By Kandi Moulder | August 23, 2011

Customer service needs more cowbell.

I recently took my car in to get new brakes. I had never been to this shop, so I was a little unsure what kind of experience I was going to have. Happily, the owner was more than helpful. He didn’t just put cheap brakes on my car, he asked me what kind of budget I was working with and explained the different types, gave me his own recommendation and then asked what I wanted.

When I came back to pick up my car I found that he had not only replaced my brakes, but also cleaned my car and fixed a small dent in my hood free of charge. Why? Simply because he would have done the same if it was his own car. Treating my car like it was his own assured me, the customer, that my car was in good hands.

What makes a good customer experience?

This assurance is what made my experience a good one. It isn’t always just the deals or the selection; customer service can make or break the shopping experience, gaining you a loyal customer or a poor online review.

But good customer service isn’t just about greeting customers with a smile anymore. People are looking for a personal connection even in business dealings. By making an effort to form relationships, you start to build the kind of trust that results in repeat customers.

This isn’t like building friendships, though – it’s less about getting to know each other personally and more about caring for customers as people rather than money machines. It can be as simple as offering your knowledge and advice to the customer, even if they didn’t ask for it. If people feel like they are doing business with someone who genuinely cares about helping them out, they are more likely to return.

Every customer is important – treat them so!

Every customer should feel they are the most important one you have. It’s that VIP feeling that will make a one-time customer return again.

Have you ever walked into a store and heard the standard “Is there anything I can help you with today?” greeting? How about someone who not only helped you find what you were looking for, but asked what kind of product you were looking for, gave recommendations and helped you choose something to fit your needs? It’s service like this that makes a good shopping experience because they know they can depend on you to get them what they need.

Pricing and novelty aren’t always the customer’s motivation. Building relationships with your current customers based on the level of service you provide and the way you treat them as people is one of the best things you can do for your business.

Recall the last time you had a great experience with customer service. What made it so great? Use those experiences to start giving your own customers great service.

Have a great customer service story? Share it here in the comments!

By Vincent Tyson | June 10, 2010

Toyota, apparently one of the most popular brands in America, and indeed one of the largest car makers in the world, seems to have a little PR problem. KOTA TV recently interviewed our CEO, Robert Sharp, asking him what his opinion on the whole debacle was. Robert has been quite open with all of us here about his view of the saga which has devastated the car maker’s finances, after having to recall millions of its cars and SUVs as well as its luxury brand Lexus which shares the parts bin with its bigger brother.

So what was Robert’s take? Well let’s start with honesty – it’s clear Toyota knew there was a problem early on, and with such a stronghold in the car market they should have reacted far sooner, leaving owners and potential customers in no doubt that their interests would be protected by this giant of manufacturing. Instead, it hesitated, confusing the media with mixed messages, many being perceived as dishonest, misleading and unprofessional. It seems that even those at the top of Toyota were not sure of how to react, and after several deaths, insurance industry investigations and lawsuit filings, they finally (kind of) admitted liability. …Read more »

By Vincent Tyson | June 8, 2010

...

The last time I wrote a blog for RSA I discussed the joys and pitfalls of the customer service experience, and promised to return with an update on the window issue. Well I am pleased to say the glass was finally replaced and they did it on time! Wow – some good news.

Now I have another story that addresses customer service and its huge importance in today’s world.

Customer Service Failure

This customer service story involves Sears. The situation has angered me so much that I was forced to employ measures that I had never used before. …Read more »

By Tarah Heupel | May 20, 2010

Ericka Heiser speaks to 1000+

Yesterday a few of us had the opportunity to attend the first Day of Excellence in Rapid City. Hosted by Leadership Rapid City, the one-day conference focused on fostering personal and professional growth.

We showed up to the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center yesterday, coffee in hand, interested to see if the speakers would have anything to teach us (and praying they would be funny). More than 1,200 people had the same idea, and luckily, we weren’t disappointed. …Read more »

By Kyle McCabe | January 26, 2010

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In an economic drought, good customer service is digging for water. You have to work at it and be smart about it, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are a few things you can do right now to improve your customer service.

1. Listen to your customers
Listen to their complaints. Listen to their problems and their solutions. Listen to their successes and failures, their goals and plans, hopes and dreams; their boring and crazy stories. But don’t just be passive. Ask your customers to talk!

These are the people you need, and who need you. They are the lifeblood of your business, and they are your community. Get to know them, build relationships. Build trust. It starts with listening. Share their excitement, but be quick to root out and squash the causes of their frustrations. …Read more »

By Kyle McCabe | January 14, 2010

Whenever I sit down to go through ideas for blog posts, I inevitably think of a few that sound great, only to realize hey, we already wrote that one. A lot of the things we wrote about last year are still relevant even now – maybe more so.

Looking back through our logs, it’s no surprise to find some content was more popular than others. After all, we’re still experimenting to find the sort of thing you, our readers, find most useful.

To make sure you didn’t miss any of the good ones from last year, here’s a short list of our most viewed posts from 2009.

Why Good Customer Service Is So Important

5 Reasons Not to Cut Your Marketing Budget in a Recession

Elements of Internet Marketing

Going Nuts? Don’t Cut your Marketing

Should You Put Video On Your Website?

Understanding Web Design

14 Practical Uses For Social Media

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Photo courtesy of kevinzim

By Jillian Anderson | January 7, 2010

With the dawn of a new year, there is a lot of buzz about marketing in 2010. The “blogsphere ” is flooded with questions like, “What will be the most effective marketing media in 2010,” “Will traditional media b ecome obsolete,” and “Where are advertisers going to spend in 2010.”

Among these marketing predictions are:

1. The rise of mobile marketing and mobile websites:

This will be a pretty big one and some are even saying that the impact of mobile marketing will surpass that of social media. Be sure to pay attention to how this develops in the coming months and years.

2. Relationship marketing and customer service:

This necessity continues to grow as social media gives EVERY customer a louder voice and influence. Remember that your customers are people too, and not just any people, but the kings and queens of your business.

3. Experimentation:

When it comes to new technologies, sometimes experimentation is the best way to see if they work for your marketing. This doesn’t mean (of course) to blindly pursue new media with no clear goal, intent, strategy and system of measurement. But, it certainly doesn’t hurt to try something new. If you don’t begin experimenting, you will be left behind.

4. Social media and SEO:

We can’t forget about the meat and potatoes of online marketing. Social media and SEO have advanced past the point of being mere buzz words. Don’t expect these two to disappear.

5. Promotions in both new AND traditional media:

Whether businesses are offering incentives to gain friends and followers in social networks, customer loyalty programs, coupons, sales or charitable contributions – promotions are sure to be another 2010 trend. …Read more »

By Kyle McCabe | December 22, 2009

Don't get robbed.

I don’t know anything about rockets or surgery. If I wanted to find a good rocket surgeon, I wouldn’t have the faintest idea where to start. I’m not at all confident I could find the right person for the job; someone who won’t rip me off or do a half-baked job (hey, no disrespect to rocket surgeons, but some of you are kind of shady).

If you feel that way about finding a good web designer*, I may be able to help (yeah, some of you are shady, too).

There are key values, practices or qualifications in any profession that can help you judge its practitioners. So you might proceed in your search with greater confidence, I’ve outlined below some key things to look for in a good web designer (Surprisingly, little of it has to do with actual ‘design’ skill).

1. A good web designer listens.
It’s incredibly difficult to solve a design problem without knowing what that problem is. …Read more »

By Vincent Tyson | July 8, 2009

Why are any of us in business? I think that’s a question more people should ask themselves. Sometimes, I don’t know why some businesses bother to go on.

Lately service, or rather a lack of it, has really got to me. I recently ordered some replacement glass for my new house from a local (nameless) company. One of the windows was cracked when I moved in. It was delivered after two weeks which is when the trouble started. Not only was the glass too big, but I also had to pay a Glazier for a window that wasn’t fitted.

The glass company happily took the window back, admitting that it had measured it wrong (good so far). They said that they’d let me know when the new glass was ready. Fast forward six weeks; one more incorrectly measured pane of glass, and I am now fuming. For some time they weren’t even answering my calls; even the shop was closed when I went to visit. Eventually after several phone calls – and a call to the owner’s personal residence – I have a new piece of glass that is supposed to be going in this weekend (I’ll keep you posted). What really annoyed me was the lack of contact and severe delays with no explanation or apology. Rest assured I won’t be going back!

If I contrast this with another story of poor service, it illustrates how things can start out bad, but turn out for the best… …Read more »

By Jillian Anderson | June 24, 2009

Though people have been finding ways to market on the Internet for years, its broad marketing potential is still pretty new.

In my experience, most small business owners aren’t yet familiar with what internet marketing is and how it differs from/relates to traditional marketing media. I hope to answer some fundamental questions, or at least paint a clearer picture with this post.

Since we are talking about the world wide web, there are many advertising and marketing possibilities.  But what’s best for your business?  Well, that depends on your desired outcome (and budget). I’ll highlight three of the most common ways to market on the internet.

In addition to a company’s website, search engine marketing, social media marketing, and banner ads have proven to be highly effective in generating both web and foot traffic.  All of these are useful marketing elements that enhance a company’s internet presence to promote offline business and online sales. …Read more »