Q: I just discovered that for the past six months I have been billing a client half of what I should have been. Should I just include the total of the past due balance on his next bill or contact him first to let him know that it’s coming? This client has been difficult in [...]
Q: I will be retiring this year at age 60 and intend to fulfill my lifelong dream of owning my own business. I’m too old to start from scratch, so I’m looking at several franchise opportunities, including fast food, auto parts, and an accounting service. What should I consider before choosing one?
Anthony R.
A: Congratulations on [...]
When companies advertise their services or goods, they are looking for just one end result – sales. It’s a simple straightforward concept – it’s business. However, as companies expand and conduct more and more trade online the personal touches can all but disappear.
It seems these days that every inanimate object can speak to us. Robotic [...]
If you’re a regular reader of this column you know that my number one pet peeve is bad customer service. Nothing chaps my backside more than paying hard-earned money for a product or service only to have the provider of said product or service become apathetic, obnoxious or just downright rude after the transactional smoke [...]
In the last column we discussed the process of credit card enabling your brick-and-mortar business. I pointed out that research has shown that accepting credit cards can help increase revenue and speed up cash flow. This week we will look at setting up an online payment system for your business website. If you think hooking [...]
It’s time to beat the old bad customer service drum again. I know, I’m sick of beating the drum, too, but as long as bad customer service runs rampant through so many businesses I feel it is my entrepreneurial duty to bring it to your attention. So grab a pew and prepare to listen to [...]
The Yankee Group reports that VoIP adoption in North American contact centers will jump from about 17 percent in 2005 to more than 47 percent by the end of 2007.
The findings of the report, “Migration Costs, Vendor Loyalty and Need for ‘Agents Anywhere’ Define Contact Center VoIP Adoption Plans,” are based on Yankee’s survey of [...]
In all of my reading of sales, marketing, and other materials that include the topic of customer service, I have noticed a trend. In my own business, I have also noticed a trend of things about which I receive comments or praise. These things are what I believe to be the key to great customer [...]
Q: One of the big chain bookstores recently opened up near my small book store. Already I can see my business starting to decline. Is there anything I can do to compete with the bigger store or should I just accept the inevitable?
– Peter Q.
A: A wise man once said, “The inevitable is never a [...]
As you develop your company you will start to pick up clients online. This is when you will start seeing the rewards of your efforts but also when you will start to learn the lessons that will shape your company and its success down the line. This article is to show you how a few [...]
