There are hundreds if not thousands of books written about what customers want, what they need, what they think they want, what they think they need, etc. In truth, though, don’t the majority of us have what we need to live? That’s the question posed by Sean Jackson, CFO and partner in Copyblogger Media. Instead of focusing on what your customer needs, Jackson suggests you focus on what your customer wants. In a recent blog post, he identifies the five things customers want. Are your marketing efforts focusing on customers’ needs or their wants?
Archive for the ‘Customer Service’ Category
Lessons from Lady Gaga
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, May 6, 2013
No, we’re not talking voice lessons or wardrobe tips. There are valuable branding lessons to be learned from the one-and-only Gaga. Think loyalty marketing and customer cultivation. OPEN forum recently shared valuable insight from the Lady Gaga playbook. If you don’t think your business has anything in common with this pop superstar’s business, think again: it’s all about turning customers into (fanatic) followers.
Carnival Cruise Lines: Crisis into Opportunity
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, April 18, 2013
The challenges that Carnival Cruise Line had this spring provoked this thought from Brad Smith, executive vice president of customer experience for Sage North America: what do small businesses do in a crisis situation? He shares his ideas in a guest post to BusinessNewsDaily’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. These aren’t necessarily rocket-scientist, earth-shattering tips, but they are good reminders on how you can turn lemons into lemonade.
Wanting It Now: Online Customer Service Expectations
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, March 1, 2013
To say that online customer service expectations are increasing at a fast rate is an understatement: Most consumers expect assistance within five minutes. Five minutes – or less. That’s not a lot of time. And yet for a frustrated customer, one minute can seem like forever. Read more about online customer service expectations in this Yahoo! article. How do your customers’ online experiences with your company measure up? What can you do to improve? Learn more about the “ideal online experience” from a recent global consumer survey by LivePerson.
Customer Service: What Customers Really Want
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, December 12, 2012
The answer to “what customers really want” might seem simple: good customer service, good products, and a good experience. But what does 
that really, really mean? In a recent column, Nick Sarillo shares his insight on what customers really, truly are seeking.
Who’s Sarillo? He’s the founder, CEO and “primary keeper” of the Purpose and Operational Vales of Nick’s Pizza & Pub – the sixth busiest independent pizza company in per-store sales in the United States. It’s safe to say he might know a thing or two about customer service.
Social Media: Making Customer Service Better
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, October 12, 2012
Here’s an eye-opening stat for you: Gartner predicts one billion users will be on social networks by the end of 2012. 
That’s 1,000,000,000 users on social networks. If you think social media isn’t an important part of your customer service mix, think again.
There is a gamut of reasons why social media makes customer service better as outlined in a recent Mashable Business article. Gone are the days of treating social media as a “nice to have”; it’s a “must have.” How are you using social media as a customer service tool?
Close More Sales with Two Little Words
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, September 6, 2012
“Thank you” and “I’m sorry” often top the list of “two magic little words”. While they are indeed powerful, they’re not necessarily the little words that can help turn your sales around. We came across a great article by Harvey Mackay, author of “The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World” and “Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.” He might know a thing or two about sales, right? Take a few minutes and learn how sales tie-downs can help you lasso more customers.
A Few Minutes with Richard Branson…
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, July 26, 2012
Yes, Richard Branson. The extraordinary entrepreneur regularly shares his insight and advice at Entrepreneur.com. This recent column has to do with delivering impeccable customer service. Read on for tips from Sir Richard on how to achieve consistently terrific customer service.
How to Stand Out Online: 7 Tips
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, June 20, 2012
It’s hard to stand out from the competition. And with the Web and social media, it’s even harder. How do you stand out? How do you make yourself even more present?
That’s where a recent article from Lisa Barone comes in. She shares seven tips for how you can make your business stand out on the Web. From “Be an Educational Hub” to “Be What’s Missing”, these are helpful tips that you can put into action to grow your business.
It’s All About Relationships: Keeping Clients Happy
Written By Alerus Small Business Connect, June 4, 2012
You’ve heard the adage hundreds of times: it’s all about relationships. The thing is, it really, truly is all about relationships.
We came across a recent article by Amina AlTai that provides some great reminders – seven of them, to be exact – on what it takes to ensure fantastic relationships with your clients. These aren’t necessarily rocket science – undoubtedly you’ve heard of all of them – but it never hurts to be reminded. After all, in the hustle-bustle of today’s busy world, sometimes the most important things are overlooked.
Enjoy the article, and check out our other customer service tips.
