Comments on: Don’t Forget About Real Customer Service http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html Exploring the trends driving small business Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:39:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Marketing Math: 1 Valuable Product+ 1 Valuable Service= Multiple Sales | Sociatic http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-757566 Marketing Math: 1 Valuable Product+ 1 Valuable Service= Multiple Sales | Sociatic Sat, 19 Jun 2010 19:22:42 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-757566 [...] Don't Forget About Real Customer Service [...] [...] Don’t Forget About Real Customer Service [...]

]]> By: Laine http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-678830 Laine Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:52:55 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-678830 You can remove the word 'small'. Everything you say applies to big businesses as well. All businesses need to keep it REAL. You can remove the word ‘small’. Everything you say applies to big businesses as well. All businesses need to keep it REAL.

]]> By: Andrew McFarland http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-671412 Andrew McFarland Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:17:25 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-671412 Good post. You've hit on one of the differences between companies that think technology drives great service and those that know it starts with great culture. (The technology can come later.) Good post. You’ve hit on one of the differences between companies that think technology drives great service and those that know it starts with great culture. (The technology can come later.)

]]> By: Kathy Doering http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-671336 Kathy Doering Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:53:08 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-671336 Wow! You really hit a nerve with this excellent post! Our company conducts mystery shopping and does social media monitoring as well. We believe clients need both to measure and improve customer service. You can never know too much about your business or that of your competition. Some companies view Twitter, Facebook, etc. as the new magic bullet for gaining market share and new customers. It doesn't exactly work that way. It is using the old selling technique of relationship selling and bringing it into this new age of technology. Both take time but the end result is great! When done correctly (Zappos is a great example of how to do it right!) it can be a wonderful thing for your company. Thanks for the post!!! Wow! You really hit a nerve with this excellent post! Our company conducts mystery shopping and does social media monitoring as well. We believe clients need both to measure and improve customer service. You can never know too much about your business or that of your competition.

Some companies view Twitter, Facebook, etc. as the new magic bullet for gaining market share and new customers. It doesn’t exactly work that way. It is using the old selling technique of relationship selling and bringing it into this new age of technology. Both take time but the end result is great!

When done correctly (Zappos is a great example of how to do it right!) it can be a wonderful thing for your company.

Thanks for the post!!!

]]> By: Sophie http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-671319 Sophie Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:49:13 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-671319 This is so true, Lisa! And I completely agree with NicoleRivera too - one of the best ways to improve your customer relations is through CRM use. By using CRM we have managed to "steal" customers away from several of our competitors who seem to ignore their existing customers!! You have to find a CRM that works for you and fits with your budget, which is not always easy. I personally use www.glasscubes.com as it's free and really easy to set up, however it is marketed as a "simple CRM" so it might not have everything for everyone. This is so true, Lisa! And I completely agree with NicoleRivera too – one of the best ways to improve your customer relations is through CRM use. By using CRM we have managed to “steal” customers away from several of our competitors who seem to ignore their existing customers!!

You have to find a CRM that works for you and fits with your budget, which is not always easy. I personally use http://www.glasscubes.com as it’s free and really easy to set up, however it is marketed as a “simple CRM” so it might not have everything for everyone.

]]> By: Harold (SMM) http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-671248 Harold (SMM) Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:43:05 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-671248 Spot on advice, Lisa. Once you woo and win the customer you can't just ignore them. That'll just end in a breakup or worse, a divorce. Spot on advice, Lisa. Once you woo and win the customer you can’t just ignore them. That’ll just end in a breakup or worse, a divorce.

]]> By: Once More, With Feeling http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-670757 Once More, With Feeling Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:46:11 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-670757 [...] of what you're selling, your POD is the feeling you pass off to customers. It's why I bought an overpriced pendant. It's why people buy Apples - not for the system, but to feel superior to everyone else. People [...] [...] of what you’re selling, your POD is the feeling you pass off to customers. It’s why I bought an overpriced pendant. It’s why people buy Apples – not for the system, but to feel superior to everyone else. People [...]

]]> By: Martin Lindeskog http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-670612 Martin Lindeskog Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:59:13 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-670612 It should be a two way street between the customer and the seller. And please keep in mind that extraordinary things could happen that could have an impact on your level of response. A good friend of mine, bought recently a pen from a company in USA. It took longer time with the delivery than usual, so my friend sent them a reminder by email. They didn't reply at first, but some days later they informed him about a thing that had happened with one of the employees of the company that had caused the delay. It had been smart if the company had replied at once, but I think they turned the situation to a positive outcome at the end. It is all about communication... It should be a two way street between the customer and the seller. And please keep in mind that extraordinary things could happen that could have an impact on your level of response. A good friend of mine, bought recently a pen from a company in USA. It took longer time with the delivery than usual, so my friend sent them a reminder by email. They didn’t reply at first, but some days later they informed him about a thing that had happened with one of the employees of the company that had caused the delay. It had been smart if the company had replied at once, but I think they turned the situation to a positive outcome at the end. It is all about communication…

]]> By: Amanda Collier Stillwagon http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-670602 Amanda Collier Stillwagon Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:22:24 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-670602 This is a great reminder. I've had similar experiences and it is so frustrating. I don't understand why a company bothers to make themselves appear accessable but then doesn't follow through. I know businesses are busy but putting aside one afternoon a week to respond to all their social correspondence with customers would be smart. This is a great reminder. I’ve had similar experiences and it is so frustrating. I don’t understand why a company bothers to make themselves appear accessable but then doesn’t follow through. I know businesses are busy but putting aside one afternoon a week to respond to all their social correspondence with customers would be smart.

]]> By: The SmallBusiness.com Blog » links for 2009-09-23 http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/09/don%e2%80%99t-forget-about-real-customer-service.html#comment-670546 The SmallBusiness.com Blog » links for 2009-09-23 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:48:41 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=19339#comment-670546 [...] Social Media Matters Little if You Don't Have Customer Service | Small Business Trends Lisa Barone writes about a company that had every social media based covered — but still didn't answer her inquiry. Lesson: take care of the basics first. (tags: marketing technology) [...] [...] Social Media Matters Little if You Don't Have Customer Service | Small Business Trends Lisa Barone writes about a company that had every social media based covered — but still didn't answer her inquiry. Lesson: take care of the basics first. (tags: marketing technology) [...]

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