86 Articles Under This Category. Now Displaying Page 1
On The Switchboard of Life, You've Been Put On Hold! - - Octavia Hansen
Oh, how I love to put people on hold! Whoever and whenever the "HOLD" button was placed on a telephone, I want to give them a big wet kiss, give them my stunningly beautiful sister's phone number and a light up billboard proclaiming my undying love for a simple switch! This is better than voice... Submitted 3 days 8 hours ago.

The Thankless Status of Being a Valued Customer - Terry Mitchell
The credit card companies I do business with are constantly reminding me that I'm such a "valued" customer. But each time, however, they follow it up with a solicitation for one of their worthless credit protection programs. I can try one of these offers free of charge for one month, but failure... Submitted 3 years 201 days ago.

Little Phone Things That Pee Me Off –Talking to Recordings & Other Phone Hassles - - Steve Kovacs
I hate calling a company and connecting directly to a recording that asks me if it could help me. I usually try to keep my patience but after two or three recorded questions where my answers do not “compute” and “it” asks me more things so they can figure out why I... Submitted 77 days 2 hours ago.

Automated Phone Systems- Matrices of Confusion - Jon Searles
"Thank you for calling the National Center for Phone Frustration our office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for general information, press 1, for a directory of our 3000 employees, press 2, to talk to a real person press 3 and you will be immediately disconnected from our phone... Submitted 3 years 260 days ago.

7 Patient-Centered Pearls to "Wow" New Patients (Part II of III) - Avis Ward
We know there is no “magic formula" to success. Neither is there a magic formula to new patient enrollments or Case Acceptance. There are seven key ingredients a patient-centered practice has in common. These ingredients will help you “Wow" new patients seeking treatment from you. In Part I of... Submitted 4 years 277 days ago.

7 Patient-Centered Pearls to “Wow" New Patients (Part I of III) - Avis Ward
Are you and your team searching for that “magic formula" to increase Case Acceptance? Many orthodontic and dental practices are searching for ways to improve patient enrollment. Actually, winning patients over and improving your conversion rate is much easier than you may think. Consistently... Submitted 4 years 309 days ago.

Is The Mightiest Of Retailers, Walmart, On Its Way Down? - Joel Hendon
Walmart has been a controversial subject now for a number of years. First of all, let it be known that I am on their side. I’ve always thought this was the greatest thing to happen since the discovery of peanut butter. I’ve always been a stickler for things which I prefer. I have... Submitted 1 year 3 days ago.

Man Fired From American Airlines For Handling Customer Complaint - Asher Ricard
Sometimes you are darned if you do and darned if you don't. At least that is what one American Airlines employee found out after answer a customer complaint against the company at which he worked. It all started with a blog post from Dustin Curtis in which he wrote a letter complaining about... Submitted 2 years 84 days ago.

Another $99.00 Brake Job Deal. - straight talk
A few years ago I wrote an article about a major company that sells tires and does mechanical work. I went to them for tires and a front end brake job. They were advertising a special and said they would treat me right. That $99.00 brake job wound up costing me $700.00. So I decided to... Submitted 3 years 2 days ago.

Top Ten Worst Requests to Submit to Your IT Technical Support Group - Danny Davids
Feel like getting off on the right foot this year at work? Want to get all the assistance you need with your computer system? Then whatever you do, DO NOT put in these requests to your company's technical support personnel. 10. "My new employee started yesterday. Can you set him up today?"... Submitted 3 years 38 days ago.

AT&T and the Little Guy - Does Customer Service Exist? - Lorrie Davids
I'm the little guy, in case that isn't apparent. I am pretty easy going and it takes a lot to make me angry. Poor customer service seems to have become a way of doing business with many big companies. Usually, with some perseverance, you eventually can see a dispute resolved. Not this time. Only... Submitted 3 years 111 days ago.

Customer Service Horror Stories: Both Sides Are At Fault - Danny Davids
Periodically some organization releases its "Top Ten Worst Customer Support Companies" list. The organizations with customer-perceived support issues are ranked by vote, and the article usually includes a story or two about some poor unsuspecting innocent who's been victimized by the mean old... Submitted 3 years 236 days ago.

Corporate America, Anonymous and Aloof. - - straight talk
Have you ever tried to get through to one of these large Corporate giants? You know the ones you just may be fed up with their supposed "customer service". No one has an answer and when you get one it is usually wrong and when they mess up it is pay anyway. Do you know what I am talking to or... Submitted 3 years 362 days ago.

Do You Have Any Bacon? - Cher King
Bacon People On our farm we raise our own meat, something that was important to us. We have raised pigs in the past, which would give us an abundance of bacon. We have ours sliced thick. It is a luxury after buying the thinly sliced stuff from the store. There is a menu board on the wall of my... Submitted 4 years 90 days ago.

7 Patient-Centered Pearls to "Wow" New Patients (Part III of III) - Avis Ward
In Part I of this three-part series, you learned the first two ingredients— Patient/Parent Aggravation Were Non-Existent and Empty Promises Are Never Made. In Part II you learned, three more ingredients to WOW New Patients —You Must Manage the New Patient’s Experience, Involve the New Patient and... Submitted 4 years 256 days ago.

Customer Service Credos: Words That Drive Behavior and Results - Terry McKenna
Does your company have a customer service credo? You know, those fancy slogans that are printed on pocket-sized cards for each employee to carry around with them, which is designed to help guide their behavior when it comes to taking care of customers and interacting with coworkers. The... Submitted 4 years 287 days ago.

Personalization: Individualized Customer Service - Dennis Banowetz, Ph.D.
Today’s small businesses are finding new ways to interact with their customers. These interactions can be as simple as providing an interesting bit of how-to knowledge or as complex as developing a way of rapidly identifying a returning customer. The first challenge is to personalize the... Submitted 4 years 329 days ago.

Calming “Customonsters” and Other High-Maintenance Customers - Kate Zabriskie
It's been over twenty years since Madonna first sang about being a “material girl in a material world," and since that time, girls, boys, women, and men throughout the nation have become more demanding of businesses and what they expect in terms of service. One might argue that this age of the... Submitted 5 years 28 days ago.

Verbal Aikido: 7 Ways to Handle Difficult Customers - Myra Golden
In my live complaint resolution seminars , I demonstrate the martial art Aikido and offer it as a strate g y for diffusin g an g er. I be g an teachin g this unconventional approach to mana g in g conflict after havin g my breath taken away as I watched Steven Se g al effortlessly defeat his... Submitted 5 years 29 days ago.

Clients Are Blessings, Too – Three Simple Ways to Say Thanks - Rose Muenker
When you count your life’s rich blessings at Thanksgiving, do you remember to include those who fuel your financial well-being? As we look at the cornucopia of people and things that enrich our lives, we readily give thanks for our families, dear friends, comfy homes and bountiful food.... Submitted 5 years 82 days ago.

Customer Service – Tips to Getting the Support You Deserve - Danny Davids
Ever get the feeling that while you slept last night, somebody came in and magically whisked you away to an alternate dimension? Everything looks the same – your spouse, your kids, your boss, your home, your family and friends – and yet something has changed, something fundamental to your... Submitted 5 years 124 days ago.

Five Attributes that Lead to Exceptional Customer Service and Excellent Ratings From Your Customers - - Winifred Bragg MD
As a business owner, I have developed a keen sense of the attributes of people who are highly motivated as well as those qualities that lead to counter productive behavior. Regardless of the industry, customer service is key to the success of your business. Unfortunately, there are many examples... Submitted 26 days 3 hours ago.

Identify Customer’s Needs by Asking “What does a man in the desert need?” - Myra Golden
What does a man in the desert need most? In my customer service training sessions, I ask my participants to imagine they’ve come across a man stranded in the desert. “What do you think the man in the desert needs most?” I ask. The immediate answer from the entire group is... Submitted 1 year 26 days ago.

Telephone Call Flow Strategy for Contact Centers - - Myra Golden
The telephone is one of the best branding devices out there. Over the telephone you get 3-5 minutes of your customer's undivided attention. If you get the interaction right, you can create a memorable experience, generate positive word-of-mouth advertising, and build customer loyalty, which leads... Submitted 1 year 64 days ago.

The Corporate Apology: How to Apologize In 5 Easy Steps - - Myra Golden
You probably remember the story about dozens of JetBlue Airlines' passengers being stranded for more than 10 hours on the tarmac without taking off. That was February, 2007. Would you believe that JetBlue still managed to get the JD Power & Associates Award for #1 Customer Satisfaction for the... Submitted 1 year 113 days ago.