When Customers Complain Online

July 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Complaint Department Grenade

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In this technological age customer care and what to do when customers complain is a much more tricky concept than it has been at other times in history. Before the rise of the social networks, customer care was done by companies and customers “having it out” in person or over the phone. The offended customer could also tell his/her immediate friends, but that was about it.

With the advent of the social web, a complaint by a customer can go viral in just seconds and a company caught unaware can have their reputation (and their bottom line) damaged in the blink of an eye. So what is a small business/solo-entrepreneur supposed to do when customers complain online? There are three principle things that you need to do:

  1. Get to the complaint as quickly as possible. This means that you are going to have to monitor your name and the name of your company online. There are several options with which to do this. Find the best one for you and monitor things closely.
  2. Respond in a personal way to the complaint. Don’t just “fire back” at the complainer. They are upset about something and you need to both understand their complaint and what they would like you to do to fix the problem. Seek to make sure everyone online who is following you knows you have seen the complaint and are working with the customer to straighten things out. Then send a PM to the customer and work with them personally to resolve the issue.
  3. Once the issue is resolved ask the customer to post that the issue has been resolved. The same people who heard the complaint should also know that it was heard and resolved. You need to also post that a resolution has been achieved to your online community so that they will have confidence that you will consider any problem that they may encounter with you, your products/services.

Not every complaint can be resolved amiably, but if the complaint is made online, then you need to allow your online community know that you are doing everything you can to resolve every issue that arises. This kind of quit response will limit any damage to the reputation of you and your company when customers complain online.

 

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Making “Local” Stand Out Online

February 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

About ten years ago, I was sitting across the table of a Village Inn in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was in a meeting with a businessman who was trying to convince me of the need to invest in a start-up company that was working to create local search engines for the new technology that was the internet.He and his company had noticed that there was really no place online to narrow a search for a product/service down to a local area. They had set out to find a way of making “local” stand out online.

Fast forward to today. Local search is one of the fastest categories of growth online with approximately 20% of all searches today being local in nature. My friend from ten years ago may have been too far ahead of the curve for the times, but he was right on as to the direction a growth of internet searches.

So, in this age of growing local searches, what is necessary in making “local” stand out online? I think that there are three basic things that are absolutely essential:

1. Get online! Now I know that this seems obvious, but really very few locally owned businesses have any kind of real online presence. Some may have a website, but most do not know what to do with it, or how it can bring in revenue for their businesses. Even fewer local businesses understand Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, or any other method of extending thier business outside their brick and mortar walls.

2. Get found! Now that you have an online presence, you have to know how to get found. This includes things like “online” specials, local search engine optimization, and offline introductions to your online presence. Get people looking for you, tell people about your “online” locations, and do things for your “online” followers that are exclusive to them.

3. Get consistent! Too many times local businesses will have a spark of inspiration to get online. They will get started and get found, but after a couple months, they will get too busy to keep things up and current. Once this happens, they will quickly fall back to their previous default position and their online presence will at least suffer if not just come to an end. To have long term online success you must make your online presence as important to your business as unlocking the door everyday to welcome your current and new customers.

If you will take these simple steps to making your “local” stand out online, more people will find you, more people will refer you, and you will grow in ways you could only before dream of.

Talk more later ….

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Quad Cities Business Growth

October 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment

With the new year fast approaching and the economy still at best uncertain, what’s a Quad Cities business to do to prepare for growth in 2011? That is the million dollar question now isn’t it?

If you are going to be successful in 2011 there are three things that are an absolute must:

1. You are going to have to learn how to mine your current database to create recurring as well as referral business.

2. You are going to have to develop an online strategy that engages both your current clients/customers as well as those who may have a need for your products and services.

3. You are going to have to learn about how social networking should play a major role in your marketing efforts.

With an understanding of these things, you can not only maintain your current level of success but you can grow significantly even in a economy with as many questions as the new year will bring.

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