Posts Tagged ‘customer service’
by Steve Strauss on November 13th, 2009
Q: “I will ask yet again: Can I have the check now please? We just want to get out of this restaurant already.”
Steve
A: The above exchange occurred over the weekend when my brother, my wife, and I went out to eat at a nice restaurant. It turned out to be one of those terrible dining experiences we have all been through at one time or another. Everything went wrong – bad service, cold food, wrong orders, etc.
But it was when the young waitress started crying at our table that we new it was time to go.
We... Read more »
by SmallBusinessDelivered.com on September 9th, 2009
Customer satisfaction levels can actually increase based on how companies handle customer complaints. A problem or issue does not define the staff or the company. How it is handled does defines the staff or company.
Customer complaints often stem from the customer not feeling understood. They feel they are being treated like a number or a widget, and not like a real person with real frustrations when issues arise.
Feelings of alienation set in when customers don’t feel listened to. When the statements “It’s our policy to…” or “It’s not our policy to do that” comes into play, any relationship... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on March 20th, 2009
Q: Our place of business has a customer who is a real pain. Unhappy with something that happened with regard to his account, he has become increasingly belligerent. He calls and yells at me and others. He threatens to take his business elsewhere and so on. How should we handle this guy – placate him, fire him, or what? I should note he makes us a lot of money.
Sue
A: Anyone who has read some of my stuff over the years probably knows that I fall into the go along/get along camp as a general rule, or to use... Read more »
by Christina Lee on December 31st, 2008
The news bulletins of 2008 became one relentless reminder of the economic crisis. They reported that businesses and industries suffered, under the great weights of declining sales and a wounded morale.
But the year also taught some valuable lessons, especially to small business owners. Whatever losses they suffered the public noticed, which made their successes all the more notable:
What they could not compensate in price, they made up for with customer service. Take note of Kelly Spors, small-business writer for the Wall Street Journal, and her recent experience buying trout at her neighborhood fish and meat market:
“Rather than... Read more »
by Leeia Ladipoh on September 12th, 2008
Without a doubt, the number one obstacle to running a successful online business is getting potential buyers to trust your website enough that they are willing to make a purchase.
Let’s be really honest; there are plenty of steps involved with the purchase and receipt of any online product from the release of a credit card number to final delivery – and potential customers will worry about every single one of these areas when it comes to making a purchase from a business they have not used in the past.
About Branding
There is a lot of competition in online... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on June 2nd, 2008
Many brick and mortar stores have learned by now that they need to have a website in order to compete in today’s internet driven consumer marketplace. What many of them haven’t figured out yet is that there is much more to using the internet to draw in customers than simply having a website with store hours and information on it.
It is becoming increasingly important for businesses to make themselves available for customer reviews. Sites such as Amazon.com use the customer review system to sell products. Yelp.com uses the same concept but allows consumers to review actual businesses. This type... Read more »
by Larry Slusser on April 8th, 2008
When you have made a major purchase whether it was a car or living room furniture chances are you received some sort of thank you from the company you made the purchase from. Usually at a high quality dealership for cars or furniture the salesperson will be given the responsibility to write the thank you note but often times the note will be signed by anyone who you came in contact with during your purchasing experience.
Thank you cards are a nice touch, particularly if they are hand written. Giving a small gift can even be appropriate if the purchase... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on March 20th, 2008
With the retail industry taking in $4.5 trillion in sales in 2007, it’s no wonder that more and more people are considering opening their own retail store. But, being a successful retailer isn’t as simple as entering the industry and opening a store. In order to have the best chance of running a successful retail establishment, you should first assess your skills to figure out what your personal strengths and weaknesses are for being a retailer. If you fall short in some areas, don’t worry, you can always take a course, do some research or, even easier, hire someone who... Read more »
by Leeia Ladipoh on March 18th, 2008
You may have heard the old adage “honesty is the best policy”. This is also true in business. While most people think that anything goes in business, when it comes to what your customers think about you and your company, you are definitely better off letting them know what is going on.
You have heard of the “business – customer relationship”, but do you really treat it like a relationship? You should. The better you build this relationship up front, the more supportive your customers will be down the road – especially if problems arise.
Transparency in Product Problems
It... Read more »
by Veronica Stone on March 11th, 2008
A successful and capable business owner, operator or manager perfectly understands that the ultimate key to business success is customer satisfaction. There are two primary factors that play major roles in ensuring customer satisfaction both in the immediate and long term future.
First, a business that is committed to customer satisfaction makes very certain that products or services offered to consumers are top quality. Second, a business that strives to maintain customer satisfaction understands the key role that customer service plays in that process. Therefore, a successful, capable business owner, operator or manager understands the vital role that customer service... Read more »