Episode 30: Social Media and Customer Service
it has been awhile since I recorded a podcast episode of More than a Few Words, but things have started to settle down in the office, I bought a new portable recording device, a new computer, and I have time to start working on weekly podcast again. Today’s topic: Customer Service and Social Media. I don’t think good companies are changing their service levels, but I think they are using new tools to improve their response times. … and companies who are not as good as they should be are discovering that consumers have power! To listen to the podcast click here....
read moreBad Customer Service is Worse PR
Dear AT&T: You lied to me. After my boss and I spent a combined two hours on the phone with unhelpful customer service reps, I turned to a forum where I thought I could get help: Twitter. I knew you tweeted customer service assistance, and it seemed a fair court of last resort. Wrong. Now, you might think it’s strange that I’m writing this letter instead of my boss, Lorraine, who actually pays the bills. But there are two reasons: first, her husband, Andy, works for AT&T. Second, her blood pressure is still sky-high from dealing with you. AT&T, why did you ignore...
read moreJump Start Your Business: Getting Rid of Bad Customers
Sometimes, you need to fire a client for the greater good of your business. This is a hard lesson to learn, but something that every small business owner must acknowledge to keep themselves and their team sane. As we continue our examination of Inc. Magazine’s 25 Ways to Jump Start Your Business, we’ll try to understand why it’s sometimes necessary. I know, it seems completely counter intuitive for you to fire someone who gives you money. But sometimes, it’s just not worth it. There are clients who simply demand more than you can deliver. You end up trying to stretch...
read moreRaising the Bar on Customer Service
What do you do to keep customers coming back? According to Seth Godin, what was once conidered incredible, is now run of the mill. The challenge to small business owners in a comptitive market is finding new ways to surprise and delight your customers. Nick Carter of AddressTwo does that on a regular basis. Continually working on new features for the software, Nick has added a WishList feature to the user screen. Now, any user can suggest improvements, and vote on the suggestions of others. New features with the most votes, get attention first. Nick is truly creating customer...
read moreMistakes are Unimportant, Handling Them Well is All That Counts!
Mistakes happen! What defines your business is what you do as a result. Do you quote policy, apologize, or act? Jackie Huba has some interesting suggestions for Best Buy when they ran out of a popular promotion item. She says: Turning bad buzz into good takes fast, creative thinking, a sense of humor, and a willingness to happily eat virtual crow. Best Buy could put everyone who ordered the TV into a drawing then give away 10 of them. Or 100. Then they could even deliver the sets, with TV cameras rolling, and have their Geek Squad members install them for free. How much would...
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