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Bob Hamilton asked:
When you open a dollar store you soon discover there are so many different, yet important aspects to the business. There are so many responsibilities that must be dealt with on a daily basis that it can be very difficult to get them all covered. Still other duties might come up weekly or monthly. Yet they are often just as important. One of the most critical responsibilities you face is customer service. This is a 24×7 duty that cannot be forgotten even for a moment. In fact it is among the most critical responsibilities you are charged with handling.
When you open a dollar store, success in the customer service arena involves not just your performance, but also that of every employee. In this article I will present 4 critical questions to ask as a test of your overall customer service performance. So let’s get started.
1. How skilled and competent are you and your employees at providing memorable service to each and every customer? It is important to offer every new employee customer service training during their initial job orientation. Be sure to set clear expectations regarding customer service at the same time. Experienced employees should receive periodic reminders, updates and reinforcement through daily feedback and in writing on their performance reviews. .
2. Is there true commitment, caring and satisfaction associated link to your business? One of the real keys to becoming successful at customer service revolves around having a commitment and caring about the job, company and your work. No matter how hard you try, if you or your employees are unhappy it will be reflected in the overall quality and success of your customer service.
3. Do you and your employees take deep pride in providing outstanding professional customer service at all times? As mentioned above, when you open a dollar store with plans for success, you are committing to providing only the best of customer service. Be sure to reward those employees who role model exactly the customer service you wish for your business. Don’t forget there is great power in you role modeling outstanding customer service at all times as well
4. Let’s finish with the most important question of all. How well do you and your employees meet the responsibility of providing outstanding customer service? It is critical that each and every customer who comes in contact with your business receive the same high-quality customer service. If there is less than top-quality customer service provided, overall satisfaction is jeopardized.
If you plan to open a dollar store know the quality of your customer service helps to determine your overall success. The measure of customer service includes many metrics. Customer complaints and how they are handled is certainly to be included. More positive measurements include customer retention, average sale size, sales volume, the number of sales transactions and frequency of customer visits. Don’t forget to examine word-of-mouth referrals from existing customers as well. These and others metrics provide the numbers to support your overall level of customer service performance.
To your dollar store business success!
When you open a dollar store you soon discover there are so many different, yet important aspects to the business. There are so many responsibilities that must be dealt with on a daily basis that it can be very difficult to get them all covered. Still other duties might come up weekly or monthly. Yet they are often just as important. One of the most critical responsibilities you face is customer service. This is a 24×7 duty that cannot be forgotten even for a moment. In fact it is among the most critical responsibilities you are charged with handling.
When you open a dollar store, success in the customer service arena involves not just your performance, but also that of every employee. In this article I will present 4 critical questions to ask as a test of your overall customer service performance. So let’s get started.
1. How skilled and competent are you and your employees at providing memorable service to each and every customer? It is important to offer every new employee customer service training during their initial job orientation. Be sure to set clear expectations regarding customer service at the same time. Experienced employees should receive periodic reminders, updates and reinforcement through daily feedback and in writing on their performance reviews. .
2. Is there true commitment, caring and satisfaction associated link to your business? One of the real keys to becoming successful at customer service revolves around having a commitment and caring about the job, company and your work. No matter how hard you try, if you or your employees are unhappy it will be reflected in the overall quality and success of your customer service.
3. Do you and your employees take deep pride in providing outstanding professional customer service at all times? As mentioned above, when you open a dollar store with plans for success, you are committing to providing only the best of customer service. Be sure to reward those employees who role model exactly the customer service you wish for your business. Don’t forget there is great power in you role modeling outstanding customer service at all times as well
4. Let’s finish with the most important question of all. How well do you and your employees meet the responsibility of providing outstanding customer service? It is critical that each and every customer who comes in contact with your business receive the same high-quality customer service. If there is less than top-quality customer service provided, overall satisfaction is jeopardized.
If you plan to open a dollar store know the quality of your customer service helps to determine your overall success. The measure of customer service includes many metrics. Customer complaints and how they are handled is certainly to be included. More positive measurements include customer retention, average sale size, sales volume, the number of sales transactions and frequency of customer visits. Don’t forget to examine word-of-mouth referrals from existing customers as well. These and others metrics provide the numbers to support your overall level of customer service performance.
To your dollar store business success!
Jeff Williams asked:
Marketing experts tell us that the customer’s satisfaction is of the upmost importance to successful companies. Television and print advertisements bombard us with their promises to make us happy as buyers. And yet, according to a survey published in Time magazine, more than one-half of us are unhappy with the service and attention we receive from those who sell to us.
A Fortune 500 company may lose several thousand customers each quarter and never even know it. But if the typical small business owner loses even five customers per year she can find herself in big trouble quickly.
An effective customer service strategy, well executed, provides the most treasured asset for a small business — repeat customers. For those of us struggling to stay afloat it is not a question of whether we will offer customer service, but how much. It is not an optional part of our marketing plan.
Every business makes mistakes from time to time, as do most human beings. Realizing that they sometimes make mistakes themselves, our customers usually understand when we make a mistake in serving them, if we handle it correctly. A government-funded study done during the Carter Administration still holds great value for business owners regarding the results of good and poor response to customer service. The study revealed among other findings that :
The average business never hears from 96 percent of its unhappy customers.
Of customers who register a complaint, between 54 and 70 percent will do business again with the company if their complaint is resolved.
The average customer with a complaint tells 9 or 10 people about it.
Customers whose complaints were well take care of told five or more people about the treatment they received.
Too many businesses, some small and a lot large, forget the strategy of profit maximization through repeat sales. It is not uncommon to find a business without the proper customer service attitude arguing over a $5.00 mistake with a customer who generates $300.00 per year in sales. How ridiculous! Even if you absolutely know that the customer is manipulating you, make every attempt to satisfy their complaint, because if you don’t they can eliminate a dozen prospects by bad-mouthing you. You can always choose not to do business again with chronically-complaining customers, once you do your best.
The goal of effective customer service is really very simple to state: making your customers as excited about your product or service as you are. In fact, really gang-buster customer service often results in customers who become your best salespeople — and you don’t have to pay them a commission!
Let’s look at how to put together a winning customer service plan.
Good Customer Service Starts at the Top
Many of you are just starting out and do not have employees. But someday you may and now is a good time to start practicing “top-down” customer satisfaction.
Ask yourself. “Even when I am under time pressure, do I take the time to really listen to the customer’s need or complaint? Am I prepared to offer a satisfactory response? And do I follow up quickly?” If you are not confident that you can provide the level of service consistent with this type of response, you need to rethink your customer service strategy.
It is relatively easy to be accommodating when you first start your business and do not have many customers calling. But if your marketing is working, the phone traffic will increase quickly and can catch you by surprise.
It is very useful to spend time before you launch laying out the following “mini-plans” as part of a comprehensive customer service strategy:
Your quality plan. Can you define, based on customer need, costs and competition, the exact features of your product or service that will define quality for your customer? How about breadth of assortment? Customization available? Ease of buying? Durability and ease of use?
Your communications plan. How will prospects be able to tell you they want more information? How will you assure they get it quickly? How can customers place orders? Is a live answering service critical? Or will voice-mail suffice? Do you need a pager or portable fax machine?
Your supplier plan. Once you have set your level of quality, can you find the appropriate suppliers of products, materials and service to assure this quality level? Will you be fully informed about all of their services, so that you can ten a customer while they are on the phone whether you can do what they want?
Your personnel plan. Can you really handle sales prospecting, sales support and customer service all by yourself? Does your business require written bids or proposals? Are you able to turn them out professionally, but quickly? How much travel will you have to do? Who will fill in while you are out?
Your product development plan. Can you organize a system for creating new products and services on an orderly basis? Which outside advisors would facilitate the process? How will you evaluate the potential costs and sales return?
The ideal approach is put into writing these mini-plans, as well as your customer service philosophy and the operational details. You may not feel you need to see it in writing, but what about the first part-time employee or even a temporary worker? How can you assure a consistent level of quality whether you answer the phone or someone else does?
”Do as I say, not as I do” may work with some young children, but it rarely works with adults, particularly employees. You have to personally be true to your customer service plan every day and make it obvious to those who work with you that they must satisfy your customers. This includes employees, suppliers, even your delivery company.
Remember, your business is an attempt to make your dream come true. Others often have to be convinced to have the same level of conviction.
Showing People You Really Care
You would be amazed at how little it takes sometimes to make someone feel really well taken care of. Most people are reasonable in their demands — they want you to show you really care in exchange for their hard-earned money.
Just saying “thank-you” produces a lot of smiles. Develop your own thank-you system. Some use attractive thank-you notes. Others call every new customer after their first order to check their satisfaction and to tell them they appreciate their business. Smart marketers send customers surveys out from time to time and promise a small gift for returning them.
Many successful small business marketers provide information and education on how to better use their products and services. We have produced a series of short reports on key business start-up topics that can be ordered for a minimal cost. We gave many free information seminars when we were starting.
Some companies sponsor contests among their customers — to pick a product name, guess a name or number or come up with the most unusual use for their product. The winners are prominently communicated by the company to all of their other customers.
Probably the most sincere form of caring about your customers is to keep your promises. It is very easy when you are new in business to over promise. You desperately wish to please everyone. You may take on too many jobs at one time (believe it or not it does happen). Or you may accept work that requires skills you do not currently possess. It is better for your ongoing relationship with the customer to ask if the job schedule can be extended or to honestly tell them that the skill required is not a strong point for you.
Over time you will meet other entrepreneurs in businesses similar to yours. You can avoid telling a customer “no” outright by trading work with them on a subcontracting basis. As long as the finished quality is what you promised the customer, they do not necessarily need to know that someone else helped you.
Remember that your customers are an excellent source of new product and service suggestions. Their needs change over time and if they feel you care, they will tell about their new wants. AR most people want is good value for their money and some sense that they purchase is appreciated.
Key Questions to Ask
Customer service is one area where small business can effectively compete against larger companies. But you must be prepared to provide comprehensive satisfaction, because many customers expect better service from a small company than from a large corporation.
To create a successful customer service strategy, you should think carefully about the answers to the following questions. Give yourself plenty of time to improve in the areas you are currently weak, before you officially open for business.
How easy is it for your customers to reach you personally? la. How can you make it easier?
Do your customers have to talk to more than one person to receive service? 2a. How can you cut the red tape?
Are your pricing policies clearly explained?
Are your credit, return and special order policies designed to benefit your Customers? Or your accounting system?
Can you honestly say that your product or service delivers the benefits your advertising claims?
Do you make it easy for your customers to order? To pay?
Do you give your customers an easy way to make complaints?
Have you trained everyone who will deal with customers in the basic feature-benefit story of all of your products or services?
Is your business listed in the local white pages of the telephone directory? The Yellow Pages?
Have you examined a toll-free 800-phone number for placing orders?
Does your company name, address and phone number appear prominently on all of your sales literature?
If in retail, do you provide directions on how to reach you?
For retail, is there ample parking near your store?
Do you inform customers of delays in delivery?
If no, how can you correct this?
Keeping Customers with the Right Words
Often successful customer service consists of using the right words at the right time. This is particularly important when the customer is upset or disappointed. Some very effective phrases include:
”I’ll take care of that for you.”
“I take full responsibility.”
“We want your business.”
“Thank you for thinking of US.”
“Consider it done.”
More than in any other phase of your new business, good customer service derives from treating others the way you would like to be treated. No more, no less.
Marketing experts tell us that the customer’s satisfaction is of the upmost importance to successful companies. Television and print advertisements bombard us with their promises to make us happy as buyers. And yet, according to a survey published in Time magazine, more than one-half of us are unhappy with the service and attention we receive from those who sell to us.
A Fortune 500 company may lose several thousand customers each quarter and never even know it. But if the typical small business owner loses even five customers per year she can find herself in big trouble quickly.
An effective customer service strategy, well executed, provides the most treasured asset for a small business — repeat customers. For those of us struggling to stay afloat it is not a question of whether we will offer customer service, but how much. It is not an optional part of our marketing plan.
Every business makes mistakes from time to time, as do most human beings. Realizing that they sometimes make mistakes themselves, our customers usually understand when we make a mistake in serving them, if we handle it correctly. A government-funded study done during the Carter Administration still holds great value for business owners regarding the results of good and poor response to customer service. The study revealed among other findings that :
The average business never hears from 96 percent of its unhappy customers.
Of customers who register a complaint, between 54 and 70 percent will do business again with the company if their complaint is resolved.
The average customer with a complaint tells 9 or 10 people about it.
Customers whose complaints were well take care of told five or more people about the treatment they received.
Too many businesses, some small and a lot large, forget the strategy of profit maximization through repeat sales. It is not uncommon to find a business without the proper customer service attitude arguing over a $5.00 mistake with a customer who generates $300.00 per year in sales. How ridiculous! Even if you absolutely know that the customer is manipulating you, make every attempt to satisfy their complaint, because if you don’t they can eliminate a dozen prospects by bad-mouthing you. You can always choose not to do business again with chronically-complaining customers, once you do your best.
The goal of effective customer service is really very simple to state: making your customers as excited about your product or service as you are. In fact, really gang-buster customer service often results in customers who become your best salespeople — and you don’t have to pay them a commission!
Let’s look at how to put together a winning customer service plan.
Good Customer Service Starts at the Top
Many of you are just starting out and do not have employees. But someday you may and now is a good time to start practicing “top-down” customer satisfaction.
Ask yourself. “Even when I am under time pressure, do I take the time to really listen to the customer’s need or complaint? Am I prepared to offer a satisfactory response? And do I follow up quickly?” If you are not confident that you can provide the level of service consistent with this type of response, you need to rethink your customer service strategy.
It is relatively easy to be accommodating when you first start your business and do not have many customers calling. But if your marketing is working, the phone traffic will increase quickly and can catch you by surprise.
It is very useful to spend time before you launch laying out the following “mini-plans” as part of a comprehensive customer service strategy:
Your quality plan. Can you define, based on customer need, costs and competition, the exact features of your product or service that will define quality for your customer? How about breadth of assortment? Customization available? Ease of buying? Durability and ease of use?
Your communications plan. How will prospects be able to tell you they want more information? How will you assure they get it quickly? How can customers place orders? Is a live answering service critical? Or will voice-mail suffice? Do you need a pager or portable fax machine?
Your supplier plan. Once you have set your level of quality, can you find the appropriate suppliers of products, materials and service to assure this quality level? Will you be fully informed about all of their services, so that you can ten a customer while they are on the phone whether you can do what they want?
Your personnel plan. Can you really handle sales prospecting, sales support and customer service all by yourself? Does your business require written bids or proposals? Are you able to turn them out professionally, but quickly? How much travel will you have to do? Who will fill in while you are out?
Your product development plan. Can you organize a system for creating new products and services on an orderly basis? Which outside advisors would facilitate the process? How will you evaluate the potential costs and sales return?
The ideal approach is put into writing these mini-plans, as well as your customer service philosophy and the operational details. You may not feel you need to see it in writing, but what about the first part-time employee or even a temporary worker? How can you assure a consistent level of quality whether you answer the phone or someone else does?
”Do as I say, not as I do” may work with some young children, but it rarely works with adults, particularly employees. You have to personally be true to your customer service plan every day and make it obvious to those who work with you that they must satisfy your customers. This includes employees, suppliers, even your delivery company.
Remember, your business is an attempt to make your dream come true. Others often have to be convinced to have the same level of conviction.
Showing People You Really Care
You would be amazed at how little it takes sometimes to make someone feel really well taken care of. Most people are reasonable in their demands — they want you to show you really care in exchange for their hard-earned money.
Just saying “thank-you” produces a lot of smiles. Develop your own thank-you system. Some use attractive thank-you notes. Others call every new customer after their first order to check their satisfaction and to tell them they appreciate their business. Smart marketers send customers surveys out from time to time and promise a small gift for returning them.
Many successful small business marketers provide information and education on how to better use their products and services. We have produced a series of short reports on key business start-up topics that can be ordered for a minimal cost. We gave many free information seminars when we were starting.
Some companies sponsor contests among their customers — to pick a product name, guess a name or number or come up with the most unusual use for their product. The winners are prominently communicated by the company to all of their other customers.
Probably the most sincere form of caring about your customers is to keep your promises. It is very easy when you are new in business to over promise. You desperately wish to please everyone. You may take on too many jobs at one time (believe it or not it does happen). Or you may accept work that requires skills you do not currently possess. It is better for your ongoing relationship with the customer to ask if the job schedule can be extended or to honestly tell them that the skill required is not a strong point for you.
Over time you will meet other entrepreneurs in businesses similar to yours. You can avoid telling a customer “no” outright by trading work with them on a subcontracting basis. As long as the finished quality is what you promised the customer, they do not necessarily need to know that someone else helped you.
Remember that your customers are an excellent source of new product and service suggestions. Their needs change over time and if they feel you care, they will tell about their new wants. AR most people want is good value for their money and some sense that they purchase is appreciated.
Key Questions to Ask
Customer service is one area where small business can effectively compete against larger companies. But you must be prepared to provide comprehensive satisfaction, because many customers expect better service from a small company than from a large corporation.
To create a successful customer service strategy, you should think carefully about the answers to the following questions. Give yourself plenty of time to improve in the areas you are currently weak, before you officially open for business.
How easy is it for your customers to reach you personally? la. How can you make it easier?
Do your customers have to talk to more than one person to receive service? 2a. How can you cut the red tape?
Are your pricing policies clearly explained?
Are your credit, return and special order policies designed to benefit your Customers? Or your accounting system?
Can you honestly say that your product or service delivers the benefits your advertising claims?
Do you make it easy for your customers to order? To pay?
Do you give your customers an easy way to make complaints?
Have you trained everyone who will deal with customers in the basic feature-benefit story of all of your products or services?
Is your business listed in the local white pages of the telephone directory? The Yellow Pages?
Have you examined a toll-free 800-phone number for placing orders?
Does your company name, address and phone number appear prominently on all of your sales literature?
If in retail, do you provide directions on how to reach you?
For retail, is there ample parking near your store?
Do you inform customers of delays in delivery?
If no, how can you correct this?
Keeping Customers with the Right Words
Often successful customer service consists of using the right words at the right time. This is particularly important when the customer is upset or disappointed. Some very effective phrases include:
”I’ll take care of that for you.”
“I take full responsibility.”
“We want your business.”
“Thank you for thinking of US.”
“Consider it done.”
More than in any other phase of your new business, good customer service derives from treating others the way you would like to be treated. No more, no less.
Learn how to become the master of your own business, in just a few short weeks
Media Marketing asked:
Marketing is a very vast field and numerous methods are employed to introduce a product amongst various lines of customers. Affiliate marketing is one such method in Internet marketing that involves four core players in its working: a Merchant or retailer, Network, Publisher or affiliate and Customer.
Introducing a product through Affiliate marketing is also a means of crowd sourcing.
Affiliate marketing is based on the fact that business rewards one or more visitors brought by affiliate marketing programs. Since affiliates also use regular marketing efforts, hence it overlaps with other internet marketing methods, to some degree. The different affiliate marketing efforts include search engine marketing, paid as well as unpaid, e-mail marketing, display advertising, and other similar paid marketing efforts.
It is very essential to understand a few basic concepts before starting affiliate marketing program:
Assessment of Website: It is essential to analyze the activities regarding customers to your website. When you answer some basic questions, to your affiliate marketing program, then it gets easier to promote the website amongst customers. Sometimes, advertisers are not aware of small mistakes in their working. An analysis always speaks for mistakes, itself.
Network building is necessary: Make friends with Internet marketers and bloggers for greater efficiency in marketing and higher profitability. Affiliate marketers can easily share information with other online acquaintances, by sharing information. Sharing effective strategies, and other business related problems always help in building huge network. Sometimes, you are invited by your networking friends for some profitable joint ventures.
Cultivate trust in fellow beings: Affiliate Marketing is all about trust with fellow beings. Promote yourself as an authority in your area of expertise and try to be one. Promoting yourself as an expertise will attract more affiliate marketers. It is always better to leave business card on the site to let people contact you for business. A good business person always inculcates trust in other persons, for better affiliate marketing.
It is customary to capture data of your customer for your own use. This requires your own domain, a responder, a free report or video, to make your link irresistible. An interesting activity, for free, always attracts customers. It helps in building data for your domain, and ultimately successful Affiliate marketing.
For more details on SEO Company India visit on www.mediamarketingonline.com
Marketing is a very vast field and numerous methods are employed to introduce a product amongst various lines of customers. Affiliate marketing is one such method in Internet marketing that involves four core players in its working: a Merchant or retailer, Network, Publisher or affiliate and Customer.
Introducing a product through Affiliate marketing is also a means of crowd sourcing.
Affiliate marketing is based on the fact that business rewards one or more visitors brought by affiliate marketing programs. Since affiliates also use regular marketing efforts, hence it overlaps with other internet marketing methods, to some degree. The different affiliate marketing efforts include search engine marketing, paid as well as unpaid, e-mail marketing, display advertising, and other similar paid marketing efforts.
It is very essential to understand a few basic concepts before starting affiliate marketing program:
Assessment of Website: It is essential to analyze the activities regarding customers to your website. When you answer some basic questions, to your affiliate marketing program, then it gets easier to promote the website amongst customers. Sometimes, advertisers are not aware of small mistakes in their working. An analysis always speaks for mistakes, itself.
Network building is necessary: Make friends with Internet marketers and bloggers for greater efficiency in marketing and higher profitability. Affiliate marketers can easily share information with other online acquaintances, by sharing information. Sharing effective strategies, and other business related problems always help in building huge network. Sometimes, you are invited by your networking friends for some profitable joint ventures.
Cultivate trust in fellow beings: Affiliate Marketing is all about trust with fellow beings. Promote yourself as an authority in your area of expertise and try to be one. Promoting yourself as an expertise will attract more affiliate marketers. It is always better to leave business card on the site to let people contact you for business. A good business person always inculcates trust in other persons, for better affiliate marketing.
It is customary to capture data of your customer for your own use. This requires your own domain, a responder, a free report or video, to make your link irresistible. An interesting activity, for free, always attracts customers. It helps in building data for your domain, and ultimately successful Affiliate marketing.
For more details on SEO Company India visit on www.mediamarketingonline.com
Rebecca Chu asked:
Marketing and Advertising of products and services is very essential in order to attract new set of customers. Product manufacturers always look for new and innovative ways to market their products, so that they can divert more and more customers to purchase products manufactured by them.
In such an aggressive marketing and advertising scenario, online marketing is playing an important role in deciding the success of new set of products and services. All companies engaged in any kind of business (either online or offline) want to market their products with online advertising modules.
Online marketing and advertising is not limited to e-Commerce websites only. All companies selling their products through chain of departmental stores or super markets are also using online mode of advertising and marketing to make people aware of their products and services. This awareness returns new customers for manufacturers.
Nowadays, several online agencies are offering their strategic marketing services to reap this tradition of online marketing and advertising to maximum possible extent. These online marketing agencies offer various kinds of marketing and advertising services to small and medium companies looking to increase their sales and revenues. Some popular services include:
Market Research Service, Product and Services Research, Graphic Design Service, Website Designs Service, Multimedia Commercials Production, and Online Promotion of products and services through SEO & SEM
Success of any marketing and advertising campaign depends upon the homework done prior to the beginning of campaign. It needs complete marketing study, competitor analysis, and market research to study the potential sales of any product. The prime focus of advertising and marketing campaigns is always in some specific geographical area. Apart from that, all small and medium businesses need customized marketing and advertising solution specially tailored to suit their business needs.
Modern markets are very complex. The consumers are now smarter than earlier. They want the best in terms of pre sale and after sale services. Nowadays, all small, medium, and large companies want to earn maximum revenue. To boost their existing sales and cover a wider segment of market they need to integrate traditional as well as modern internet marketing strategies.
Marketing and Advertising of products and services is very essential in order to attract new set of customers. Product manufacturers always look for new and innovative ways to market their products, so that they can divert more and more customers to purchase products manufactured by them.
In such an aggressive marketing and advertising scenario, online marketing is playing an important role in deciding the success of new set of products and services. All companies engaged in any kind of business (either online or offline) want to market their products with online advertising modules.
Online marketing and advertising is not limited to e-Commerce websites only. All companies selling their products through chain of departmental stores or super markets are also using online mode of advertising and marketing to make people aware of their products and services. This awareness returns new customers for manufacturers.
Nowadays, several online agencies are offering their strategic marketing services to reap this tradition of online marketing and advertising to maximum possible extent. These online marketing agencies offer various kinds of marketing and advertising services to small and medium companies looking to increase their sales and revenues. Some popular services include:
Market Research Service, Product and Services Research, Graphic Design Service, Website Designs Service, Multimedia Commercials Production, and Online Promotion of products and services through SEO & SEM
Success of any marketing and advertising campaign depends upon the homework done prior to the beginning of campaign. It needs complete marketing study, competitor analysis, and market research to study the potential sales of any product. The prime focus of advertising and marketing campaigns is always in some specific geographical area. Apart from that, all small and medium businesses need customized marketing and advertising solution specially tailored to suit their business needs.
Modern markets are very complex. The consumers are now smarter than earlier. They want the best in terms of pre sale and after sale services. Nowadays, all small, medium, and large companies want to earn maximum revenue. To boost their existing sales and cover a wider segment of market they need to integrate traditional as well as modern internet marketing strategies.
Julia Russell asked:
Secured car finance can avail you both new car finance and used car finance. But this type of car finance needs a property for security purpose. This property is valued as you are financing for your car. This means if you are financing for new car then the loan amount will be higher than financing for a used car. The collateral will be as high as your loan amount. It plays a major role in secured car finance and is a guarantee for good return for your car finance.
Secured car finance is offered in cheap interest rates and easy repayment options. Some secured car finance company offer you to take a secured or an unsecured loan. If you are planning to buy a costly car, then secured car finance is the best choice for you. The main theme of secured car finance is longer reimbursement periods and low interest rate. And unsecured car finance themes are just opposite to secured car finance like minimum time period and higher interest rates and no security.
Being secured in nature, secured car finance offers you sufficient elasticity in provisions of reimbursement of the loan amount, as per the approval of the lender. For prevention from various troubles you should be sure by discussing from your lender for all relevant details in advance. Decide for the loan amount as per your obligation. Be sure for your car option before financing for a secured loan.
There are numerous secured car finance organizations available online who offer the best deal for secured car by which you can save your cash also. Choose the car model and your resources. This effortless paper work will allow you to outline for how much finance is required for secured car finance. After planning your funds, you can look for the best secured car finance on websites. Compare from various loan quotes provided by distinct loan websites.
Secured car finance can avail you both new car finance and used car finance. But this type of car finance needs a property for security purpose. This property is valued as you are financing for your car. This means if you are financing for new car then the loan amount will be higher than financing for a used car. The collateral will be as high as your loan amount. It plays a major role in secured car finance and is a guarantee for good return for your car finance.
Secured car finance is offered in cheap interest rates and easy repayment options. Some secured car finance company offer you to take a secured or an unsecured loan. If you are planning to buy a costly car, then secured car finance is the best choice for you. The main theme of secured car finance is longer reimbursement periods and low interest rate. And unsecured car finance themes are just opposite to secured car finance like minimum time period and higher interest rates and no security.
Being secured in nature, secured car finance offers you sufficient elasticity in provisions of reimbursement of the loan amount, as per the approval of the lender. For prevention from various troubles you should be sure by discussing from your lender for all relevant details in advance. Decide for the loan amount as per your obligation. Be sure for your car option before financing for a secured loan.
There are numerous secured car finance organizations available online who offer the best deal for secured car by which you can save your cash also. Choose the car model and your resources. This effortless paper work will allow you to outline for how much finance is required for secured car finance. After planning your funds, you can look for the best secured car finance on websites. Compare from various loan quotes provided by distinct loan websites.
church financing asked:
ng>Financing, Loans and Commercial Finance for Churches at Church-Financing.com.
Nearly all Churches necessitate the need of a commercial real estate financing. The financial sources for real and substantial estate includes: Regional banks, Private investors, Insurance companies, Saving and Loan institutions and Mortgage banking firms. First let’s touch on the obstacles that occur during the process of acquiring the church mortgage loans & church financing.
The Major Church Financing Difficulties:
(1) Church properties are unique and so, for this reason Lenders have a great apprehension regarding this matter because if the loans are not paid within a stipulated time, Lenders will be accounted for it. They have to assume ownership of the property. Owing to unique property features, it is not going to be easy to come across a new owner.
(2) For getting the hold of church loans, Lenders often entail the need of “personal guarantors” especially on account of prior observation with reference to the complexities that are involved in selling the church property again.
(3) When the church financing needs are attained, there are many objectionable terms that get exist. Such as: Minute amount of loans, low loan-to-value (LTV) of 50% to 60%, short-period time of loans and rates of high interest. By this, churches get many possibilities to face the countless financial difficulties.
(4) More than Purchasing and/or Refinancing, Church Financing, Church Construction Loans, Church Renovation and Land acquisition loans are considered as more intricate to deal with. Therefore, needed repairs are delayed for an indefinite period and new churches take lots of years to become a reality.
The Practical Solutions for the Problems which have been Issued above are:
(1) High LTV: High LTV of 75% to 85% would generate a realistic amount of about 15% to 25% that can be utilized for the purpose of down payment or non-financed portion in refinancing.(2) Long-term loans: To make the church financing more successful, rather than short-term, church financing should be of a long term, i.e. up to at least time period of 30 years.
(3) Non-Recourse Loans: Being reluctant towards individual guarantors fetches a non-traditional church lender. And than through this approach, church lending will no more rely on individual guarantors for the church financing.(4) Large sum of Loan: Ability to accommodate large church loan needs, at least of $500,000. This move would than persuade churches to finish their most business financing in one stage rather than by going through many stages.
(5) Low interest rates: Churches are being charged with the sky-scraping interest rates than it is actually required. Church financing payments can be phenomenally reduced if the payments are restricted to prime plus 1% or less than that. As a result, long-term church loan as well as decrease in overall payment will improve the church cash flow considerably.
For more detail log on to www.church-financing.com. Church Financing is a church loan division of Griffin Capital Funding offers church financing and loans with no personal guarantees, favorable rates and good terms.
ng>Financing, Loans and Commercial Finance for Churches at Church-Financing.com.
Nearly all Churches necessitate the need of a commercial real estate financing. The financial sources for real and substantial estate includes: Regional banks, Private investors, Insurance companies, Saving and Loan institutions and Mortgage banking firms. First let’s touch on the obstacles that occur during the process of acquiring the church mortgage loans & church financing.
The Major Church Financing Difficulties:
(1) Church properties are unique and so, for this reason Lenders have a great apprehension regarding this matter because if the loans are not paid within a stipulated time, Lenders will be accounted for it. They have to assume ownership of the property. Owing to unique property features, it is not going to be easy to come across a new owner.
(2) For getting the hold of church loans, Lenders often entail the need of “personal guarantors” especially on account of prior observation with reference to the complexities that are involved in selling the church property again.
(3) When the church financing needs are attained, there are many objectionable terms that get exist. Such as: Minute amount of loans, low loan-to-value (LTV) of 50% to 60%, short-period time of loans and rates of high interest. By this, churches get many possibilities to face the countless financial difficulties.
(4) More than Purchasing and/or Refinancing, Church Financing, Church Construction Loans, Church Renovation and Land acquisition loans are considered as more intricate to deal with. Therefore, needed repairs are delayed for an indefinite period and new churches take lots of years to become a reality.
The Practical Solutions for the Problems which have been Issued above are:
(1) High LTV: High LTV of 75% to 85% would generate a realistic amount of about 15% to 25% that can be utilized for the purpose of down payment or non-financed portion in refinancing.(2) Long-term loans: To make the church financing more successful, rather than short-term, church financing should be of a long term, i.e. up to at least time period of 30 years.
(3) Non-Recourse Loans: Being reluctant towards individual guarantors fetches a non-traditional church lender. And than through this approach, church lending will no more rely on individual guarantors for the church financing.(4) Large sum of Loan: Ability to accommodate large church loan needs, at least of $500,000. This move would than persuade churches to finish their most business financing in one stage rather than by going through many stages.
(5) Low interest rates: Churches are being charged with the sky-scraping interest rates than it is actually required. Church financing payments can be phenomenally reduced if the payments are restricted to prime plus 1% or less than that. As a result, long-term church loan as well as decrease in overall payment will improve the church cash flow considerably.
For more detail log on to www.church-financing.com. Church Financing is a church loan division of Griffin Capital Funding offers church financing and loans with no personal guarantees, favorable rates and good terms.
Thomas Husnik asked:
Copyright (c) 2007 Thomas Husnik
The field of corporate finance deals with the decisions of finance taken by corporations along with the analysis and the tools required for taking such decisions. The principle aim of corporate finance is enhancing the corporate value and at the same time reducing the financial risks of the company. In addition to this, corporate finance also deals in getting the maximum returns on the invested capital of the company. The major concepts of corporate finance are applied to the problems of finance encountered by all type of firms.
The discipline of corporate finance can be split into the short term and the long term techniques of decisions. The investments of capital are the long term decisions relating to the projects and the methods required to finance them. On the other hand, the capital management for working is considered as a short term decision that deals with the short term current liabilities and asset balance. The main focus here rests on the management of inventories, cash and, the lending and borrowing on a short term basis.
Corporate finance is also associated with the field of investment banking. Here, the role of the investment banker is the evaluation of the various projects coming to the bank and making proper investment decisions regarding them.
The Capital Structure:
A proper finance structure is required for achieving the set goals of corporate finance. The management has to therefore design a proper structure that has an optimal mix of the different finance options that are available.
Generally, the sources of finance will comprise of a mix of equity as well as debt. If a project is financed through debt, it results in causing a liability to the concerned company. Hence in such cases, the flow of cash has various implications regardless of the success of the project. The financing done by equity carries a lower risk regarding the commitments of the flow of cash, but the result of this is the dilution of the earnings and the ownership. The cost involved in equity finance is also higher in the case of debt finance. Hence, it is understood that the finance done through equity, offsets the reduction in the risk of cash flow. The management has to hence have a mix of both the options.
The Decisions of Capital Investments:
The decisions of capital investments are the long term decisions of corporate finance that are related to the capital structure and the fixed assets. These decisions are based of several criteria that are inter-related. The management of corporate finance attempts to maximize the firm’s value by making investments in the projects that have a positive yield. The finance options for such projects have to be done in a proper manner.
Copyright (c) 2007 Thomas Husnik
The field of corporate finance deals with the decisions of finance taken by corporations along with the analysis and the tools required for taking such decisions. The principle aim of corporate finance is enhancing the corporate value and at the same time reducing the financial risks of the company. In addition to this, corporate finance also deals in getting the maximum returns on the invested capital of the company. The major concepts of corporate finance are applied to the problems of finance encountered by all type of firms.
The discipline of corporate finance can be split into the short term and the long term techniques of decisions. The investments of capital are the long term decisions relating to the projects and the methods required to finance them. On the other hand, the capital management for working is considered as a short term decision that deals with the short term current liabilities and asset balance. The main focus here rests on the management of inventories, cash and, the lending and borrowing on a short term basis.
Corporate finance is also associated with the field of investment banking. Here, the role of the investment banker is the evaluation of the various projects coming to the bank and making proper investment decisions regarding them.
The Capital Structure:
A proper finance structure is required for achieving the set goals of corporate finance. The management has to therefore design a proper structure that has an optimal mix of the different finance options that are available.
Generally, the sources of finance will comprise of a mix of equity as well as debt. If a project is financed through debt, it results in causing a liability to the concerned company. Hence in such cases, the flow of cash has various implications regardless of the success of the project. The financing done by equity carries a lower risk regarding the commitments of the flow of cash, but the result of this is the dilution of the earnings and the ownership. The cost involved in equity finance is also higher in the case of debt finance. Hence, it is understood that the finance done through equity, offsets the reduction in the risk of cash flow. The management has to hence have a mix of both the options.
The Decisions of Capital Investments:
The decisions of capital investments are the long term decisions of corporate finance that are related to the capital structure and the fixed assets. These decisions are based of several criteria that are inter-related. The management of corporate finance attempts to maximize the firm’s value by making investments in the projects that have a positive yield. The finance options for such projects have to be done in a proper manner.
RJ Grimshaw asked:
Whether you’re a CIO considering a switch from Sun to IBM or a manager debating about upgrading your entire Server platform, one thing remains the same: you’ve probably got one eye on your efficiency gain and the other eye on your budget.
Fortunately, there are several financing options available to help you break down large technology acquisitions into more affordable monthly payments.
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) estimates that eight out of ten U.S. companies lease at least some equipment, but what many people don’t realize is that there are flexible financing options available for almostany kind of technology equipment, including software, services and training.
Equipment financing is a popular way to maximize your purchasing power largely because it is acost-effective way to obtain the newest equipment without a large outlay of cash.
Financing also helps shield you from the effect of equipment obsolescence, a real issue for all those using any type of technology asset. It’s easy to add the latest software version to your master lease so you don’t have to worry about working with outdated technology.
The Benefits Add Up
Some of the other recognized benefits of financing technology equipment include:
• Reduced Tax Burden – The IRS does not consider certain leases, for example, to be a purchase, but rather a tax-deductible overhead expense. Therefore, you may be able to deduct the lease payments from your corporate income.
• 100 percent financing – Some financing options require very little money down – perhaps only the first and last month’s payment are due at the time of the acquisition.
• Immediate write-off of the dollars spent – With some financing options, payments can be treated as expenses on a company income statement, so equipment does not have to be depreciated over the useful life of the equipment.
• Flexibility – As your business grows and your needs change, flexible financing options provide more opportunities for businesses to add or upgrade equipment during the lease term.
• Asset management – Financing provides the use of technology equipment for specific periods of time at fixed payments. With some financing structures, the finance company assumes and manages the obsolescence risk of equipment ownership. At the end of the finance terms, the financing company is responsible for the disposition of the asset.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reasons to finance technology equipment. Some of the other recognized benefits of financing include:
• Upgraded technology – Equipment that is frequently updated, such as software, should be financed to limit your risk of being stuck with obsolete equipment. It’s easy to add the latest software version to your master lease, for example, so you don’t have to worry about working with outdated technology.
• Speed – Some financing options can allow you to respond quickly to new opportunities with minimal documentation and red tape. Most resellers work with a finance company that can approve applications within twp hours.
• Improved cash flow – Many finance structures can result in a lower monthly payment when compared to a standard loan. In addition, some finance companies offer seasonally adjusted payments to match a company’s needs.
• Simplicity- Financing process and documentation is straight forward and easy to understand.
Finance Services Too
Training, support and other services are vitally important to a successful technology implementation, yet they are some of the most overlooked costs involved with a technology acquisition. Because of this, Somerset Capital Group, Ltd. offers a finance program to help companies cover the cost of training and services, specifically.
Often, everything involved in a technology purchase, from the software to the services and training can be bundled into one predictable monthly lease payment, making it easy to budget for all costs associated with a technology acquisition.
With Financing, One Size Does Not Fit All
Another important benefit of financing is that there are a variety of flexible financing products available to help meet your unique business needs. Many finance options can be tailored to fit month-to-month or year-to-year cash flow needs. Custom arrangements can be designed to address requirements such as cash flow, budget, transaction structure, cyclical fluctuations, and more. Some finance options even allow the customer to miss one or more payments without penalty.
If you’re concerned about purchasing technology that could become obsolete or outdated, or if you’d like to give yourself the flexibility to respond quickly and easily to new opportunities that call for additional software, chances are there’s a financing option for you. Even if your company has cash on hand for a large technology acquisition, there may be a finance option available that would allow you to make better use of your working capital.
Like any business decision, it is important to do your research before deciding which kind of finance option makes the most sense for you.
Get Financing Today
Because financing is such an important part of helping you get the software you need to excel at your job, USXL makes a variety of flexible financing options available. The application process is fast and simple; you could qualify for financing before the end of the day.
Whether you’re a CIO considering a switch from Sun to IBM or a manager debating about upgrading your entire Server platform, one thing remains the same: you’ve probably got one eye on your efficiency gain and the other eye on your budget.
Fortunately, there are several financing options available to help you break down large technology acquisitions into more affordable monthly payments.
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) estimates that eight out of ten U.S. companies lease at least some equipment, but what many people don’t realize is that there are flexible financing options available for almostany kind of technology equipment, including software, services and training.
Equipment financing is a popular way to maximize your purchasing power largely because it is acost-effective way to obtain the newest equipment without a large outlay of cash.
Financing also helps shield you from the effect of equipment obsolescence, a real issue for all those using any type of technology asset. It’s easy to add the latest software version to your master lease so you don’t have to worry about working with outdated technology.
The Benefits Add Up
Some of the other recognized benefits of financing technology equipment include:
• Reduced Tax Burden – The IRS does not consider certain leases, for example, to be a purchase, but rather a tax-deductible overhead expense. Therefore, you may be able to deduct the lease payments from your corporate income.
• 100 percent financing – Some financing options require very little money down – perhaps only the first and last month’s payment are due at the time of the acquisition.
• Immediate write-off of the dollars spent – With some financing options, payments can be treated as expenses on a company income statement, so equipment does not have to be depreciated over the useful life of the equipment.
• Flexibility – As your business grows and your needs change, flexible financing options provide more opportunities for businesses to add or upgrade equipment during the lease term.
• Asset management – Financing provides the use of technology equipment for specific periods of time at fixed payments. With some financing structures, the finance company assumes and manages the obsolescence risk of equipment ownership. At the end of the finance terms, the financing company is responsible for the disposition of the asset.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reasons to finance technology equipment. Some of the other recognized benefits of financing include:
• Upgraded technology – Equipment that is frequently updated, such as software, should be financed to limit your risk of being stuck with obsolete equipment. It’s easy to add the latest software version to your master lease, for example, so you don’t have to worry about working with outdated technology.
• Speed – Some financing options can allow you to respond quickly to new opportunities with minimal documentation and red tape. Most resellers work with a finance company that can approve applications within twp hours.
• Improved cash flow – Many finance structures can result in a lower monthly payment when compared to a standard loan. In addition, some finance companies offer seasonally adjusted payments to match a company’s needs.
• Simplicity- Financing process and documentation is straight forward and easy to understand.
Finance Services Too
Training, support and other services are vitally important to a successful technology implementation, yet they are some of the most overlooked costs involved with a technology acquisition. Because of this, Somerset Capital Group, Ltd. offers a finance program to help companies cover the cost of training and services, specifically.
Often, everything involved in a technology purchase, from the software to the services and training can be bundled into one predictable monthly lease payment, making it easy to budget for all costs associated with a technology acquisition.
With Financing, One Size Does Not Fit All
Another important benefit of financing is that there are a variety of flexible financing products available to help meet your unique business needs. Many finance options can be tailored to fit month-to-month or year-to-year cash flow needs. Custom arrangements can be designed to address requirements such as cash flow, budget, transaction structure, cyclical fluctuations, and more. Some finance options even allow the customer to miss one or more payments without penalty.
If you’re concerned about purchasing technology that could become obsolete or outdated, or if you’d like to give yourself the flexibility to respond quickly and easily to new opportunities that call for additional software, chances are there’s a financing option for you. Even if your company has cash on hand for a large technology acquisition, there may be a finance option available that would allow you to make better use of your working capital.
Like any business decision, it is important to do your research before deciding which kind of finance option makes the most sense for you.
Get Financing Today
Because financing is such an important part of helping you get the software you need to excel at your job, USXL makes a variety of flexible financing options available. The application process is fast and simple; you could qualify for financing before the end of the day.
Liane Bate asked:
Starting, growing, and maintaining an online marketing business is something billions of people worldwide are trying to do as one of the ways to stay hip with technology. If you don’t have a PC, notebook, ipod, Utube video, Facebook profile, MP3 player, and the whole shebang, you are just not with the program.
I guess that means I’m out of it, even though I am an online marketing business owner, because I only own a PC, and don’t even have a cell phone or text messaging. In fact, text messaging has become my number one pet peeve lately, with the cell phone being a close second.
People love cells and text messaging to the point that the person they are with in the current moment is less important than checking for, or writing messages to someone else! Uh-oh! There’s no better way to make someone feel like an object rather than a person than to tune her out in favor of that cell or text message.
Trust me folks, this is not a handy social skill in your personal life, or your online marketing business life! Are you losing it because of technology? If you are trying to win over new prospects and customers, you better not be thinking your incoming cell or text message is more important than who you are with!
This is a sure way to lose business if you are not giving your potential customers 100% of your attention when trying to make a deal, sign up a new member, or just get someone’s feet wet with your online marketing business programs and services.
If you think this is petty information from an opinionated online marketing business owner, then think again! Do you remember being a kid and watching TV with someone, and asking a burning question only to be told, “Shhhh! I’m watching this!” or “Shhhh! I want to hear this”? How did that make you feel?
It probably made you feel less important than a piddly piece of technology! If you run a business, you can’t afford to let it zap you of your social skills. Yes, you have to spend time working on the PC or notebook to get your work done. But you can’t expect to run a healthy online marketing business when you shut out the rest of the real world and real people in it!
Have you ever gone out for a nice dinner and the person you’re with pulls out their text messaging? How embarrassing is that!? As your potential customer, that tells me that you are an online marketing business owner who finds me boring, and you don’t care, or think I am at all important compared to the technology you have to attend to. Uh-oh!
Now you may think that communicating online in discussion forums, chat rooms, MSN, and this whole cell phone and text messaging thing is still interacting with others. But wait a minute! You are still losing an essential component of human interaction here!
The human brain is capable of sending a piece of written text over the phone, but only when you are face-to-face with someone and in their presence, can the human brain release neurons that feel what the other person is feeling, sense what they are sensing. You only get a gist of this online.
Empathy is something we can all have but it’s developed by being with people, not by having a relationship with your computer. If you know that human relationships are the essence of all our online marketing businesses, then you will realize the importance of in-person contact with others.
The point of this article is to make you aware that your online marketing business and other techno-gadgets of this new techno-internet age may be ruining your social skills. These skills are so important in building our business and personal relationships.
Remember that your online marketing business is about relationships, not about technology. If you have well developed social skills by being around other people, your business will attract more customers.
Starting, growing, and maintaining an online marketing business is something billions of people worldwide are trying to do as one of the ways to stay hip with technology. If you don’t have a PC, notebook, ipod, Utube video, Facebook profile, MP3 player, and the whole shebang, you are just not with the program.
I guess that means I’m out of it, even though I am an online marketing business owner, because I only own a PC, and don’t even have a cell phone or text messaging. In fact, text messaging has become my number one pet peeve lately, with the cell phone being a close second.
People love cells and text messaging to the point that the person they are with in the current moment is less important than checking for, or writing messages to someone else! Uh-oh! There’s no better way to make someone feel like an object rather than a person than to tune her out in favor of that cell or text message.
Trust me folks, this is not a handy social skill in your personal life, or your online marketing business life! Are you losing it because of technology? If you are trying to win over new prospects and customers, you better not be thinking your incoming cell or text message is more important than who you are with!
This is a sure way to lose business if you are not giving your potential customers 100% of your attention when trying to make a deal, sign up a new member, or just get someone’s feet wet with your online marketing business programs and services.
If you think this is petty information from an opinionated online marketing business owner, then think again! Do you remember being a kid and watching TV with someone, and asking a burning question only to be told, “Shhhh! I’m watching this!” or “Shhhh! I want to hear this”? How did that make you feel?
It probably made you feel less important than a piddly piece of technology! If you run a business, you can’t afford to let it zap you of your social skills. Yes, you have to spend time working on the PC or notebook to get your work done. But you can’t expect to run a healthy online marketing business when you shut out the rest of the real world and real people in it!
Have you ever gone out for a nice dinner and the person you’re with pulls out their text messaging? How embarrassing is that!? As your potential customer, that tells me that you are an online marketing business owner who finds me boring, and you don’t care, or think I am at all important compared to the technology you have to attend to. Uh-oh!
Now you may think that communicating online in discussion forums, chat rooms, MSN, and this whole cell phone and text messaging thing is still interacting with others. But wait a minute! You are still losing an essential component of human interaction here!
The human brain is capable of sending a piece of written text over the phone, but only when you are face-to-face with someone and in their presence, can the human brain release neurons that feel what the other person is feeling, sense what they are sensing. You only get a gist of this online.
Empathy is something we can all have but it’s developed by being with people, not by having a relationship with your computer. If you know that human relationships are the essence of all our online marketing businesses, then you will realize the importance of in-person contact with others.
The point of this article is to make you aware that your online marketing business and other techno-gadgets of this new techno-internet age may be ruining your social skills. These skills are so important in building our business and personal relationships.
Remember that your online marketing business is about relationships, not about technology. If you have well developed social skills by being around other people, your business will attract more customers.
- 0 Comments
- Tags: Business Owner, Pet Peeve, Watching Tv
Pramila asked:
The ‘Global Shared Services Center’ of a Fortune 500 organization approached MMM Training Solutions to help them with a customer services training intervention that would not only improve basic customer handling skill sets but also help facilitate a change in the mindset of their employees toward becoming more customer service oriented as individuals and as an organization.
By working in coordination with the HR, Operations and Quality teams of the client organization, MMM Training Solutions demonstrated clearly the benefits of customer service training. We also facilitated a 20% improvement in the customer service skill sets of various teams.
For the purposes of this case study, our focus will be on the customer service training intervention we undertook for the IT services and Helpdesk Support team.
Challenges Faced:
The client outlined to us that the major challenge that they faced was that most of their IT Services and Helpdesk employees were not customer service oriented. Although, they possessed good technical skills they just had not been able to see the importance of customer service as they were dealing with ‘internal customers’ i.e. employees of the parent company, who had no one else to turn to for their IT support needs.
They wanted us to help instill a professional approach to customer service, problem solving and call handling as part of the IT Helpdesk operations. This included:
Change in mindset toward a ‘culture of customer service’ Politeness and courtesy when speaking to customers Using the right telephone etiquette Using the right e-mail etiquette Taking ownership Dealing with different types of customers
Pre-training Preparation:
Prior to the delivery of our customer service training program, an in-depth study of the situation was carried out by the MMM Training Solutions Team. Our pre-training preparation focused on areas that helped gain an insight into the real nature of the problem.
The Training Program:
The training programs were initially conducted for five batches of participants from the voice based support operations.
Duration:
Each batch went through a training program that was for 16 hours split into 4 sessions of 4 hours each.
Training topics:
Developing a customer service mindset Understanding the elements of great customer service Understanding and managing customer expectations Call handling skills and E-mail etiquette Dealing with different kinds of customers Polite and friendly phrases to use that sound professional
Methodology:
Numerous role-play simulations of customer facing situations with feedback from the facilitator and peers Group games, movie clips and case studies along with Instructor Led Training (ILT) Audio recordings of sample calls that were categorized as ‘good’ calls and ‘bad’ calls
Post-training Intervention:
A post-training assessment was conducted one week after the completion of training for each batch and the appropriate feedback was given to the participants.
Results:
The result was that the participants showed an average overall improvement of 10-15% in terms of quality of performance, specifically focusing on customer service.
Refresher Training:
We conducted a 4 hour refresher session for each batch one month after their initial training program. This session focused on key areas in which the participants were not showing significant improvement.
As a result, participants showed a further 5-10% improvement in their customer service skill sets. This meant that at the end of a month participants had shown an average overall improvement of about 20%.
Conclusion:
The client organization was so delighted with the results that they wanted us back to conduct a ‘Level 2 – Customer Service’ training intervention to take their teams to the next level of bringing about ‘Customer Delight’.
We continue to work with the organization to this day. Today, we are looked at as a strategic learning partner who is helping them focus on the core of their business – developing people.
This business case clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of our customer service training material and programs. Kindly visit our website to download free customer service training material.
The ‘Global Shared Services Center’ of a Fortune 500 organization approached MMM Training Solutions to help them with a customer services training intervention that would not only improve basic customer handling skill sets but also help facilitate a change in the mindset of their employees toward becoming more customer service oriented as individuals and as an organization.
By working in coordination with the HR, Operations and Quality teams of the client organization, MMM Training Solutions demonstrated clearly the benefits of customer service training. We also facilitated a 20% improvement in the customer service skill sets of various teams.
For the purposes of this case study, our focus will be on the customer service training intervention we undertook for the IT services and Helpdesk Support team.
Challenges Faced:
The client outlined to us that the major challenge that they faced was that most of their IT Services and Helpdesk employees were not customer service oriented. Although, they possessed good technical skills they just had not been able to see the importance of customer service as they were dealing with ‘internal customers’ i.e. employees of the parent company, who had no one else to turn to for their IT support needs.
They wanted us to help instill a professional approach to customer service, problem solving and call handling as part of the IT Helpdesk operations. This included:
Change in mindset toward a ‘culture of customer service’ Politeness and courtesy when speaking to customers Using the right telephone etiquette Using the right e-mail etiquette Taking ownership Dealing with different types of customers
Pre-training Preparation:
Prior to the delivery of our customer service training program, an in-depth study of the situation was carried out by the MMM Training Solutions Team. Our pre-training preparation focused on areas that helped gain an insight into the real nature of the problem.
The Training Program:
The training programs were initially conducted for five batches of participants from the voice based support operations.
Duration:
Each batch went through a training program that was for 16 hours split into 4 sessions of 4 hours each.
Training topics:
Developing a customer service mindset Understanding the elements of great customer service Understanding and managing customer expectations Call handling skills and E-mail etiquette Dealing with different kinds of customers Polite and friendly phrases to use that sound professional
Methodology:
Numerous role-play simulations of customer facing situations with feedback from the facilitator and peers Group games, movie clips and case studies along with Instructor Led Training (ILT) Audio recordings of sample calls that were categorized as ‘good’ calls and ‘bad’ calls
Post-training Intervention:
A post-training assessment was conducted one week after the completion of training for each batch and the appropriate feedback was given to the participants.
Results:
The result was that the participants showed an average overall improvement of 10-15% in terms of quality of performance, specifically focusing on customer service.
Refresher Training:
We conducted a 4 hour refresher session for each batch one month after their initial training program. This session focused on key areas in which the participants were not showing significant improvement.
As a result, participants showed a further 5-10% improvement in their customer service skill sets. This meant that at the end of a month participants had shown an average overall improvement of about 20%.
Conclusion:
The client organization was so delighted with the results that they wanted us back to conduct a ‘Level 2 – Customer Service’ training intervention to take their teams to the next level of bringing about ‘Customer Delight’.
We continue to work with the organization to this day. Today, we are looked at as a strategic learning partner who is helping them focus on the core of their business – developing people.
This business case clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of our customer service training material and programs. Kindly visit our website to download free customer service training material.
