What is an Acceptable Response?
September 06, 2007
by Sharon Housley - Many online marketers work odd hours, with no beginning of the day and no real end. How does this impact support and customer service inquiries? Some small businesses are afraid to reply to customer queries off-hours, fearful that the message time-stamp will betray them as a small business.

Listen to What Your Customers Are Saying
September 04, 2007
by Sharon Housley - Mastering the art of managing customer complaints can seem like a thankless job, but keep in mind that for every customer that shares their worries, concerns or complaints, there are likely more that did not express their dissatisfaction, and instead simply moved on to a competitor. Customer complaints can, and should be treated as opportunities.

Find Out What Your Customers Want and Expect...Before Your Competitors Do
August 29, 2007
by Patricia Fripp - Satisfy your customers... or someone else will. Your prospects and customers can give you important feedback, both directly and indirectly.

Free for the Giving: The Best Things In Service Situations Are Often Free
August 22, 2007
by Craig Harrison - You may think customer service requires a huge capital outlay: expensive training, high-falutin' CRM software, and thousands of dollar in expenditures Nonsense! The most important parts of customer service are free.

The Technology Trap For Talking Takes a Toll
August 16, 2007
by Eileen McDargh - In our crazy busy world, how often do we automatically push the send key and instantly regret that action? Or how about the mistake of using upper case letters and the reader thinks he is being shouted at? Then too, in the rush to respond and be brief, single line messages can come across as terse, harsh and often inflammatory. Small wonder that e-mail might also stand for escalation and error.

Treat Online 'Guests' With Respect
July 30, 2007
by Rick Sloboda- Why do so many businesses lack respect for online customers?

Improve Customer Rapport with Improv!
July 10, 2007
by Craig Harrison - It might surprise you to learn that even in something as spontaneous as Improvisation there are rules at play. Three in particular have direct relevance to our customer and client interactions.

Einstein on Customer Service: E2=MC2 Formula for Business Success: Exceed Expectations = Managing Customers with Care
June 26, 2007
by Craig Harrison - You don't have to be Einstein to realize that, relatively speaking, you must manage your customer expectations for optimal success. Your customers are expecting. Is there a pregnant pause between their requests and your responses?

A Lesson of Real Customer Service
June 05, 2007
by Stoney deGeyter - In customer service, it’s the little things that matter most. A little eye contact here or a head nod there may seem insignificant, and largely are, but to a customer needing acknowledgment, these things are everything. There is nothing worse than needing help in a store and getting ignored by the very people who are supposed to be there to help.

How Do I Reach My Existing Customers?
May 31, 2007
by by D.L. Mayer - The more a customer is involved in your business, the less likely they are to go elsewhere. If they have a vested interest in your business, they are less likely to easily turn to a competitor.

The Five Types of Shoppers
May 22, 2007
by Mark Hunter - In retail, this idea of focusing on the best current customers should be seen as an on-going opportunity. To better understand the rationale behind this theory and to face the challenge, we need to break down shoppers into five main types.

Customers For Life
April 12, 2007
by John Boe - The most successful companies place great value on developing lifetime relationships with their customers. In today's competitive marketplace, they're aware that their customers are aggressively prospected and their loyalty cannot be taken for granted.

The Stairs Of Customer Loyalty
February 28, 2007
by Tony Alessandra - If your company is going to be a leader in your market, you are going to have to really practice things like "customer intimacy", "customer interaction", "customer loyalty" and perhaps more important - "customer partnership".

What is your Lagniappe?
December 12, 2006
by Ed Horrell - Lagniappe is the essence of great service. Giving a little more than is expected, a little more than paid for, is lagniappe. It is part of the secret to great customer service.

3 Simple Steps To Insure Your Clients Pay You
December 05, 2006
by Sandra Martini - You've done the marketing, you've filled your funnel and the phone starts ringing – you've got a new client! Now what?

7 Simple Tips For Building Trust
November 15, 2006
by Tessa Stowe - Building trust between you and your potential client is a very important step that needs to occur first or else they won't buy from you. In fact, building trust is a prerequisite to selling. So how do you go about building this trust? Following are 7 tips.

Five Magic Phrases: Tips For Negotiating Like A Pro
November 10, 2006
by Jenna Glatzer - Those who are new to freelancing are often too afraid to ask for more than a client offers. Thrilled to be making any money at all, new freelancers typically agree to whatever figure is proposed. I was no exception to this rule, but once I’d built up my credits, I realized clients weren’t about to offer me a raise if I continued to play the role of doormat.