I hope your Festive Season was full of everything you desired.  I certainly had a good rest and I don’t know about you but that break really gave me some perspective on the important things in life.

My Family, Business and Friends are all important to me and so is enjoying life.  Its cruicial.   Something which seems to really be at the forefront of my ‘radar’ so to speak, is Customer Services.  Or should I say, complete lack of sometimes following my festive break.

Why is it that some companies completely nail customer services and others just don’t get it at all.  What are your experiences? 

Here are two of mine, and they couldn’t be more different!

Over Christmas I had an issue with my gym.  I wanted to use another gym in another area and I couldn’t.  I was pretty much thrown off the premises which was a little embarrassing.

I spoke - on a Sunday – to the membership manager at my own gym and asked for her help. Now this lady was amazing and emailed the gym in question as there was an issue on my membership which I didn’t know about.

Not only did she rectify the situation, she was really professional about it. She didn’t break any level of her own authority and was  genuinely kind .

In business we are taught to be professional and not get involved in emotions.  However when dealing with customers too many companies forget that and are cold to their customers. Heres my second experience. What a contrast.

I decided to upgrade my laptop and went to my usual supplier.  I am a good customer with them and have put a lot of business to their sister company in East Anglia. To quote them  in 2011 – ” We wish all of our customers were like you”.   Thats a real compliment.

So after making my decision I decided between Christmas and New Year to get this sorted out.  I went into my local store and said I would like to buy from them.  Thats a pretty clear signal that they will be making money that day!   I was asked to take a seat on a comfy chair.  

TWENTY FIVE minutes later I was left sitting there ignored! I should point out that this was my third visit to sort this out, and why did I persist?  Their company knew my existing set up and knew my needs. I learnt the hard way that “one strike and you’re not on my list”  doesn’t work so well and everyone deserves another opportunity.  

But I walked out!  I also wrote a letter of complaint to the company.  How did they handle it.  Well the manager called me and explained the following:

1. He is new to that store
2. He has years of experience and a reputation for being a good manager
3. He takes this very seriously
4. He will take it up with the staff
5. He “Apologises” as the buck stops with him
6. Five minutes of what they are authorised or not authorised to do..

Now depending on your interpretation of the above will depend on how good you see that kind of service.  I am not the kind of person who wants “goodwill” (freebies).  I would rather be treated well in the first place. 

The reason why this service was so different was because it was the MANNER in which I was spoken to.  Every sentence was I AM this, I AM that…. and I am sure the store manager is everything he professes.  But why would I care?  I am like every other consumer, I want to know how it benefits me and whats in it for me?  Thats why I buy!

It really was a difference.  Our conversation was left that he would take it up with the staff and no doubt he will. If he does then it will benefit everyone else.  But to an extent I felt patronised and the subject of a customer services course.

Whats my point? Well, when it comes down to it your clients will forget what you say and what you do to an extent, but trust me, they will NEVER forget how you make them feel.  In my industry there are too many sales people who patronise their clients, and make them feel stupid for asking questions. I ensure that I keep myself in check ALWAYS because its an easy trap to fall into. 

With the Membership Manager at the gym (Claire Head, Northampton Collingtree Virgin Active) I felt like my issue was genuine and no trouble at all to them.  I never knew whether or not it affected her day or schedule because it was never a problem for them.

With the local store, I was ignored and then spouted lots of customer service speak.  They never actually asked how they could put the situation right. In fact I was even told that their business is run on referrals. Well I won’t be referring them for a long time and for those of you who have met me, I refer wherever I possibly can.

So how do you treat your customers? Do you treat them how you would like to be treated?  If thats the case then please allow me to suggest that instead of treating customers how YOU would like to be treated, how about treating them how THEY would like to be treated, just like the gym did.

That means getting to know what they want.  It may take a little bit of time, but what possible damage can you do in forming a relationship with a client?

Have a great week and see you soon

Today I would like to share three really important lessons I have learnt this week.   They touch on the following areas:   Networking , Social Media and Communication.

1) NETWORKING :  I’m an active member of BNI, Entrepreneurs Circle and 4N and a Chamber of Commerce.  I’m also a Regional Director for BNI London North West and very proud and priveleged to hold the role that I do.    This week I have learnt the lesson that in Networking, you can’t please and be best friends with absolutely everyone.  

The thing about great networking is that it brings a structured and accountability based approach to making new contacts and seeking out business.  However the very WORD entrepreneur sometimes clashes with this theory.  I mean, didn’t we all go into business to not be told what to do or have a boss?

This means that a diverse, reputable and amazing group of people in the same room, don’t always see eye to eye.   I have also realised that this is OK because in life that happens a lot.

However the time when this becomes dangerous is when there is a lack of 

2)  COMMUNICATION:  In the words of Bo Bennett

Communication is about being effective, not always about being proper. “

Communication, I believe is based hugely on values.  Lets look at it this way.

If I say I am happy – every single one of you will read it differently based on YOUR interpretation of Happy.   Based on our lives and events in our lives we will all have different beliefs of happy.    

So what does this mean?   Well, the good news is that you don’t need to take lessons in mind reading, BUT what it does mean is showing mutual respect for each others opinions and most importantly, something I allowed myself to forget, looking from the OTHER persons perspective.

Did I give you an off glance,  REALLY?  What facts do you have to back it up? Have we fallen out? Is there an issue  Or has something similar happened before?  

Did you speak to me sharply?  REALLY?  Or have I placed my own values on something which was meant innocently and actually this is how you speak?

The great thing about networking is that you get to know people, like them and build relationships with them.  Poor communication breaks those relationships faster than a bolt of lightening and can take a long time to build up.   

What I have learnt is that sometimes, communication goes wrong.  Never be afraid to apologise and start again, and if you hear something  which doesn’t sound right, don’t jump to conclusions.  Try and work out WHY the other person may have said or did what they did.    
If you are all on the same side, but also very good business people, is it POSSIBLE that you just have different ways of communicating?

This brings me to my third learning

3) SOCIAL MEDIA   and WOW what a learning curve on this one.   Even in my business I sometimes completely miss something and in the last two weeks BOY did I miss something really important.
I have learnt this week to be very aware of the words I use on Social Media but also not to be too aware of this? 

OK that sounds crazy but here’s what I mean.

I have a total of nearing 6000 contacts across my social media activities.   Some people know me and others don’t.   Now what happens if I write: 

“ Had a crazy day and one particular incident completely ASTOUNDED me today… can’t believe it – this CHANGES everything”

The people who don’t know me think – WOW she has had something BIG happen today  and will see this as good or bad depending on their own experiences of life and businesses

Some acquaintances may ask- COME ON tell us then?  

My Friends or clients who are in regular contact with me may ask if the business is OK – am I OK?

My Business or Life partner could read this as -  UH OH !  or – OK she has a great surprise for me.

But what about the friend or colleague who reads this and see’s it as a dig because you had cross words.  What about that client who just hung up on youbecause you had a hard conversation.    I will always remember about three years ago I was looking after a BNI chapter in East Anglia and I had a conversation with one of the leadership team and we couldn’t reach an agreement. 

The very moment I got into the car I received another call on a business matter where there was a delay.  I updated my facebook page about a “delay and getting sorted out” and within minutes I had an irate colleague calling me asking why I was being like that. 

We had the conversation and once I had explained and realised how it must look, we were OK   Remember – she never knew I had taken a call since seeing her that morning. How could she NOT see it any other way?

The closer people are to you, the more possibility there is they can see messages which aren’t intended that way – and therefore my learning is to be cautious of what you write but to KNOW that if someone cares enough or wants to hear the answer they ask.  Also if you see something that you think is aimed at you ask yourself  REALLY???   Seriously is it about you FOR SURE??   Does the writer know whats going on in your world??

You can’t always forsee what others will do or say and worrying about it will make it worse.  So my tip for today is – be yourself, understand that not everyone will work with you, like you or understand you but that’s not your fault or even theirs.  Its just the way people, and especially motivated entrepreneurs are.

Have a great day….

Beth Anderson is dubbed the “The Networking Queen,”  and is an active participant in several on-line networking communities.  She credits her success to the lessons learned by her participation in the world’s largest organization of weekly face-to-face meetings,  BNI – Business Network International.

Beth is also an avid sailor  and one of the most amazing people I have had the pleasure to connect with online over the last few years. It is an amazing honour to present her blog today to you…..  So without further ado…. over to Beth………………………

A Young Man’s Lesson in Perseverance

By Beth M. Anderson

My nephew, Craig, is 25 years old and runs an Arby’s fast food restaurant in a college town in Minnesota (one of those cold northern states in the middle of the United States). He has been with Arby’s for five years, starting out as a regular employee, and now is the store’s manager. He is well liked by both his bosses and his employees, and much to the chagrin of his mother, quit college to do this full time.

A month ago two nicely dressed gentlemen came into the restaurant during a busy lunch rush and Craig ended up waiting on them. He told them about a new sandwich that was being offered, which they purchased, and they sat down to eat their meal. About 45 minutes later Craig realized they were still sitting in the dining room, so he went out and spoke to them, to find out what they thought of the new product.

To his surprise, the older man told him that they were actually there to check him out. They were with Verizon Telecom; one of the “big three” cellular companies in the US. They were on the search for a new manager and Craig had been highly recommended to them by one of his former employees. They asked if he would be interested in coming in to talk some more about the opportunity.

Very flattered, Craig explained that he was leaving on vacation out of town in the morning, and could they get together when he returned in a week. They agreed, and exchanged cards.

Ten days later, on the Monday after vacation, Craig called and left the first message. The man did not return his call. Four days later, he called again, still no return call.

Craig called his mom, very disappointed, saying things like “They must have hired someone else” and “I should have skipped vacation and gone to see them”. His mother, being the practical woman that she is, told him to call again.

Craig didn’t see the point in calling again. After all, wasn’t it obvious they had lost interest in him?

After some minutes of persuasive arguments from my sister, Craig finally agreed to call again. On Monday the man from Verizon called, very apologetic, explaining that he had gone on vacation the week after and therefore only got the messages that very day. He complimented Craig on continuing to follow up, and told him how impressed he was that he had.

They’ve set up the interview for later this week, and while we don’t yet know the results, I suspect there will be an offer on the table very soon.

How many times do we say to ourselves, when we’ve tried calling a prospect several times with no results, “They’ve lost interest” or “I don’t want to bother them” or my favorite “They are obviously not interested because if they were, they would have called”.

I’m no longer in sales, but am in a position to purchase services for a large client of mine, and so I often get sales calls. I don’t know about your life, but mine is quite busy. Over the years I have been called by many, many salespeople, and I’ve discovered that as a first test I always tell them to “call me back next Tuesday, when I’ll have more time to talk to you”. Very, very few ever call back at all, much less on the day when I’ve asked them to call. I never set a time, because people can manage that – that’s more like setting an appointment which they then write down and generally will follow through.

I just ask them to call. If they do, then I’ll take the time to listen to them. If they don’t, well, then I haven’t wasted my time, have I?

You never know what is going on in someone else’s life. Politely continuing to contact someone until they tell you, specifically, to stop calling, results in a successful career in sales.

Now think back on all of those missed opportunities, change your attitude about it, and go out there and make the most of all of those referrals coming your way!

www.bethmanderson.com

Ladies and Gentlemen – this week I FACED MY DIARY!!!!! (cue dramatic music).    I have generally been working well and effectively in my businesses and was very proud of myself that I had a great balance with business and life….. and even better I had managed to lower the hours I was working in the businesses….. I was FINALLY going towards that amazing goal of having some FREE TIME!!

The thing that was niggling in the back of my mind though was that I kept getting little colds regularly and I wasnt getting to the gym as often as I could – yet I had created this FREE TIME…..

After a medical – and a very enlighting conversation with the Doctor at the end of last week, I was given some shocking news about the amount of stress I was putting myself under ( nothing to worry about to my close friends and family reading this )

So I had to do it……. face the diary and work out why this could be…… and I got the SHOCK  of my life…… When I added up my activities for the last 2 months, I was working and on the road in excess of 85 hours a week!!

After a deep breath and a MASSIVE diary change – I had to face the fact that I wasnt a bad person, or purposely doing this, but what I HADN’T done was to keep a grip on the amount of time I was WASTING!!

So where do you start when you find yourself in this situation.  Firstly, RECOGNISE it!   I am awful for not listening to those who care and in fact got sick to death of people telling me to slow down, take things less personally and rest more….. but the fact is, those closest to you will see the early signs.  Learn to listen!

I then took a look at ALL of my business activities and tasks, and had to be really ruthless and face facts that my QUALITY of life comes first….. thats quite an eye opener for someone who can very easily advise others on how to manage time!!

The result?  Well I have managed to shave  over fifty hours  of time wasting from my diary.

My priorities are very clear AND this week is a transition week.   Already I am seeing a massive difference after just one day….. and I would not have been able to do this without the support of my business colleagues who were integral in this.   Thats one of the benefits of being an avid business networker.

So this week – my NEW diary is in place….. and so far so good!!    My question to you is, are you TRULY making the best of your time, or are you wasting precious time where you don’t need to.

Remember – you can ALWAYS make up lost money, but you can NEVER EVER make up time…….

Have a brilliant day

I love Fridays as it gives me a chance to catch up on the week in the office.   However today is different.  The car has been in for a service – and is lovely and shiny and the sun is out, which always seems to make things happier and positive.

On top of that as I write today I have just had AMAZING news of a contract which I have won until december with a wonderful charitible organisation.   I am over the moon.

And for the first time in history I am going to listen to my dad. This morning he said to me – “Have an easy afternoon and enjoy a break from all of the hard work you do”.

I have to confess that I don’t always listen to my family or friends so this is probably a first.  SO for this week….. thats me done, dusted and off!!     DAD – it’s official and in writing – I have listened to you – and am taking your advice.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the highs and lows this week and for ALL of your support ( you all know who you are)  -  Thank you Jaabir for your guest blog yesterday and I KNOW this is your favourite song  

 Now, I am off for some lunch and go out in my SHINY car with my FAVE CD track on.  Here it is.  Why don’t you take five minutes out and just have a listen and ENJOY!!

Today it is my great privelege to hand over to a trusted and amazing colleague of mine.  Jaabir Ramlugon from Busy Beaver Web is a brilliant local businessman who really believes that giving to other businesses to support them is the key to great relationships. 

His Business is based in Tottenham, North London and with everything that has happened there recently he has written a great blog.

Enjoy

What a week it was last week, both as a business owner and as a resident in…Tottenham. Yes, if you hadn’t heard of Tottenham a couple of weeks ago, you certainly have now (unless you’ve been living under a rock or an equally shaded location)!

I don’t really think I need to go through the events of two weekends ago in Tottenham (and the rest of the UK) except to say that I have never experienced anything like it and hope I won’t have to again. To see the local high street obliterated and the local retail park boarded up was not a pretty sight.

What did strike me though was how the local community rallied together after the events and couldn’t do enough to help those residents and businesses that were affected. The Tottenham Green Leisure Centre (which is currently being used as a Community Assistance Centre for those affected) was overwhelmed by donations and volunteers coming forward. So much so in fact that they couldn’t accept any more offers for help with the clean-up and also didn’t need any more clothes.

It goes to prove that for the few that were intent on causing havoc without a moment of thought for the community around them there are many, many more who value their local area, its residents and businesses.

I met other local businesses who have been affected (luckily all indirectly) at a North London networking event just this week. Although of course the events were on people’s minds and it was a talking point, it was business as usual and there was great support as well as great business opportunities as always.

This brings me onto the power of utilising your business network. The number of businesses who have blinkers on when it comes to networking still astounds me. Why are more businesses not using this very effective way of promoting themselves?

I put it down to many business owners wanting a “quick fix” without the commitment that is necessary. It is a commitment and it does take time to establish yourself and build relationships with the other business people in the room…but it definitely pays off!

You also have to be willing to give. Being willing to help other businesses in the form of offering advice, support and referrals as well as your services is what makes business networking work. If nobody did this then the only outcome of the events will be a rather lovely collection of business cards and a larger midsection (depending on your meal choices, of course)!

So if you’re a business owner who hasn’t considered business networking, then why not give it a try?

As for Tottenham being in ruins? Definitely not!

Thanks for reading and thanks to Marie for inviting me to guest blog.

Kind regards,
Jaabir Ramlugon
Busy Beaver Web
www.busybeaverweb.co.uk

We have completed a re branding of the insurance arm of the company and this means that – You’re Insured! Is now Business Connections insurance.

It has been a culmination of rebranding and also an exciting development in the insurers and broking team I work with.

However it has come a massive SIX WEEKS earlier than I planned due to a technicality. That’s not a bad thing as the businesses are BOTH in a position to withstand something so sudden. The simple reason is that I put a solid plan into place with a plan of action should I have to implement everything sooner.

Effectively the logo and rebrand have been done for about a month – and were ready to go – as I found out this weekend.

So here’s my question to you. If you had to change the way your business works, runs, and is promoted overnight – could you handle it??

Now you may be saying to yourself – NO , of course not as these things need planning, and I would agree with you.

However what if…………. just what if something changed inbetween? Could you run your business.

Thanks to social media I have been able to promote and rebrand the insurance side of the business and thanks to the insurance I have – we have been able to weather the worst of last weeks unrest across the UK.

Some people tell me I plan too much. I have been told that I have a backup plan for a backup plan, and in some circumstances that’s certainly true. However this week I am GLAD I did.

Without the facility of cloud computing, social media and the support of an amazing virtual PA, Design subcontractor and someone to educate me in “mail merge” (WOW why didn’t I learn that sooner!!!). I would have panicked!

So this week I urge you to look at your businesses. What is your back up if you had to leave suddenly or change something sooner than you had planned? What will you do if a disgruntled client slates you on line or even worse tries to sue you?

How will you protect yourself and adapt. Business isn’t about reacting to the environment around you. Its about adapting and responding. Its about persevering and doing what needs to be done.

Or as my friend Michele who owns a VA Company (I’m Your PA) says

“Pull your knickers up and Box On”
Its great to do that and even better if you have a contingency in place. Here’s to a very productive week!!!

Have a great day

marie x

I put this as a very simple facebook update yesterday – and I find this a very powerful quote.   I heard this quote through the Open University and I am currently in a very priveleged position to be working with their development team speaking to graduates about their experiences and achievements since they studied.

These are people who have taken the step to go into Higher Education to learn.   OU students come from all walks of life with a variety of reasons why they have gone back to learn.  I am studying a degree myself because I just didn’t have the opportunity when I finished my A’Levels many years ago.  I really want to do this.

They say that you don’t need a degree to be an entrepreneur.  Look at Alan Sugar, Duncan Bannatyne and Richard Branson for example.    They have shown society that an individual can do what ever they set their mind to and can be extremely successful.  

But they DID have education.   Even if it was through to high school and no further, there was a BASIC education which taught them right from wrong and when I was at School I had the same. I understood that if I broke the written rules of society that there would be serious consequences.     

So what do we have today?   Teachers and teaching assistants stretched to their limits and using very limited resources to give the best education they can to a generation that is in great danger of being lost and forgotten.     Parents blaming the education system because their children are out of control.  

When this generation leave school some may go on to college…. but the University Education system is going through some drastic funding cuts and changes.   Whole departments of Childrens Services departments of councils in many areas of the UK just being CUT!  An essential part of the support for young people just GONE!   

This is a disaster waiting to happen and the last few days events have started to show what can happen when society becomes a coiled spring – wound up by government cuts and what people perceive as misjustice.    ( not I say what people PERCEIVE as misjustice)

Without basic education, people think it’s OK to loot shops, destroy businesses and in some cases ( three of which I know of already) put small companies out of business.  Without education, there are those who think its acceptable to behave in the way many of us have witnessed.

So how can we help?    Its a hard call to make  - but I DO believe that we can all play a part.   If I put all of my thoughts here on who could do what, it may sound idealist, unrealistic and even political and thats not my aim.

So heres the one simple step we need to take.  We need to educate the next generation about right and wrong.   We have too many individuals who shout about their “rights” from the rooftops but conveniently forget their “responsibilities”.  It takes both to make society work. 

Its not all about a degree education – its about a basic education . I urge everyone who reads this today to find ONE way to help educate our society?   Mine is working with establishments and other businesses to ensure that those leaving mainstream education to have a positive start.  I do this through workshops for local councils, working with establishments like the OU supporting their mission to make education available to all, and working with other businesses to provide support to people starting up their businesses.

We can all do something and you may not think it your responsibility to do so, but in the current climate we all have to pull together otherwise the scenes we have seen on TV have the potential to become regular viewing over the years to come.

Stay safe, stay positive and have a productive day.

Alexis has been in business for eight years and catering for over 20 years!    He has had some amazing highs and lows in business.  He is a businessman who is extremely aware of his time management and today he shares his top tips to save time – because Technology is not always a gimmick!   He is also a great guy and we can all learn from him.

Enjoy

Technology is not always a gimmick

Running my own business in these testing yet exciting times has many challenges. One of those challanges is time. How to use my time as effectively as possible.

Here are my top time saving tips

1)  Dropbox  My VA a few months ago let me know about something called Dropbox. If you have not heard about it before, it is a system that allows you to save all your files ( upto a reasonable limit) on their software ‘ on the cloud. ‘ The fantastic thing about that is you can access your files from any computer or smart phone anywhere! So that if one of my customers e-mails my business out of office hours, then I can e-mail them a menu instantly.

2) Smartphone Love them or hate them, if you have a smartphone you can run your business practically mobile.  If you need to know whats happening in your business then this is the tool to use.  Seek professional advice on the best one for you.

3) VA = Virtual Assistant  What are the jobs you dislike the most? Book Keeping, Admin or accounts?   YOUR time should be spent marketing your business.  The best lesson I learnt is to source these jobs out, especially  call answering .   There are some great services out there and the biggest benefit is that whilst someone else is answering your calls and arranging responses on your behalf, you get control back of your time. 

Money can never buy you time.  Use it wisely.

These tools have saved me many hours a month, but more importantly has helped me service my existing and potential customers more efficiently.

Alexis
Head of taste

MR ZAZA – tasty bite size food for all occasions
www.fingerbuffets.co.uk