During times of economic uncertainty and hardship, companies often reflexively resort to layoffs and downsizing to quickly cut costs and stay afloat, usually without realizing the very real and potentially high costs of reducing their workforce. Layoffs are useful in some circumstances and a natural part of the business cycle, but they bring their own […]
Articles
5 Things Never to Say to a Customer
Your employees serve as the forefront of your business and usually deal with customers on a daily basis. Whether a customer enters your business, calls a customer service representative, or initiates an e-mail inquiry, your employee is responsible for handling the issue in a courteous and effective manner. Within one minute of speaking to your […]
Winning Customers Through Effective Telephone Etiquette
Although many businesses are now offering customer service via e-mails and online chat, telephone calls are still many business’ primary contact. For many customers, a telephone call to customer service is a relatively quick way to resolve any issues and also receive human interaction. For the business, it is a great way to warmly greet […]
Effective Managers Lead Through Living Example
Business owners have personal, financial, and professional investments in their company. In order to grow and maintain a successful business, the owners, managers, and leaders must take a personal responsibility for their employees and customers. Some of the most successful leaders have found that becoming a team player is important to overall morale. It may […]
How to Conduct Successful Employee Performance Reviews
Employee performance reviews serve as a means for communication, improvement in poor performance, clarification in job responsibilities, and reinforcement of good performances. Implementing employee reviews in your company can create a paper trail of performances, good or bad, that may be contributing to the overall success of your company. However, for most managers, employee reviews […]
5 Ways to Boost Employee Morale
The economy has forced many companies to layoff workers, reduce salaries, and eliminate bonuses. With fewer employees, the workload may be significantly more substantial. Employees that are overworked or fear being laid off may exhibit a bad attitude or poor morale. Chances are if you own a business, you are well aware of the direct […]
Effectively Using Online Chat for Customer Service
For most customers, online shopping generally occurs after they’ve arrived home from work, cooked dinner, and can finally kick back. Unfortunately, customer service help lines that follow a Monday-Friday 8am-5pm business schedule are not available. If a customer is shopping at 9pm and has a specific question, what are their options? In some cases, the […]
The Benefits of Online Customer Service Communities
Online customer service and outreach programs are nowadays more or less required for any business aspiring to be competitive in the marketplace and attract more customers. Nearly every major retail or manufacturing company has a slate of online customer service tools and resources which facilitate interaction between customer and company. Many have adopted programs for […]
Why Waste Time on Customer Surveys?
Customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of a business’ success that is often overlooked. Some owners simply do not take the time or effort to find out their customer’s level of satisfaction. They may not know just how to get accurate feedback. Many business owners suspect that improvements need to be made in order to […]
How to Measure Customer Satisfaction & Feedback
Customer satisfaction stands as the main objective for most successful businesses. However, many businesses simply sell their product or services and don’t truly measure customer satisfaction and feedback. One great way for businesses to receive accurate responses, customer feedback, and fresh insight is to offer customer service surveys.