Blog
12 ways to dazzle customers
|
|
comments (1)
|
Research by the Strategic Planning Institute reveals that businesses with good service records grow twice as fast as those with poor service records.
Derek Williams of The WOW! Awards offers his tips to help you dazzle your customers.
Make them feel special ~ If you know that a customer is coming to visit, put up a sign that welcomes them to your business. Tell your team who is coming so that they know who your customer is and can greet them by name.
When you visit a customer ~Take them a present. A special balloon, a box of cream cakes, a funny badge - something that will make them remember you. Over the years I have won huge amounts of business from taking cakes to meetings.
Let customers know about things that might be of interest to them ~ even though they do not necessarily come directly from your business; maybe a classic car show, a rock concert or a business event. If you can engage your customers on a personal level, your business relationship will be even stronger.
Guarantee what you do ~ If your customer was not happy with what you had done, you would probably move heaven and earth to put things right. So why not guarantee it? And make your guarantee truly outrageous. The greater your commitment to your customer the more likely that they are to try buying from you.
Control your communication ~ It's not just what you write and what you say; cracked cups, a scruffy appearance or a dirty window all tell the customer that you don't care. Remember, too, that communication is just as important with internal customers (our employees) as it is with external customers.
Accept complaints graciously ~ Treat them as nuggets of pure gold. These are your opportunities to improve service and increase loyalty. Research shows that 70 per cent of people who have a problem resolved to their satisfaction are more loyal after that complaint than they were before it arose.
Remember basic human psychology ~ Always smile when you greet a customer, either in person or on the phone. The customer can sense if you are not pleased to see them. Don't forget to make eye contact either.
Have a menu of drinks ~ It doesn't cost any more than just tea and coffee and it will dazzle the customer. Have some interesting sweets in a jar. How about Black Jacks or Fruit Salads or whatever was your childhood favourite?
Make your shop or office a fun place to go to ~ It has to be fun for you, fun for your team and fun for your customers.
Find ways to catch your people doing things right ~ When we catch people doing things right and recognise it publicly, it's a powerful way of reinforcing that behaviour.
Understand the power of saying thank you ~ Thank your customers. Thank your team. Thank your referral sources. Try sending a thank you note to customers who pay you promptly - it can have an amazing effect.
Under promise and over deliver ~ If a job is going to take one week then allow some extra time in your quotation and then surprise your customer by completing it early.
Add the wow factor ~ What could you do that would really dazzle your customers? For example, one winner of The WOW! Awards is a restaurant in Leeds called Gueller's. They keep a range of prescription spectacles, just in case customers forget their own and are having difficulty reading the menu.
(c) Derek Williams
Article discovered at www.marketingdonut.co.uk
British Government launches SME review
|
|
comments (0)
|
June 04 2009
A new government review will focus on how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will recover from the economic downturn.
Led by venture capital expert Christopher Rowlands, the study will examine whether SMBs need to be supported with further government intervention, such as a modern-day version of Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation, which was established in 1945 to offer capital to small firms.
Business secretary Lord Mandelson points out that the government has already taken steps to increase short-term access to finance for SMEs to help them survive the global recession.
He adds: 'This review will identify if there is a role for government in facilitating public and private investment to address gaps in themarket. Our priority will be to ensure that high-growth businesses ...are able to secure the capital they need.'
Recent research from the Confederation of British Industry showed that companies believe the supply of credit is improving.
According to the survey, a net 20 per cent of firms believe it has worsened in the past three months, an improvement on the 36 per cent recorded in March and the 62 per cent in January.
However, figures from the Bank of England published earlier this month show that lending to businesses fell by £4.7 billion in April, which is the biggest monthly decrease since records began over ten years ago.
Small businesses and social media
|
|
comments (0)
|
JUNE 4, 2009
Strength in numbers.
It is not just big businesses that are communicating with customers using social media.
According to a study by Sage Software and AMI-Partners, more than 260,000 small businesses in the US and Canada employ social networking tactics, too.
Most of them used professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn. General social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook were also widely used, followed by niche communities and job sites.
Less popular were microblogging services (such as Twitter and Yammer), forums, wikis and social bookmarking applications.
The reasons for adopting social networking tactics varied, but the most widespread uses of social media were for responding to customer questions, networking, and reference and educational purposes.
While few used the sites to influence purchases, this may be a strategic error. Direct sales are one way to leverage social media marketing.
An exclusive-to-Twitter promotion brought in 15% of the day’s business, Jeff Leach of Naked Pizza told Advertising Age. “Sure, there’s the brand marketing and getting-to-know-you stuff… but we wanted to know: Can it make the cash register ring?”
Ad Age offered five tips for marketing on social media platforms:
- Track sales made on social media.
- Don’t use Twitter as Facebook (and vice versa).
- Create a conversation with friends and followers.
- Sell last-minute inventory.
- Alert followers to changes.
You can view the full article at Emarketer
(c) E-Marketer.com
Business People Say Twitter More Important Than LinkedIn
|
|
comments (0)
|
Written by Marshall Kirkpatrick / May 29, 2009
A month-long poll conducted on business social network LinkedIn has uncovered some fascinating numbers concerning social media platforms and brand presence. The biggest surprise was that Twitter was deemed more important to brands than LinkedIn, and the poll was performed on LinkedIn.
With more than 3,600 respondents so far, each well understood in termsof job titles, company size, age and gender - this is a high-quality data set worth paying attention to. The question asked was simply: "What is the most important new platform for brands to master?" Options were Twitter, Facebook, the iPhone, Digg and LinkedIn.Some of the conclusions were a real surprise. Others confirmed our suspicions. Read on for charts, bullet points and a few thoughts.
Below are charts breaking out the poll responses from various groups and some text we've written to interpret those charts. It's important to remember the question wasn't "what do you prefer" but rather "what is most importantfor brands to master." Those are related but different questions.
Just for context, we'll start with a traffic graph: Please view the full report for this graph
- Twitter is #1, leading Facebook by a respectable margin
- The iPhone is considered less important than LinkedIn
- Almost no-one thinks Digg is the most important
There is no consensus; every platform named (except for Digg) has a group of backers that believes it is most important.
About the respondents
- 3,615 respondents is a very good number
- Only 4% were business owners, 26% managers, 56% non-managers
- 75% were from small businesses
- 26% were marketers, the largest percentage among job functions
- Twice as many men responded as women
- 83% of respondents were between the ages of 25 and 54, only 17% younger or older
Most appreciative of Twitter:
Business owners, C-Levelor VPs. People at large- or medium-sized companies. People doing business development, marketing or creative work.
Least appreciative of Twitter: Non-managers. People at very large or small businesses. Consultants, Salespeople and Engineers.
Most appreciative of LinkedIn: C-level and non-managers. At small- or medium-sized businesses. Doing consulting or sales.
Least appreciative of LinkedIn: Owners and managers. At large or enterprise companies. In creative or marketing departments.
Please continue reading the full report at ReadWriteWeb.com
Discovered at ReadWriteWeb
Keep business and trade local
|
|
comments (0)
|
Have YOU signed the petition?
Your Local High Street Needs Your Support!!!
Our high streets face extinction.
The UK economy is driven by small businesses. They make up 99% of all UK businesses and they are the engine for growth and job creation.
The FSB's Keep Trade Local campaign seeks to stem the tide of business closures, reverse the trend and defend the choice and diversity customers deserve.
To learn more about this campaigns please read the Keep Trade Local Manifesto
For more information on the individual campaign areas see below:
1. Planning: It is widely perceived that local councils are failing communities by not defending their local high streets and instead promoting out of town retail developments.
2. Parking Charges: Local Authorities are using parking charges as a source of revenue, but in market towns across the country this strategy is bleeding our high streets dry.
3. Business Rates Relief: The burden of business rates falls disproportionally on small businesses.
4. Crime Prevention: 20% of all crimes in Britain are committed against businesses.
5. Post Office Closures: Post Office closures are small businesses too. Their closures have a significant impact on other small businesses and communities.
6. Public Procurement: Procurement is an under used tool in sustaining local communities.
Federation of Small Businesses
Communication is Key
|
|
comments (5)
|
"I was recently asked what my top three tips were for business owners who are considering working with a VA. My number one tip was communication! Communication is the foundation for just about any relationship, but especially one where the two people don’t see each other every day and in most cases have never even met face to face.
Communication Before the Relationship Begins
Before any
contracts are signed or agreements of any kind are made it is crucial that both
the business owner and the VA have a clear understanding of what the others
needs and expectations are. A VA typically has some sort of questionnaire or
client information sheet that either she or the client fills out indicating what
types of services the client is looking for and how they think a VA can help
them in their business. This is a great start however a conversation should take
place at some point before the relationship begins where the client specifically
lays out what they are looking for, what their goals are and what their
expectations are of the VA they work with. In turn, the VA should be asking
questions about the manner in which the client likes things done, the methods
they are currently using to accomplish daily tasks and how much autonomy they
are willing to give a VA to carry out assigned tasks.
Don’t Just
Talk-Listen!
While its important that everyone get a chance to talk
about what they expect from the relationship, it is equally important that each
person listen closely to what the other is saying. By listening a client might
find that a VA has a great amount of knowledge in a specific area that the
client does not which could be hugely beneficial to their business or the VA
might have a suggestion for improving the way the client does certain things in
their business. If the VA listens carefully they will get a feel for what the
client’s likes and dislikes are, what they are comfortable doing and how they
prefer to work as well as pick up clues that will help the VA be more valuable
to the client.
Communicate Consistently
Once a client
and VA agree to work together it is vital that they communicate consistently
however frequently they decide whether it is daily, every other day or once a
week depending on the arrangement. It’s important that the VA keep the client up
to date with progress that is being made and the status of the project or task
assigned and ask any questions as needed. It is equally important that the
client clearly state when something is not to their liking or if they would like
something done a different way. Or if there is new information the VA needs to
know about a specific project.
Be Respectful of Boundaries
Always be mindful of time
differences. More often than not, VAs and their clients work in different states
and sometimes even different continents. This could mean a time difference of an
hour or ten hours. Don’t pick up the phone until you think carefully about what
time it might be where the other person is. If it is too late at night or too
early in the morning consider an alternate form of communication like email.
Also be respectful of office hours. Although many entrepreneurs work at all hours of the day and so do many VAs, there are many that set specific office hours and also take weekends off. Be clear about what those hours are in your initial meeting so there are no misunderstandings later.
No Excuses for Lack of Communication
There are so many
ways to communicate these days, it’s almost ridiculous! Between, phone, email,
texting, video conferencing and instant messaging, there is absolutely no excuse
for lack of communication. In your initial meeting, be sure to state the methods
of communication you prefer most.
With a little effort on both sides, consistent dialogue and open communication can make the relationship between a business owner and a VA a long and successful one."
(c) JackieNees
So What Is This Thing Called Virtual Assistance?
|
|
comments (0)
|
You may or may not fully understand what Virtual Assistance is all about so every five weeks we like to spotlight an article that has to do with better understanding what Virtual Assistance is and how to best work with a Virtual Assistant.
Unlike a secretarial service, which is focused on piecemeal, transactional project work (sort of like dropping off a copy job at your local printer?s), a Virtual Assistant specializes in ongoing, continuous, administrative support working in collaborative relationship with clients.
See, working only once or sporadically with vendors you are only impersonally or occasionally engaged with only accomplishes an immediate need. And sometimes that?s all you need. Isn?t it great that there are all these different kinds of businesses in our great, big, wonderful world?
But sometimes a business owner wants more continuity. He or she realizes that one little ol? project being completed isn?t going to contribute in any substantive, permanent way toward building a more efficient, smoother-running business. That business owner wants someone who can handle ongoing administrative functions as more of a right-hand, a partner who can then better understand the work and how it all ties together within the business. In this way, that ?partner? is therefore able play a bigger, more effective, contributing part in helping the client achieve his or her objectives.
This is exactly what a Virtual Assistant is in the business of offering: right-hand administrative support delivered in an ongoing, collaborative relationship. A partnership, if you will. This is where all the magic, efficiency and forward-growth happens. And the longer you work together, the more efficient and sympatico the work and your relationship becomes. You are building upon a foundation of knowledge and understanding, not starting and stopping from scratch, project by project, with strangers outside your business. They simply can not have the same big-picture vision of what the works means to your goals and what you are striving to achieve.
So you see, it?s not outsourcing. It?s not project work. It?s a close, personal relationship and the chemistry that occurs only when two people work closely together.
RESOURCE: Learn
more about Virtual Assistance and how to get the most out of your relationship
with a Virtual Assistant with our Client?s Guide to Virtual
Assistants.
Agency workers directive will increase costs
|
|
comments (0)
|
One in two recruitment agencies believes the Agency Workers Directive will add 10% to the cost of filling a temporary vacancy. The Agency Workers Directive was passed by the European Parliament last month - giving temporary workers in the UK equal rights to permanent staff after 12 weeks with an employer.
But a survey of 300 recruiters by industry body the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) found 48% thought it would bump of the cost of temps by a tenth.
Elsewhere, 57% said the average assignment went beyond 12 weeks, quashing theories that it would not have much practical impact, while one in four thought identifying equal pay would be relatively straightforward, while 35% said their clients would struggle to identify a comparable worker.
Two-thirds of respondents said the legislation would expose them to a greater risk of being taken to an employment tribunal. And four in 10 respondents thought extra costs would be incurred by consultants being diverted from making placements to chase up equal pay information.
Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC said: "Temporary work provides a vital route for people looking to get back into work and for businesses that need a flexible workforce, so it is vital that UK implementation of the directive is both practical and workable for employers and recruiters - and that it doesn't jeopardise job opportunities at such a crucial time. Our research shows that while recruiters are keen to make it work, there are some legitimate concerns over how it will be implemented in practice and how it will affect the use of agency workers in the long term."
http://www.thebottomlineonline.co.uk/pages/news.asp
Time to consider where a Virtual Assistant may be able to help you? www.moonpoppyenterprises.com
Frugal space launch - a snip at just £60
|
|
comments (0)
|
I love www.ananova.com and their Quirkies section - here is my favourite story from there this week ...
Ready, teddy, go ... into space!
Two teddy bears have been launched into space on a budget of just £60.
The toys, named MAT and KMS, were decked out in custom-made space suits and launched on a weather balloon more than 18 miles above the Earth in the four-hour expedition.
The toys, bought from Mothercare, endured temperatures of minus 31F (-35C) in the mission launched by Cambridge University's Space Flight science club, reports the Daily Telegraph.
A laptop attached to a webcam captured stunning images of the bears looking down on Earth from nearly 100,000ft.
Pupils from nearby Parkside and Coleridge community colleges assisted scientists by creating space suits to stop the teddies from freezing solid.
After completing their mission the pair parachuted back to earth and made a soft landing near Ipswich just 50 miles from their launch pad.
Henry Hallam, 21, an aerodynamics student at Pembroke College at Cambridge, led the successful experiment to monitor weather conditions above the Earth.
He said: "We asked the children to build the space suits for the teddy bears and we monitored the temperatures inside and outside the suits.
"It was still pretty cold for the bears but they would be frozen solid if they didn't have their suits.
"It was great to involve these young people in the Space Flight club, so they can learn about physics in a different and exciting way."
Thia Unsworth, 12, from Parkside College, helped to design the spacesuit for MAT.
She said: "It was unbelievable to see the balloon take off and it's incredible to see the pictures of the teddy bears in space.
"I've always loved science before, but I now understand how it helps in the real world."
(c) www.ananova.com
View Older Posts »
