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Category: Learn

Understanding South Africa 087 Numbers

14th February 2023 blog
Understanding South Africa 087 numbers.

087 numbers are a great way to establish a national presence in South Africa. So, if you’re looking for a phone number for your South Africa-based business or if you’re …Read More »

The Ultimate Pre-Call Checklist [+Free Download]

13th February 2023 blog, Sales
pre call checklist

With sales driving business growth, there is a lot of pressure to perform well on B2B sales calls. And while selling comes naturally to some people, it is always a …Read More »

What is B2B Sales?

7th February 2023 blog, Sales
What is b2b sales?

Sales are what drive B2B companies to achieve target revenue and growth. But new technology, customer preferences, and competitive markets mean that selling is becoming more and more difficult. This …Read More »

What is Web Callback?

30th January 2023 blog
What is web callback?

There’s a good chance that your prospects and customers are sick of waiting on hold for an available live rep. So to prevent subpar caller experiences and potential customer loss, …Read More »

A Guide to Telecom Compliance in the US and Globally

27th January 2023 blog
A guide to global telecom compliance.

As a global business, maintaining regulatory compliance can be a major challenge; especially when it comes to telecommunications. Most businesses are unsure where to start and how to navigate the …Read More »

Global Call Forwarding Implements PSTN Replacement to Expand Local Presence Dialing

16th January 2023 Press
PSTN replacement

Global Call Forwarding implements PSTN replacement to extend its global and local coverage. DELRAY BEACH, FL, January 2023 Public Switched Telephone Network or PSTN is an aggregate of the world’s …Read More »

Types Of Digital Marketing For Your Small Business

21st March 2019 Learn, Tech

Small businesses are known for being creative and finding organic approaches for expanding their company. Most times, those small companies became big once they harnessed the power of digital marketing and shifted their focus to the worldwide web to build a loyal customer base.

The return on the investment of time and money into digital marketing is highly favorable when considering the reach and affordability of digital marketing services in competition for new clients.

In the following article, we’ve listed four digital marketing avenues every small business should explore. You can substantially reduce the time you invest into these methods by teaming up with digital marketing experts.

Not only are these types of digital marketing for your small business affordable, they are also scalable, which means everyone should be taking advantage of them!

An Optimized Website

A website is the most critical aspect of digital marketing. Your website is how you share the most details about your business and products. A fully integrated website also serves as the source of your blog posts and should link to your email marketing campaigns.

But your website needs to act as more than an information source. Many times, small businesses make the mistake of creating a website without optimizing it for consumers. The internet offers an endless source of information. It would be difficult (and almost impossible) to bring a high amount of traffic to your website if you relied solely on word of mouth.

Another valuable type of digital marketing for your small business is search engine optimization (SEO). Search engine optimization is a strategy that ranks your company higher in search engine results based on your industry and specific keywords. When your company shows up on the first page of Google, you’re likely to get more leads and close more sales. Reaching out to industry and expert bloggers is another effective strategy to improve your website’s reach and build a network. By connecting with influential bloggers, you can drive more traffic to your site and enhance your online presence. Just be sure to avoid common blogger outreach mistakes.

Optimize your website for viewing based on current technology and consumer trends. Tablets, cell phones, and personal computers are the primary sources for web browsing. Personal computers are still a mainstay, but 63% of people are now visiting websites from their cellular devices.

This means your website must be fully functional for mobile browsing because you could lose business if your website is only compatible with laptops and desktop computers.

digital marketing
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100033125311

Social Media

Social media is one of the most popular types of digital marketing for your small business, and research continues to prove that it is much more than a fad. Today, business marketers working to stand out in the digital space must take social media seriously and acknowledge the fact that most consumers are now online and using social media to research brands. Customers are also sharing personal experiences with businesses on social platforms.

With a strong social media presence, you’re more likely to inspire new customers to reach out to you. Being active on social media also allows you to research your company name and see how consumers feel about your products and services. Build loyalty by directly sending offers and thank you’s to users mentioning your business. Likewise, you can generate more positive feedback by publicly responding to customers with problems or questions. This shows that you are willing and ready to help.

Pay-Per-Call Marketing

Pay-per-call marketing is similar to pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. The only difference is as a business you pay for every call made, instead of every click. Pay-per-call ads have call buttons giving viewers the option to call the business. The goal of this marketing strategy is to drive phone calls directly from digital campaigns. In other words, to quickly connect with interested customers on the phone. You can even use a toll-free number for this marketing campaign to make it even easier (and free) for callers to contact your business.

Success in pay-per-call marketing requires a clear understanding of target audiences, strategic ad placement, and crafting compelling calls to action that prompt immediate phone responses. Furthermore, it is vital to track and analyze call data to optimize campaigns continuously. Pair this with strategic outbound calling to connect and follow up with prospects and customers, providing responsive care and support.

Free Webinars

Ebooks and guides are well-known for attracting quality leads, but webinars continue to move to the forefront. Webinars are valuable types of digital marketing for your small business because they allow viewers to learn valuable information quickly at no cost. Furthermore, webinars help you stand apart as a thought leader in your field. Furthermore, a webinar can place you above competitors because potential customers will appreciate that you were willing to provide them with value at no cost.

You don’t have to share valuable information for a fee online. Just inviting newcomers to learn something new can inspire them to learn more about your business. Provide real value and you’re far more likely to gain email subscribers who look forward to updates from your company. Keep them engaged after the webinar with email newsletters, blog posts, and insider deals.

Email Marketing

Email marketing has picked up where traditional mail brochures left off and offers much more convenience. Email marketing is among the most effective types of digital marketing for small businesses. The average return on investment into email marketing is 122% and more than 20% of people check their emails more than five times each day. Add your company email to marketing business cards and share at networking events, conferences, and exhibitions.

Combine email marketing with a webinar or email course series to keep readers intrigued and looking forward to the next email. Let emails serve as an outlet for readers to get to know you. Further engage them with personal stories and business-related lessons. These tactics will increase the likelihood of purchases when new products are announced.

Not sure if you‘re ready to invest in digital marketing? We’ve got a solution: there are usually interns who are looking to learn by working for recommendations or as a trial for a long-term position. Another option would be taking the time to learn the fundamentals of digital marketing and try it without assistance.

Call To Action As An Art Form

20th March 2019 Learn, Tech

Whether your main advertising platform is the internet, television, or printed publications, a call to action (CTA) is necessary to inspire audiences beyond viewing your materials to becoming active participants who are willing to make a connection with your brand.

When you think of a call to action in its simplest form, you likely think of terms like:

  • “Call today”
  • “Click this link”
  • “Buy now”

These calls to action are well-known, but a CTA has to be much more to be impactful. Business owners can’t rely on CTA’s with a cut and dry approach because the internet now connects competing businesses on a global scale. Your business is unique and every element of your messaging must stand apart from your competitors.

We should view the call to action as an art form instead of treating a call to action as a command or instruction. To help you along the way, we’ve compiled some of the most valuable tips to note as you strive to approach your call to action as an art form.

Humanize The Language

Advertisements are everywhere, and many are ignored. The ads with call to actions that go viral and gain organic traction share common traits. The content is interesting and doesn’t rely on robotic language.

Treating your call to action as an art form means it should resonate with viewers. Strike an emotional chord by adding the human element of personality through your wording because consumers are more likely to take action when they can relate to a brand.

For example, instead of saying “BUY NOW,” change the wording to “GIVE US A CALL. WE’RE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP.” No one wants to feel as if your primary purpose is to profit by selling them a product. Buyers want to know you have something valuable to offer. The way you use your words relays that message.

Paint A Picture With Your Content

Buyers must believe your business is worth the investment before they take action to support your company. The CTA should be part of a body of content that translates beautifully through words, imagery, or video. If your call to action is an art form created for your target customers, it can be effective on any advertising platform.

Are you looking to sell a new product? Don’t just say how valuable your product is, show it. Review written content and scripts to find the strongest adjectives and replace them with full descriptions. When using television or coverage radio, let personality, design elements, and quality lead the way.

call to action
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100091094362

Embrace Transparency

Some of the most iconic artists lived a life of mystery and intrigue. But today’s artists and business owners must display their artistry through their social prowess. The art of business requires high-quality services and transparent business owners. One of the best ways for a business owner to show transparency is by being accessible.

Potential customers shouldn’t have to work to find you or connect with you. Strategically using your call to action as an art form should always include convenient means of communication, such as your phone number and email address.

Will you be prepared to quickly respond when someone takes action and contacts your business? Always make sure your hours of operation are clear for callers and respond to written inquiries and voicemails within 24 hours. If you’re working with a team, ensure that they are well-trained and have the necessary tools to assist customers.

Viewing your call to action as an art form is the first step to connect with customers. Exceptional customer service is what will lead to sales and business expansion. This is so many small and large businesses use virtual phone numbers.

Business owners can forward virtual phone numbers to mobile phones and create extensions for team members, allowing everyone to work remotely and in an organized fashion. The response rate is even faster through additional options such as transcribed voice to email service.

When using your call to action as an art form, know that everyone who contacts won’t be in your local calling area. Consider a phone number that is not specific to one area code. Using a local phone number often results in fees and confuses long-distance customers, deterring new callers from contacting you.

Have A Consistent Style

When famous artists releases new work, their fans can spot it before the name of the artist is announced. Such artists have a strong presence through their recognizable style. Your call to action must also have a style of its own, but that style must be in line with your branding.

Consistent branding will keep your business relevant – even when your brand is not the star of the show. Being recognizable will naturally attract new clientele and maintain the interest of your loyal customer base when partnering with another company, attending events, or working with sponsors.

Why Does My Business Need A Toll Free Number?

19th March 2019 Learn, Tech

A toll free number is a number that allows business professionals in companies of all sizes to connect with customers. These numbers are virtual, meaning that it doesn’t require additional hardware to function or expensive packages for set up. Toll free calls are also free for the incoming caller.

Before purchasing toll free numbers, the first question business owners often ask is: Why does my business need a toll free number? The short answer is your business needs a toll free number because these numbers are critical for appealing to customers and increasing sales.

Having a toll free number indicates to customers that you are professional and value customer service, and you look forward to being of assistance because you’ve made your business easy to reach. Furthermore, toll free numbers can be made even more memorable than a traditional phone if paired with a vanity line.

Want more info on why your business needs a toll free number? Here are some additional facts that explain the importance of toll free numbers for businesses.

Why does my business need a toll free number if I don’t have a large company?

When you dial a toll free phone number to connect with a business, what do you envision? Typically, a large company filled with professionals. Even if this isn’t the case, your professionalism will outweigh the fact that you’re a startup business. Your customers won’t consider that you may be working from home, which is a good thing because they will be more willing to learn about your services and give you a chance to prove that your business services are worth the investment.

Why does my business need a toll free number if I can use my cell phone instead?

Before doing business with your company, most customers will question if your company is trustworthy and an ethical business, especially if they’ve had bad experiences with other companies in the past. A toll free number is just one little facet that adds to your credibility.

Additionally, there are multiple things customers will look for to determine your credibility, including your website, online ratings, and what’s being said about your business on social media. It’s highly likely that a potential customer will be more inclined to buy from you if you have favorable online results.

Yet, positive reviews may not be enough if your personal cell phone number or a long-distance number is provided as your business contact information. Sharing your personal phone number is considered unprofessional – not to mention that it can put your personal information at risk.

Furthermore, most customers will be discouraged from paying to make a phone call to a business, so a toll free number just makes sense in all of these scenarios.

If I’m relocating, why does my business need a toll free number?

Callers prefer a business rooted in stability. A toll free number gives you the freedom to relocate at any given time without alerting your customers. If you’re traveling, forward your toll free number to your cell phone or destination location. The call forwarding feature maintains a level of consistency, which keeps callers from focusing on your personal endeavors and on your business services instead.

If marketing is my main focus, why does my business need a toll free number?

Business owners using toll free numbers often recommend them because they help customers meet their business goals.

When you are marketing your business, it’s likely that you will be using multiple advertising forms including the internet, print publications, and local directories. Each avenue of marketing is likely to attract a different type of customer. Some marketing outlets could bring you more business than others, while some may not be worth the investment.

The only way to know the best marketing strategies for your company is by tracking each campaign. Tracking various marketing techniques can be done easily with a toll free number by assigning multiple toll free numbers to each marketing campaign. The phone number that receives the most calls will let you know the advertisements that are most effective.

Why does my business need a toll free number to be more competitive?

The costs of relocating are expensive and require a large investment of time. Toll free numbers eliminate the need to physically relocate to conduct business in certain regions. Some business owners may purchase only one toll free number, but purchasing multiple toll free numbers is recommended. Testing various numbers allows companies to find the messaging that best resonates with clients – especially when connecting toll free numbers with a vanity phone number.

Remember to research your vanity keywords before purchasing them. Your first choice may be catchy, but a similar idea may already be in use by a competitor. This can be confusing to customers and decrease your sales if new callers reach out to another company by mistake.

Review other numbers that are already in use. Then, find unique keyword phrases that will inspire consumers to call your business.

Note: Know that your toll free number will never be passed on to another business. Once you buy a toll free phone number, it will be yours exclusively, so there’s no need to worry about your business calls being redirected to another company in the future.

Improve Your Call Center Productivity With Call Recording

19th March 2019 Learn, Tech, Tips

Improving call center productivity will require knowing your employees and customers on a deeper level. You may have customer service employees on payroll, but are they well-trained? Maybe they are, but their experience may be in a field completely unrelated to your business. At the same time, some team members might want additional training and input, but may be afraid to ask directly.

Whatever the case may be, business owners can use call recording to break the ice with employees while helping them to better assist customers. Caller behavior can also be complex, but it’s equally important to understand caller preferences.

Consider these four additional benefits as you focus on maximizing your productivity and achieving set goals at your call center.

Motivate Employees

Make call recording part of the training process and review calls with employees on an individual basis. As you discuss methods of improvement, acknowledge their strengths and contributions. This will inspire confidence and paint a clearer picture of how to communicate with customers.

There’s another benefit that’s often forgotten when you improve your call center productivity with call recording. As employees strive to be better, knowing that their calls are being recorded encourages staff to give it their all and do a commendable job.

Micromanagement tends to have a negative impact on employees, but when call recording is part of the supervisory process, it eliminates the tension that can build when managers are directly questioning and overseeing employees.

Learn More About Your Callers

How do customers respond when asked specific questions? What is their reason for choosing specific products more frequently than others? These are the types of questions to consider as you perfect your business strategy because you’ll want to ensure that you’re attracting your target callers and properly connecting with them over the phone.

If you want to improve call center productivity with call recording, use the recordings to compile data that will answer a lot of the questions that will help you to set future sales goals and craft more efficient approaches when speaking on the phone.

call center productivity
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100228680930

Answer Frequently Asked Questions

You can improve your call center productivity with call recording because the recordings can be used to create customized greetings and voice menus that give callers the answers they need.
There are frequently asked questions at every call center. Knowing what those questions are in advance will increase productivity by saving time. Use the playback from recorded calls to find the most frequently asked questions. Then, find the best way to answer those questions automatically.

Responses to frequently asked questions can be posted as information on your website and answered in customized messages that customers will hear while on hold. However, these aren’t the only options. Another approach would be to have an interactive voice menu that allows callers to select a number to hear the answers to frequently asked question such as operating hours and extension information to reach specific departments.

Know that as you work to improve your call center productivity with call recording, setting up an automated system isn’t complicated when using virtual phone numbers. Much of the process can be self-guided. Your virtual phone number provider can also walk you through the setup process from start to finish if you need assistance, or the process can be completed for you upon request.

While some business owners believe that pre-recorded menus are too impersonal, the contrary is often true. Automated options and responses are valued by customers because many callers don’t want to wait to connect with someone just to ask a basic question.

Note The Length of Calls

One of the biggest things call center supervisors must recognize when analyzing call center productivity is how long it takes before the call ends favorably. This information is critical because it will help employees who may be struggling to build relationships with callers. When you improve your call center productivity with call recording, it removes much of the guesswork involved with selling techniques and interacting with customers.

As most call center professionals know, working at a call center does not mean simply taking phone calls. There are other strategies that employees should be implementing to ensure that their time is utilized wisely during their shift. Decreasing the amount of time it takes to end a phone call with positive results gives employees the time they need to handle other tasks.

In Conclusion

Using virtual phone numbers to operate and grow your business will provide numerous advantages for internal business operations and callers. Furthermore, you can vastly improve your call center productivity with call recording.

Managing or working at a call center isn’t an easy task, but it doesn’t have to be difficult if you use the right tools. Knowing the right ways to improve call center productivity while having a well-organized business structure can make the job easier for managers and employees.

Call centers operate for a variety of reasons, but their common focus is attracting new callers and maintaining customer loyalty. By increasing productivity, callers will have a more favorable experience when dialing into your caller center without a long wait or confusing process.

How Call Forwarding Is Great For Businesses

18th March 2019 Learn, Tips

Every entrepreneur has their own motivations for using call forwarding. Whatever the reason may be, understanding the long-term benefits of call forwarding can help you grow your business. Call forwarding is also easy to implement and the process can begin instantly.

Call forwarding has helped many business owners working with recent technology to ensure that their companies are staying current and able to help customers when outside of the office.
If you’re interested in learning about how call forwarding is great for businesses, we’ve compiled several of the main benefits to consider.

Here are 4 advantages to keep in mind when deciding if call forwarding is right for your company.

How Call Forwarding Is Great For Businesses: Increase in Productivity

Being productive is necessary for business owners and employees, and call forwarding helps maximize it. If you want your team to ramp up their productivity levels, multitasking could be the solution. Effective multitasking allows everyone to complete tasks without falling short on business responsibilities.

In the past, working company owners and employees could only communicate via phone while in the office. The only way to speak with customers outside of the office was by sharing your personal cell phone or home number, if you didn’t have a dedicated business cell line. Call forwarding further increases productivity by allowing the business owner (or team members) to stay mobile while catering to customers and checking in with employees and partners at their absolute convenience.

How Call Forwarding Is Great For Businesses: Professionalism is Maintained

The second thing to keep in mind when analyzing the benefits of call forwarding for business is your brand’s professional appearance. Sharing your personal number with contacts you have built a rapport with is acceptable, but for new callers and business associates, this could be a red flag. The lack of professional contact information indicates that your business still needs time to grow and brings your professionalism into question.

A business seeking sponsors or planning a fundraiser would gain more support with a business line using call forwarding because their business appears more trustworthy. If the public questions a company’s professionalism, this can lead to less profit and sales because people will be reluctant to buy from the brand, and other businesses may be less willing to partner.

Stay productive and professional with call forwarding by forwarding calls at your business number to your cell or home phone.

How Call Forwarding Is Great For Businesses: It’s Affordable

We can’t discuss how call forwarding is great for businesses without mentioning the financial benefits. Small and large businesses must acknowledge the importance of saving money and making wise investments. The end result should always be that a business is making more money than what is being spent.

Call forwarding is an effective strategy for businesses aiming to reduce overhead costs and to stay within the company budget because forwarding doesn’t require additional equipment. Forwarding a call is done virtually, meaning there’s no need for external hardware.

A quality call forwarding service will allow you to direct incoming calls to the destination of your choice without additional costs. Furthermore, there is no limit to the amount of times you can forward calls.

How Call Forwarding Is Great For Businesses: It Aids Travelers

Some companies may do best to travel within their own state or country. For companies seeking to operate on a global scale, travel is one of the key ways to build an international presence.
Knowing how call forwarding is great for businesses is helpful for traveling professionals, and traveling is important for many businesses to grow and build solid relationships.

No matter where you are traveling, it is likely that you will receive phone calls and messages at your place of business, and missed calls can be costly. Call forwarding is especially important for solopreneurs because if one person is manning a business alone, being easily accessible is crucial to maintaining business operations.

How Call Forwarding Is Great For Businesses: It Assists With Customer Service

You’ll want to avoid delays when running a profitable business, and call forwarding can help. Let’s assume that you decide not to use call forwarding and choose voice messaging as the key feature of your virtual phone number. This would allow you to return calls at a later time and date, but there will be a waiting period for callers. During this time, potential customers might do business with a competitor or change their mind about the product and service altogether.

When callers have an urgent question, they expect to speak with someone immediately.

Callers may be upset if no one is available, which could negatively impact your professional relationship. A timely response limits the likelihood of bad reviews and shows customers that you are caring and grateful for their business.

Another reason call forwarding is great for businesses is that it adds an additional level of convenience for entrepreneurs, especially when time off is needed. Every business owner needs a break at times, and call forwarding allows managers to take some time off without losing customers. With call forwarding, a business can continue running at full capacity while management is on vacation or attending to personal matters because work-related phone calls can be redirected to other team members or assistants.

In Conclusion

Knowing how call forwarding is great for businesses can save money and time. Forwarding calls allows you to receive important updates and helps you improve your customer service without expensive equipment. When you use call forwarding through a trusted provider, you’ll have access to the service at affordable rates with no contract that will lock you into an unnecessary long-term agreement.

How to Tweet-up Your Business

18th March 2019 Learn, Tips

What do you mean you don’t have time to Tweet? If you are a savvy business owner, you should already have a Twitter account and know how to use it for marketing and networking your company. Here are just a few reasons why you need to Tweet-up your business:

  • Connect with your customers: Sending a potential customer a tweet after they have begun to follow your business is a very good way to increase customer appreciation and trust. You will also benefit from the fact that you can keep an eye on what your customers are tweeting about your business. This feedback is invaluable.
  • Access to free marketing: It takes but a few minutes for you to create a 140-character pitch for your company. At the click of a button, your message can instantly reach every single one of your followers who is online. And best of all, it’s basically free.
  • Keep customers updated: Of course, you know how important it is to keep your customers updated. Twitter is one of the best platforms to use for this because its messages are short and clear. So, it’s easy to use to keep your customers posted about your latest promotions, sales, and special offers your business is having.
  • Market your heart out: If you don’t think that Twitter is a great marketing tool you are very mistaken. In case you didn’t know, all tweets are indexed by Google, this means that they are a useful means of search engine optimization.
  • Build a community: Twitter is not only good for marketing and customer retention, but you can also use it to build a strong community. Use Twitter chats to connect with customers while also increasing your chances of getting favorites and retweets. These will boost your company’s visibility and give you the opportunity to get more customers.
  • Tweet-up your sales: Marketing surveys show that up to 60 percent of a brand’s followers are more likely to recommend products or make purchases after following a brand on Twitter. Twitter followers are also more likely to sign up for services or buy from the brands they are following.

If you haven’t started tweeting about your business yet, or you want to make sure you’re getting the most from Twitter, here are some tips to help you out.

customers shopping
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100009306753

Check Out the Competition

Search Twitter for companies similar to yours and start to follow them. Check out how often they tweet, what they tweet about, and what other content they post links to. This will give you a reference frame from which to choose how to manage your own account, and it will also help you get an edge on your competitors by staying one step ahead of their game.

Setting up your account

Make sure you use a good profile picture of yourself or your company logo. Many people will not follow users without one. Fill in your biography details as most new followers check out bios. If you don’t take the time to make it interesting, why should anyone follow you?

Use Twitter Lists

Twitter Lists are a neat built-in tool that enables you to organize your followers and their tweets into specific groups. You can also sort your lists into public or private groups that only you can view. Lists allow you to use Twitter to deliver information globally to everyone and locally to your target groups. You can also automate tweets to match specific time zones.

What to Tweet About

Post crisp and concise sound bites that are 100 words or less, so that followers can read them quickly and remember them. Use hashtags (#). A hashtag which directly precedes a word or phrase has a number of beneficial uses. Place one before the name of your company or brand (#mybusiness) to improve the chances of other tweeters finding it via a targeted search. You can also ask users to include them in their tweets as part of a marketing campaign.

Monitoring Your Competitors

You can use Twitter search to check up on your competitors and see what people are saying about them. But bear in mind, if you’re on Twitter, your competitors are probably keeping an eye on you and your followers too.

Making the Most of Marketing

Twitter is also a great way to get feedback about your business. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and always answer promptly when you are asked for information. As well as talking about your products and services, promote those of others, as this can help get retweets from other people to expand your network. Post links to interesting information and news relating to your business. Don’t forget, Twitter helps you maintain a global human connection; share some information about yourself to develop strong connections.

Don’t sweat too much about your number of followers. If you keep your posts regular, informative and honest, you should soon develop a steady following that benefits your business and marketing efforts all around.

How To Keep Your Customers Close

18th March 2019 Learn, Tech, Tips

In these days of rapidly changing, competitive business markets, customer retention is crucial to business success. The way you treat your customers, could, in fact, be one the of the key factors which differentiate you from your competitors. Here is a rundown on some of the best strategies for keeping your customers close no matter what type of business you run.

Reward your customers: Loyal customers deserve something in return. Send them a gift, offer them a discount, make purchasing with your company a continuously pleasurable experience. If they are business owners, give them a lead.

Use their services: If your customers are business owners too, use their services or buy their products. This is a great way to build loyalty.

Show your thanks: Make sure you show your appreciation to loyal customers by sending them a thank you note on a regular basis.

lady holding shirt
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100213196672
  • Be prompt: Don’t beat around the bush when it comes to returning calls. Call your customers back as soon as you can.
  • Be true to your word: Don’t make promises you can’t keep. If you state you’re going to do something, do everything possible to follow through.
  • Don’t be tardy: Always do something when you said you were going to do it. If, for some reason, you can’t stick to the arranged schedule, let your customer know as soon as possible.
  • Be accessible: Show your customers that you are always available if they need to communicate with you. You should always be open to meeting with your customers if they wish to see you.
  • Be trustworthy: It’s important that you establish your credibility straight away. Otherwise, potential customers will drift over to your competitors.
  • Stay in touch: Bear in mind that your best customers are the ones you have now. Don’t take them for granted. Stay abreast of their wants and needs.
  • Be able to apologize: Sometimes things unavoidably go wrong. Always be ready to apologize but saying sorry isn’t enough. Have a gift you can send to customers when you make a mistake.
  • Make business a pleasure: Make it easy and pleasurable for your customers to do business with you. Make sure your business practices are for the convenience of the customer, not just your own. The more enjoyable it is for customers to do business with you, the more business you will have.
  • Get to know your customers: A great way to do this is to set up a customer advisory team. The team can collect and collate information about your customers’ needs and wants so that you can develop a more customer-oriented business.
  • Be a solid resource: Whatever your customer needs, make sure you can get it. This applies even if it is something unconnected to your business.
  • Speak your customers’ language: Don’t fall into the trap of using jargon or terms that your customers will not understand. Keep things simple without talking down to them.
  • Maintain a good attitude: Always be kind and patient with your customers, this will increase customer loyalty. Never be indifferent towards them.
  • Maintain a mobile state of mind: Remember, these days, customers interact with businesses on mobile devices more frequently than ever. Make sure that you provide your customers with a positive mobile experience.
  • Offer limited time promotions: This is a good way to keep customers coming back, especially if you’re discounting products that they buy frequently. You can highlight promotions at the checkout stage.
  • Stay social: Social media offers unique platforms for staying in touch with your customers. You can keep them posted about sales and special offers, as well as new products and services. You can also get feedback from them.
  • Engage relevantly: Your company must be able to engage relevantly with your customers. Otherwise, your brand will be letting you down. For example, in the case of cart abandonment, you can send a follow-up email to encourage the customer to complete the purchase and also set up recommendations for future purchases.
  • Celebrate occasions: Don’t just celebrate holidays with your customers, try to find out when their birthdays are, even if you are in different parts of the world. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are also good times of the year to send a personal note if your customers are parents. As well as a note, a gift card is a nice sign of appreciation.
  • Create a VIP program: Achieving status can be a big motivator for customers. A VIP program enables customers to collect loyalty points and use them to get special offers. Because buying products increases customer rewards, your customers will do business with you more often; they are more likely to shop.

Developing close relationships with your customers is something you should be thinking about 24/7. There are many opportunities for you to strengthen the bonds between new and existing customers. It’s good for business, and it’s good for morale. Try these tips, and you can’t go wrong when building a strategy that keeps your customers as the top priority.

Manning the Phones: How to Create an Effective Customer Service Strategy

8th March 2019 Learn, Tech

A chief role of managers and customer service employees is knowing how to create a good experience for their customers. As a business owner, it is essential that you develop a strong customer service strategy that your employees can easily navigate and understand. This strategy should effectively incorporate key points that will take your customer service to the next level.

The goal of any business is to expand and create the most profits, and the best way to make this happen is to provide excellent customer service. Your goals as a company should include an effective customer service strategy. Begin this strategy by employing a strong management team that is skilled in leadership, communication, and service. Once you have a strong team, you can begin to develop your customer service strategy.

1. Set goals

Before you can work on a plan, you must compile a list of goals that you wish your business to achieve. Once you have figured out what you want to see from your company, you can begin to map out a plan to execute the plans. Share your vision of the future of the company with your employees so that they can keep your goals in mind when carrying out tasks.

2. Determine the wants of your customer

Frequently, a business will fail because the owners were unable to understand what the customer wanted. Businesses will assume that they know better than what their customers want and then provide them with a product that won’t sell. Your business needs to have a plan in place that will allow customers to express their opinions freely. To set this plan in motion, begin by initiating communication with the customer. This can be done through feedback surveys, comment cards, and focus groups.

3. Improve your hiring process

Customer service employees should be adequately screened and vetted with the customer in mind. The agents that you hire should encompass many traits, including empathy, excellent communication skills, patience, problem-solving skills, and a keen ability to stay positive when dealing with a negative customer. All agents can be trained for certain things, but you can’t teach someone to have a different personality.

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4. Measure your results

Now that you know what the customer is looking for and you have a team that can effectively communicate, you can begin to create small goals to improve your customer service strategy even more over time. An example of a more modest goal instead of an overall vision is to answer calls within a specific timeframe. These small goals will help you achieve your bigger goals and overall vision in time. Be sure that your employees are aware of these new goals so that they can be held accountable for delivering that same high level of quality. If you find that a goal isn’t quite achievable, you can work backward and find out what is stopping your team from being able to reach their goals.

5. Ensure all employees undergo a thorough training process

Although you already hired a stellar staff with all of the qualities that your business needs in a customer service agent, you still need to deliver consistent service. The best way to stay consistent with your customers is by training all of your employees thoroughly and regularly. Train your employees on product knowledge, frequently asked questions, and provide them with a set of guidelines to follow for each phone call. Be sure that your staff is always up on current standards by using call recording to capture missed details, learn additional information about customers, and to improve the quality of every call.

6. Accountability

Your agents and managers should be held to a standard of consistency and quality. Practice regular performance reviews and be sure to share with your employees the customer service data so that they can see the fruits of their labor.

7. Reward your employees

When your employees are continually adhering to quality standards and surpassing goals, they should be rewarded for their efforts. All work and no play can create gloom in the workspace. People work better with positive reinforcement, and you will want to keep the people who deal with your customers directly to always be in a positive headspace. Prioritize a work/life balance with your employees and provide perks. Organize a happy hour with your customers, encourage a casual Friday, or reward your employees with an ice cream social or pizza party for lunch. Showing your employees that you appreciate them never has to break the bank, and any effort you make to recognize them for their service will result in a positive response.

Awesome Skills of the Best Customer Service Agents

7th March 2019 Learn, Tech

Customer service can be a difficult industry with a high turnover. But there are a few secrets that the best customer service agents use to stay friendly, clear, and knowledgeable when in communication with their customers. Whether your agents are using phone calls, social media, email, or all three, there are specific skills that every customer service agent should incorporate.

Each method of communication requires different customer service skills and some overlapping skills are needed throughout all three. If you are ready to start interviewing customer service agents or are looking to train up your staff, these fundamental skills are what you need to be on the lookout for.

1. Listening

Never interrupt your customer, even if you already know how to solve their problem. Listen to their entire complaint, then respond with your answers. If you miss an important detail from their complaint or question, then you cannot correctly solve their issue. Never assume you’ll know exactly what the customer will say.

2. Smiling

Smiling over the phone can convey a positive attitude in your voice. Although the person on the other end cannot see your face, they will be able to pick up on clues that you are smiling through the tone of your voice and the way that you are speaking. Use your judgment when using this tool. No one will appreciate you smiling through their problems when they want you to sympathize with them.

3. Acknowledgment

After you have listened to your customer’s entire question or complaint, don’t forget to let them know that you understand where they’re coming from and that you are happy to be helping them out. Again, customers want you to sympathize with their problems, as well as solve them. This is a humanizing trait that makes your company come off as caring and authentic.

4. Mirroring

Mirroring is a way in everyday life to make other people comfortable and subconsciously show that you are listening and interested in what the other party is saying. It is a great tool to use on the phone, in person, or through text messaging as well. Watch how often you use this tool as mirroring a customer’s anger won’t do your company any favors.

5. Communication

Be upfront with your customer. In other words, don’t lie to your customer and say that they will be on hold for 30 seconds when it’s going to take 15 minutes. They will most likely hang up and be angry the next time they call you, if they decide to ever call again. This is an essential rule for all customer service agents. If the wait times are incredibly long and you don’t want to lose your customer, offer to call them back as a courtesy to save them from waiting.

6. Templates

Templates are like scripts for your agents to follow. However, instead of coming off as mechanical like an agent would if they were merely reading from a script, templates are more of a guideline. These guides can contain answers to commonly asked questions and other useful strategies to keep your agents from getting stuck.

7. Personality

When your agents use these helpful templates and guidelines, they should still be adding their own spin to them. Everyone’s personality is different, and when your customer agent shows off their unique personality, the advice and guidance they are giving comes off as more authentic.

8. Time Frames

When responding to email, chat, or social media, be sure to reply promptly. Chat and social media should be instant, while email has a slight leeway time. However, emails shouldn’t take that long because your customers might get concerned that you didn’t receive their message. Consider setting up an auto-response to emails letting your customers know that you received their email and will be responding with an answer to their inquiry in a suitable time frame.

9. Problem-Solving

Your customer service agents should know the questions that they need to ask their customers in order to get a complete story from them. Once they have all the facts, they need to be able to summarize the issues and come up with the best solution.

10. Skill Range

Your customer service agents should be able to handle a variety of customer service channels and be able to multitask. All agents should be trained in chat, phone service, and social media.