If Money Be the Food of Success, Trade On! (How To Start a Business Destined for Success)
Why does anybody start a business?It may seem like a very simple question, but the answer will reveal much about the business person, and more importantly how the business will ultimately evolve. When you peel back the layers of the manifold answers you'll hear, even if they say they do it for 'love', the underlying reason is to be successful and the only measure of success that business knows is growth, and growth is measured by money.So, how can a new business stack things in their favor in order to make the most of their time and money to make success a foregone conclusion rather than a pot-luck, pie-in-the-sky, suck-it-and-see, let's hope it works dream...? In short, how can a business start off from Day One making money?For expediency's sake and the limitations of the word count of this article, I'm assuming the reader/ potential business owner has already undertaken the investment of market research to know their is actually a need for their product or service. Likewise the assumption is made that they are in a geographical market conducive to their company's offering, and similar restrictions. What this article deals with is how to make opening the doors to a new venture the most successful on a continued basis.As a business and marketing consultant to European and American companies my greatest challenge was to make them 100% efficient (or as close to th

Why Phone Answering Services Are Needed
Each day there are an unlimited number of phone calls that are placed. That sounds amazing doesn’t it? What is even more amazing is the number of phone calls that go unanswered. Unanswered phone calls can be costly, especially for those who are trying to run a business. To prevent a loss in business profits there are many business owners who use a phone answering service.Phone answering services are used all around the world. One of the reasons why phone answering services are so popular is because they allow a business to provide their clients with the utmost service. When placing a phone call, the last thing that a customer wants to hear is nothing. In fact, when a customer places a phone call to a business that they regularly use and that call goes unanswered they may become upset. This upset feeling could lead to a customer changing where they do their business. Even though it may sound a little bit extreme it is how many individuals feel. Most individuals believe that if they are paying for a service then they should be able to receive it whenever they want.One of the many goals of a business is to keep their customers happy; however, that cannot happen around the clock. Due to holidays, business meetings, lunch breaks, and vacations a business employee may not always be available. This is why phone answering services are needed. In a way phone answering servi

Saluting the Squawkers: Complaints Often Key to Improving Sales, Retention and Loyalty
It's said nobody likes a complainer. I beg to differ. In customer service a complainer is doing you a favor. They are the extension of your research, testing and quality assurance departments. Although essentially unpaid, they're providing you with invaluable, often real-time feedback on what isn't working in your business or your relationship with them. Try to put a price tag on that! We know from surveys that most unhappy customers voice their displeasure with their feet ? they just walk. They simply go away. No fanfare, no pronouncements. One day they're disgruntled, the next they disappear. You belatedly discern they've left — but why? What happened? By then, it's probably too late. So let's celebrate the complainers. Let's salute the squeakers. The data they provide make improvement possible. Their feedback gives you end-user validation of your processes and procedures, your product lines and service levels. Since most customers are convinced you either don't care or won't change, those that care to share should be valued and rewarded. Be open to their feedback. See the long term value of fixing a problem this customer has experienced. For each customer who complains many more may have already moved away, or will soon if you don't fix your problem. Make it easy for customers to give you feedback and listen generously when they do come for

Annual Evaluation
There is always an annual review and usually the feedback is not very pleasant no matter who you are. The efficiency and accuracy of the reports are doubtful and debatable. Often employees feel that their employers know very little about the staff and their responsibilities.The problem lies less with the concept of performance evaluations: more than 90% of the employees at a company concerned about performance evaluation issues, indicated that they thought honest appraisal of their performance was critical to their success. Some 40% also felt they had never received such an appraisal--despite four-fifths of those employees having at least one signed review on file! The respondents were obviously not receiving what they needed from the documented reviews.Based on the number of articles and books written on the subject, there is no lack of expert opinion. Experts tend to agree with employees that appraisals are important; the problem is none of them has the same opinion on what to do about it. The bottom line is employees want to know how they are doing, and their companies want to tell them. In a nutshell, the problem with most systems of performance evaluation is their failure to address more than a handful of specific traits the company deemed important at one time or another. The solution involves more than developing a new form, however. There are at least si

Buyer Beware: Protect Yourself When Hiring Contractors or Consultants
Did you know that when you hire someone to do work for you that you may legally not own that work!?! Not unless you obtained an agreement that states that ownership of the entire work is being transferred to you upon final payment. Be it work with a graphic designer, copywriter, ghostwriter, photographer, web designer, software programmer, etc. etc. Know the limits of your contracts.EXAMPLE: Let's say you hire a photographer to take your photo for your web site. You have an agreement, pay them upfront, and they agree to send you the photo in a CD. So, you put the photo on your web site AND your letterhead AND your business card. The photographer sees your photo on these items and send you a bill. Or they send you a request to stop using that picture unless you pay them for each other instance that you used that photo. Yes, both these things are legal!PROTECT YOURSELF! I know the laws and yet I've been burnt. I had an verbal agreement and when I went to "use" that agreement I got in some hot water. Get the agreement in writing or don't work with the person. While I hate saying this, not everyone's "word is their bond" and people forget months down the line what they had originally agreed up. So, to repeat. Whenever you work with someone get an agreement in writing. And if you already have an agreement, look at it to see who owns what and get it fixed so that you

10 Ways To Improve Your Customer Service
1. Stay in contact with customers on a regular basis. Offer them a free e-zine subscription. Ask customers if they want to be updated by e-mail when you make changes to your Web site. After every sale, follow-up with the customer to see if they are satisfied with their purchase.2. Create a customer focus group. Invite ten to twenty of your most loyal customers to meet regularly. They will give you ideas and input on how to improve your customer service. You could pay them, take them out to dinner or give them free products.3. Make it easy for your customers to navigate on your web site. Have a "FAQ" page on your Web site to explain anything that might confuse your customers. Ask them to fill out an electronic survey to find out how make your web site more customer friendly.4. Resolve your customers complaints quickly and successfully. Answer all e-mail and phone calls within an hour. If possible, you the owner of the business, personally take care of the problem. This will show your customers you really care about them.5. Make it easy for your customers to contact you. Offer as many contact methods as possible. Allow customers to contact you by e-mail. Hyperlink your e-mail address so customers won't have to type it. Offer toll free numbers for phone and fax contacts.6. Make sure employees know and use your customer service policy. Gi