Posts Tagged ‘Business’
The 3 Types of Customer Service Calls
Really? Why would an Internet company blog about telephone calls? Simple….. we all use the phone to interact with our clients. There is still something to be said for having that “personal” contact that is still essential to providing a well rounded customer service platform. Let’s take a look at 3 types of customer service calls and some ideas and tips on how to provide an effective, loyalty building experience for your clients.
1) Informational – pretty straight forward, the client has questions regarding your company, services, coverages etc…..
2) Problem solving – the client has an issue that requires your assistance to resolve. This is an opportunity to shine and earn a customer for life!
3) Angry beyond reason – redirect to #2 – the client is definitely not happy, wants to bend someone’s ear and set things straight! The goal here is to get them back to status #2.
The key to successfully negotiating all of these scenarios is to LISTEN carefully to what the client has to say! Don’t get ahead of yourself and start forming a response in your mind before they finish their statement, really listen to what they are saying. Confirm what you’ve heard back to the client, using the appropriate tone of voice. Once you’re both on the same page, respond with positive words, your willingness to assist with the request. If it is a problem solving opportunity, be compassionate and empathize with the client. Be prepared to offer alternative solutions to counter the sometimes unreasonable solution requests. Don’t make any promises you cannot keep and honor any time line commitments you make to respond to the client. By quickly addressing the issue, following through with your commitments, you can earn a client’s business… for life! For those dreaded angry beyond reason calls, take a deep breath, let the client air it out and don’t take it personally… I know, easier said than done, but you can do it! Sometimes, simply saying “I’m sorry”, or “I apologize” can diffuse a tense situation. The goal is to get the client beyond being mad and focusing on a solution to their problem (#2), which is at the root of their anger.
At AgencyIQ, we strive to provide excellent, effective, timely customer service. If you need assistance, use our video trainings, email, on-line chat or call one of our customer service reps… We look forward to hearing from you!
SPAM, SPAM, SPAM,SPAM……
If you happen to be a Monty Python’s Flying Circus fan, the word spam brings a smile to your face and fond memories of their quirky British humor. But for most us, SPAM can create all kinds of heartburn, headaches and worries. The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 set guide lines for the use of the internet to send commercial emails. How does this affect your email marketing campaigns? If you follow a simple set of guidelines as outlined by the FTC, you will be in compliance and worry free! Check out the list below:
• Don’t use false or misleading header information
• Don’t use deceptive subject lines
• Identify the message as an ad
• Tell recipients where you are located
• Tell recipients how to opt-out of receiving future emails from you
• Honor opt-out requests promptly
Take a few minutes to review your emails and you will probably find you are already complying with these requirements. AgencyIQ has gone to great lengths to make sure that all of our clients comply with the CAN-SPAM laws. If you have any areas of concern about your emails, use a simple rule of thumb…. If you received this email, would you feel like you were being mislead, could you find the sender if you needed to, and could you stop the messages if you wanted. There are a number of individuals and some organizations that are extremely concerned with being found in violation of this law, some to the point of nearly paralyzing their email marketing efforts. If you have specific questions regarding this Act, click on the following link http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/ecommerce/bus61.shtm to go to the FTC website for specific guidance. This law is not designed to cripple the use of email for commercial business purposes… it was created to ensure the responsible use of a powerful marketing channel. At the end of the day, email marketing is a significant tool in your marketing arsenal and when used correctly and responsibly, you have no worries. Now, hit the Send button!
CALLING IT QUITS
Mike Modano, the star forward for the Dallas Stars hockey team, has probably played his last professional hockey game. I was one of the fortunate few to be in the stands for his last Home game appearance. What a night to remember: Modano had an assist on a goal, scored the game tying goal late in the 3rd period and scored a goal in the overtime shoot out to win the game against his nemisis the Anaheim Ducks! Talk about a story book ending to a career….. And a perfect end to a career spent with one organization for his entire career, playing key roles as leading scorer, team captain and mentor and elder statesman in the locker room as his career ended. A truly humble player and man, Mike gave back to hockey and the community; generous with his time, money and talents, the city of Dallas is better for his involvement over the last 16 years. The Dallas Stars have some mighty big skates to fill with Mo’s departure.
In our careers, we’ve all know a few Mike Modano’s. People that embody the spirit of our company, contributing at the highest level, team players, always encouraging those around them and bringing out the best performance of others through their example in action. You just can’t imagine how you’d survive without that person! Unfortunately, most organizations don’t plan ahead in anticipation of key personnel eventually leaving. Do you as a business owner have key personnel that you depend on to carry the load? We all do, but do you have a plan on how to move forward if/when they leave? Succession planning is usually way down the list of strategic planning activities, but it is vital to the sustained growth of an organization that you have a plan for replacing key employees. To keep your company vibrant, forward thinking and prepared, having a potential talent pool of internal or external resources is not only smart, it will save you and your organization a lot of heart ache when the day comes for a key employee to be replaced. As a owner/manager, it’s important to recognize the Modano’s in your organization and look ahead on how to deal with the void after their last “game”.
Hidden Dangers
I noticed on the Internet yesterday that President Obama’s results from his first health check up as Commander –in-Chief were released. Good news! President Obama was declared in “excellent health” by the examining doctors. The 48 year old Obama reportedly works out 6 mornings a week, plays basketball regularly and appears to be the picture of good health. Read further into the report and you discover he has tendinitis of the knee, borderline high cholesterol (total cholesterol at 209, with the “bad” LDL cholesterol very high) and has yet to stop that persistent, lingering cigarette habit! I wish President Obama well in his efforts to reduce his cholesterol levels and kick the cigarette habit.
But this does bring to mind two thoughts regarding how we determine how “healthy” things are in our lives. The first thought relates to the health of your clients. Not just their physical health, but their insurance coverage health. Do you let them come to you if they feel like they need a coverage review every 5-10 years or are you proactive, providing them an annual review of their coverage’s? Do you bring them current information on policy updates or coverage changes that could impact them negatively if an accident occurs? I would encourage you to build a lasting bond with your clients by providing those services and help them understand you are truly interested in their welfare.
The second thought relates to the relative “health” of your business. When was the last time you gave your business a check up? Do you just figure everything is “good to go” as long as nothing breaks down? Do you schedule a periodic review of your business practices, new trends in the market, changes in the economy or society that could impact the health of your business? Being aware of changes and trends early on will provide an opportunity to address those issues and make any necessary adjustments or changes to ensure the continued good health of your business.
The bottom line is this: we all have small, hidden areas of our “health” that can be addressed. If you ignore those areas, then potentially BAD KARMA will ensue. On the other hand, if you investigate, discover and address those areas for improvement…. Odds are the GOOD KARMA will continue to follow you! AgencyIQ wants to help you with those GOOD KARMA opportunities. Give us a call or look us up on the Internet at www.agencyiq.com and see how our robust, proactive lead management and email marketing programs will bring the GOOD KARMA to your agency!
WHO DAT?
Who dat….. if you are even faintly familiar with the NFL playoffs this year, you know that is the refrain of New Orleans Saints fans and their 2010 Super Bowl bound team. I’m writing this blog in advance of the game because for me, the real story is not who wins the game, the Saints or the Colts. The real story follows two different, but related story lines. The first story is the saga of the Manning family; Peyton- the older brother QB of the Colts and Super Bowl winner, Eli- little brother QB of the Giant and Super Bowl winner, and Archie- father and long time fan favorite of the Saints from 1971-82. Archie still resides in New Orleans and is actively involved in the community. What a dilemma for Archie….. does he cheer for his son Peyton or his long suffering Saints and the community who still reveres his sacrifices and spirit from his years leading the Saints.
The second story line is this amazing Saints team, lead by Drew Brees, their prolific passing QB. Drew is the identity of the Saints. He has provided the leadership, confidence and “anything is possible” attitude that’s been infectious not only with his teammates, but the entire New Orleans community. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Drew, along with a number of his teammates, returned to his ravaged city and actively participated in rebuilding. Drew’s leadership on the field and off serves as an inspiration to all who know him.
We have the examples of a father who was a city’s favorite son, the children that grew up in the community and still have ties, and a new QB who has caught the spirit of a city and is an inspiration of hope and achievement, much like a predecessor 35 years ago! So…… who wins here? EVERYONE!
Now stop and think about your leadership role…. your family, your business and in your community. What are you doing to inspire, help, motivate or improve the lives of those around you? Leadership does not mean always being in front or in the limelight, it can be as simple as providing a good example by your actions. Building these positive leadership qualities will lead to raised expectations and improved results in your personal life, business environment and community activities. So, when the question arises “Who dat?” will you be one of the first mentioned? I hope so….. the rewards are immense!
Massachusetts Revolt
Stand Out
Last week, a major upheaval in the world of politics occurred, a Republican was elected Senator of Massachusetts after Ted Kennedy had held the Democratic Senator’s seat for 43 Years! How did this happen? I’m sure there will be a lot of blogs, articles and maybe books written about this improbable event. Let’s set the stage first. This particular Senate seat has been held by Ted Kennedy for 43 years and prior to that, his brother John Kennedy held the seat. Massachusetts’ registered Republican voters only account for 12% of registered voters statewide. The Democratic candidate was handpicked by the party leadership and held a substantial lead going into the final stretch of campaigning. So, how did the newly elected Senator Brown make this comeback?
Simply put, the incumbent party and leadership got lazy, became complacent, and did not have the pulse of the electorate (their customers). How could they lose? The Democrats controlled Massachusetts for years and could not imagine NOT WINNING! Then, a sequence of events in the economy, concerns over health reform, and a general discontentment with the established leadership…… the impossible happened, a Republican was elected. Now, the point to be made is not political affiliations or where we stand on the economy or healthcare reform. The lesson to be learned is the absolute importance and necessity of knowing what your customer base is thinking, where are they going and how do they perceive your role in assisting them! If you are somewhat skeptical, think back to 1994 when the Republican Party rode a wave of populist support in winning the majority in the House of Representatives; remember Newt Gingrich? Those Republicans had the voice of the voters and knew the changes expected under their leadership. They did well for a while, then, the Republicans lost the pulse of the voters and within 8 years, lost their majority position in the House and eventually the Senate. This loss of direction and power ripped the Republican Party apart! Now fast forward to last week…. History is repeating itself! Now it’s the Democrats turn.
This same scenario has played itself out in business repeatedly over the years. Remember Montgomery Wards, TWA, Eastern Airlines, Braniff, Circuit City, AMC General, or any of the “latest, hottest” new night spots or restaurants that have opened and closed in short order? As a business owner, don’t allow yourself to lose contact with your customers, stay in touch, keep in front of them and let them know how valued they are to you personally. Doing what is best for the client will help establish a bond and trust that will build a lifetime relationship and lead to new opportunities for growth in the future. AgencyIQ is here to assist you with those efforts to build your business and keep in touch with your most valued resource… your clients!
A Turdunkin Thanksgiving
What the heck is a Turducken and what does it have to do with Thanksgiving? And, why is this on AgencyIQ’s blog? Keep reading and hopefully your questions will be answered! First, a Turducken is a dish unique to Thanksgiving, and introduced to a largely unaware public by the well known NFL broadcast analyst John Madden during his Thanksgiving Day football broadcasts. A chicken stuffed inside a duck, stuffed inside a turkey=Turducken, here’s a link to a receipe from Paula Dean: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/turducken-recipe/index.html
The Turducken is a realistic representation of what those first Pilgrims had on the menu that first Thanksgiving celebration. The meal would have been comprised mainly of fresh meats from birds, fowls, deer, etc.. with a few seasonal vegetables, but surprising to our modern feasts, they would not have served breads, pies or any sweets. The little sugar they carried to the New World would have been nearly exhausted and they had not built ovens or stoves to bake in. Check out the History Channel link to get more interesting Thanksgiving facts to entertain your relatives and friends with this Thanksgiving: www.history.com/content/thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a uniquely American (and Canadian) holiday. In many ways, it kicks off the “official” holiday season: all those sales (and crowds) on the Friday after Thanksgiving, family gatherings, office parties, social functions, traveling, and the hectic, sometimes frantic pace of managing all these obligations with work and business demands. How do you manage being pulled in so many directions? Remember these important steps:
- First, take a deep breath…… and exhale!
- Be selective in the commitments you make and allow yourself time to actually enjoy this special time of year with family, friends and colleagues. Reflect on the good things in your life.
- Finally, start taking steps to optimize the productivity of your business. AgencyIQ provides you a system with tools to stay in touch with your clients and more importantly, potential clients. Don’t permit the bustle of the holidays to distract your ability to close business! Features like AutoResponder, drip email, and a full CRM system all provide automated tools making the ability to stay in touch with your prospects easier this holiday season!
From all of us at AgencyIQ, have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!