by Jim Hughes on December 20, 2009
Customer service has always been important to business, however today it has become the best marketing tool you have. People are now sharing information, exchanging ideas and voicing their opinions at a rate like never before. Social media and online communities provide platforms for consumer and peer reviews on brands and businesses which can procure impactful results. Positive customer experiences become amplified and produce word-of-mouth referrals. On the other hand, negative customer experiences also become amplified and can damage reputations of even the top brands and companies.
I recently wrote how I think companies that gain the trust of their customers will be the ones to lead their respective industries going forward. Trust in business is built on many levels however at its foundation are credibility, accountability and responsiveness. These traits or lack thereof are often most measured in the area of customer service.
Customer Service Is Where It Starts
Good customer service is where it starts. Listen to your customers, offer solutions, be timely with responses and provide value. It’s basic stuff. If your customers have positive experiences with your brand or company they will share them. Further, websites and social media communities now allow companies to extend their customer service efforts and engage customers in unique ways. Providing expertise, answering questions and delivering relevant information are all part of the customer service equation.
Of course, your brand or business is being talked about in far more places than your own online environments and unfortunately not always in a positive light. There are solutions here as well which enable you to listen to and engage your customers. When they have negative experiences, you want to hear them, formulate a response and take appropriate action. You’ll be surprised at how just making the effort can convert critics into advocates.
The concept of customer service is nothing new. However the techniques and the reach potential have seen exponential change.
by Jim Hughes on June 30, 2009
Small businesses today have tremendous opportunities to gain ground on their larger competitors. The question remains however, how many will step to the plate? The information evolution, driven mainly by the Internet and social media networks have created a level playing field for those who choose to participate. Sharing expertise, exchanging ideas, providing solutions and answering questions allows for building customer relationships – one of the key ingredients to small business success.
Digital and social media’s level playing field does not however ensure victory – they simply allow you to compete. Those of us who participate in or follow competitive sports know that talent, decision making, execution, and desire to win all make the difference once the game is on.
In today’s information age, relevant and compelling content is the key to engaging target customers and thus becomes the talent in our sports metaphor. Creating original content on your website and increasing online visibility via inbound marketing strategies all contribute to establishing your company’s digital presence.
Choosing media channels and topics of conversations to connect with your target customers are significant components in the decision making process. Writing blogs and e-Newsletters, using Twitter, Facebook or other social media networks all can be effective tools for small businesses to compete if used in proper context.
Frequency of producing content becomes the execution piece to the equation. How often you update content on your company’s website and chosen media vehicles is essential to managing your online presence, maintaining the interest of your customers and maximizing SEO.
Small businesses that provide useful, transparent information become relevant and credible. This increases their ability to influence perception, and ultimately the behavior of target customers – the obvious desire to win reference.
Many small businesses possess the expertise of their products and services as well as the passion for providing solutions to their customers. This is the beauty of doing business with these organizations. The small business challenge however, is how to participate competitively on this newly created level playing field of connecting with target customers.
Is the talent within your company to communicate effectively? Can you afford to assign someone the time to focus on the marketing strategy? Can you afford not to?
The game is on – is your company participating?
