Ask 5 Questions: Then Pandemic-Proof Your Small Business

On December 30, 2020   /   All Star Customer Satisfaction, Getting Loyal Employees, Innovative Problem Resolutions, Leadership, Providing Exceptional Customer Experiences, Virtual Customer Service   /   Leave a comment
Ask 5 Questions: Then Pandemic-Proof Your Small Business

Customer service delivery has become more complex thanks to a global pandemic.  It is the customer who has leveraged control and has demanded a positive experience, not the company.  

Nearly overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic elevated the importance of delivering fast and accurate digital experiences to customers who found themselves cut off from conventional ways of doing business.

According to a global study by ESI ThoughtLab and ServiceNow, a measly 27% of companies have transitioned from recruiting underperforming in-house talent to high-efficiency automated systems in order to deliver top drawer customer experiences (CX).

So, what’s at stake?  Profitability.  As you answer the five questions listed below, consider whether your responses match what’s in your pandemic plan, company core values, mission statement, and corporate culture philosophy:

  1. Has your team developed skills to create a digital customer experience (CX)?
  2. Have you identified the touchpoint that matters to your customers?
  3. Has your team aligned its objectives & key results (OKRs) with CX?
  4. Has your company consolidated data into a single customer view?
  5. How much progress has your team made toward providing a personalized CX (creating personas specific client demographics)?

The largest returns from CX initiatives come from positioning the right people, processes, and technologies in the right departments to deliver a superior experience time after time.   According to ESI ThoughtLab and ServiceNow, almost 50% of global leaders reported a moderate to large ROI due to maintaining an efficient and  personalized CX platform, versus only 22% for others.

You may have already implemented the necessary safety measures to protect employees and clients from further complications of COVID-19 and future disasters; however, it is also important to know that protecting and growing your small business is about finding ways to anticipate the needs of your clients and to deliver superior service with laser precision.  Trailblazers constantly search for ways to implement state-of-the-art safety and delivery systems that will benefit both clients and employees as well as local and global supply chains.

Remember, clients are your “why”.  Show them that you are in this for them and with them.

Make it a great day.

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3 Ideas to Attract Gen Z to Your Company

On December 16, 2020   /   Building Trust, Effective Communication, Innovative Problem Resolutions, Leadership, Uncategorized   /   Leave a comment
3 Ideas to Attract Gen Z to Your Company

How to Attract Generation Z Talent

Generation Z is bombarded with online information at all times so companies need be sure that job postings capture and keep their attention.  Job postings should be short, engaging, and mobile friendly.  Adding short video on YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook that tells them about life at your company will grab their attention and prompt them to look closer at your company.

Here are three more ideas on how to attract qualified Gen Z prospects:

1) Provide growth opportunities.  Dog-friendly offices and daily free lunches are not the magnet for Gen Z as it is with Millennials.  Financial incentives and career advancements are the ticket that will draw them.  In fact, according to LinkedIn, almost 60% of Gen Zers want to learn professional skills in order to make more money.  They cite Entelo, a recruitment software company, as awarding all of its employee $1,000 each year to spend on continuing education and professional development

2) Gen Z expects workplace technology to be state-of-the-art and operate with optimal speed.  According to Dell Technologies, 80% of Gen Z students aspire to work with cutting edge technology and 91% say technology would influence their job choice.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to invade our daily lives, workplaces need to determine how to keep up and make use the skills that young digital natives (Gen Z) possess.

3) Champion their independence and entrepreneurial spirit.  According to ServiceNow, Gen Zers want:

Professional growth/learning opportunities: 37%

  • Interesting and relevant work: 29%
  • Remote work location/flexible work schedule: 25%
  • Job security: 25%
  • Worklife balance: 23%
  • Reputation of the company as a great place to work: 23%

Keep in mind that Gen Z embraces, authenticity, truthfulness, and empathy…all the more reason that the foundation of your corporate culture and core values should be based on inclusion and belonging.

Make it a great day. 

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How to Turn Irate Customers Into Raving Fans

On May 2, 2018   /   Customer Service, Effective Communication, Follow Up on Customer Complaints, How to Increase Customer Loyalty, Innovative Problem Resolutions   /   Leave a comment
How to Turn Irate Customers Into Raving Fans

Photo Provided by Pixaby

Upon returning from a business trip, a hotel employee who participated in one of my workshops, walked up to me and exclaimed, “It worked !!”.  Not being completely sure what he meant, I asked.  He told me that he successfully applied the techniques that he learned about turning furious customers into raving fans.  

I was happy that he courageously used the knowledge he gleaned from my training session and joined him in the celebration.  Something as simple as acknowledging the problem and taking ownership can quell a potentially volatile situation.

Large and small businesses share this problem.  In many cases, not enough money is budgeted to train how to successfully solve “outraged customer” complaints.  That said, organizations, especially small businesses, experience stunted growth or actually go out of business due to customer attrition and the loss of key employees.

Take charge of the situation by:

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