BizCoachDeb's BizBuzz -

Archive for the ‘Finally’ Category

Those that know me know that I’m a big proponent of giving of your time and talent when and where you can. There is a local outfit that’s taken this to a whole other level: may I introduce tuggl.com You’ll get sick of hearing about them from me honestly, that is unless you see the value in their work and light bulb goes off, which if you’re reading this blog, means you know what I mean – and you dig it.

But enough about them…and me. Check the piece below to see what they’re doing this week to help non-profits and other businesses in the Denver/Boulder area, and see what you can do to replicate this in your community. And a question for you: Where’s the best place for the economy to get spurred? Right at home. Read on:

Win a $100 dinner at Strings Restaurant & support your community with tuggl.com   The rest of the story...

In a time when many are bemoaning a slacking economy, the promise of free food will undoubtedly cause people to run scurrying to any place making such an offer.

Denny’s tried this tack after the Super Bowl, and IHOP did it on “Fat Tuesday”, using a charity bent, so it’s no surprise the sandwich giants are giving it a similar shot. Subway launched their “Five Dollar Footlong” campaign, (not free, but certainly cheap) adding a clever jingle that goes along with it. Denny’s and IHOP took a little heat over the long lines and shortages (and an alleged Nicky Hilton skirmish), but the campaigns went relatively smoothly. Why not get on the cheap/free food bandwagon, right? Everybody’s talking about it and it’s free press…well kind of.

Enter Quizno’s: the Denver-based company decided they would hitch themselves to the “giveaway/charity” variety campaign, providing coupons online for a free sandwich, calling it the Million Sub Giveaway. In addition to the coupons, they have a nomination process for people helping in the community, winners getting a year’s worth of subs – it’s noble, right? Unfortunately, they didn’t work the particulars out with their franchisees, and the backlash is only just beginning.  (This is a situation when the language “at participating locations” really comes into play.)   The rest of the story...

An amazing thing happened around the world on February 12, 2009. People gathered in venues, grand and small, to partake in a fundraising effort, punctuated with the use of Twitter. Our local version got coverage in the mainstream press, and around the globe, other people have begun to see that Twitter is more than a spot for people to gather and gab; it’s actually a place for things like Twestival to take root and grow. If money can be raised to the tune of better than $250K, then what else can it be used for?

Not just another office water cooler or a place to update people on what I’m doing, I consider Twitter a place to:  laugh, help, vent, share, learn, support, cry, validate, disagree, inform, advise, and stand in awe.  That’s my short list and it grows daily. It’s not just for business, it’s not just for fun.

What uses do you see it providing? Share your purpose with Twitter.
(photo credit snaps photostream)

Customer service might be making a comeback! Okay, maybe I’m being optimistic, but I am excited to report on a recent experience. Ordinarily when a business drops the ball, we’re not really surprised any more, and it appears to be the general sentiment with American consumers, especially in certain industries. Being the coach I am, I find it irresistible to rank and rate my experiences (secretly observing things, of course) when I’m out spending money: let’s face it, if it’s messed up, it’s an opportunity for me to approach them later on with help. Customer service is the “new marketing“, and knowing that, businesses have a unique opportunity to “right the wrongs” and still come away with a happy customer. In this situation, you might be as surprised as I was how well it goes from bad to good, really good.   The rest of the story...

What has happened to customer service in America? It’s so rare customers get exceptional service, they actually are quite surprised whenever it happens. In a waning economy, with consumers finding more and more reasons to hold onto their dollars, you’d think businesses would wake up and realize now, more than ever, they need to work to keep their customers, plus, work at keeping them happy. Well, one company has, and no one was more surprised than me, as I experienced it firsthand.

Recently, I caught up with always-on-the-move, @Frank Eliason, Director of Digital Care; his unit is called, aptly, Comcast Cares. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he and his team of 7 address service issues for customers across the U.S. He provided a revealing look at how Comcast is using Twitter to reach their customer base and shares five ways your business can use it to break the mold on customer service. As Frank puts it, “Being a customer advocate makes it an easy choice to use Twitter. It’s so instant.” The team he’s assembled view customer care the same way, putting the customer first and sometimes going against the company grain. “It’s more important to take care of the customer than to tow the company line.”   The rest of the story...