Would you hire an accountant who didn’t know how to use a ledger? Would you put your trust in a contractor who’d never handled sheetrock? A taxi driver without a license to get behind the wheel?
You get the idea.
So why are you entrusting your company – your best customers, your reputation, your future earnings – to frontline customer service employees who lack empathy and empowerment? An empathetic customer experience from your frontline employees creates loyalty and return business.
Read MoreHere's the good news: Your hard work is paying off and business is booming! Customers are calling. Customers are buying. And it’s time to interview and onboard more staff to create the customer experience that will take you into long-term success.
And then the rub: The hiring process is time-consuming; you are new to this and need some guidance; and making an offer to someone only to find out you’re not getting the performance you need is an expensive mistake.
The news about Nike’s purpose-driven marketing and how successful it has been is everywhere. A recent feature the Newsday Long Island Business section goes into detail about Nike’s controversial ad with the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Most brands steer clear of this kind of advertising for fear of customer alienation. What was the reaction to Nike? Their stock and sales are going up, up, up.
Why is Nike so successful?
Sexual harassment awareness has been a hot topic in light of the #metoo movement, and now New York State has passed legislation requiring all companies with 15 or more employees to provide mandatory sexual harassment policies and training, even to interns.
By January 1, 2019, every employer must have a written sexual harassment policy and provide sexual harassment awareness training.
A recent New York Times front-page article speaks about “Baring a Bit of Your Soul to Connect with Voters.” The premise is that a highly personal touch in story-telling “… can help to spread a candidate’s story in a way that…can inspire donations.” Unlike typical advertisements, candidates share not only their definitions of leadership, but also their beliefs, their experiences and their pain. These videos are so effective because candidates come across with authenticity and credibility.
In this world of exploding social media and competing priorities, how do YOU make a difference?
Read More“Good morning, how are you today, Alexa?” “Siri, where is the nearest health food store?” #ThisistheWorstAirline
Technology advances are changing our everyday lives at home. We use Artificial Intelligence and social media to let our friends, our neighbors - and ourselves - know what we want and when we want it. And we use these emerging technologies to interact with companies, whether making purchases, finding out what’s new, or letting the whole world know about our experience (usually when it’s highly negative).
Read MoreLet’s answer some basic questions: Who is the customer? What is customer service? How do you create customer service excellence?
We define a customer as anyone that we serve. That means that there is no difference between our internal customers – serving our fellow employees and management – or our external customers that purchase our goods and services. The customer isn’t someone who exists only between 8am and 5pm. By encouraging and promoting this within your organization you reinforce the skills and attitudes of customer service excellence that are beneficial to your employees and to your paying customers.
In the high-stakes world of donor dollars, foundation grants, and community competitions … how are you faring? Competition is fiercer than ever, time and attention given to your services is way down, and your digital footprint can live in infamy. You have probably updated the information in your presentation to reflect your latest successes and numbers … but when was the last time you updated the way you present yourself and your organization?
Read MoreWhen it comes to a company’s ability to formulate and execute upon a transformational strategy, few factors, if any, are more influential than its culture.
Read MoreWhile the importance of workplace culture is well-understood, how to build a great culture is less established. This article includes five common myths about culture-building -- as well as five strategies for cultivating a unique, healthy, sustainable organizational culture.
Read MoreAs always, companies who provide great customer service have a huge advantage over companies that don’t. Here are the six customer service trends we expect to see in 2018 and, more importantly, our advice on how to manage them.
Read MoreGreat customer service has the potential to build customer engagement and loyalty by providing your business with a way to make an emotional connection with its customers. By accomplishing this, your company goes a long way toward rendering itself irreplaceable–a business for which any substitute is just that: an imitation, an also-ran.
Read MoreJust like Windows 95 is so last century, so is thinking that only you or your sales reps can bring in new business. Just as you know about updating your technology regularly, you also need to update your selling strategy. When you help maximize your customers’ sales potential, you’re strengthening your own organization in teh process — and your own profitability.
Read MoreEven for the savviest organization, maintaining a balance of meeting payroll, paying vendors, and finding ways to expand the business can be an incredible challenge. So how can you find more opportunities to cultivate the loyal, profitable customers that keep your business running smoothly?
Read MoreJust like Windows 95 is so last century, so is thinking that only you or your sales reps can bring in new business. Just as you know about updating your technology regularly, you also need to update your selling strategy. When you help maximize your customers’ sales potential, you’re strengthening your own organization in the process – and your own profitability.
Read MoreWho knows your customers better than the line employees who work with them every day? By tapping into employee insights – and empowering your front line staff to make the right decision based on individual customer needs
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