Best Read Friday - Making Customers Remember You

CUSTOMER LOYALTY EARNED...

From the local grocery store to the hotel to the car dealership, customer service can make or break the desire to continue to spend money.  Rolling out the red carpet can increase the revenue just by word-of-mouth and social media.  But a poor remark on twitter can be costly depending on the number of followers and social media rank of the customer.  

Check out this article on the ways to increase customer satisfaction with some real-life examples of how companies go the extra mile to retain customer loyalty.

For more information on gauging customer loyalty as it relates to successful businesses, please be sure to check out the book Get A Clue - 10 Steps to an Executive IQ.

Read more »

Posted in: bad business,business planning,customer experience,customer service,Get A Clue,new business,Temeko Richardson

Power Down the Lights on Poor Customer Experience

TURN DOWN THE ATTENTION...

Whether a business owner or employee for a huge enterprise, it is quite humiliating when customers complain about the product or service offered.   Even if the complaints are warranted, it is even worse when customer service is so scripted that the customer cannot get the problem resolved.  This sparks frustration that can morph into bigger problems for the business – bad press through word-of-mouth and social media.

So how do you power down the big noise?

• Acknowledge the customer’s issue as a serious issue.  If it is ignored or downplayed, the frustration levels grow higher and the negative backlash will increase.  Set up a time for a chat session or discussion with a seasoned customer service individual with common sense.  Reaching out to the customer shows concern and willingness to resolve the issue.
• Have a senior customer service representative or manager respond.  Dumb questions from the junior person or overseas operator will only exacerbate the problem.   Senior personnel should know how to do the best research and also have the ability to override charges, provide discounts, or escalate where necessary for the quickest possible solution.
• Send a thank you letter/email/tweet from the business.  Appreciation speaks volumes to any customer, especially the one who has not had a good experience.  If a discount is available, offer it without being asked for it. 

Everyone learns from the misfortunes of poor quality in product and customer service.  However the difference in keeping the customer and having to put out bad publicity fires relies on the ability to quiet the complaints before they spiral out of control.  When in doubt, always remember – “A good paying customer of one company can easily move on to be a higher revenue customer of the competition.”

Read more »

Posted in: customer experience,customer service,Get A Clue,new business,quality service,Small Business Administration,small business expert,social media,Social Media and Business,Temeko Richardson

Limiting the Nosy Co-Worker

The Not Cute Curiosity...

Nosy neighbors are definitely a problem but nosy co-workers can be worse if you don’t stop them in their tracks.  Their motive is much different and can potentially harm professional reputation and career growth if allowed.  

So here are some common tactics of the nosy co-worker and how you can combat them:

Inquire about weekend or holiday plans.  A casual visit to your office/cubicle to start out with a work topic that goes into a casual inquisition is the norm.  He/she will be really trying to determine family life, extracurricular activities, and potential spend to scope out how much you are obligated financially and time-wise.  Be very evasive and do not let on that you have any special plans and leave it there.  If he/she asks any further questions, use the “clean up/work around the house” or “need to rest” excuse.  No one ever questions that.

Expose the type of car they have.  In a meaningless conversation, he will either discuss the type of car he drives, needs to pick up from the (named) dealership, or leaves the key with the bold symbol blatantly on a desk or public place.  Here is your turn to flip the nosiness on them and tell them how much you admire those cars and “one day you hope to be able to afford one”.

Discuss employment favors.  Bragging is their ammunition to get you to fall into their trap of believing you can trust him.  Oftentimes what will be disclosed is how they manipulated the system and managed to not get caught.  Do not fall privy to an open dialogue regarding any favors provided to you.  This person is trying to determine how far you will go to get ahead and who will be the casualties.  And it will be used against you.

At the end of the day your business is just that – YOUR BUSINESS.  Sharing it is not a good idea if you want to keep it moving, offend no one, and remain a safe distance from those who want to know too much about you.

For more tips, be sure to follow:
Blog:  blog.therlcgroup.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/execgetaclue

Feel free to pick up a copy of the book, Get A Clue - 10 Steps to an Executive IQ

Read more »

Posted in: being smart,biting your tongue,Business Etiquette,employment,Get A Clue,HR,networking,new business,professionalism,program,program management,project management,promotion,Temeko Richardson

Best Read Friday - 11 Reasons Startups Succeed

SUCCESSFUL STARTUPS

Ever wonder why some businesses succeed and others don't?  

It is not just because of the idea but more importantly, the vision, finances, discipline, contacts combined with 7 other assets that increase the likelihood of the success.  This article by Forbes' contributing crowdfunding expert, Tanya Prive, lays out the fundamentals of 11 key areas that can make or break any start-up business.

Read more »

Posted in: Entrepreneurship,Forbes,new business,startup,Tanya Prive,Temeko Richardson