Business Success Stories

Good Customer Service Makes Good Friends For Business --Part TWO

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 19:01:00 GMT

I have had plenty of time to put my thoughts together for the follow up of the first “Good Customer Service“ article, and I have come to one conclusion: I love my job! I have the most colorful people talk to me from all over the nation, and I get paid to do it?? What a country!

Last time we left off, I had quite a problem on my hands. I needed to call my customer back to straighten out the mixup she was experiencing. The delivery of her items were in bad shape. **See previous blog.

After I phoned my customer, she began to tell me how badly everything had gone. I let her speak for a while and when she stopped to take a breath, I interjected my first comment.

The first thing out of my mouth was to ease her mind by letting her know that all her money had been refunded and she was not out one, red cent. After telling her this, I could immediately sense a more relaxed tone in her voice. She knew I was understanding of her situation and I was in her corner.
I told her that I understood her frustration and I was just as disappointed--I really was.
I then asked her if we had missed the event. Her event would be in 2 days. I had already contacted the supplier and they had insured me that they would reprint the entire job and it would be out that same day. I offered my customer the opportunity to take advantage of this. She declined the offer. The fact was that she didn't necessarily need the items, but she would have liked to have had them with her other giveaways.
Once we were all calm, I asked her to repeat things as we went through it together. I let her know I was taking notes and wanted to get the facts correct.
I asked questions as she talked, to clarify each point. This allowed me the opportunity to go over each of the points that she raised . I was glad to hear her becoming more comfortable with talking about it.
I addressed it more closely when she used words like “every” and “all”. We need to deal with what is real. I am already going to make sure that she is compensated for having to be inconvenienced and she knows it. So she is not trying to gain more sympathy, she knows she already has all my sympathy.

After we got all the facts straight, I finished taking down all the information I would need and began to ask her what we could do for her now. I had been her “friend” through this interaction and was continuing to be one, so she didn't want more from me than was due her.

I made her an offer for a discounted product in the near future and she immediately jumped on the opportunity to do business with us again.

If I had ignored her problem, or if I had tried to blame someone else, she wouldn't have trusted me. I really would not deserve her if I was going to behave in that manner. I have worked for the relationship that we have and I covet it. I have been there from the beginning with my customer and I don't want anyone else to take care of her in the good times or the bad. I am going to go the extra mile for her.

As for my supplier problem: It was a one-time problem. These people are as right as rain and they were as confused by what happened as we were. Their CSR made sure that I was not our one, red cent. He made sure to ask questions and write down everything I said. He made an offer to compensate our organization for the inconvenience and embarrassment we had suffered. They made me feel important.

It's all about how we treat each other, isn't it? As we treat each other with respect and take the time to listen, we pass on that attitude to the next person. And so on, and so on...

In the long run, the understanding we gain as we go through these interesting experiences of life are like pennies on the ground. You can either make the effort to bend over and pick them up, or pass them by and leave them for someone else. My daddy used to say that, “a man too rich to pick up a penny on the street was really a poor man.”

And, now on an interesting note: In case you've ever wondered--there is a customer service week: Oct. 3-7. Let's all make it a good one!!

Are Bad Habits Hurting Your Business?

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 12:32:00 GMT

This is a good question to ask yourself--Business Opportunities Weblog | Are Bad Habits Hurting Your Small Buisiness?. What habits are getting in your way of being sucessful? Do you forget to return phone calls? Answer e-mails? Follow up on leads quickly? Or don't invoice and collect promptly. We all have them, the thing is to examine your day and see, what is a bad habit that is becoming--or is--a problem and work to fix it.

Making Blogs Pay

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 12:31:00 GMT

I found this article via Bill Ives--Portals and KM- Making Blogs Pay – Louis Columbus--Technology News- Commentary- Making Blogs Pay. While Louis isn't saying anything terribly new, he is giving you the straight facts on blogging at big companies like SAP and Oracle. Here's the other thing to remember, blogging doesn't have to be public to be effective for your company. A little private, internal blog can help reduce communications bottlenecks and give far-flung employees a connection to head office.

Advanced Business Blogging

Inkspress, Inc — Tue, 08 Mar 2005 10:53:00 GMT

I found these two blogs run by a husband and wife team who, in addition to being bloggers, are realestate agents as well. The information they present is good, concise, and actionable. Not to mention the header graphics are really eye catching--you'll have to visit for yourself, no hints from me!

The Advanced Business Blogging site is interesting as it is a model for how a small business can use a blog--or website for that matter--to increase their revenue. This couple have created a series of videos and DVDs about business blogging and other topics. Are they the best experts out there? Maybe, maybe not. But they are out there. How does this apply to you for marketing? How about write a short pamphlet with some "secrets" to your particular business. Have it produced nicely, copied, and bound. Most of this you can do your self and leave the printing to Kinkos! Then give some kind of teaser on your website and sell the whole thing for a reasonable, but within impluse buying range (say $20-30). You might be surprised at how many you can sell in a short period of time.

Links:Business Owners Blog --Advanced Business Blogging

Word of mouth and ethics

Inkspress, Inc — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 09:01:00 GMT

The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) today published the first draft of its ethics guidelines for members.

From the organization's website:

This is a first step in the complicated process of building an industry based on consumer respect and fundamental ethical principles.

The essence of the WOMMA CODE comes down to the Honesty ROI:

Honesty of Relationship: You say who you're speaking for
Honesty of Opinion: You say what you believe
Honesty of Identity: You never obscure your identity

Relevant links:

Andy Sernovitz, WOMMA's president, says the code is the first stake in the ground for word-of-mouth marketers to follow. Feedback on the code can be found here.

You may also be interested in checking out the code of conduct for a similar organization, the Viral & Buzz Marketing Association.

How to Succeed in Retail

Inkspress, Inc — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 13:17:00 GMT

When you think of retail success stories, it is hard to think of anyone more succesful than Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart. So, it was with great interest that I read this article which outlined 10 rules you need to follow to mimick his success.

Here they are, in condensed form. Read the full article for the long version:

Rule 1: Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anybody else.
Rule 2: Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners.
Rule 3: Motivate your partners. Money and ownership alone aren't enough.
Rule 4: Communicate everything you possibly can to your partners.
Rule 5: Appreciate everything your associates do for the business.
Rule 6: Celebrate your success. Find some humor in your failures.
Rule 7: Listen to everyone in your company and figure out ways to get them talking.
Rule 8: Exceed your customer's expectations.
Rule 9: Control your expenses better than your competition.
Rule 10: Swim upstream.

Virtual Businesses

Inkspress, Inc — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 09:03:00 GMT

This trend has implications on both sides of this discussion. As a small business person it is easier and easier to run a successful business from your home. High-speed Internet access, cell phones, more and more sophisticated voicemail options. Everything you need to be up and running, and still be in your bunny slippers.

Antia Campbell's TrendTracker site as part of Small Business Trends has this article on the virutal business trend:

Trend: Small Businesses Go Virtual.

Anita starts the article with this quote:

"The future is likely to be the age of virtual businesses. The newly opened two-person office will be able to look big, established, and successful. Build a really good website, toss in some color printers, fast computers, and cell phones, and you're halfway there. After that, it's a question of leveraging your creativity and ability to partner with other entrepreneurs."

And follows with these important pieces of wisdom:

"Let's make one thing clear, virtual doesn't mean the business isn't for real. It just means all that heavy, expensive stuff won't be sitting there eating money when not in use."

"Who cares whether the home office of Acme Thingamajig has 300,000 square feet as long as Acme is able to deliver those thingamjigs. Performance is what counts, not the number of employees or the size of the company cafeteria."

The other side of this coin, is that if you are in the business of selling to a small business consider this:

"Virtual businesses will run lean. They won't have much time to be sold to, so expect relationship management to take on added importance. Savvy companies will make the investment to recognize the special needs of the virtual business."

As a sales person be ready to e-mail or mail your information to your prospect. In person demos might not be an option, but something more informal might be better.

So as a small business you can be safe in knowing that the trends are on your side for starting the home-based business. As a sales person, recognize that some of your prospects might not want a demo in their office or have (or want) a lot of time to chat.

Local Promotions Online

Inkspress, Inc — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 09:02:00 GMT

John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing has an upcoming series on how to promote your local business online:How to promote your local business on the Internet.

The first session is Feb 9 this is how John describes this session:

Session #1 - Wednesday, Feb 9th

The Basics of Business Blogging and why every business should have a blog- Feb 9th - Noon Central - Special Guest Expert - Business blog expert: speaker, marketing consultant & publisher Debbie Weil - www.WordBiz.com Debbie blogs at www.debbieweil.com and www.BlogWriteForCEOs.com.

You've heard a lot about Blogging in the media, but the small business marketer and consumer is just waking up to this powerful new marketing medium. Some suggest blogs will change the way many businesses market and advertise. Don't miss the wave. Every time I hear someone talking about blogs, I hear them mention Debbie Weil. She is a highly sought after writer and speaker on this new medium. - Make Your Reservation

I met Debbie at the Blog Business Summit and she is both a nice person and wonderful speaker. The rest of the sessions sound just as interesting.

Zane Safrit has this additional commentary on the series:

Emphasis on "local". To many businesses, the challenge is how to use the internet to market effectively to their local market. The global marketplace is a wonderful phenomenon, we all agree. But not every product or service serves a global marketplace. Some are very definitely designed to serve a geographically local marketplace. So, how do you avoid paying for clicks from Ghana for local real estate agency; Or how find local buyers of cars?

This sounds like a series definitely not to miss.

[Via:CCUCEO- Increase Your LOCAL Online Marketing Success]

ipodmyphoto Shakes It Up

Inkspress, Inc — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 09:06:00 GMT

One of the keys to any succesful business is generating both buzz (attention for a moment) and mindshare (attention for life). Apple's iPod has certainly managed to do both amongst it's growing customer base and, as a result, several new companies and projects are springing up to take advantage of this popularity.

One of these is “ipodmyphoto”, a new service from David Schroeder. David's story behind the growth of his service is a compelling one with numerous lessons for all business people:

Way back in December of 2004, I was chatting over Instant Messenger with friend of mine. A self-confessed iPod fanatic, he was trying to explain to me his idea for his family Christmas cards. "I want it to be like an iPod ad", he said. I was confused, "You mean, you want to use an iPod ad as your Christmas card?" "No.", he explained, "I want to be in an iPod ad. I want my son and daughter to be turned into silhouettes and wearing iPods."

I contacted an old colleague, now working as a freelance designer and sent him a photo of the kids to test this idea on. An hour later, he sent back a work of art that would make Messrs. Chiat and Day proud. There they were, my friend's kids in crisp silhouettes with just the right amount of texture and opacity added to their clothing, on a beautiful purple backdrop, and, le piece de resistance -- hanging from their cherubic ears -- the ubiquitous white iPod cords. "iWish You a Merry Christmas", the bold white text read. It was done - they had been iPodified.

It was one of those a-ha moments, where something so simple just makes so much sense. What self-respecting iPod lover could be complete without this? A business idea was born. But could this actually work? Would this take off? Would people actually pay to be put into what is essentially an advertisement for Apple Computer? We were about to find out.

ipodmyphoto.com was launched 10 days later. At first a few blogs took notice. Then more blogs picked it up. By the end of the first week, we were receiving orders from around the globe - Japan, UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, the US. By the second week, the story hit the technology trades -- Macworld, CNet, Wired, and Ziff-Davis. As each day passed, more orders flowed in. By week three, the mainstream press had stories about iPodification [sic]. The New York Times, the Washington Post, and scores of regional newspapers that pick up the wires were reporting on this curious phenomenon, on a brand that resonates so deeply with people that they will pay to insert themselves into the advertising for its product.

It’s hard to think of a brand that enjoys the consumer loyalty that Apple does. But for those brands that do, an amazing thing can happen. Evangelism for that brand becomes viral. Like any true revolution that can only come from within, the brand can set the message, but it can only be carried out by the people. No amount of money can buy this kind of endorsement. The popular term is open source marketing. Like the software movement, you can create the product and the framework, but in order for it to grow to its potential, it's released to the community. Great ideas win. The people will be heard. Hopefully they'll say good things.

When one looks at the path of the Apple iPod ad campaign, it makes perfect sense for people to get involved. The early ads had amorphous silhouettes representing everyman, subtly inviting you to picture yourself in there with your iPod. The recent U2 campaign began to show us faces of the stars. In a world of reality TV, are reality commercials that far off? Based on the amazing variety of photos that have been submitted to ipodmyphoto.com -- newborns, family portraits, weddings, couples, fisherman, snowboarders, karaoke stars -- one thing is clear, we want to be the stars of our own lives. And by doing this, we complete the circle, returning right back to the brands we love.

From fan-fiction writing based on the “official” books of major sci-fi authors to DJ dance remixes of popular songs, today's technology allows us to remake the world around us. To pick and choose how we want to associate with the things we care about. To engage consumer popular culture on our own terms. Just ask the mother who wrote her own caption for the pictures of her kids rock-climbing, knee-boarding and playing outside. Brand marketers, look beyond the silhouettes, these are the faces of your customers, and they are shouting out loud: "i Got iPodified!"

Z-Coil: Customer Satisfaction Drives Sales

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 17:16:00 GMT

Z-Coil has a simple business philosophy: build the most comfortable shoe in the world. And, according to hundreds of testimonies from customers they're doing a pretty good job.

By responding to the needs of a particular market segment - people who, quite literally, feel pain wearing normal shoes - Z-Coil is creating a passionate customer base who will do anything, including driving 3 hours to get to a store that carries the products.

And, in return, Z-Coil will do just about anything to sastisfy their customers. The company holds quarterly “meetups” with customers to determine what works and what doesn't about their products. By flying in 10-12 customers for each meetup, Z-Coil is able to go beyond the “focus group” to customers who believe in the company. This passion has caused Z-Coil to believe in their customers as well. A healthy relationship if I ever saw one.