One hot summer day my daughter and I ventured to our local craft store with one mission in mind – purchase velvet covered coloring panels called fuzzy boards. Little did we know this simple trip would turn into such an adventure. The store advertised the boards on sale and offered a 40% discount coupon. My [...]
The perception in the marketplace, according to research, is that customer service is declining. Whether consumer expectations have increased or services have declined over the last few years is debatable. The fact is, perception is truth, in the consumers’ eyes. Having stated that, some businesses still seem to excel in customer service and get rave [...]
Customers are the lifeline of any business. Letting your customers know that they are important and that their concerns and fears are your own can make you their trusted confidante. How better to bond with others than by being a confidante? Listen well Try to pay attention to what your customer is telling you without [...]
One hot summer day my daughter and I ventured to our local craft store with one mission in mind – purchase velvet covered coloring panels called fuzzy boards. Little did we know this simple trip would turn into such an adventure. The store advertised the boards on sale and offered a 40% discount coupon. My [...]
For the professional services person, some iterations of CRM may be confusing – many are slanted toward automating customer service operations. But never fear, there is a whole lot more to CRM than fielding service calls. In fact, a new breed of CRM is quickly becoming a powerful solution for professional services firms, especially those [...]
1. Customer service is all about customers’ needs first and your needs second.If your customers expect a response from you in 24 hours and you always respond much later, that’s putting your needs first and their needs second.2. Customers are like a spouse, they need to feel special to continually respond to your offers.You make [...]
The following story is related to my particular business field, but you will see how it relates to all businesses. After location, marketing, and a business plan, our customer service is what keeps repeat business coming back for more. If you don’t value your repeat business, your competition will. If you have a strong customer [...]
Customers are demanding quality products and services again after the turnaround from the recession of the 1980s. They can no more be seduced into buying just anything through discounts and slick marketing methods. The goal in customer satisfaction lies in making customers feel that their needs have been met. Experience with Vilfredo Pareto’s 80/20 rule [...]
“Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.” Don’t worry; I’m not trying to take you to Sunday school under the pretense of a business article! However, in one form or another we have learned this rule for as long as we can remember. Many people try their best to apply this rule [...]
For those of you who are working in a customer service industry, the quality of that customer service itself is the most important aspect of the job. People respond positively to good customer service. IF you are a business owner then you know how the saying goes, it’s easier to keep a customer, as it [...]