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Customer Service on Twitter

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by Kent Boehm

Did you know that you can use Twitter to connect with your customers and provide customer service? With over 99% of brands on Twitter having a reason to stand out is key. A customer service strategy that uses Twitter as a customer service portal is a great way of connecting with your customers and catching inquiries on the spot.

Some brands even have a customer support system already in place on Twitter. Companies such as Nike have a support handle which is a separate account, just for customer inquiries. Any tweet to this account is handled by the customer support team and responses are seen quickly. Not only does this make things easier for Nike, but the account also has over 465K tweets. Continue reading “Customer Service on Twitter”

Serving The Millennial

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by Kent Boehm

Millennials are a powerful generation who are well informed and have strong decision making skills.  When we think of millennials we think of the younger generation, but how young are we talking? A millennial, also known as “generation Y” is someone born between 1980 and 2000 and they account for almost one-third of the country’s population.  According to the 2011 Canadian census, the largest age group in Calgary was a millennial age group of 24-29. Once the 2016 numbers are released the millennial group is likely to remain a large portion of the Calgary population and one of the reasons why businesses need to keep up to this smart and tech savvy generation. Continue reading “Serving The Millennial”

Hiring an Excellent Customer Service Team

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by Kent Boehm

Great customer service in Calgary is essential for a business’s reputation and company image. One poor customer service experience can turn people away indefinitely from your business, whereas excellent customer service is often remembered above and beyond any other aspect of the company.

It’s all about people and that starts with hiring the right ones! If you have a great customer service team you can run your day to day business knowing that your customers will be taken care of properly without affecting your bottom line. It is not always an easy job and can put employees in difficult situations. Some of the skills and characteristics to look for when interviewing a customer service candidate would be: Continue reading “Hiring an Excellent Customer Service Team”

Reducing Customer Response Times

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by Kent Boehm

Do you start to wonder if your email hasn’t been responded to within a few hours?

In today’s world where most communication is done through technology, we have been spoiled by quick response times. The response time refers to the time it takes a customer service representative to make the first point of contact after an inquiry is made. Even if you cannot resolve the issue at the first point of contact, acknowledging them in any way keeps the customer focused with you.

“A survey by Nielsen shows that 33% of customers’ would still recommend a brand that was quick to reply, even if the response was not complete.”

Does your company track response times and monitor? The average first response time can be calculated by taking the total of all response times and dividing it by the number of cases that you resolved. By knowing what your response times you can ensure that your company continues to increase efficiency by decreasing the rate over a period of time. If you have said that you will respond in a certain amount of time it is critical that you hold yourself accountable to those times. Continue reading “Reducing Customer Response Times”

Motivating Employees To Provide Great Customer Service

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by Kent Boehm

You have your customer service dream team now, but how do you motivate them to do the best that they can do? Although an employee may know about the best customer service practices and can run the daily tasks associated with their position getting them to go above and beyond to really wow a customer can take some motivation.

Did you know that 55% of customers will pay more to go with a company that will provide a better customer experience? It is still the number one factor in building trust with the company and the reason why you should invest in your customer service team.

We all know that monetary motivators such as cash bonuses are a great incentive for a team to perform better; but how do you go beyond these types of incentives to really keep a motivated team doing the best job that they can do? Continue reading “Motivating Employees To Provide Great Customer Service”

Handling Difficult Customer Service Situations

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by Kent Boehm

Cartoon hand holding sign that reads how to keep the customerHandling Difficult Customer Service Situations

Through the day to day interactions of your business there are many scenarios that can arise in relation to customer service. You will likely find yourself in difficult situation at some point and although a customer may be upset, the main thing they will remember is how you handle yourself.

If you find yourself in one of the following situations know what to do…. Continue reading “Handling Difficult Customer Service Situations”

Calgary Business Will Rebound

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by Kent Boehm

Calgary is a great city and I love working and helping businesses in this fabulous city. There have been many concerns about the status of our economy and what this downturn means for our future.  Although there have and will continue to be many changes; our future is not something to worry about. Our city has more than just luck on our side, but people who will pull through because of many reasons. Here is why I believe that Calgary will rebound within 24 months:

We are entrepreneurial

Calgarians, among many Albertans have an entrepreneurial mindset.  A recent report suggests that “Albertans have a positive attitude toward entrepreneurship”. We believe in our entrepreneurs and their strength to overcome. From the beginning of the oil patch, to the oil crisis of the 80’s, our businesses and industry leaders have told us wonderful stories how they have survived against great odds.  These stories are the fabric of who we are today.  We have spent years listening to these stories, we know them to be true and so the next generation of entrepreneurs will take up the charge and become entrepreneurs themselves. Continue reading “Calgary Business Will Rebound”

Customer Service Questions?

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by Kent Boehm

Customer ServiceGreat customer service not only leads to referrals and increased business, but it also creates an excellent reputation. Solving customer service problems, however, can be challenging. Do you want to learn more about customer service or maybe you already have some of your own questions about customer service problems? We want to help your business.

Ask yourself the following questions about your customer service experiences and your own business:

Have you had a poor customer service experience in the past 2 weeks?

Do you think there is a customer service problem in Calgary? Continue reading “Customer Service Questions?”

Avoid These Common Customer Service Mistakes

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by Kent Boehm

At Nine Business Group we enjoy helping retail businesses here in Calgary provide the best service to their customers while increasing their bottom line.  Therefore, it is important to factor out any customer service issues that may be hindering your company’s reputation. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid when running a retail business:

Not Listening to Customer Needs

As soon as you have your first interaction with the customer, your job is now to start listening. Hear what they have to say, and then offer help. If you are focused on what to say to them to sell a product, while they are speaking, they are likely not going to make a purchase with you. Your intent may not be what the customer wants, and since consumer needs are always changing and evolving, we can provide the best value by listening to their needs and offering help.  If you are not focused while they speak, then you can’t provide valuable insight. Continue reading “Avoid These Common Customer Service Mistakes”

What My Customers Have Taught Me

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by Kent Boehm

Kent BoehmOver the years I have had the pleasure of coaching and teaching many businesses throughout Calgary and Western Canada how to get the best results possible. What some of you don’t know is that my clients also teach me every day. I have learned that you should:

  1. Do Business as Often as Possible with Your Customers

Although this sounds like a given, it is frequently forgotten. I have met dozens of business owners who want to grow sales, yet never invite past customers back or track the frequency of the business they have done with their past customers. Save time and money by tapping into the network you have already established. Continue reading “What My Customers Have Taught Me”