Tag: Tampa FL Web Design

Do not send emails which make you look badDecember 16th, 2013

It amazes me how companies send you a monthly email showing you how little interest there is in their sites.  You get these from business websites like Manta and review sites like Yelp.  Then they try to get you to spend money on ads on their sites to get more attention.   I don’t know about you, but I am not spending hard earned money on ads for companies who tell me I get little or no traffic on my profile.

Here is my advice to companies sending these statistics review emails. Change your strategy to only send statistic reviews when people have had action on their profiles.  This doesn’t mean you can’t send out other emails of interest. Manta for instance sends out some valuable tips.  If you asked those companies if they think sending emails that make them look bad is a good idea they would look at you like you have two heads.  Yet, this is what they do, again and again.

Bottom Line:  When you are trying to build your brand, sending emails to users is not a bad idea. However, sending emails that tell people you are basically irrelevant, is not smart.
 

Great customer service improves bottom lineDecember 2nd, 2013

Great customer service is something you never forget. Recently my wife and I tried a sauce, Hissho Japanese BBQ Sauce. It was delicious so we wanted to buy more when the bottle ran out. Unfortunately we could not remember where we got it. So my wife sent an email to the company and asked them where she could buy their product in our area. Well, first off the company marketing person wrote back immediately. A very good sign, that this company cares about customer service. They told my wife where can buy the product, and mailed us two bottles and a T-shirt. (All of this was free of charge) We were so impressed that not only will we continue to support this company, we will tell everyone the story. Their great customer service gained a customer for life, and perhaps more due to our recommendations. (and my blog post :))

I always tell my clients, you may not be the biggest, you may not even be the best, but you can always give the best service. That is a lesson I learned a long time ago in this business. Answer emails right away. Don’t make people wonder whether you’re going to help them, let them know, and reassure that you are there and willing to help. For my business this what separates me from my competition. I answer all emails the same day, and if possible complete support requests the same day as well.

People appreciate great customer service.  They are quick to refer you to friends and associates. No matter what you do for a living, this is something within your control. You can beat larger competitors by providing better service. I would pay more to do business with a smaller company that provides better service rather than a big faceless corporation with outsourced customer service.