Using the information you have

If your small business maintains an electronic record of your customers, your sales, or your expenses you may have a powerful resource available that you haven’t tapped into yet. Large companies use this sort of data in the form of spreadsheets, databases, and the like to create reports that track trends and spot inefficiencies in their organization.

These reporting applications include the more basic Microsoft Access and the open source Open Office Base as well as higher end products like Crystal Reports from Business Objects. Simple reports created with any of the above can be very effective and will help you take advantage of the information you have on hand.

Proactive Customer Support: What and Why?

Proactive Customer Support is actively taking steps in preparation for difficult issues in supporting customers as well as preparing your customers for potential challenges and providing cutting edge solutions for their needs.

Many companies think of their customer support obligations as a necessary expense. Support staff is expected to solve customers’ problems and answer their questions as quickly and efficiently as possible, nothing more and nothing less. This approach is hardly sufficient for a successful business model.

Today customer service is what separates you from your competition. Anyone can sell widgets but if you provide exceptional customer service, your customers will return again and again.

Thoughts: What do your customers think about the service you provide? How did you come to that conclusion?