2-1-2 Small Business Sense

What is good customer service? That’s a question that often haunts both marketers and consumers alike, mainly because their definition of this sometimes elusive concept is at odds with one another. Young people who work the counters will often lament what they consider to be the outlandish expectations of their customers, which they feel are over and above the call of duty.

Meanwhile, the older fold will criticize the service industry workers today for not taking enough care and attention to their needs like they did in “the old days”. Perhaps only the professionals can come up with a firm definition of what customer service is all about.

The bottom-line is that customer service is taking care of the client as best you can, regardless of whether your business is in retail or food service, automotive repair or washing windows. In the service industry, it always pays to work fast because it tells your customers that you are paying attention to their needs. One of the first rules of business is, if you have a customer, don’t make him wait. And if it’s unavoidable that he has to wait (say, you’re working on another customer) then, at the very least, acknowledge his presence so he knows that you care.

A second rule is concerned with attitude. As the saying goes, “kill them with kindness” Certainly, there will be ill-mannered customers who treat you poorly or show disrespect, but refusing to stoop to this level and dealing with them in a courteous, professional manner always gets their attention, leaving them confused and feeling like a jerk. Remember, at the core of basic customer service is treating your customers with respect.

I’m sure you’ve been on the other end of the transaction where you were the customer and say, some credit card representative or the Avon lady was calling on you to make a pitch. Remember the amount of self-control that they exercised even when you were sometimes cranky or in a rush. It pays to have a cool head and that’s a big part of good customer service.

Many older folks, my father for instance, believe that customer service has deteriorated over the years. That may be true. However, I also believe that people nowadays expect too much and are sometimes downright rude about getting what they want. I guess patience works both ways. In the final analysis, as long as the employee is courteous and professional, the customer should be happy. And that’s the essence of good customer service.

By: Philip Culver

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If you are a starting your own small business you need to be as organized and efficient as possible. One of the tools that you can use to achieve these goals is business software. Many entrepreneurs who are interested in the process of starting their own business may not be into computers or even have an aversion to technology, unfortunately in today’s business world if you don’t have the right tools which usually includes business software you and your business are dead in the water.

The good news about business software is that it is easier and in some case more affordable than ever. With much more powerful computers and many different software producing companies competing against one another, the consumer ultimately wins. No matter what industry or type of small business you have, there is business software that can help organize your expenses, analyze your sales and correspond with customers, manufacturers and other businesses.

Besides general business tools such as MS Office, there are plenty of business software available for ecommerce web sites and auction site merchants. Whether you are a one person operation or have a dozen employees, using business software can ultimately help you be more profitable.

You can find current information and up to the minute reviews and opinions online at software forums. Whether it is Microsoft products, Adobe Photoshop or any type of specialize business software, you can usually do a search and find some reviews based on using a specific software product. So before you go out and spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on business software, do your homework and see what others have to say about it.

By: Christain Cullen

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