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Living on Australia’s Gold Coast the newspapers have been full of articles about poorly perceived customer service in restaurants. And unsurprisingly clients have also been talking about how to improve their customer service.

This article by Susan Oakes  (M4B Marketing) deals with the topic really well hence I have taken the liberty of posting it in full below:

We know customer service is important in marketing your small business. It is one of the key elements that can help you compete successfully against many larger businesses.

However, in certain circumstances it can be a big waste of your time and money.

Here is a story that shows how great customer service by itself can count for nothing in the end.

Within a few weeks of starting my business my computer decided to play up and I needed someone to fix it. I looked in the local paper and found a person who would come to your place of work. “John” turned up on time and fixed the problem quickly.

All in all I was very happy with the service, he appeared to know what he was doing and the customer service was very good.

Later more service was needed including transferring files etc to a new computer. Again the customer service was very good, however each service call took longer, the quality of the work was not always good and once he had to come back three times to sort out a simple problem.

He didn’t charge for all his time which was not good for his business and eventually shut his business down. Apparently others were experiencing the same service quality problems, which meant that he was not keeping his customers or gaining any referrals.

The point of this story is that we can sometimes neglect the very thing we are selling. It can be very tempting especially these days to overpromise on what we can really deliver to our customers to gain business.

To overcome this for products you could:

    * Actually “pull it apart” and see where you can improve the quality
    * See what the product is lacking versus competitors
    * Seek feedback and input from customers

This can be done gradually keeping in mind the costs that may be associated with any improvements.

To overcome this for services you could:

    * Drop those services that you are not great at and just specialise in the ones you doing extremely well
    * Update your skills as there are many courses available
    * Partner with another business to outsource those services where you skills and experience may be lacking

Again, don’t forget to check with your customers as they will provide feedback on what services are the most important.

Taking a moment to examine what you offer can lead to higher revenue, cash flow and happier customers, and your excellent customer service will not be in vain.

How do you improve your products or services?

 I simply had to share this post by Owen Joyce with you as it succinctly describes an issue so often faced with clients – its not me its you!

Last Friday I spoke with a client and something she said stuck in my mind. We were finishing a conversation about her recruitment practices and she said that she felt positive about her decision to work with us because, in her words, “I just realised that I had to change”.

There seem to be two different types of business owners that we come into contact with. There are those who are consistent learners who actively seek out ways to improve their skills, knowledge and attitudes. These business owners have the mentality that you need to ‘learn sustainable solutions’. Then, there are the business owners who don’t see learning as an important part of the process. These business owners have the mentality that you need to ‘find quick solutions’.

The question is; if you are having trouble pushing your business to the next level is it because of outside factors or problems that you cannot control or are these issues more likely to be connected to your own skills? Think of it this way. Imagine a business in your industry that is ten times the size of yours. If you were to take the managing director of this business and put him or her into your business, would they be able to take it to the next level?  If you think they could, what’s the difference between them and you? It’s unlikely they are more intelligent so it boils down to knowledge, experience and their attitudes towards things like marketing, money, relationships, staff, planning and so on.

There is no shame in admitting that you’re not a top notch marketer, sales person, accountant, capital raiser, planner, people manager etc. but when a deficiency is identified it’s important to do something about it. The wonderful thing is that these things can be learned. You can learn to have different attitudes towards money, you can learn to have different relationships with staff and you can learn new ways to promote your business. At the end of the day it’s about making a decision on whether uncontrollable external factors determine the fate of your business or you do.   

If your looking for resources to develop your skills in business check out  ‘yourbusinesssuccess’, which is Owen Joyce’s site. As a Coach and consultant I’m commited to assisting businesses to succeed so for more tools and tips to grow your business subscribe to ‘Changing Times’ or follow our ‘Twitter feed’.

I was reading an article by Megan Hills (click to read original) that resonated with me so I thought I’d share an extract of it below.

Even when business is going well there’s often a larger business vision we want to reach. But with day-to-day distractions, it’s easy to forget the bigger picture.

Some strange soloist friends of mine are completely happy with their businesses just as they are. According to them, there’s no need to think about the business vision they are working towards. They are already there. And somehow they manage to stay in that blissful place. I think these people belong under glass and should be gazed at by children on school excursions.

I am not one of those people, obviously. While my business is going very well, I remain in a constant state of pursuit. This can be fun and exciting, or see me moaning like a pint-sized Chewbacca.

But the main problem is this: while busy in pursuit, I can sometimes forget what I’m actually pursuing. This means I’ve gotten caught up with daily demands and a black hole begins to form in my soloist soul.

Strategic plans and action plans have been crafted carefully in order to get me to that big goal. But even then I can forget (drum roll) "The Vision". And when I forget (drum roll) "The Vision" things seem to go pear-shaped.

Business and life coaches often recommend imagining your business ‘vision’, or your big picture, just before you go to bed. This might involve imagining what it’s like having a Maserati as a ‘work vehicle’, owning a funky beach shack or creating enough profit to buy Afghanistan and fix it properly. Then you’re supposed to conjure this picture again in your mind as soon as you wake up the next morning.

But after a few days I forget to do it. So then I put a visual reminder next to my bed. But in a few days I stop seeing it. So then I make billboard-sized collage with images and words that relate to what I want. Then I stop seeing that.

Some people say that it’s okay not to see it any more. That the dream will manifest into reality because I’ve done the collage. Maybe it will. Still, I like being more actively involved in the process of creating what I want.

If you’re the same, here are some other ideas to remember "The Vision”:

    *
      Put an image on your computer desktop that relates to your business vision, but be sure to change the image regularly.
    *
      Insert a new line about your big picture at the top of your weekly to do list.
    *
      Every week, schedule a time to talk about the big picture with a friend, colleague, coach or mentor.
    *
      Create a short PowerPoint presentation with music that inspires, and play this little creation to yourself at the start of every working day (or buy the nifty software version of this called Mind Movies).

The key for me: whatever the strategy, I need to keep it fresh regularly.

How do you remember your big picture? Share it with us by commenting on this article.

Conrad Palmer is a freelance writer and Business Coach who enjoys helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Through his marketing & publicity nous, he can maximize the power of what you want to communicate to the people you want to reach. Follow our ‘Twitter Feed’ for updates.

Guest Post from M4B Marketing by Susan Oakes

You probably know this trap, you start with good intentions to become healthier, try eating better foods and when you don’t lose a lot of weight quickly you stop.

A  few months later, usually around spring you try one of latest fad diets to get in shape before summer, however in a couple of weeks you stop again.

With small business marketing it can be quite easy to fall into this trap. You decide you need to attract more customers so you try a few marketing tactics for a little while. When you don’t get the results you anticipated you stop, only to start using other marketing tactics a few weeks later.

Whether you want to become healthier or gain results from your marketing activities, choosing the right program to suit you and being consistent with your efforts is important.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid the marketing diet trap:

Make sure everything is in place before your start

This means check that your product or service is in good shape for the customers you want to attract or retain. Ensure what you are offering contains the features and benefits that they desire.

Set realistic objectives

Sure it would be great to increase sales 150% or gain 50 extra customers in a week, but it is unlikely to happen. Look at what you want to achieve with your customers over a period of time, say 6 months or a year.

Choose the right strategy and start slowly

Business success is not a sprint and the best marketers pace themselves as it is usually a long journey. For longer term success you need to have in place a solid marketing strategy first. Then you choose the marketing tactics to implement over the year.

Get support

This could be a business partner, your family or friends, business friends, coach etc who will encourage as you progress and help keep you on track. Let them know what you are striving to achieve and give them regular updates.

Reward yourself along the way

If your objectives are to be realised in 6 or 12 months then break them down in months or weeks so you can celebrate the wins as you progress. This will help you keep motivated and on track for success.

The main thing to remember is that if you keep going back to the marketing diet tap it will cost more time and money with little to show for your efforts.

How to you avoid the marketing diet trap? Please share your tips

Follow our ‘Twitter Feed’ for updates.

I wanted to share this article with everyone. Its by Guy Insull, Founder Champions Club Community  who does some great leadership workshops using Franklin Covey resources in the UK.

Most people will be familiar with the term “Chaos Theory”, and even if they can’t describe or explain its mathematical roots, they probably understand it metaphorically as “The Butterfly Effect”.

The term “Butterfly Effect” was originally coined from the title of a paper by Edward Lorenz entitled “Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly’s Wings in Brazil set off a Tornado in Texas?”

The title encapsulates the notion that the tiny, seemingly insignificant flapping of butterfly wings can cause exponential changes to occur in a system such as the weather which can cause massive and apparently chaotic consequences in another part of the world.

However, the idea that one small and apparently insignificant act can set in motion a chain of events which ultimately result in massive change has existed in the field of human behaviour long before it existed in science or mathematics. It is the idea that if we perform small acts of kindness to others, and instead of being repaid the person simply “passes on” the kindness or favour to others, and in doing so sets in motion a chain of good deeds which multiplies exponentially.

This concept was described by Benjamin Franklin, who in a letter to a friend in 1784 wrote:
“I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro’ many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.”

The idea was more recently popularised in the film Pay It Forward in which a class of schoolchildren are given the task to come up with one idea which has the capacity to change the world. One pupil has the idea of “paying it forward” – an obligation to do three good deeds for others in repayment of a good deed that one receives from a stranger. In this way, the help we freely provide another can spread exponentially through society, creating a movement which ultimately makes the world a better place.

Whilst the idea may seem a little utopian and even “childish” given the world in which we now live, the film does a great job of suspending our disbelief through the use of children as the principle characters and “thought leaders”, creating the feeling in us once again that anything is possible if we truly believe it.

I hope this has started you thinking as it did me and invite you to see more articles like this at ‘Changing Times’ or follow our ‘Twitter Feed’ for updates.

Some simply call it "instinct" or "gut feeling," and it often defies reason and logic, but it can be your most critical business tool to point you in the right direction when all else fails.

Most CEOs know what intuition is and have experienced it. They agree that it is an invaluable tool for success in the modern world. But few know how it works, and fewer still know that there are things you can do to activate and accelerate it to work when you need it.

Everyone agrees that intuition works best off a solid foundation of knowledge and experience. General Colin Powell in an article referred to a formulae for intuition that resonated with me -“Use the formula P=40 to 70, in which P stands for the probability of success and the numbers indicate the percentage of information acquired.” Part II: “Once the information is in the 40 to 70 range, go with your gut.”

The dictionary defines intuition as "immediate cognition," which requires a paying of acute attention. Get into the habit of listening to your intuition — your "inner teacher" — and expecting it to guide you. When you expect something, you create an energetic vacuum that the Universe seeks to fill. A case in point is two guys driving into town: One expects to find a parking space; the other doesn’t. They both turn out right.

Here are 10 things you can do to activate your intuition:
1. Write down your professional goals. Intuition supports clear intentions. Keep your goals clearly posted and review them every day.
2. Visualize your success. Imagine exactly what you want to happen in your business. Intuition supports your vision. Sharpen your visualization skills by sharing your vision with others and observe if they can see your dreams as well as you.
3. Get enough sleep. Intuition shuts down when you are fatigued.
4. Keep a little notebook or tape recorder and record your gut feelings, aha moments, and bright ideas as they arise. Do not edit, censor, or dismiss anything. You will soon see it all counts.
5. Sound it out. Find sympathetic friends who will listen to your intuitive hunches. Sharing a gut feeling is the best way to validate your intuition and gain confidence in listening to your higher awareness.
6. Take time out for reflection. Intuition lies just beneath our conscious awareness and rises to the surface during quiet moments. Rushing through the day prevents your inner voice from speaking out. Schedule regular periods of five to 10 minutes throughout the week to do nothing but sit and ponder.
7. Leave the job at your desk. Sometimes the best way to activate your intuitive and creative muscles is to walk away from a problem and let the answers incubate on their own. Do something stimulating and fun on your evenings and weekends. Allowing this side of your brain to take over while giving your work side a rest brings new perspectives and ideas that can take you to a new level of solution.
8. Ask for help. Have the wisdom to be open to receiving help in all ways, and do not hesitate to seek guidance the minute you need it. Being open to guidance is the starting gun to an intuitive life and separates the ordinary from the extraordinary in today’s working world.
9. Keep your office clean and organized. Intuition thrives on order, not chaos. A clear desk leaves the clear mind needed for tuning in to your vibes.
10. Acknowledge your intuitive successes openly and comfortably. Share your vibes positively, regarding them as a natural asset designed to help you succeed and not as something to wrestle with or question. Recognize that they are a reflection of your higher abilities, and put them to use every day. The bottom line is if you want to succeed in a changing world of business and have a great time along the way, utilize and trust to the fullest your greatest natural business tool — your vibes.

Above all, have the courage to follow your intuition. Every great leader has been willing to play the fool. Disney was considered a nut. The Wright brothers were called daft. Edison was "eccentric," at best. Progressive thinkers have always challenged conventional wisdom as they blazed a trail to the top.

As a Business Coach and consultant I work to help CEO’s and executives connect with their intuition to achieve extraordinary goals – check out ‘Changing Times’ for more articles or follow our ‘Twitter Feed’.