Tag Archives: customer

Do Customers Know What is Expected?

We spend a great deal of time in our home businesses trying to predict and assess what our clients and customers need or want from us. We may even attempt to morph or change our business to meet those anticipated needs. But one place some small businesses stumble in that we are not communicating well with our customers and clients about what we need from them. Do your customers actually know what is expected from them and what their role is in the whole negotiation/sales/business relationship deal? Setting clear expectations in regards to order forms and process, deadlines, payment policies, … Continue reading →

Make the Most of Every Customer Contact

Perhaps it is an overstatement to say that every contact with a customer, client or prospect is a golden opportunity. Chances are, that might be a little dramatic, not to mention add some pressure where probably none of us needs it. But, we should still keep in mind that every contact we have with a customer or prospect really is a chance to make a good and lasting impression and represent our business in some way. I’m not just talking about personal or face-to-face contact either. Each time you send an e-mail or leave a voice mail message or send … Continue reading →

How Specific Can You Tailor Your Service Delivery?

There are a great many advantages that those large companies have over us small ones—they have more employees, more capital, more marketing—but we really do have some advantages too. As a small, home-based business, we have the flexibility to really know our customers and clients and tailor our service delivery to meet their needs. We can meet them in a more intimate place and really find a way to deliver top-notch service that is quite specific. Sometimes it does not even pay to try to play the “big boy’s” game. Instead, we can focus in on what we do well … Continue reading →

With Home Business, We HAVE to Give Good Customer Service

Customer Service is a bit of a “buzz term” now days. We hear it as it relates to all sorts of business interactions. The truth is, however, if you are operating your own home business, you have to work on your customer service skills. We can’t afford to mistreat our customers or give poor customer service. Our small businesses depend on us to be able to cultivate customers and keep our customers happy and satisfied. I don’t know how many times my own opinion of a particular business has been completely changed by one interaction with someone—both in a good … Continue reading →

How to Cope When a Customer Tries to Make You Feel Guilty

We’ve all been there–either a coworker, boss, colleague or customer/client is trying to manipulate us into doing something that we have stated we won’t, or get us to do extra work, cover for someone else or just feel guilty for whatever reason. For some people, this seems to be the main way they interact with other people. Here are some tips for how NOT to feel guilty and what to do when you have to cope with someone who is a real guilt monger: The first thing to understand that guilt is all about trying to get you sucked into … Continue reading →

Tips to get better Customer/Tech Support

One of the most frustrating things can be calling a company for customer or technical support and getting unsatisfactory service. I’ve had this happen and I’m sure most of us can tell horror stories from our past. I also have a slightly more unique experience with this topic and that is working on the other end of the phone. While in college one of the jobs I had was customer support and then tech support for one of the top three cell phone companies. There are many things that can frustrate us when we are calling for help. Long hold … Continue reading →