Tag: Customer Service

Which Comes First: Customer Service or Customers?

I saw an interesting comment on a blog site recently in response to an article about 6 effective marketing tips for small businesses. One poster noted that, among the small businesses she works with, her focus is on providing strong customer service and trusting that the rest will come. (Sort of a Field of Dreams approach I guess…)

There is, of course, absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on customer service–in fact I’m all in favor of it. But Continue reading “Which Comes First: Customer Service or Customers?”

What You Need to Teach Your Employees About Customer Service

The best product or service in the world won’t be well received by customers if it is delivered poorly. Businesses of any kind and any size — whether virtual or bricks and mortar — must deliver exceptional customer service to compete effectively in what has become an increasingly competitive business environment. With businesses able to sell their goods literally around the world, your field of competitors has increased exponentially.

That means that you need to ensure that your employees are prepared to

Continue reading “What You Need to Teach Your Employees About Customer Service”

Word of Mouse—Consumer Sharing on Steroids!

It used to be that consumers shared opinions about products and services at the water cooler or over the backyard fence. While their word-of-mouth was (and is) valuable, the reach they could achieve in the “old days” was minimal. Today that’s not the case. Although there is still plenty of old-fashioned word-of-mouth taking place in break rooms and backyards around the country, the power of technology has amped up the ability to spread messages—for good and ill! Marketers need to be taking steps to address both sides of this issue. Continue reading “Word of Mouse—Consumer Sharing on Steroids!”

We All Have Something to Learn From Dairy Queen. What Impression Are You Making When You Think No One Is Watching?

I used to tell my son that the true test of a person’s character isn’t what they do when they know someone is watching, but what they do when they don’t think anyone is watching. I don’t know who originally said that; it wasn’t me. But, it’s a sentiment that has always really resonated with me. And, I’ve had opportunities to observe people (when they didn’t know they were being observed by me) who made both positive and negative impressions.
Continue reading “We All Have Something to Learn From Dairy Queen. What Impression Are You Making When You Think No One Is Watching?”

What I’d Like To Do Better in 2013: New Year’s Resolutions

I love a new year. Although I realize that, technically, every day is the beginning of a new year, there’s something about the New Year that makes me both reflective and optimistic about what lies ahead. As a pretty goal-oriented person, I enjoy the process of looking back, learning, and looking forward. It’s the basis of strategic planning, after all, a personal passion of mine. Each year I spend time to commit my goals to writing and I track my progress throughout the year. I don’t achieve every goal, but I do belief that I’m more effective than I would be if I didn’t take the time to plan. I had some great successes in 2012 and a lot of very rewarding experiences–both personally and professionally. But there’s always room for improvement and, regardless of what I achieve, I always want to achieve more. So, in 2013, there are a number of things I’d like to do better: Continue reading “What I’d Like To Do Better in 2013: New Year’s Resolutions”

Are You Losing Online Sales Because of a Clumsy Ordering Process?

Sometimes I think the most simple thing that we can do as businesspeople and marketers is to “put ourselves in the shoes” – literally – of our prospects and customers. Are we making it easy to buy? Or are we setting up unintentional barriers, however “slight,” that may interfere with – or obliterate – the purchasing process?

In retail settings this might mean products organized in ways that make it difficult for consumers to find what they’re looking for. It may mean limited – or non-existent – parking. It may mean long lines at the check-out counter or disinterested (even grumpy) service staff.

Online it may mean much of the same – the ability to quickly find what we’re looking for is important. Parking isn’t an issue, but the check-out process certainly is.

Have you taken a critical look at Continue reading “Are You Losing Online Sales Because of a Clumsy Ordering Process?”

Influencing Target Audiences – Work From the Inside Out

There are four ways that people learn about our products and services:

1. Through their own experiences with us.
2. From their friends, family and colleagues – word of mouth.
3. Through the media – news reports, articles, etc.
4. Directly from us through our own advertising, web sites, social media, etc.

I always list these four sources of information in this order, because Continue reading “Influencing Target Audiences – Work From the Inside Out”

Do Happy Employees = Happy Customers? No!

Common wisdom suggests that there is a direct correlation between employee and customer satisfaction. Common wisdom, of course, is often flawed. Just ask a couple of my favorite business authors, Dan Ariely (Predictably Irrational) and Steven Levitt (Freakonomics). Sometimes the things that we believe to be true, simply aren’t.

A few years ago an article in the Harvard Business Review Continue reading “Do Happy Employees = Happy Customers? No!”

Are We Over-Relying on Technology for Interpersonal Communications?

Anybody who has ever observed people–usually, but not always, teenagers–standing together, yet communicating via text messaging can recognize that sometimes technology is overused. Whether email, social media, texting or the use of mobile devices, the downfall of these practices is to minimize face-to-face or voice-to-voice contact which can be a definite drawback. In business settings, studies consistently indicate Continue reading “Are We Over-Relying on Technology for Interpersonal Communications?”

What to do When You Make an Online Mistake

Whether managing your personal account or updating an employer or client account you’re responsible for, making an online mistake can be embarrassing to say the least. Online mistakes can also be costly in terms of damage done to an individual or firm’s reputation. As many celebrities and newsies have discovered sometimes what they felt was an innocuous statement can become quickly controversial and viral.

A client recently asked me how to deal with an error that went out in a post. There is no “easy answer” to this type of question, of course. The answer is really “it depends.”  It depends on what the “oops” was, how many people are likely to see it, what the potential negative ramifications might be and–importantly–whether a follow up message might bring more attention to the issue rather than defusing it. Believe it or not Continue reading “What to do When You Make an Online Mistake”