by the public. To be able to accomplish your goal, you must first understand the varying needs of your customers. Your services and products must always be the answer to their problems. How are you going to do it? Simple, picture yourself as one of your customers and answer this question, "what actions you must do to keep me patronizing your products/service?"

2. Strive to be the best provider. Once you analyzed and understood your customers' needs, it is time to do the best of your expertise. What can you do to improve your products/services? Customers always want the best and come back if they have proven that your products/services are what they are expecting it to be. Remember, business is not only about trading, but creating a great product/service that will make people buy it.

3. Establish customer trust. In business one of the core factors of success is customer trust. What are the ways in order to build customer trust? One way is respecting customers' privacy. On a recent study conducted by Ponemon Institute entitled "What Marketing Professionals Think About the Value of Privacy to Consumers" shows that respecting customers privacy preference is a vital factor in building such trust (DMNEWS). Setting a privacy policy will give your customers an impression that you care about their personal information. If they can trust their valuable information to your hands then they can surely trust the services/products you provide. Another way of building customer trust is your word of honor. Either it is a written agreement or a verbal commitment made you must adhere to your word. Who will believe you again if you failed them thrice in a row? Nobody.

4. Be precise and honest. It is best to be transparent to your customers. Let them know what they will expect to your products or services. Do not promise your customer something that you cannot provide. It is always safe to be precise and honest as much as possible than to disappoint and lose them in the end.

5. Create a friendly environment. Oftentimes customers come back not only because of the greatness of your product/service but because they can feel that they are most welcome in your business. It is the attitude aside from the quality that keeps them coming back to you. Treat them not as your customers but a family you nurture in order to grow.

To continue your search for information and tips on successful business you may click here:

branding news

Customer Loyalty - The Ultimate Road To Profit

2008-03-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

When we think of the term Customer Loyalty, it is usually describing the behavior of repeat customers, who offer good ratings, reviews, or testimonials about your business. In a marketplace such as automotive new car sales, it is critical to build strong customer loyalty. A one size fits all approach to selling and retaining customers does little to fend off competitors and create loyalty. When customers come in to buy a new car today, most auto dealers will try to up sell by offering an extended warranty or rust proofing or possibly theft protection. However, many sales staffs forget about what more they can offer and focus purely on making the single sale. They forget to ask themselves if there are any additional products or services that could be offered that could mean the difference in getting the one time sale and bringing the customer back again and again because the dealer was so helpful and offered something that another dealer may not have.

As we can all attest to, when customers aren't happy with your business they won't hesitate to let you know and many of their friends and family as well which results in lost business to your competition. That's why Stratham Audi and North Shore Porsche with new strategies towards selling to the customer, dealers are doing simple things such as making follow-up calls or mailing a customer satisfaction questionnaire immediately after the sale has been made. The results in many cases are that the customer might be more likely to do business with them again in the future and refer the dealer to others.

Staying in contact with your customers is one of the best ways to build customer loyalty and a relationship with that dealer. As an example, once the sale has been made, Jake Sweeney Mazda interacts with the customer in areas such as service and customer support. A good sales person will keep in contact with a customer to make sure that even in a service situation things are resolved to their satisfaction and assist in any way they can to make them happy after the fact. The more a customer sees you the more likely they are to remember your name when it comes time to buy again.

For dealers today, building customer loyalty would be a much easier if they had a workforce that had the best interest of the dealer in mind. But in a world where it is all about "ME", that can be hard to come by. In the long run, Los Angeles Honda Dealers know it is important to retain the employees who interact with customers such as sales people, service personnel, and customer-service staff. But loyalty should work from the top down. If the owner of a dealership is loyal to his or her employees, that loyalty will usually filter down and then get passed on to customers. A lot of associations today such as Used Cars Boston Dealers are instituting programs to train their employees of the art of dealing with customers and how to satisfy their needs. By teaching how to interact more effectively with customers, they give the customer a reason to want to come back. Employees should look for ways to get to know their customers and their needs and try to anticipate what they want in order to provide the highest level of service possible in every area of sales and service.

Providing good customer service is the lifeblood of any company who wants to remain in business. You can bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your company won't be in business for long. Creating and nurturing customer loyalty should be a top priority for every company.

accounting blog news

Revealing 4 Keys to Building Trust With Prospects And Customers

2008-03-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

The level of trust you build with prospects and carry over to customers will determine the degree of your success and the longevity of your home based business. You not only want that high degree of trust, but you need it for all the reasons you're self-employed.

The 4 keys to building trust are:

1. You do what you say you will do. No double talk. You literally carry out with excellence the expectations you put between the ears of your prospect or customer. You need to not waver on this key to building trust; violate it and you're toast.

2. You fulfill the reason why people buy from you. You remain responsible for the expectations set within the minds of prospects and customers, which may require you to dig deep with open-ended questions to make sure you arrive at and remain on the same page. You need to understand why people buy from you and make sure their trust is reinforced rather than broken.

3. You are who people think you are. No bait and switch. People buy from those they know, like and trust. How can they do that if you are someone other than the image being projected? You need to know who you are and make sure that what you project to prospects and customers aligns with the real you.

4. You perform when promised. While delays may not be denials, you will severely undermine the level of trust if you don't deliver when promised. You need to set the expectation as to when things will be done and measure whether customers heard what you said. Bottom line: under promise and over deliver, but perform on time.

Business online blog

Customer Service Coaching Tip - Increase Profits Through Customer Retention

2008-03-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

Customer service is directly tied to customer retention. Do you know how many clients you are losing every year and what it is costing your bottom line?

Research by Bain & Company suggests that the average company loses 10-15% of their patron base every year. When you integrate this customer service data with the following:

Cost 6 to 7 times more to acquire new clients (Bain & Company) Increase customer loyalty by 5% boosts profits from 25% to 100% (Fred Reichheld)

Customer retention through customer development has just moved to the top of your business priorities.

What I know to be true is that most businesses cannot quickly identify their customer acquisition costs less alone know how many patrons that they lost. For these businesses are so busy chasing new business relationships that they have forgotten to maintain existing business ones.

However some companies truly understand the value of customer retention such as Ritz Carlton Hotels. This organization provides each employee with a budge to resolve guests problems to the guests' expectations. For they know the value of customer loyalty and how critical it is not to lose a single patron.

Another reason why businesses do not truly value customer retention is that they (executive management team) are no longer connected to the customer experience. Through the use of surveys to secret shoppers they have become disengaged specific to what their clients are experiencing through what are called Points of Connection. These points are what your clients both external and internal see, hear, touch, smell, taste and feel.

The executive management team truly needs to walk in the shoes of their customers. To not only experience the Points of Connection, but the Points of Potential (operating systems) as well. By taking this action, they will begin to understand the what of customer development and retention. Also, these walks will provide this team the opportunity to create Points of Innovation.

If you want to grow your business, then own this customer service coaching tip. Do not let a single patron leave your data base. Build customer retention through your customer loyalty action plan and watch your profits soar.

Customer Service - 'The Irritating Lack of Consistency'

2008-03-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was working with a group of course delegates on a community project. We were spending a couple of days re-furbishing a classroom for a primary school.

Having worked quite hard we were naturally flagging a little and fancied a quick pizza for our lunch. We jumped in a couple of cars and headed off to the local out-of-town pizza restaurant that we knew served a buffet all day. We got there at about 2:45pm, so after the lunch time peak period, to find adjacent tables cluttered with debris from previous customers, cold and unappetizing pizzas for sale and a general lack of apparent care. To be fair to the staff they did slowly rustle up some fresh pizza for us but as far as I was concerned the edge had been taken off of lunch.

This got me thinking about what in particular had made me disappointed and I put in down to something I've called "an irritating lack of consistency".

There was no consistency between our experience and that (probably, although I don't know this for a fact) enjoyed by customers of the restaurant only a couple of hours earlier. I suspect then that the pizzas would have been fresher, more varied, and the adjacent tables would probably have been laid out properly. We were receiving a sub-standard service although the restaurant advertised that it opened all day, the menu was (in theory) identical and the prices were the same.

This made me think that where a business is advertised as being open all day then the customer experience should be the same whether they visit early, peak time or late. They shouldn't be irritated by an inconsistent and sub-standard experience. Even with their highly franchised business model, McDonalds generally manages to provide consistent, value-led, fast food irrespective of the time that the customer visits.

This made me reflect on how I run my business and I made a customer service commitment to:

1.Do the simple things consistently well.

2.Provide a consistently high standard of customer service irrespective of the time of day or the day of the week. I tend to work better later in the day rather than earlier, so my challenge is to overcome this inbuilt blockage on my performance in order to consistently help all of my clients.

3.Ensure that my clients receive a consistently high standard of stimulating material whether they interact with me via. my blog,podcast,newsletter, articles, talks or join one of my telephone seminars

4.Ensure that each course delegate's experience is equally positive whether they are attending one of my corporate programmes with their colleagues or as an individual on one of my open courses

5.Continually ask for feedback from my clients to ensure these levels of consistency are being delivered.

Are there areas in your business that could also be suffering from "an irritating lack of consistency"?

Do your customers receive the same high level of attention and service irrespective of when they call or visit?

Have you checked with them that this is the case?

If so.....great ...keep it up!

If not...what do you need to put in place to make this happen consistently?

Getting More from Your Clients Using CRM Strategies

2008-03-25T10:47:00.001-07:00

Combustible Combination

When it comes time to develop a business plan for the next year, companies analyze and measure a number of performance indicators from their previous fourth quarter. While this complex process is important, often times the truly relevant information is overlooked. As a result, the time spent mulling over everything from budgeting to corporate direction is counter productive. In an effort to improve the efficiency of this process, we will focus on customer-based strategies for improvement.

How Do We Get More Clients?

Companies today are faced with the ever-increasing demands of the customer. The best way to successfully meet these demands is to implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Strategy. Enhancing the customer experience is vital for company growth. Without a CRM Strategy, a business is less capable of understanding their client's needs, thereby weakening their relationship with the client. A strong CRM Strategy will help you retain existing clients and acquire new ones. We'll first look at how to target new customers. To develop next year's business plan, begin by answering the following questions about your business:

What causes you to lose clients?

What has worked to gain clients?

What is your customer retention rate?

What is the cost of acquiring new clients?

How much will your company lose in profit and revenue for each client lost in the next 12 months?

What is the comparison between new and existing client profitability this year?

By understanding your existing clientele, you can create a clear strategy and direction for which clients to target next. Focus on your bottom-line numbers to pinpoint the areas where you've succeeded. Tabulate your revenue and profitability by customer. The best way to analyze your numbers is to outline your top 50 clients by three measures: profitability, revenue, and revenue potential over the next 12 months. Compose a matrix for each and identify which clients consistently reside in your top ten. These are the industries and businesses to target next year. Acquire lists for these industries and businesses. Use your existing clients as references and case studies; your current client base is your most valuable asset. Use it wisely.

Customer Retention

Acquiring new clients won't help your business grow if you do not retain those clients you already have. A powerful CRM Strategy for client retention is to analyze the consumer's needs with five easy-to-remember "F's":

Functions - How do your products and services meet the mission-critical needs of your clients?

Finances - How is their overall financial situation affected by investing in your products or services? Look not only at the initial cost of investment and ongoing purchases, but also how they save money by soliciting your services. Will productivity increase? Will waste be minimized?

Freedom -How will your services positively affect other areas of their professional and personal lives? Will your clients spend less time worrying as a result of your product? Will they waste less time on mundane tasks, thereby gaining more quality time to dedicate to their home lives?

Feelings - How do your product and services make your client feel about his or her role in the project? How does the end result impact their role in the company? Once the initial project is completed, how does your client feel about your salesperson and your company as a whole?

Future - How will the needs of your client change over time? How will these changes affect your business relationship? What kind of an impact will your services have on your client's future with their company? Will your client become increasingly more comfortable with your company over time?

The answers to these questions spell out why your clients do business with you and how you can keep them satisfied with your services. Businesses need to know their clients if they want to succeed. CRM Strategy profiles your clients so you know where your strengths lie and how to deliver the best service for your client's needs. Having neither a clear CRM Strategy nor a plan to enhance your client's experience will lead to failure. Avoid this combustible combination in your business planning. Focus on your assets - your clients - and preparing for next year won't be more time wasted; preparing for next year will be preparing for success.

The 'Dos' and 'Don'ts' in Call Center

2008-03-23T05:37:00.001-07:00

Call center is a terrific job. Many young professionals work in call center because of higher chances of boosting their career to the maximum level. Customers are expanding their channel in contact in which call centers are on top of the list. It is a challenge to every contact center to integrate strategic planning in order to maintain its presence towards the global trend in this industry.

Working in a call center is not only aiming to receive higher pay. There are dos and don'ts in order to set limitation to the workers. If you are one of the millions of people connected in customer service, you should know the guidelines to avoid committing violation. Call center companies always make sure to deliver efficient services to their clients worldwide as possible. Because call center is a promising industry, keeping the best employees and hiring more service representatives should always set part of expanding the business. Hiring the right people is very important. The call centers should provide ongoing training to the agents and employees; practice the transparency like communicating openly with the agents and managers, discovering the quality performance of the best people, investing to the state-of-the-art technology to increase customer satisfaction.

Any contact center should have a strong organization in achieving the long-term goal of the company. Making the call center dynamic and flexible can promote better output all the time. The call center management should always strengthen the relationship with the customer. Maintaining customer relationship is important above anything else.

There are many good things you can do to support the call center industry. Avoiding the don'ts in this industry can lessen the burden that may bring to the customers and the company you work for. The following are the don'ts that call center employees should do:

Avoid Tardiness

Time is precious. Never be late in your duty. Though you are one of the best agents in the company but with your constant tardiness will give you the honor to be recognized by your team leaders or supervisors. Also, you are not the asset of the company because call center is a fast paced regulated industry that time is important. Your tardiness can affect the operation of your company.

Don't Slack Off

Do your job promptly. Slacking off the floor by letting other people do the job which is supposed to you is simply a bad impression to you not only as a person but to your job performance. Be productive always and serve as role model to your fellow agents. Show them the real you that you are happy with what you are doing. There are many call center agents who were terminated because of this bad impression despite several times of IR (incidental report) issued to them.

Avoid Obscene Behavior

Displaying your obscene behavior while you are inside your company's premises is a big NO. When taking to the customer, talk with them with pleasure and with care. Never throw seducing words which sounds like you are doing phone sex to your customer. If caught, this may the end of your promising career in your in the call center. And worst, this may left bad wound in your previous job and to your co-workers.

Stop horsing around

Think of your responsibility as an employee of the company. While you are on duty, avoid playing around and horsing with other agents. Respect their privacy while they are on call and focusing on their job. This behavior can cause immediate violation because you are disturbing your co-workers instantly. Always put the fun in the right time. Implementing self-discipline is the best way to get rid of this disturbing behavior.

There are so many don'ts that you we need to implement. This can make the job easier if everybody is following the simple orders stated under the rules and regulations. It is important that the discipline must start on our own. Later on, other people who are new in the call center will learn the virtue that you showed. If you love your job then keep it.

The call center industry continues to give outstanding opportunity to everybody. It helps the economy prosper and lower the unemployment rate in the world.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Dos-and-Donts-in-Call-Center&id=1059714

Managing Customer Expectations with Construction Meetings

2008-03-23T05:00:00.001-07:00

Customers have certain expectations about the finished state of their new homes. They paint pictures in their heads that may or may not accurately reflect the homes you're building for them. As a result, it's important that a homebuilder's representatives, typically a site supervisor and a sales representative, properly manage customer expectations during the construction process.

One of the best ways to manage expectations is through construction meetings, which are held between the builder's representatives and the customers while the home is being built. Most builders hold three such meetings: one that occurs before construction begins, one that occurs before drywall is installed, and one that occurs right before closing. They take place at key milestones during the home's construction and give you the time to thoroughly explain the homebuilding process to educate customers and shape their expectations. In addition, if these meetings are successful, they lead to a friendly working relationship and higher customer satisfaction ratings. Infrequent or unclear communication usually leads to unwanted surprises later in the process, such as someone upset over a missing upgrade or a misunderstanding about the floor covering.

Continuously making sure you and your customers are on the same page while the home is being built is important. Use these communication opportunities to your advantage!

Pre-construction meeting

At the pre-construction meeting, the customer reviews the site plan, home plans, and other paperwork for the home with the builder's representatives, usually the site supervisor and sales representative. The meeting is typically held immediately before the foundation work begins on the home and is often accompanied by a lot walk, so the customer can get a complete picture of the site.

Pre-drywall meeting

At the pre-drywall meeting, the customer tours the home with a member of the builder's team to review the construction and the location of the major mechanical and structural systems of the home. The meeting is usually held just after the framing is finished and insulated but before the drywall installation begins.

Pre-closing meeting

At the pre-closing meeting, the customer walks through the home with a member of the builder's team--usually a site supervisor, sales representative, or quality assurance person--to review the construction and agree to close on the home. The meeting is typically held one week prior to closing.

These days, customers are more likely than ever to take an active interest in how their home is built. As a result, much of your time has to be spent making sure the homes the customers have built in their heads is the home described in the paperwork. It's up to you to manage their expectations so they're satisfied with the final result.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Managing-Customer-Expectations-with-Construction-Meetings&id=1055463

What Is Mobile CRM

2008-03-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

Mobile CRM is basically the same old CRM except that you can execute CRM functions and access data while on the move. To state further, mobile CRM enables better communication between employees behind the desk and those in the field. Field operatives can view contacts, customer information, reports, and forecasting data and thus take appropriate decisions. They can also accept work assignments and keep the executives in the support office up-to-date with the latest data.

Deploying a mobile CRM is a strategic decision that you need to take if you feel that your mobile staff can make use of it to deliver their revenue targets and deliver better customer service. Being connected to remote CRM databases while on field duty means faster and smoother resolution to customer issues as well as a better chance of selling a service or a product to a prospect.

The information flow is two-way. Salespersons can access databases and at the same time the information that they captured is relayed back to the central database which gets updated and stays current. Mobile CRM is web-based and with its browser-based interface it can be run on a number of devices such as PDAs, pocket PCs, mobile phones, etc as well as different operating platforms.

Sales productivity is one of the key business aspects that experiences a positive impact when mobile CRM is deployed. Simply put, field personnel can execute routine reporting activities faster and make use of the time thus gained to focus on the requirements of the high-profile customers. Mobile CRM helps dissolve the layers between sales reps and their managers in the HQ. Bi-directional flow of information boosts sales force productivity and empowers the field executives to take independent decisions by virtue of access to crucial customer information.

Companies that have deployed mobile CRM report a reduction in paperwork and redundant data entries; however there are issues that are preventing mobile CRM from truly taking off. Broadband is still not ubiquitous although Wifi, WiMax, and VoWLAN are helping to overcome the connectivity problem. Another challenge is getting employees to successfully navigating the learning curve associated with any new technology. Security is another issue. Data encryption, strong passwords, placing the mobile CRM server on separate virtual LANs, etc are some of the things that need to be done to ensure data protection; however these should not come at the cost of productivity or speed of execution of an activity.

So if you intend to deploy mobile CRM, look for a solution that

1. Allows you to work offline as well as online

2. Can run on multiple platforms and is not device-dependent

3. Short learning cycle, ease of use and intuitive navigation

4. Uncluttered and sieved data, access only that which is relevant

5. Upgrades are easy

6. Integrates with existing CRM databases and legacy devices

fundraising

A True Customer Relationship

2008-03-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

Customer Relationship Management! When we hear this term it conjures up a lot of ideas about how a business views their relationship with the average everyday modern consumer. Are they looking for loyalty, is it a one night stand or are they in it for the long haul hoping for a lasting relationship for years to come. Customer Relationship Management or (CRM) as it is more commonly known can be renamed to a more appropriate phrase. CRM in its broadest sense to be truly effective really should be called Customer Relations Marketing. Just a slight twist on how this is viewed means that the need to understand the needs, wants and desires of your customers and potential customers is the single most important factor.

One industry in particular today, the automotive industry is most affected by this trend. How a customer is treated when they walk into their dealership can mean the difference in making a sale and getting repeat business and having your name drug through the mud for treating someone as though they were nothing more than another number.

In today's world where the first introduction between a customer and a dealer can be made from a computer monitor and keyboard, a dealer must work twice as hard to win over that customer. The old adage of do unto others is paramount in relating to today's customers. They do not like being considered faceless numbers in a data base somewhere. Establishing a rapport with a new car buyer begins the very first moment the customer enters the front door. What is the motivation that has brought them to your dealership?

For those dealers that have been around for awhile such as Ford NH and Dallas Mazda, they have been through enough automotive sales training programs that try to help set some guidelines for how to establish the rapport or relationship with the shopper that may not make sense for today's new age customers. Knowing the reasons why consumers make the decisions they do helps direct the dealer towards what they need to offer in the way of services.

New dealers such as Audi Stratham and Porsche of Stratham are trying to appeal to their customers by blending a little bit of the traditional with the more modern pizzazz available with many website designs. Today's customers want to be entertained while shopping and the torrent of Flash and Glitz that comes with so many of the new web sites are designed to grab you attention and pull you in.

Recently I overheard one sales person say that after introducing their self, they like to sit with a customer and get some basic information because it helps them to better understand the needs of the customer. It's using principals like this that will allow dealers to continue the approach of hands on, get inside the head of the customer with what are they looking for and find out what more can I offer to cause someone to go from computer screen to a dealers front door.

ethics news

3 Customer Service Ideas to Earn Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty

2008-03-15T05:42:00.000-07:00

Customer service has never been worse than it is in today's business environment. With companies trimming their budgets as much as possible, there isn't the time or money to spend on customer service skills. If it can be automated, it gets automated no matter how inconvenient it is for the customer.

How many times have you been ready for the now familiar message "please listen carefully for our options have changed" only to find yourself screaming at the phone after one too many option levels? Hey - it works for the business - it keeps their operating overhead down - they don't have to staff as many people as they used to because the call tree does the job on auto-pilot. No late or sick employee to worry about. No customers complaining about your phone receptionist cutting them off or having a bad attitude.

When you stop to think about all the conveniences we have lost over the years, it's pretty astounding. Doesn't it seem like we're doing more with all the automation that was supposed to make our lives easier? No more secretaries; we have a computer. No more gas jockey; we can do it ourselves and we even get to watch TV while we're pumping. Nobody to answer your call or tell you when they will; you can leave a message.

I don't know about you but all this convenience can be very frustrating for me. I can't ever sit back and let somebody else do the task because I'm expected to use self-serve. I remember the days when service people were expected to be extremely helpful. We have begun to expect poor service and we are no longer surprised when it occurs.

This is the perfect time for small businesses to step up and offer that which cannot be offered by the big companies. Convenience is such a big selling point, how about offering customer service as a convenience for your customers? Many small businesses are run by owners that are too busy running the business to implement good customer service on the Internet. In fact, customer issues may be rare and infrequently occurring, but as the business grows good customer service becomes a necessity. The business owner will eventually find it difficult and overwhelming in the long run.

The post sales process is just as important as the initial sales process when it comes to customer loyalty. A poorly treated customer will not have a reason to do business with you again even when you roll out new products and services. Here's three ideas for you to implement that will not take excessive time or money but will increase customer satisfaction and customer loyalty:

1. Follow-Up Personally with an Irate Customer
Running a business is like having a new adventure every day. You can never be surprised when the unexpected happens, only be ready to deal with it. When things go terribly wrong for your customer, have someone follow-up with a phone call. You may be surprised to learn that Internet shoppers think of online businesses with a bit of celebrity stars in their eyes. It is totally unexpected that an online business would call them to apologize for any inconvenience and make sure the issue was resolved to their satisfaction. I've done it - it works like a charm every time.

2. Use Words and Phrases Guaranteed to Calm Any Customer
Customers enjoy the speed of the purchase and the anticipation of the immediate download shopping on the Internet for digital products. Things can go bump in the night at any point in the purchase process, even getting to the download page. Make it easy for your customer to report the issue by having at least one method guaranteed to get results within four hours. And then be sure you always include "we apologize for the inconvenience", "please reopen this ticket if further assistance is needed", "thank you for notifying us of this problem", "please", "thank you", "we're so sorry for the delay", etc. This type of acknowledgment lets the customer know that you care. Isn't that really what we want?

3. Give the Customer Value for Their Inconvenience
New people are coming to the Internet every day so you should expect and plan for the "this is my first time" issues. One way you can do that is to provide your customer with more information than is required to resolve the issue. For example, solving the issue and telling your customer how to prevent a similar issue in the future will assist them in using the Internet and they will greatly appreciate the extra time and effort your business took to assist them.

Combine all three of the above ideas and you will provide customer service few have seen on the Internet, let alone in many offline businesses today.

Franchising

Loyal Customers Maximize Revenue Opportunity Especially in Down Economic Times

2008-03-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Many businesses cannot answer this question: What is the total value of a loyal customer especially in these potentially down economic times? For businesses are so busy working on yesterday's issues and today's issues, they fail to invest the time on tomorrow's opportunities. Customer Service Coaching Tip: Economic down times are opportunities waiting to happen for those businesses that are prepared and ready for action.

To calculate this very important number begins by understanding your average revenue per order and knowing the total number of orders per year per customer. By multiplying these two numbers creates your total revenue opportunities per year for your average customer.

Next take your total revenue opportunities multiplied by the average tenure of your customer and you now have your total value of a loyal customer.

For example, you are a restaurant and the average breakfast meal is $6.00 and your customers visit you 2 times a week or 104 times a year for annual total revenue opportunity of $624. Your average tenure or lifetime for your customer is 10 years. Total value of that client is $6,240.

When that morning breakfast customer stops coming, you have not lost $12 a week, but $6,240. This is why building loyal customers is so critical to your bottom line.

My husband and I go out for dinner usually once a week. We frequented twice a month a locally owned restaurant that consistently delivered good food.

During one of our visits, my husband visited the men's washroom and observed a cook not washing his hands. Upon returning to the table, he quietly shared with me the incident and we left. Customer Service Coaching Tip: What your customers see are just one of the six Points of Connection. The other five points are: hear, touch, smell, taste and feel.

On our way out, my husband took the manager outside and politely explained what had happened. Even though the manager did try to resolve the problem, we both know that individuals who fail to wash their hands will not change their behaviors. Impact to that restaurant was easily $25,000 over the course of 10 years because usually once a month another couple joined us.

Take action on this customer service coaching tip to make sure that everyone from the executive team to the frontline workers understand all points of connection. Demonstrate the financial impact when opportunities are lost because a simple point of connection such as the staff not washing their hands was not maximized.

A Primer on Providing Professional Customer Service

2008-03-12T22:56:00.000-07:00

In an increasingly competitive market, the difference between you and your competitors often boils down to one crucial factor - customer service. The reality is that it has been proven time and time again that a company's success often hinges on how customers view the service provided. While it's certainly helpful to utilize technology to increase customer loyalty, oftentimes it's the basic customer service 101 that makes all the difference in the world when it comes to turning a one-time customer into a long-term client.

You Are How You Sound

It's a given that using a negative voice and tone with a customer is an absolute no-no. However, there is frequently an overall acceptance for an unenthused, neutral voice. Call it what you like - blah, bored, tired, or detached. Customers will perceive a monotone voice as negative and unhelpful. Paying attention to voice, tone, sounding positive, energetic, and consistently upbeat should be right at the top of the list of ways to improve your customer service.

The Delight is in the Details

Your customer service team needs to be able to manage the basics of their jobs, and customers expect that. But, what makes the difference between so-so service and helpfulness that keeps customers returning is paying close attention to details. Following through, keeping promises, and going that extra mile for a customer is the key to loyalty. Customers will always appreciate that personal touch that makes them feel appreciated and special.

You Said What?

With more and more communication taking place online, often delivered in bullets or short quips, it seems that many have forgotten the benefits of courteous dialogue. "Please," "thank you," and "How may I help you?" are far too frequently forgotten. By focusing on using those tried and true words of good customer service, you can go a long way towards differentiating yourself from a pack of poor communicators.

Frankly My Dear, I Don't Give a Damn!

We've all had the experience of being circulated around a complex phone system, trying to reach a customer service representative - punching buttons, being redirected, then placed on hold, and finally hung up on. What's the message that a company projects with this lack of respect for their customers' time? A message of indifference; and it's a surefire way to make your customers run straight towards a competitor who can manage to pick up their phones. While this is one example of a lack of concern for customers, there are countless other ways that companies show they just don't care. The bottom line here - it behooves every company to review their entire customer service process to seek out those deficiencies that create challenges for their customers.

Comfortably Numb

Your market is continuously changing, and so are the needs of your customers. This requires a customer service team to be adaptable and flexible. For this reason, watching out for signs of complacency and an inability to make improvements is crucial and must be corrected before your competitors surpass you with more innovative ways to better provide service to your customers.

It's easy to go after the quick fix, particularly when it comes to customer service. You can certainly improve the efficiency of a team with a new phone system or software program, but it won't necessarily improve quality. At the end of the day, successful customer service still boils down to people working with people. Treat your customers the way you want to be treated, and you will be rewarded with the loyalty of your customers.