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Ideas, tips and techniques for new generation selling and customer support.
Monthly Archives: October 2009
2009
The Risks of A Paper-Based Appointment Scheduler
For all its nostalgia, a paper-based appointment scheduler can also give an unprofessional appearance, and it carries risks:
- It can jeopardize customer privacy
- It may cause confusion if penmanship is obscure
- There is a chance, as some unfortunate people have learned, that it will be
- lost
- stolen
- used to scope out the business for a crime.
For some businesses, an appointment scheduler is vital to properly serve their customers, but a paper-based appointment book may involve too much risk to continue being used.
David Hill
TimeTrade Blogging Team
Image Credit: InMagine PDEP006052
2009
Going High-Tech Improves Customer Care: Don’t Be Left Behind
For businesses faced with mandatory cost reduction, the challenge is looking for ways to realize savings without compromising customer satisfaction.
Take a look at “Customer Service Champs”. This Business Week ranking of winning companies highlights companies working smarter in tough times. They’ve been successful in finding innovative ways to reduce costs while having minimal impact on customer service.
How are they doing it? Business Week devoted an entire issue to this topic, “Extreme Customer Service,” earlier this year.
- Maintain Customer Satisfaction. Balance employee cutbacks with the convenience of instant or self-service options for customers.
- Keep the Front Lines Strong. Forrester Research (FORR) reports about half of 90 large companies it surveyed are trying to avoid cuts to their customer service budgets.
- Push for Innovative Ideas. Forrester also recommends creative ideas that serve the customer. For example, try “proactive chat” software that engages buyers online. Another idea – Web communities where customers can help each other solve customer problems.
By implementing advanced customer service technology solutions now, businesses can position themselves ahead of the curve and do better than merely survive the recession.
Pamela Taylor & Lisa Letchworth
TimeTrade Blogging Team
Image credit: InMagine BCN54188
2009
How Online Software Saves Big Money
The challenge: Identifying the proper tools to reduce costs without sacrificing critical customer care.
One company reporting success in this effort is Bosley, the Beverly Hills-based men’s hair restoration subsidiary of the $850 million Aderans Holding Co.. A Computerworld article reports that Bosley’s IT Director, Mark Davenport says the company’s previous Siebel system had “gaping holes” that created double bookings, angering customers and forcing the company to revert to a semi-manual process. When Bosley adopted the SaaS tool, TimeTrade, Bosley’s consultants and medical personnel could input their available times at all 19 surgical offices. Customers were able to view available slots and set appointments convenient to their schedules — and no overlap occurred. Bosley chose a logical cost reduction tool — something effective, inexpensive, and simple.
Other ways online software saves money:
• Increases operational efficiencies
• Slims down staff overhead
• Reduces staff training expenses
• Offers quick implementation & fast application
• Frees you up from capital spent on computer & office equipment
Before you consider cutting back on necessary enterprise building tools like advertising and good customer service, consider eliminating items that are not required for you to stay in business. The idea is to cut any unnecessary expenses, not sacrifice efficiency or professionalism. Using a proven SaaS tool can help.
Pamela Taylor & Lisa Letchworth
TimeTrade Blogging Team
Image Credit: InMagine EV204040
2009
Low Tolerance for Error When it Comes To Customer Retention
Continue reading »
Nineteenth century British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli once said, “Never complain, never explain.” The sentiment may be hundreds of years old, but I witnessed a customer exercising that bit of wisdom just today. I was sitting at a tire store, waiting with another customer to have winter tires put on my car. The wait was ridiculous, and the other customer and I said as much to each other. There was no communication from the company, no explanation as to why something they told us would take 20 minutes was now spilling into hour two. After flipping through an outdated magazine for the third time, I watched as my silent companion walked to the desk, calmly asked for her keys, and left.
2009
Five Ways Health Care Wastes Time and Money
I can think of few more maddening ways to spend my time than waiting for medical attention. I, for one, have switched doctors due to inept appointment scheduling in the past, and the scrutiny the health care system has taken of late in the media further illustrates the problem – we are wasting time and money in doctor’s offices and emergency rooms.
According to CNNMoney.com, more than $1.2 trillion spent on health care each year is wasted. Let’s take a look at some causes and present some possible solutions. Continue reading after video >>
2009
Better Customer Care – an Imperative for Every Business
Delivering better customer care – or, frankly, even adequate customer care – is no longer a soft aspect of running a business. Better customer care can propel your business – increasing profits through customer retention – or it can make you the latest goat on YouTube.
Do customers really demand better customer care? They certainly react to companies who take Seinfeld’s “Soup Nazi” approach. Continue reading after video >>
2009
Five Ways to Improve Wait-Related Customer Satisfaction
As providers of exceptional products and/or services, we’d all like to think that our customers will willingly and happily wait in long lines just for the honor of patronizing our businesses. You and I both know that’s not the reality. Customers are busy and have many options, and nothing kills their interest faster than needless waiting. Continue reading below video >>
2009
Running a Virtual Business with a Client Base? Don’t Forget Online Scheduling Software
In many cases, operating a virtual business means you’re the sole manager of client appointments. This can be a nightmare if you’re not taking advantage of a simple, affordable tool: online scheduling software.
Many small business owners manage their client base using tools and methods that don’t scale, such as scheduling by phone or appointment books. These are costly in time and convenience, and they limit on how much a virtual business can juggle at once. Online scheduling software solves it.
Continue reading »
2009
Appointment Software Can Help Small Businesses Make It Through the Downturn
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The reality of a tough economy has already come for many small businesses, as indicated by the over 10% quarter-by-quarter increase in the number of business bankruptcy filings over the last few quarters. Downsizing, smaller budgets, and more fickle customers mean that small business owners need ways to get their employees to work better as a unit to improve customer care. One tool that can assist in this effort is appointment software. Appointment software can unify your team’s schedules and provide real time information about employee-customer relations.
2009
Customer Care: What Do Customers Really Want?
Continue reading »
Some of us are old-fashioned: we yearn for the traditional customer care that helped make some companies great. Today, we are frustrated by “phone trees” and automated services. We are continually annoyed by the absence of a human on the phone to help us. We’re irritated when we don’t get decent customer service. This generation is desperate for something better.
Filed under: online scheduling
Tagged: customer care, customer satisfaction, improve customer service, loyalty
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