Modern businesses can’t afford for customer service to be an afterthought. Why? Because bad customer service is bad for your reputation. Happy customers are less likely to talk about their experiences, while unhappy customers are more likely to vent to a wider group of people. A study by American Express found that satisfied customers tell around 8 people about their positive experience, while unsatisfied customers complain to 21 different people. Not only that, but consumers don’t always stick around to give a business a second chance after one bad experience. In fact, 86% of consumers have stopped buying from a company after a negative experience. How to Create a Kickass Customer Service Strategy 1. Develop a Customer Service Vision The idea of putting your customers first isn’t just something your customer-facing employees need to think about. It should stem from management and flow down to every role in your organization. Otherwise, company policies, training, and quotas will be created to serve the company, rather than its customers. If there’s too much emphasis on increasing profits or upselling products that customers don’t necessarily want or need, the company is valuing itself over its customer base. Of course, looking for ways to expand your margins is important, but it should not be done at the expense of your customers. "Satisfied customers tell around 8 people about their positive experience, while unsatisfied customers complain to 21 different people." Your customers’ needs, wants, and concerns should inform your company policy, offerings, and how you provide support. 2. Set Clear, Attainable Goals Once management and team leaders understand the newly-defined customer service vision, it’s time to communicate it to the rest of the team. The best way to do this is by setting attainable goals that reflect your vision. You might start by outlining your goals and plan for how to prioritize customer support. Then, consider how individual employees can contribute to achieving these goals. Create guidelines to ensure all team members provide the same level of thoughtful, reliable customer service. Introduce these guidelines when onboarding new employees and ensure current employees have an opportunity to ask clarifying questions. 3. Start Building Your Dream Team To make sure your customer service strategy is implemented effectively, you need to find the right type of people to join your team. Even if someone looks great on paper and has the technical skills you’re looking for, they might not be the right candidate for an open position if they clash with your company culture or ideals. Every candidate should be tested for cultural fit during the interview process – involve HR in coming up with relevant questions or benchmarks. Then, once you decide on who to hire, provide them with the right training to bring out their full potential. This should include helping them understand how their role intersects with your big-picture focus on customer service. Make it clear that everyone is working to support the same set of values. Put every new team member, regardless of title or rank, through the same customer service training program to ensure you provide a consistent experience. 4. Incentivize a Customer-First Mindset Another way to encourage your team to actively improve customer experiences is to reward any employee behavior you want others to model. Your reward doesn’t need to be monetary; in fact, it can be just about anything that reinforces the type of behavior you want to see more of. For example, if a customer sends an email praising a support agent by name, forward it to the entire team with a congratulatory message. If your team uses Slack to communicate, use the ‘Hey Taco!’ plugin to send fun taco-themed rewards to show employee appreciation. You could also give out a monthly or quarterly award for anyone who provides exceptional customer service. Maybe even allow employees to nominate their peers to inspire comradery and a healthy sense of competition. 5. Empower Employees to Be Customer Service Superheroes The more difficult it is for your employees to go out on a limb to make a customer happy, the more frustrating the situation is for everyone involved. Unfortunately, there are a number of ways businesses prevent their customer service agents from providing the best service possible. Whether it’s a complex approval process, an inability to offer discounts, or a general lack of authority, if a policy hinders employee performance in any way, it likely needs to be revisited. In many cases, the solution is to institute a more flexible policy or revise the existing one to support your customer-oriented goals. Above all, aim to empower your support agents. Create policies that enable them to solve issues creatively so they’re capable of rising to meet the unique needs of every customer. 6. Be True to Your Word It can take years to build a strong brand for your business, but it only takes one broken promise to shatter a customer’s perception of it. As a general rule, try to under-promise and over-deliver. This means no one on your team should make impossible promises, like telling a customer that they’ll never experience a software bug again. Encourage your customer service agents to be honest when something is beyond their control or when an issue is taking longer than predicted to resolve. Honesty builds trust, and trust builds customer loyalty. 7. Reply to All Customer Comments – the Good and the Bad Done right, publicly responding to a negative review or customer complaint is one of the best things a business can do for its reputation. Not only does it allow you to defuse a potential PR disaster on social media or a review site, but it also allows you to address the concerns of the individual customer. That said, you should still try to respond to all customer comments – or at least as many as possible. Even if it’s someone congratulating you on a new launch or a positive review of your latest product, it is important to engage with your customers in both positive and negative contexts. Measuring Your Customer Service Success Regardless of the specifics of your customer service strategy, the only way to know if it’s providing the type of support your customers want is to quantify your success. There are a few ways you can approach this, including tracking these common customer service metrics. What Is a Service Dispatcher? A service dispatcher takes incoming customer calls and creates a dispatch ticket for each service call. Your responsibilities in this career include keeping organized and updated customer files in a database and creating contract proposals if relevant. Other duties include assisting with marketing as needed and keeping hard copies of customer files and billing. As a service dispatcher, you can work in a variety of industries, such as automotive, HVAC, emergency services, and more. In HVAC positions, you maintain technician schedules and dispatch technicians as service calls come in from customers. As an emergency service dispatcher, you answer emergency calls, collect vital information, and alert the necessary response team quickly and calmly. In the automotive industry, you also answer customer service calls, schedule service tickets for technicians, order special parts as needed, and invoice customers. How to Become a Service Dispatcher The qualifications needed to become a service dispatcher include a high school diploma or GED certificate and two years of experience in customer service or dispatching. You must have advanced customer service skills and a positive and friendly attitude when speaking with customers. Employers also expect you to have the ability to multitask. You should be detail-oriented, able to work on a team in a fast-paced environment, and able to use a computer to maintain accurate records in a database. Service Dispatcher Job Description Sample With this Service Dispatcher job description sample, you can get a good idea of what employers are looking for when hiring for this position. Remember though, every employer is different and each will have unique qualifications when they hire for their Service Dispatcher position. Summary Our company is looking for a Service Dispatcher to take incoming calls and help facilitate the dispatch of our service professionals to people in need. In this role, it’s your responsibility to carefully listen to each caller, obtain vital information over the phone, take note of the schedules of technicians and other service professionals, and swiftly respond to the request. You must ensure that a service team attends to each customer, and you must keep organized notes or records of these calls in our database. Aside from dispatching, your other duties may include invoicing customers, making purchase orders for supplies, and organizing our file system of service calls. Duties and Responsibilities Answer a high volume of calls, listening intently to the caller’s information Dispatch the appropriate service professionals to the job site Schedule service appointments as neededInvoice customers and help keep track of billing information Organize our file systems Make purchase orders for supplies as needed Requirements and Qualifications High school diploma or GED certificate Experience in a similar role Strong organizational, multitasking, and communication skillsExcellent listening, customer service, and phone skills Basic computer proficiency Experience using Microsoft Outlook for vendor management. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers, and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles, and many more.

Being in customer service requires a lot of traits in order to maintain professionalism in the workplace, especially being polite and delight to the customers themselves. The idea that companies must “delight” their customers has become so entrenched that managers rarely examine it. But ask yourself this: How often does someone patronize a company specifically because of its over-the-top service? You can probably think of a few examples, such as the traveler who makes a point of returning to a hotel that has a particularly attentive staff. But you probably can’t come up with many. Consumers’ impulse to punish bad service—at least more readily than to reward delightful service—plays out dramatically in both phone-based and self-service interactions, which are most companies’ largest customer service channels. In those settings, our research shows, loyalty has a lot more to do with how well companies deliver on their basic, even plain-vanilla promises than on how dazzling the service experience might be. Yet most companies have failed to realize this and pay dearly in terms of wasted investments and lost customers. Two critical findings emerged that should affect every company’s customer service strategy. First, delighting customers doesn’t build loyalty; reducing their effort—the work they must do to get their problem solved—does. Second, acting deliberately on this insight can help improve customer service, reduce customer service costs, and decrease customer churn. Trying Too Hard According to conventional wisdom, customers are more loyal to firms that go above and beyond. But our research shows that exceeding their expectations during service interactions (for example, by offering a refund, a free product, or a free service such as expedited shipping) makes customers only marginally more loyal than simply meeting their needs. One reason for the focus on exceeding expectations is that fully 80% of customer service organizations use customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores as the primary metric for gauging the customer’s experience. And managers often assume that the more satisfied customers are, the more loyal they will be. But, like others before us (most notably Fred Reichheld), we find little relationship between satisfaction and loyalty. Twenty percent of the “satisfied” customers in our study said they intended to leave the company in question; 28% of the “dissatisfied” customers intended to stay. The picture gets bleaker still. Although customer service can do little to increase loyalty, it can (and typically does) do a great deal to undermine it. Customers are four times more likely to leave a service interaction disloyal than loyal. Make It Easy Let’s return to the key implication of our research: When it comes to service, companies create loyal customers primarily by helping them solve their problems quickly and easily. Armed with this understanding, we can fundamentally change the emphasis of customer service interactions. Framing the service challenge in terms of making it easy for the customer can be highly illuminating, even liberating, especially for companies that have been struggling to delight. Telling frontline reps to exceed customers’ expectations is apt to yield confusion, wasted time and effort, and costly giveaways. Telling them to “make it easy” gives them a solid foundation for action. Telling reps to exceed customers’ expectations is apt to yield confusion, wasted time and effort, and costly giveaways. During our study, we saw many companies that had successfully implemented low-customer-effort approaches to service. Following are five of the tactics they used—tactics that every company should adopt. 1. Don’t just resolve the current issue—head off the next one. By far the biggest cause of excessive customer effort is the need to call back. Many companies believe they’re performing well in this regard because they have strong first-contact-resolution (FCR) scores. (See the sidebar “What Should You Measure?”) However, 22% of repeat calls involve downstream issues related to the problem that prompted the original call, even if that problem itself was adequately addressed the first time around. Although companies are well equipped to anticipate and “forward-resolve” these issues, they rarely do so, generally because they’re overly focused on managing call time. They need to realize that customers gauge the effort they expend not just in terms of how an individual call is handled but also according to how the company manages evolving service events, such as taking out a mortgage or setting up cable service, which typically requires several calls. Fidelity uses a similar concept on its self-service website, offering “suggested next steps” to customers executing certain transactions. Often customers who change their address online call later to order new checks or ask about homeowners’ or renters’ insurance; therefore, Fidelity directs them to these topics before they leave the site. Twenty-five percent of all self-service transactions on Fidelity’s website are now generated by similar “next issue” prompts, and calls per household have dropped by 5% since the policy began. 2. Arm reps to address the emotional side of customer interactions. Twenty-four percent of the repeat calls in our study stemmed from emotional disconnects between customers and reps—situations in which, for instance, the customer didn’t trust the rep’s information or didn’t like the answer given and had the impression that the rep was just hiding behind general company policy. With some basic instruction, reps can eliminate many interpersonal issues and thereby reduce repeat calls. One company teaches its reps how to listen for clues to a customer’s personality type and tailor their responses accordingly. The lighting company Osram Sylvania sifts through its call transcripts to pinpoint words that tend to trigger negative reactions and drive repeat calls—words like “can’t,” “won’t,” and “don’t”—and coaches its reps on alternate phrasing. Instead of saying “We don’t have that item in stock,” a rep might explain, “We’ll have stock availability for that item in two weeks.” Through such simple changes in language, Osram Sylvania has lowered its Customer Effort Score from 2.8 to 2.2—18.5% below the average we see for B2B companies. 3. Minimize channel switching by increasing self-service channel “stickiness.” Many companies ask, “How can we get our customers to go to our self-service website?” Our research shows that in fact many customers have already been there: Fifty-seven percent of inbound calls came from customers who went to the website first. Despite their desire to have customers turn to the web, companies tend to resist making improvements to their sites, assuming that only heavy spending and technology upgrades will induce customers to stay there. (And even when costly upgrades are made, they often prove counterproductive, because companies tend to add complicated and confusing features in an attempt to keep up with their competitors.) Customers may become overwhelmed by the profusion of self-service channels—interactive voice response, websites, e-mail, chat, online support communities, social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and so on—and often lack the ability to make the best choice for themselves. For example, technically unsophisticated users left to their own devices may go to highly technical online support communities. As a result, customers may expend a lot of effort bouncing between channels, only to pick up the phone in the end. Cisco Consumer Products now guides customers to the channel it determines will suit them best, on the basis of segment-specific hypotheses generated by the company’s customer experience team. Language on the site’s home page nudges technology gurus toward the online support community; those with less technical expertise are steered toward knowledge articles by the promise of simple step-by-step instructions. The company eliminated the e-mail option, having found that it didn’t reliably reduce customer effort. (Our research shows that 2.4 e-mails, on average, are needed to resolve an issue, compared with 1.7 calls.) When Cisco Consumer Products began this program, in 2006, only 30% of its customer contacts were handled through self-service; the figure today is 84%, and the volume of calls has dropped accordingly. Travelocity reduced customer effort just by improving the help section of its website. It had been learned that many customers who sought solutions there were stymied and resorted to the phone. By eliminating jargon, simplifying the layout, and otherwise improving readability, the company doubled the use of its “top searches” and decreased calls by 5%. 4. Use feedback from disgruntled or struggling customers to reduce customer effort. Many companies conduct post-call surveys to measure internal performance; however, they may neglect to use the data they collect to learn from unhappy customers. But consider the National Australia Group’s approach. The company has frontline reps specifically trained to call customers who have given it low marks. The reps focus first on resolving the customers’ issues, but they also collect feedback that informs service improvements. The company’s issue-resolution rate has risen by 31%. Such learning and intervention aren’t limited to the phone channel. Some companies monitor online behavior in order to identify customers who are struggling. EarthLink has a dedicated team of reps who step in as needed with clients on its self-service website—for example, by initiating a chat with a customer who has spent more than 90 seconds in the knowledge center or clicked on the “Contact Us” link. This program has reduced calls by 8%. 5. Empower the front line to deliver a low-effort experience. Incentive systems that value speed over quality may pose the single greatest barrier to reducing customer effort. Most customer service organizations still emphasize productivity metrics such as average handle time when assessing rep performance. They would be better off removing the productivity “governors” that get in the way of making the customer’s experience easy. An Australian telecommunications provider eliminated all productivity metrics from its frontline reps’ performance scorecards. Although handle time increased slightly, repeat calls fell by 58%. Today the company evaluates its reps solely on the basis of short, direct interviews with customers, essentially asking them if the service they received met their needs. Freed to focus on reducing customer effort, frontline reps can easily pick low-hanging fruit. Ameriprise Financial, for example, asks its customer service reps to capture every instance in which they are forced to tell a customer no. While auditing the “no’s,” the company found many legacy policies that had been outmoded by regulatory changes or system or process improvements. During its first year of “capturing the no’s,” Ameriprise modified or eliminated 26 policies. It has since expanded the program by asking frontline reps to come up with other process efficiencies, generating $1.2 million in savings as a result. Some companies have gone even further, making low customer effort the cornerstone of their service value proposition and branding. South Africa’s Nedbank, for instance, instituted an “AskOnce” promise, which guarantees that the rep who picks up the phone will own the customer’s issue from start to finish. The immediate mission is clear: Corporate leaders must focus their service organizations on mitigating disloyalty by reducing customer effort. But service managers fretting about how to reengineer their contact centers—departments built on a foundation of delighting the customer—should consider this: A massive shift is underway in terms of customers’ service preferences. Although most companies believe that customers overwhelmingly prefer live phone service to self-service, our most recent data show that customers are, in fact, indifferent. This is an important tipping point and probably presages the end of phone-based service as the primary channel for customer service interactions. For enterprising service managers, it presents an opportunity to rebuild their organizations around self-service and, in the process, to put reducing customer effort firmly at the core, where it belongs. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers, and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles, and many more.

The digital world has been relevant and people usually stay longer virtually compared to being in a site physically. Twenty-some years ago, we found ourselves in awe of how computers and the internet changed so many aspects of life. Just when we thought technology had reached its peak, we were also blithely aware that more was going to unfold. In today's age, we can only look back at the impact the digital revolution made on how we communicate, the way we work, and even the way we socialize. Graphic design is no exception to this change. Technology now plays a major role in the creation of digital work available in many fields. Portfolio design, presentations, signage, logos, websites, animations, and even architectural production have all traveled far since the dawn of the digital revolution. Appreciation In Graphic Design Investment Gone are the days when graphic design was solely focused on the obvious graphic elements of a product like its packaging and marketing materials. Technology has enabled brands to have more exposure online, allowing businesses to interact with their clients and consumers, which has also allowed us the ability to review and analyze real-time data to measure and see what sources are driving more traffic. We can actually analyze digitally the type of content and graphics that are getting more media impressions, more likes, more saves, and, ultimately, are more appealing and converting to an audience. With the internet as the major source of marketing and exposure, companies have invested so much in content creation for customer communication, analytics, and real-time feedback from consumers. Companies like Ikea and Johnson & Johnson employ the world’s most sophisticated marketing teams to spread their message and gain analytics across digital media globally. For example, according to the Digital Agency Network, Ikea launched a virtual-reality kitchen experience that brings you a life-size virtual IKEA kitchen. The pilot program is aimed at gathering feedback and suggestions from users. This is a great example of how companies are using analytics and customer feedback to improve their content marketing strategies and product offerings. (MEBS) Mancao E-connect Business Solutions is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify? Content marketing and the evolution of graphic design for digital marketing are continuing to rise. One industry that is seeing the impact of this growth is the hotel industry. It is the amalgamation of creativity, technology, and the right graphic and web design tools that made some businesses in the hospitality industry stand out from the rest. On paper, the last two years have been great for the hospitality industry, with digital marketing playing a huge role in generating revenue. Graphic design and quality content are influencing this, as the content remains king. Hospitality giants like Virgin Hotels and Marriot are continuing to invest in modern marketing to boost occupancy rates and get heads in beds. Virgin Hotels has seen an uptick in online bookings and is constantly A/B testing the content tiles on its website home page. These hotel brands can effectively generate engagement by presenting eye-catching graphics in online media to gain a competitive edge over others. Today’s hotel sites are no longer solely for contacts and reservations but also serve as a portfolio of the hotel’s interior design and amenities to gain critiques. Connectivity And The Progression Of The Graphic Design Career Along with the improvement of digital graphics technology, careers in this field have also evolved. Graphic designers are no longer glued to their workstations. With graphic design software now readily available on laptops and mobile phones through apps, it has made it much easier for them to work anywhere in the world, which also makes it easier for companies to outsource talent without having to hire in-house. In 2016, Adobe made a whopping $5.85 billion compared to its $4.8 billion 2015 revenue. This figure represents what the company earned from its subscriptions that seamlessly connect Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator through its Creative Cloud. Graphic designers can now work anywhere they want and still be connected with their offices. This occasion led to the rise of freelance designers now working in their respective creative spaces anywhere in the world, which some companies have realized is much more cost-efficient than hiring someone in-house. Take Upwork, for instance. This company built its entire existence on the use of creative freelancers where companies, sole proprietors, or individuals can source freelance talent by reviewing resumes, portfolios, and reviews from clients in a matter of minutes. It goes without saying that technology and creativity never take on a steady form, so it is inevitable for graphic design to change as we move forward. The rise of content marketing and good design is going to continue to make an impact on businesses’ bottom-line revenue. Graphic design will always be a necessary tool for artistic, economic, marketing, and architectural expression and will continue to evolve as a result of advances in technology and online mediums. So what is graphic design, exactly? Listing these graphic design examples is a good start, but it doesn’t paint the full picture. While covering the details and intricacies of the entire graphic design field might not be possible in one article, this high-level overview will help you better understand this creative career field. If you’re at all interested in becoming a professional graphic designer, keep reading to learn the basics of the field. First, what is graphic design? According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), graphic design is defined as “the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content.” In other terms, the graphic design communicates certain ideas or messages in a visual way. These visuals can be as simple as a business logo, or as complex as page layouts on a website. “Graphic design takes graphical and textual elements and implements them into multiple types of media,” says designer Alexandros Clufetos, when asked to elaborate on the graphic design definition. “It helps the producer connect with the consumer. It conveys the message of the project, event, campaign or product.” Graphic design can be used by companies to promote and sell products through advertising, by websites to convey complicated information in a digestible way through infographics, or by businesses to develop an identity through branding, among other things. “Every day, we take many of the subtly artistic things around us for granted. But hidden in every magazine corner, exit sign, or textbook lies a set of design ideas that influence our perceptions,” says Jacob Smith, founder of illustration studio ProductViz. It’s also important to remember that although many graphic design projects have commercial purposes like advertisements and logos, it is also used in other contexts and graphic design work is often created purely as a means for artistic expression. Graphic design basics To better understand the meaning of the graphic design, it is important to be aware of the elements and principles that make up the design. Elements are used in conjunction or opposition with each other to create visually striking and impactful designs. Graphic designers also adhere to the principles of design, which are essentially a set of guidelines that help a design achieve effective composition. These basic principles aid in creating balance and stability for the piece of work. You’ve heard the old saying that “rules are meant to be broken,” which can certainly ring true in this case. But a good graphic designer must first understand these principles before making the conscious decision to break them. Types of graphic design As mentioned earlier, there is no single graphic design meaning. Graphic design is composed of many fields and specializations, ranging from print and web design to animation and motion graphics. Graphic design offers opportunities and options for individuals of almost any interest. If you’d asked someone 30 years ago to define graphic design, their answer would have likely been focused on print-related examples like magazines, movie posters, and advertisements. Now we’re living in the digital age, which has given birth to several new types of graphic design. With technological advancements introducing new types of graphic design, there has also been an emergence of new graphic design jobs. This evolution has changed the entire landscape of careers in this field. Demand for “traditional” graphic designers who work primarily for print publishers has fallen substantially, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The employment of graphic designers in computer systems design services is projected to grow by 24 percent through 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).1 Much of this demand is spurred by businesses’ and organizations’ increased need for digital graphics and imagery as they aim to increase their digital presence. So with that said, what are some common graphic design job titles? We analyzed more than 30,000 job postings calling for a graphic design degree over the past year. As you can see, once armed with the proper knowledge and training, there are several graphic design job options out there. You have the ability to cater your career to your personal skills and interests. Popular graphic design tools Now that you know what type of jobs and specializations are out there, it’s helpful to familiarise yourself with the graphic design tools that help get the job done. One of the most basic, and least expensive, tools designers use is a sketchbook. Graphic designers will often sketch out ideas or rough drafts on paper before turning to a computer to complete the process. That being said, computers and design software are essentials in today’s digital climate, even if you are designing for print. The type of computer you need is based on preference, but when it comes to software, Adobe products such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign are mainstays in the graphic design world. If you are just beginning and don’t want to commit to the high price tag Adobe products often carry, similar free open-source software such as GIMP can help you begin to master the basics. Lastly, ideas and inspiration are what a graphic designer needs most. “You need to have a solid concept serving as the foundation of your design and communication,” explains Chad Birenbaum, co-founder of Duckpin Design. “This concept and idea need to work on paper first and then the computer should be used as a tool to bring the concept to life.” Graphic designers gain inspiration from the world around them, so if you are worried you aren’t creative enough, go outside, bounce ideas off your peers, or seek ideas from the internet. There are plenty of inspiring graphic design blogs that can help get your creative juices flowing. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers, and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles, and many more.

Opening a sale is pretty much an exciting business to get into, salespeople usually enjoy the sales talk that they need to have as a way to open up a sale. Yet, how hard it is to close a sale? That is sometimes elusive, but always a thrilling moment when you close a deal. That’s why we’re all here. We love to help customers, chase new challenges, and in the process, hit those numbers. The romanticized pop culture image of selling always focuses on the close, with scenes from films like “Glengarry Glen Ross” seared onto our collective memory. But sales closing is an art, and like art, its style changes over time. We’ll move past outdated and ineffective techniques and talk to sales experts to get the nitty-gritty of what it means to close like a boss in today’s world. What is sales closing? Sales closing, or getting a prospect to agree to a deal and sign a contract, is how reps make their quota and how businesses grow revenue. It represents the culmination of all your efforts. You put in the time and made a strong case for why your solution can alleviate the prospect’s pain points. Now that you’ve popped the question with a (sales) proposal, it’s time to find out if this prospect is ready to commit. “Fundamentally, closing a deal should be the easiest part of a sales cycle,” said Jay Camp, a strategic account director for large enterprises at Salesforce. “There are a series of key milestones you have to hit in order to be in a position to close a deal. If those key milestones are done well, closing is the easy part because the work's already been done.” What are the most common sales closing techniques? There’s no one way to close a sale. Your approach will shift based on the prospect with whom you’re engaging and what their needs are. But this curated list of tried-and-true methods provides a template of what strategies to deploy and when. 1. Assumptive close In the close of the assumptive sales, you move forward under the assumption that the prospect wants to buy and that the deal is pretty much done. Instead of asking them if they’re ready to buy, you’ll ask how many products they would like or when the solution could be implemented. The key here is to be assertive without being aggressive, which can ruin the rapport and scare the prospect off. It’s also important to make sure the assumptive close happens right after you’ve driven home the benefits of your offer so it’s fresh in the prospect’s mind. 2. Puppy Dog Close This sales close technique comes from the idea that if a pet store offered to let you “test a puppy out” and take it home for a few days, you would fall in love with it and never return it. In a puppy dog close, offer a free trial of your product with no strings attached. The hope is that the prospect finds your product so indispensable that after their little test drive, they can’t bear to part with it. 3. Scale Close This is also referred to as the gauge close. You take the prospect’s temperature by simply asking them point-blank how interested they are in your product. (Ex: “On a scale of one to 10, with one being ‘Let’s end this conversation now and 10 beings ‘Let’s get this solution implemented on Monday,’ how likely are you to move forward with purchasing?”) The scale close does two things: It lets you know if you’ve been effectively communicating the value of your product and also gives you an opportunity to address any objections they might not have shared with you. 4. Scarcity close Also known as the now-or-never close, the scarcity sales close leverages good old-fashioned FOMO (fear of missing out) to get a prospect to buy. You sweeten the deal with a discount or an added benefit to the prospect, but only if they act now and make a purchase. This mainly works when the prospect is sincerely interested in buying but needs a small nudge to get to yes. 5. Takeaway Close This technique capitalizes on people’s desire for things that they can’t have, also known as reverse psychology. Note that your solution “might not be a good fit” for them or that their company “may not qualify for your solution like other companies have.” The takeaway close is effective because you’re doing the opposite of what a salesperson typically does, which is sold, so the prospect doesn’t expect it. Similar to the scarcity close, this tactic only works if the prospect has already established interest in your product but hasn’t pulled the trigger on buying. 6. Summary Close Sales cycles can be long, especially for B2B selling. A prospect who’s juggling conversations with different vendors about different products might not remember all the great things your solution has to offer. In a summary sales close, you review the features of the product and how it will help meet their needs. It gives the prospect one more time to really envision what your product might accomplish for them before making a decision. CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS AND CLOSE MORE DEALS WITH THE SALES CLOUD. “I always tell people sales is not about ‘selling’ or convincing anybody of anything. It’s about helping people solve problems or achieve goals.” — John Barrows, CEO of JB Sales How do you improve at closing? Okay, so you know a lot of the proven techniques. How do you build on this foundation and get better at sales closing? Here are a few pointers to keep top of mind when you’re trying to reel in the deal. Know the customer. Selling shouldn’t feel like selling. It should feel like helping because that’s ultimately what you’re doing. The consultative approach will always beat the transactional approach, especially in B2B selling. Use discovery calls and your own research to know the customer inside and out. What are their pain points? How does your solution address them? Are they an ideal fit for your solution? This personalized approach builds trust, and at the end of the day, successful selling is all about relationships. Know their objections. Preparation is half the battle. Your prospect will naturally have objections about why this isn’t the right time for them to buy. A very common one is pricing. What’s the competitive advantage of your tool that offsets the cost? Be ready to go with solid answers to whatever pushback they might have. This makes you look more knowledgeable about the prospect and the product. Know the decision-maker. Are you talking to the right person? If not, how do you get to the right person? So much of sales closing requires getting the correct people in the room who have the power to call shots. You’ll want to suss this out earlier on in the sales process when you’re qualifying leads. Don’t spend too much time communicating the value of your tool to the marketing manager if the person holding the purse strings is the vice president of marketing. Know when to fold ‘em. Sales representatives don’t close every single opportunity in their pipeline. That means a lot of the prospects that come your way may not become customers. It’s also possible a small percentage of leads could bring in a lot of your revenue, which means you don’t have to pursue those unlikely to close. Knowing when to move on is critical. Don’t dwell on prospects that have shown no interest in closing. You’ll lose sight of more promising opportunities. Know you’re part of a team. Combined expertise will outweigh one person’s expertise every time. When you’re facing hurdles, lean on your collaborative tools like Slack to connect with your fellow reps or your sales managers in real-time so you can decide your next move as a team. We recommend even creating deal-specific channels in Slack that can act as a repository of knowledge and support for high-level opportunities. “You're going to win 10 times more as a team than you are as an individual,” said Myers. “There will be a lot of times where you don’t have the answers, and that’s okay. It’s important to know you have a team that will do everything in their power to help you deliver what the customer needs.” LEVEL UP YOUR SELLING AND GROW REVENUE WITH SALES CLOUD PLUS SLACK. “Every deal, whether it’s a win or loss, has something you can learn from. It’s an opportunity to reflect on how you can evolve both in-process and strategy.” — Kelly Myers, Account executive at Salesforce What sales closing mistakes should you avoid? Experience can be the best teacher when it comes to knowing what not to do. Here are common pitfalls that the smartest salespeople have learned to overcome. Going in for the hard close. Pressure selling is out, empathy selling is in. When you come out early with an ask for the sale and then keep aggressively asking before you’ve even truly established your product’s value, it shows little consideration for the buyer. It makes it appear as though you're speeding through the sale to meet your quota, and it’s off-putting. After all, selling isn’t about you, it’s about them. “I don't think the hard sale has any place in today's market. I always tell people sales is not about ‘selling’ or convincing anybody of anything. It's about helping people solve problems or achieve goals,” said John Barrows, the CEO of JB Sales, a sales training firm. Not asking for the sale. An important thing to remember when closing? Ask for the sale. Inertia can be a difficult thing to overcome when working with prospects. Many waffles when faced with multiple vendors and put off making a final purchase decision. If you tell them to “take some time to think about it and circle back,” you may never hear from that person again. After you’ve effectively communicated why your product is a fit and they’ve reciprocated interest, sometimes it’s powerful to simply ask if they’re ready to buy. If they balk, that’s your cue to ask more questions about their needs. Only closing at the end. How do you know when it’s the right time to close? How do you avoid closing too early? Too late? This is a bit of a trick question. There is no singular moment when you go in for the close because, if you’re wise, sales closing is something that happens throughout the sales process. The prospect signing on the dotted line is more of a natural conclusion, not an event. “Closing should happen at every stage of the sales process. You’re closing for the next steps, you’re closing for meetings. It’s ongoing,” said Barrows. “I would say that curiosity is key. You need to always be asking questions. The risk of a conversation going nowhere is strong if you aren’t listening.” — Francois Carle What's next? “Always be closing” used to be a common saying in sales. That’s shifted to “Always be connecting.” You should always be studying your prospects and adapting your approach to match their expectations and their needs. Similar to chess, your first moves often determine your final ones. When the rest of the sales process has been strategic and focused, sales closing becomes less of conquest and more of a collaboration between you and the buyer. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline, and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers, and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles, and many more.

Closing a sale is one of the difficult things to settle as a salesperson. Salespeople spend a lot of time trying to close the deal. Here are a few strategies that can make you more successful. Closing the deal is the most important part of the sales cycle. To close the deal, you should do your research, offer solutions and anticipate objections. There are several techniques you can use to close the deal, including providing a summary of features, enticing them with a one-time offer, or walking them through the product. This article is for sales professionals who want to understand what techniques help close the deal. From walking prospects through a demo to answering their every question, sales professionals dedicate a lot of time to closing deals. This is only logical because closing the deal and making the sale is the most important part of the sales cycle. But it takes more than just being in communication with your prospect to persuade them to spend their money with you. Closing the deal requires sales professionals to be proactive and adopt strategies that work. How to close the deal Closing a deal is the most important component of the sales cycle. Everything a salesperson does is in hopes that it leads to this final step. One of the best ways to reach the end is to have a plan. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to close a deal and make a sale: 1. Do your research. To be successful, you need to understand both your company and your prospect's company. So, the first step is to do your research. Make sure you are well versed on your company's offerings and the value they can provide your prospect. You also want to know which of your products or services are best suited to your prospect. You don't want to end up pitching the wrong product and losing that person altogether. You can learn what the best fits for your prospects are by getting to know them. While the point of contact is a good place to start, you should expand beyond that if possible. Aim to speak to others at the company, especially those working in different departments so you can learn about their different perspectives and how they define their company's pain points. Through these conversations, you'll gain an understanding of what the company needs and how your products or services can help them reach their objectives. 2. Talk about budgets and timelines. For this step, you want to get clarity on budgets and timelines. This should be done before providing prospects with a demo of the product or service. This will give you an idea of whether they are ready to buy now or somewhere down the line. If they are ready to buy, then it makes sense to invest time went. If they're not, then you can revisit when they're ready. 3. Offer solutions. Don't sell your products and services. Instead, offer solutions. Showing prospects what you can do for them can do more in the long run because your conversation will be tailored to their specific needs. This helps them better envision how your products and services will fit their needs. 4. Handle objections. Potential clients will likely have concerns or objections. Not only should you have an idea of how you will address these, but you should also make sure you don't brush off their concerns. Show them you understand where they're coming from. This can help them feel more connected to you. A good tip is to look back at past objections that either you or a colleague has received. This will prepare you to have the right answers. 5. Ask for the sale. If you feel the prospect's questions are answered and they have an understanding of the solutions you provide, you should ask for the sale. You want to have a powerful statement and reiterate what solution you are offering them. It's important to sound knowledgeable and confident, ensuring you don't veer into arrogance. 6. Set up the next steps. Whether you make the sale or not, you should set up some next steps. If you succeed, finalize paperwork and provide the customer with the information they need to properly use your products and services. Once your products have been delivered or your services rendered, you should check in to see if the client has had any issues or problems. If you failed to close the deal, you should set up a follow-up meeting to keep nurturing your lead. Key takeaway: Doing your research, offering solutions, and handling objections will put you on track to close the deal. Strategies to help close the deal Here are 10 strategies that work and can help you close the deal: Summary close With a summary close, you provide potential customers a synopsis of your service or products, as well as any previously agreed-upon features. This is a good way to reiterate what they will get, but also remind them of any key points they may have forgotten about or missed. You might say: "With [product], you get free delivery and installation, as well as a comprehensive guarantee." Assumptive selling close Assumptive selling is when you address the prospect as though you have closed the deal. For some, this can be off-putting, so it's a technique you should reserve for when you know your target isn't on the fence. With this technique, you should also be cautious that you're not seen as aggressive. The key is to not be too overt. [Read related article: Why Analyzing Data is Important for Small Businesses] For example, "Do you want to go with [Option 1] or [Option 2]?" might be better received than "Send me your financial information, and I'll prepare the paperwork now." With the first, you are giving the prospect an option; with the second one, it might feel like you are trying to ambush them. Not all assumptive phrases are created equally, so you have to gauge what will and won't work with a potential customer. Here are a few other examples of assumptive selling: "When would you like to start your subscription?"How many would you like?"When should [product] be delivered?"Now or never close Creating a sense of urgency is an effective technique. Proposing an enticing offer can push a prospect to act at the moment, instead of having them spend more time thinking it over. A good strategy is to use the now or never close on customers who are clearly interested in your products or services but have yet to commit. A few examples include: "If you sign up today, you can save 20%."I know this product is important to the growth of your business, which is why I will include premium support for a year. This offer is only available until the end of the day."'This product has been selling out, and this is the last one on sale."Question close Asking the right question can help you close the sale. Question closes are a good way to address their objections and allow you to reassure them that your product or service will work for them. You can ask: "If we can handle [objection,] would you sign the contract?"What would it take for you to sign up today?"From our discussions, it seems this is the best product for you. What do you think?"Soft close As the name suggests, a soft close is not aggressive. You can use a soft close to ease a prospect to take the next step. Start by listing a benefit and then close it out with a low-impact question. This can help them lower their guard because they won't feel as though they need to make a decision today. You can use this method if you feel the prospect needs more time, which will also give you additional time to understand them so you can improve your approach. Examples of a soft close include: "If we can solve [pain point], would that be of interest to you?""If I could increase [benefit], would that be in line with your company's goals?”Demonstration close Some people are more visually oriented. So, if you find yourself talking to a prospect who is reluctant, especially because they can't fully grasp the product, you can offer them a demo of the product or service. This will allow them to see exactly how your service or product works, and even help them visualize how it might fit into their business needs. For example: 'This will help you create a more dynamic website. Let me demonstrate."'It can be hard to visualize how this product works. I'll walk you through the product."Sharp angle close Unlike other techniques, this one hinges on your customer. If they are interested and want to purchase your product or service, they may ask for a discount or add-on. This is your opportunity to act quickly. If you agree with their proposal, you should ask for something in exchange. For example: If a prospect asks for a 15% discount, you may say: "We can do that, but only if you sign up today."If a prospect asks if you can budge on the price, you may say: "If I am able to, would you be willing to come to an agreement today?' This may impress your prospect, who may expect pushback to their request. 1-2-3 close This technique shares similarities with the summary close. In both, you are summarizing the product's features and benefits. But for the 1-2-3 close, you want to highlight what makes the product great in sets of three. It's not as conspicuous as other methods, but it does rely on the fact that listing items in threes can make for a powerful statement. You can either choose to focus on three similar points to emphasize a feature's importance or to list out three separate ones to show the wide range of coverage. With this strategy, you may say something like: "With our tool, you'll grow your business faster, stronger, and more efficiently."If you purchase today, we'll throw in free shipping, installation, and support."Weekly cost close Sometimes closing the deal comes down merely to cost. Particularly, if you quote someone a yearly price, it might seem as though the price is too high. But if you break down the cost per week, or even by day, then you can compare it to an everyday purchase. For example, you may say that the price of a service is equivalent to buying a cup of coffee a day. From there, it's easy to make the point that you are providing an incredibly valuable service to them for just a few dollars a day. Testimonial close There's a reason that businesses list testimonials on their websites; they are incredibly persuasive and give potential customers an idea of what to expect if they purchase your product or service. A testimonial close relies on a customer's positive comments to help you land a prospect. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline, and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers, and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles, and many more.

As time passes, benchmarking and online endorsement become more and more relevant due to the advanced technologies that are used in respective companies and corporations. Live chat has been around for more than a decade, but only recently have companies discovered its profound effect on website conversion rates. Recent data shows that 52% of customers are more likely to repurchase from a company that offers live chat support. Why does live chat make such a huge difference in conversion rates? It has been suggested that live chat is the only way to provide real human interaction during an online purchase. In other words, customers need questions answered and a sense of reassurance that can be provided only through live chat. In the book, Rethinking the Sales Cycle, John Holland and Tim Young identify a sense of risk as being the most prominent emotion present in the final stages of the buying cycle. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to help customers through this stage when they see nothing more than a computer screen. This is where the human element comes into play. Live chat allows your agents to help mitigate that sense of risk by providing reassurance and a sense of value in the product being purchased. The positive difference is undeniable. 1. Provide customers with a transcript When customers chat with chat agents, they pick up useful information they may want to keep in their records. The problem is that most people don’t record every conversation so this information can get lost. Action: At the conclusion of a live chat session, offer to email a copy of the transcript to your customer for their records. 2. Use canned messages When customers arrive within a live chat conversation, they should be greeted professionally and with courtesy. But it can take a lot of time for your chat agents to type out these standard messages time after time. This is where automated canned messages can really help. You can use carefully worded standardized canned messages to automate parts of the conversation and augment your professional profile. Use this feature with good judgment, because too many canned messages can make your customers think they’re talking to a machine rather than a real person. Action: Create a set of professionally designed pre-canned messages and train your chat agents on how to use them. 3. Use targeted proactive chat Customers won’t always initiate the chat conversation so you will need to proactively identify individuals who may need help and then raise the chat window with them. Customers may refuse the offer to engage in live chat, but this is not bad. In fact, just raising the offer to chat is sufficient to convey a sense of goodwill. Consider allowing customers to browse on your site for a time before raising the offer to chat. This gives them time to get oriented before being interrupted. Action: Identify a list of target pages where you want to increase the conversion rate, and program them to automatically raise the chat offer after a period of 30 – 60 seconds. 4. Use a pre-chat survey When customers initiate a chat session, they should be allowed to provide some preliminary information, within a pre-chat survey, that will set the direction of the chat session. For example, they can provide their name and a quick description of what they’re looking for. The chat agent can then enter the conversation prepared to answer the customer’s concern. The pre-chat survey also allows you to quickly route the chat session to the agent who is most qualified to handle the conversation. Action: Design a pre-chat survey form that allows customers to set the direction of the conversation. Don’t ask too many questions – just ask the questions that will allow your chat agents the necessary background so they can provide a quick and courteous answer. 5. Promote cross-department cooperation Your chat agents should be considered an in-house sales and support department, and as such, they should understand all product lines within your organization. This qualifies them to provide a more thorough perspective when dealing with customers – either as salespeople or as support personnel. Chat agents that know about all of your product lines can quickly identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities. Action: Put your chat agents through the same preliminary training programs as the salespeople. 6. Use a typing indicator Your live chat agents should be able to see what customers are typing while they type it. It not only gives the agents insight into what the customers are thinking as they type, but it allows the alert chat agent to respond more quickly with an answer. Chat agents also should be alerted when a customer has hit the “send” button during the chat. The alert should be audible, visible, or both, and it can be used to interrupt a busy chat agent and let him know that a customer is awaiting a response. Keep in mind that your chat agents are likely to be handling multiple conversations at the same time, so anything you can do to help them multitask will help. Action: Ensure your chat software is set up so that your agents can see a customer’s words as they type, and issue an alert when the customer has hit the “send” button. 7. Use chat transfer Your chat agents shouldn’t be required to know everything. Individual agents may have different areas of expertise. If a chat agent is involved in a conversation that is outside his current level of expertise, he should quickly transfer to another agent. When this happens, ensure that the customer is aware of the transfer. Action: Train your chat agents to transfer chat sessions when required. Also, each agent must have a list of other agents and their levels of expertise. 8. Accept chat requests automatically Customers shouldn’t have to wait for someone to answer the chat request. Once a customer initiates a chat session, the system should accept the chat automatically and inform the customer that a chat agent will respond right away. (During this time, the customer can fill out a pre-chat survey, as mentioned in item 4. Your response time should be less than 10 seconds. The only way to guarantee a quick response is to accept all chats immediately. Action: Initiate an automatic response to all incoming customer chat sessions, and allow the customer to identify the problem area. Use pre-canned messages to welcome the customer and let him know that action is taking place immediately. 9. Check chat history for returning visitors Chat agents may gain valuable perspective by quickly reviewing previous chats with an individual customer. This allows the agent to come up to speed on issues that the customer discussed previously, and to proactively follow up with any questions. Customers will appreciate the fact that they don’t have to repeat their previous problems to newly assigned chat agents. Action: Provide chat agents with previous chat transcripts, if available, for all incoming customer chat requests. 10. Add a chat button to the email Customers who receive emails from you should have a chat button embedded directly on the email. This is a nice feature that allows your customers to provide direct feedback on questions they may have regarding the email. Emails could be anything from periodic newsletters or follow-ups to individual questions or grievances. Action: Ensure your outbound marketing team is trained on how to include a chat button with their email campaigns. Also, make sure they coordinate with the chat agents whenever they include a chat button on an email so that the agents are prepared to address any questions or concerns raised in the email. 11. Integrate live chat with your CRM tool Your chat agents should have access to customer sales records. This allows them to update the CRM records after a chat session. It also allows your chat agents to gain additional perspective into each customer’s history if such history already appears within the CRM tool. In any case, all contact with customers (or potential customers) should be recorded for future reference. Action: Train your customers on your CRM tool and provide them with limited accounts so they can view and update individual records as the need arises. Improve Online Sales12. Provide agents with visitor behavior analysis Chat agents should be aware of each visitor’s online behavior before the chat session begins. Agents should know the pages that the customer has visited, and if possible, whether the customer has been on the site before. This allows the agent to more accurately understand what the customer might be looking for within your site. It may also allow you to more intelligently route the chat session to an agent who is best qualified to answer questions that might arise from the pages that the customer visited. For example, a customer visiting pages of wireless products is more likely to ask questions related to wireless technology, so the chat session should be routed to your wireless chat expert. Action: Ensure visitor history is available to your chat agents prior to answering a chat request. Caution: Chat agents should never reveal the fact that the customer’s online behavior was being monitored. Nobody likes to be spied on! 13. Issue personal chat invitation This is similar to the proactive chat, identified in item 3 above but different in its personal nature. Rather than providing an automated chat invitation, the personal chat invitation is far more attractive, actually offering the name and picture of the chat agent willing to help. Some companies have found a 3:1 ratio of people willing to chat when offered a personal invitation over a standard automated offer. Action: Encourage your chat agents to initiate personal chat invitations whenever possible. The additional human touch will encourage more chat activity. If possible, track the success rate to see its effect on conversion. 14. Upsell and cross-sell Your chat agents should be highly aware of the sales techniques of upselling and cross-selling. Basically, an up-sell is where a customer is persuaded to purchase a more advanced or upgraded version of the product he originally intended to purchase. For example, a person wants to buy a normal watch for $19.95 but instead decides to purchase a solar-powered watch for ten dollars more. He is upsold with the idea that the battery would never require changing, so in the long run, he saves money. A cross-sell occurs where a person is persuaded to purchase accessories for his initial product. For example, while purchasing a digital camera, a customer is reminded that he’ll need some extra memory cards in case he runs out of memory before he can upload his photos. Action: Provide basic sales training for your chat agents so they can identify and act upon upsell and cross-sell opportunities. 15. Strategically place live chat buttons All of your product pages should feature a live chat button in a consistent location. Customers should know where to go if they need help. These buttons are typically located in the upper-right corner of each page. Some of the more sophisticated sites place these buttons in an animated “slide-out” position along the left or right margin. Do not place these buttons along the bottom of the page, as they will disappear below the fold and may never be seen. Action: Make arrangements with your website designer to provide the chat button in a strategically located spot on each page of your website. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline, and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles and many more.

The usage of live chatting customers became prominent as we take our step to demand economy which the usage of e-commerce is more prominent compared before. Customer service is the backbone of any business, playing a crucial role in building a sustainable customer base and allowing companies to flourish. Implementing live chat customer support comes with a variety of benefits to both your business and customers. In this digital age, live chat is an integral part of that because providing a platform to communicate with customers in real-time is an excellent way to connect with and support them. In fact, live chat generates satisfaction levels of 73 percent, compared to just 61 percent for email and 44 percent for the phone. But it’s not only your customer satisfaction levels that stand to benefit – customer retention improves as well. In fact, over 63 percent of consumers reported that they are more likely to return to a website that offers live chat. So why exactly do customers love live chat? Here are six reasons live chat is winning in the battle for the hearts and minds of your customers, and why you need to add it to your customer service channel now: 1. Live chat is convenient for many reasons: Live chat connects customers instantly with an agent. No need to dial a number and press the button after button before you even get to talk to an agent. Live chat allows customers to multi-task. This is perhaps the greatest benefit. Over 51 percent of customers like live chat precisely for this reason. So even if customers have a short wait, they can get on with doing something else. The wait time is negligible. No more getting stuck on hold for hours on end – customer queries are promptly addressed. The conversation can be kept for the future. It’s easier to guide users through issues when their previous interactions can be referred back to for context. Customer queries are resolved quickly. Emails often require a lengthy back and forth, live chat can resolve issues in one session. Customers can have their purchase-related queries answered on the spot. This is a massive advantage considering 44 percent of consumers think the ability to talk to an agent while purchasing online is one of the best features a website can offer. Customers really do appreciate your help when it comes to buying decisions. 2. Live chat has a higher ROI Businesses are always striving to find cost-effective customer service solutions. Live chat is certainly one of them. Phone and email are mainstays of customer support and have been for many years. However, it takes time and resources to keep up with these setups and they come with several frustrations, like wait times and back-and-forths. Live chat tools, on the other hand, are comparatively cheap to implement, and what’s more, live chat provides a host of extra benefits making it a superior communication channel. Offering real-time customer service and the chance to address multiple queries at once saves time, labor, and ultimately money for your company. 3. Live chat provides a competitive advantage How often do you see a live chat option available on a website? It's true that there are many companies that have implemented live chat in recent years, but not so many (or with success) that it has become commonplace. Live chat is still new enough. Herein lies a great opportunity. Why not step into the breach and gain an edge over your competition by offering live chat on your website? The many benefits live chat brings means that, eventually, businesses won’t be able to afford to miss out. Brands without live chat will become a thing of the past. Until then, you can get ahead of the pack. Put your offering in place before your competitors. Make live chat and quality customer service the core of your brand’s identity. Once you’ve mastered your live chat and customer support offering, then you have the tools to create leads and convert them into loyal customers. Use live chat, train your agents, and take your business to another level. 4. Live chat saves people, customers expect the same quick response they are used to getting from electronic equipment and technology.” – Shep Hyken One of the best ways to grow a successful business is by maximizing productivity in the same amount of time. Live chat can help. The first thing to do is to analyze response times and time spent to resolve issues. Then, you'll see that live chat can help you cut back on these times significantly. To put into perspective just how rapid live chat can be, Zopim analyzed more than 85K chats and found that, on average, an agent replies to a customer query in less than 23 seconds. The average resolution time is no more than 42 seconds. And it’s not just about the time you save yourself, but the time you save for your customers too. Crunch the numbers and you quickly realize that live chat has faster response times than pretty much every other customer support channel, and by big margins too. This means you can close more than 60 customer tickets an hour with just one live chat agent. Conversely, not a single customer query has been answered in an hour on Twitter, Facebook, email, or phone. Convert the time you save into money and you can see why live chat is the best approach to customer services. 5. Live chat increases sales Speaking from my personal experience, live chat boosts online sales. As high as 83 percent of consumers need some type of support when they are making an online transaction. That is why people prefer buying from websites with live chat. They can get queries answered quickly. Live chat support during checkout increases conversion rates. As an example, Post Affiliate Pro reported a 23 percent increase in conversion rate when they implemented live chat on their website. It’s best practice to have at least one agent available at any time because, as Forrester reported, 45 percent of US consumers would leave a website in the middle of an online transaction if there is no one to answer their questions and concerns. Another report says that 77 percent of consumers said they need to talk to a real person before making a purchase online. Without live chat, you’re losing out on sales. And can you really afford to do that? Looking at the statistics, it’s clear how important live chat is for delivering the best possible customer experience and increasing sales for your business. 6. Live chat builds long-term relationships For the sustainability of your business, building long-term relationships with customers is an absolute necessity, because it increases satisfaction and improves customer experience. Satisfied customers are less likely to switch to the competition. Stats show that 89 percent of consumers have stopped doing business with a brand after a poor customer support experience. Not only that, but 86 percent of customers will pay 25 percent more for a better customer experience. Live chat is a fantastic way to build long-term relationships with your customers. When customers feel you are there to listen, bonds are easier to form, and loyalty comes from that. In fact, 73 percent of consumers think that friendly customer support makes them fall in love with a company, whereas 52 percent have made multiple purchases from a company after a positive initial customer service experience. It all comes down to creating a great experience upfront. Provide superior customer support with live chat on their first visit, and you are much more likely to get a customer for life. These loyal customers are worth up to 10x the value of the first purchase. Live chat is definitely winning the customer support race If you want to be great every time and keep your customers coming back, then there is no better way to do it than with live chat. Get a head start on your competition, set up your live chat offering, and watch your sales and revenue growth. Start providing your customers the instant communication they need and watch customer satisfaction scores skyrocket. Thus, why is live chat important for your business? With live chat, you can turn every interaction with visitors to your website into a better experience and build long relationships. Live chat is the best way to go beyond your customer’s expectations and improve customer experience when communicating with them. Companies that deliver good live chat support see an increase in customer satisfaction and higher sales. There are hundreds of live chat software you can install on your website. Visitors to your website can engage with your company by asking questions with an agent who could be sitting anywhere in the world. Live chat is well suited to providing customer support. You can solve customer’s problems faster and improve customer satisfaction. Your customers receive a response much faster than they would through email or support tickets that can take hours or even days. The quick response and the interactive nature of live chat make it an ideal channel for customer support. Increases Customer Satisfaction: Customers prefer using live chat over other ways of getting support. They get answers to their questions immediately, without leaving their computer. They don’t need to remember the phone number to call or wait for hours to get a response to their questions. Support agents can share links to FAQs, instructional videos, documents, and other resources through live chat. Customers can also share their screens with agents to help them better understand the issues. These features make live chat the best support tool and improve customer satisfaction. Helps Discover Customer Issues: Live chat is a digital channel where everything is recorded. Since the information is in text format, it’s easy to analyze to identify issues causing problems for customers. It’s much harder to analyze call recordings in the case of telephone support. Even email support data is much more difficult to organize and analyze compared to chat transcripts. With live chat, administrators have access to all chat histories, which can be filtered and searched to quickly recognize customer problems. In this way, the management can discover the problems of their customers and can look for ways to solve them. This is one of the most significant benefits of live chat support. Increases Sales: Live chat support is a very good sales channel. When customers contact an agent with a problem, the agent can build rapport with the customer while solving the problem. If the agent sees an opportunity, he can suggest additional features or products to the customer. Since chat is an interactive channel, the agent can easily demonstrate the new products / share links for the customers to learn more. A well-trained live chat support agent can deliver over 100% return on investment. Reduces Expenses: Live chat support costs much less than phone support while providing the same benefit of immediacy and building relationship with the customer. The phone support channel needs expensive hardware and software. Phone agents are also more expensive compared to live chat support agents. There is also the cost of telephone calls every time a customer contacts support team. According to research, live chat customer support service is 17% cheaper than a phone call. Live chat support allows your agents to multitask and offer help to multiple visitors simultaneously. Normally, with adequate training, live chat agents can handle two or more chats at the same time. That saves a lot of cost on hiring and training additional agents as it allows few live chat agents to serve the same amount of customers as a larger team of phone support employees. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline, and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles and many more.

Customer support has gained a somewhat controversial reputation over the years. While being the single most important way to resolve any issue with virtually any service or company, no one’s ever eager to call a support rep. In fact, people really hate it. There are full-blown articles dedicated solely to the most irritating things about dealing with customer service. But don’t fret just yet. There’s a communication channel that won’t make your customers cringe. Live chat support can be a perfect answer to all concerns: it’s fast, efficient, and personalized as hell. No waiting on hold, no “please press one if you want to smash something against the wall because it’s your fifth call and we still can’t help you” autoresponders – just condensed helpfulness. What is live chat support? A live chat widget can be installed on your website or app so that customers can just click the chat button and open a small dialogue window. It’s where anyone can leave their questions or concerns and get immediate assistance. Live chat widgets also differ. Some look like a simple space for exchanging messages back and forth, while others contain numerous integrations, automation, and design tweaks. What’s even cooler is that the live chat’s mission reaches far beyond just support. With a few enhancements, it becomes a powerful tool for inbound lead generation, sales, and marketing. There are 7 most important benefits you should consider before deciding on live chat for good: 1. Live chat support is fast and efficient Chat support is impossible to imagine without the “live” part in it. It does imply that help should be provided in real-time without any delays. The whole experience is almost like a phone call but without the awkwardness of voice interaction. Customers do expect to get the first response in chat in under 3 minutes. And it’s not like the bar is too high. Modern live chat solutions, like HelpCrunch, provide support reps with numerous tools for accelerating their workflow: canned responses, help center integration, automated follow-ups, etc. There’s no excuse for being slow anymore. 2. Live chat support is always timely and contextual Since a live chat widget can be embedded into anything from a website to a mobile app to WordPress or any other CMS, the conversation is always happening at the right time. The moment someone faces a problem or has a question, they can open a chat with support and convey them right away. There’s no need to leave an app and go searching for a Contact us page. 3. Live chat keeps the conversation light and brisk We’re all familiar with messengers. In fact, we’re actually quite fond of them (two billion WhatsApp users can’t be wrong). This is what makes chat support so perfect. The conversation just happens at a natural flow. Visitors can unfold their questions step by step, and support reps can always ask additional questions on the go. Emojis, gifs, and images help both parties keep it casual, too. 4. Live chat allows multitasking The most obvious advantage from a business’s point of view is that live chat allows agents to handle several conversations simultaneously. In fact, some studies claim it’s possible to manage 6 concurrent chats. Apparently, customers also appreciate live chat support for this multitasking ability. It’s not like everyone is just sitting at their desk, waiting for an answer from your team. People are living their lives, keeping a dozen tabs open at the same time, and getting distracted all the time. And live chat conversation can be dropped and picked up at any point, without interrupting the flow. 5. Live chat support is cost-effective The only two major spendings associated with the customer support live chats are agents’ salaries and software maintenance. You don’t even need an on-premise office like with call centers, since your team can literally answer chats using their phones from wherever they are. 6. Live chat can be backed by useful add-ons However, it would be a huge underestimation to think that live chat is just a simple technology for exchanging messages. This small widget is packed with tons of enhancements and add-ons that can make live chat support a breeze. For instance, you can create a knowledge base with answers to all common questions and integrate it into your live chat widget. This way, visitors will be able to resolve most of their questions without even contacting you. Chatbots and various chat forms will help with lead generation and requests prioritization a lot. 7. Having live chat is a good customer experience The term “сustomer experience” has been so overused that it sounds almost like a buzzword. What is a customer experience anyway? The notion encompasses every single factor that contributes to how people perceive your business in general. And customer service is a vital part of it. Live chat support is one of the most flexible and effective ways to be in contact with your users. The widget you install on your website is super customizable, so it usually looks like a natural element of your website or app. However, the level of support you provide via live chat can be a source of endless customer satisfaction and a positive experience. If you make it swift, personalized, and accurate, nothing can stop you. Live chat support tips and best practices When implemented right, live chat support can be a great source of business growth. Helpful answers inevitably lead to high customer satisfaction. Satisfied clients tend to be more loyal, which results in high retention rates and more returning customers for e-commerce. Sounds like a win-win situation for all parties involved! If you’re dead set on adding live chat support to your workflow, do consider the following 8 tips and best practices. They will help you achieve higher productivity and greater results. 1. Work on your speed I never get tired of emphasizing the importance of speed for live chat support. Clients expect to receive the first response from you in under 3 minutes. And that should be your ultimate goal. The skill of fast typing is a good place to start. Obviously, if you can’t use your keyboard effectively, there’s not much you can do about the speed of your answers. Still, some features can dramatically improve the quality of your work: Create canned responses. Customers’ questions tend to repeat all the time. Why does type answer from scratch each time if you can just pre-save them in your software? Integrate knowledge base articles into your routine. Not only can visitors use your knowledge base for self-service, but support agents can also utilize FAQ articles and share them on the go. Use customer info for more context. If your team has instant access to detailed user profiles, this alone can eliminate tons of general questions. They can see all the recent actions along with personal information and proceed straight to resolving the issue. Snooze chat to get back to them later. While the first response time is important, some requests take longer to resolve. Convey every detail to a customer and set up a reminder for yourself to follow up on the progress later. 2. Don’t neglect small talk People can hate small talk all they want, but its importance is undeniable. It “serves to establish bonds of the personal union”, which is really important when you deal with customers and their ever-changing moods. You see, client relationships are not that different from personal ones. Live chat support is perfect for practicing purposeful small talk with your customers without going overboard. When appropriate, support reps can begin and end a conversation with general questions. Who knows, they can even give you more information regarding a customer’s problem. For instance, if you’re talking about some location or syncing time zones while scheduling a call, it won’t be a bad idea to ask more about a customer’s native town. Maybe you’ve always wanted to visit it or have heard some interesting facts about it. That’s a bonding experience right there. 3. Practice active listening As counterintuitive as it may sound, words only convey about 7% of what you’re trying to say. Facial expressions and the voice tone are responsible for the other 93% of what you’re trying to say. But when it comes to living chat, we can only rely on words (and occasional emojis and gifs). That’s why when listening to customers’ complaints, you need to LISTEN. Thinking about closing that conversation and proceeding to the next one like it’s a conveyor belt won’t earn you any popularity points among customers. If you want to genuinely help, you need to grasp every piece of information, ask open-ended questions, and demonstrate your engagement by reflecting on the conversation. Until you get to the bottom of it, you can’t really resolve anything. That’s the beauty of a live chat conversation. Unlike emails, it’s happening in real-time. So you can ask all kinds of questions for however long you need. But unlike phone support, there’s no awkwardness when trying to grope for words fast enough. Take your time and show interest. The Most Important Leadership Skills 4. Don’t be afraid to go off-script Chatting scripts can be extremely helpful for handling difficult or otherwise typical situations with grace. They provide you with a structured plan of action and save a lot of time along the way. But the best live chat support examples happen when agents decide to improvise and take initiative. For example, there was this one time when a Netflix support operator responded by introducing himself as “Captain Mike of the good ship Netflix”. It developed into the most amazing customer support experience ever. And it wouldn’t be possible if the employee just followed the protocol blindly. Empower your support team to act on instinct: offer small discounts or bonuses to make up for some shortcomings, come up with special deals for VIP customers, etc. This way, agents will be able to put out the fire in critical situations and create unforgettable experiences for clients. 5. Consider your audience Emojis, gifs, and situational jokes are great. But you should always be aware of who you’re speaking to. Some people, especially in the B2B sector, won’t appreciate insubordination and a light tone (can’t imagine how sad their lives must be, but that’s the reality of the world). No matter the situation, you can’t be wrong by falling back on live chat etiquette rules. This includes good grammar and spelling, proper introductions, and staying away from complicated expressions and professional vocabulary. Ending chat properly is also an art. You must always thank a customer for whatever feedback or insights they’ve provided you with and make sure the issue is resolved. 6. Set up chat operating hours As tempting as it is to provide 24/7 live chat support, the dream is almost unreachable. By specifying your work schedule in a live chat widget, you can manage client expectations effectively. Inform people when your team is going to be back and gather email addresses in the meantime to send follow-ups. It doesn’t mean visitors should stay in the dark during this time: Offer a knowledge base in your widget and display it first outside your working hours. Customers will be able to find all the answers by themselves without even contacting your team. Set up proactive chat messages that will provide contextual help. You can analyze your most problematic pages that bring in more questions than others and offer proactive help. Set up reminders in Google Calendar or use the chat snoozing setting to revisit older cases and check how customers are doing. Such an approach will show your proactivity and willingness to go the extra mile. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline, and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles and many more.

One of the best ways to get noticed is by implementing a digital marketing strategy. Having a strong online presence helps business owners attract new customers and increases customer loyalty. Like many professionals, you may be wondering where to begin. Creating valuable content benefits companies and consumers in many ways. What Is Content Writing? Content writing refers to professional writing created for an online audience to fulfil specific marketing objectives. Marketers and business owners publish content, also known as copy, online for many reasons. They may be looking to increase the traffic to their website or to inform their customers about a new product or service. But above all, their main goal is to reach a target audience that is most receptive to their well-crafted messages. Business professionals often hire content writers to produce these high-quality messages in the form of sales copy, blog posts, articles, and social media posts. These writers must understand who the audience is to write a successful copy. What Does a Content Writer Do? To put it plainly, content writers specialize in writing online content. Some writers are skilled in a wide range of writing styles and topics, while others specialize in writing for a niche topic. Content writers are everywhere—employed by private companies, government organizations and by themselves on a contract basis as freelancers. Here are some of the most common types of content writers who are responsible for crafting unique content: Blog Writer Blog writers are masters of creating conversational, engaging content. They know how to write content that speaks to the intended audience and keeps them reading—often with humor and other forms of entertainment. Blog posts are highly entertaining for readers and typically serve a purpose, especially to loyal brand followers. Engaging blog content fuels organic website traffic. Companies that hire skilled blog writers who implement search engine optimization (SEO) techniques typically discover a 55% increase in visitors to their site. Brand Journalist Brand journalists are similar to brand ambassadors in that they focus on ways to enhance a brand’s image. They’re storytellers who ensure that press releases, customer testimonials, company bios, brand stories, and human interest stories engage readers with the brand. They dive deep into the heart of the company to tell a brand’s story. Copywriter Copywriters are skilled wordsmiths experienced in crafting various forms of content for digital and, sometimes, print. They’re well-versed in countless topics and strategies designed to engage a specific audience. Copywriters commonly focus on writing cohesive website copy that flows seamlessly from one content type to the next, encompassing main content, site articles, product descriptions, infographics, sales collateral, and blog posts. They understand that each piece of copy has a distinct purpose and know how each piece fits together. Ghostwriter Ghostwriters take on writing projects that companies, business owners, and authors don’t have the time to do. They’re highly experienced in writing for different tones and voices to match existing content. Online newsletters and leadership messages from CEOs are often written by ghostwriters who have studied the brand’s voice and image. Ghostwriters often finish work for authors who are limited on time and resources. They also write eBooks, articles, white papers, and other forms of content. Technical Writer Technical writers differ from other types of content writers in that they have expert-level knowledge of math, science, or technology-related concepts. They’re skilled in turning highly technical topics into easily understood copy, which may include information about complex processes, components, and how to perform certain functions. They communicate with experts in the field to enhance the quality of the content and ensure the accuracy of its information. Technical writers are extremely detail-oriented and methodical in their approach to creating articles, guides, manuals, and FAQs. Social Media Writer Social media writers create engaging posts for a variety of social media platforms that encourage likes, comments, shares, and follows. They aim to craft content that produces buzz and attention, resulting in increased traffic and sales. They often work with graphic designers, videographers and other members of the marketing team to create unique social media assets like posts, quizzes, and other types of interactive content. Email Writer Email writers use their knowledge of human behavior and psychology to create content that drives people to take action. They work for companies and brands who want their customers to do things like sign up for newsletters, take advantage of sales, enter contests, and take surveys. They implement a call to action that gets people to follow their lead. Email writers know the importance of A/B testing and use their knowledge of comparison to test the outcomes. They understand that, in addition to a great sale, you must also have actionable words that drive people to follow through. Scriptwriter Scriptwriters are multi-media writers who excel at storytelling. They see the big picture of a brand’s vision and write a copy that aligns with that image in videos and podcasts. Their messages live in video and podcast scripts, radio ads, motion graphics scripts, and even chatbots. They understand that the copy they write must translate well into other formats, so they experiment with different lengths and versions of the copy. Additionally, scriptwriters often have a background in screenwriting and write scripts for feature films, television, and musicals. Their experience helps shape the quality of their content. Long-Form Content Writer A long-form content writer creates the type of lengthy content often seen in eBooks, data studies, pillar blog posts, case studies, and more. They write content that’s anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 words in length. In comparison, short stories are classified as content under 7,500 words in length. Basically, it’s not your typical blog post. Long-form content is about four blog posts in one. Long-form content tends to rank higher in search engines because its seen as more authoritative and trustworthy. Plus, many forms of long-form content are evergreen, meaning it still appeals to its readers years after it’s been written. Ad and Promo Writer Ad and promo writers are gifted when it comes to delivering the right message despite character count restraints. They meet with clients before creating content to ensure they understand the main objective of their message and how company goals interact. They often write content for landing pages, sales collateral, product descriptions, promo blurbs, ad copy, and even direct mail. They implement a call to action that’s memorable and concise. What Skills Do Content Writers Need? Every profession requires a specific set of skills that makes people successful in their industry. No matter the specialty, all content writers should possess the following: Excellent grammar and style Thorough researching methods Ability to write quickly and meet deadlines Knowledge of various tones and structures Expertise in a particular field or industry Creativity that fuels engaging content Unwavering focus Proficient communication Great editing skills Solid understanding of SEO Knowledge of keyword research Ability to understand audiences and write for them Social media know-how Where Do You See Content Writing? Content writing thrives in the digital realm. Online content covers several types of writing. The most common types of online content are as follows: Web Content Everything that you read online is classified as web content. This includes the text you read on websites, as well as information in articles and blog posts. Companies with websites must have great web content to have a successful online presence. Think about the various pages of a website. The home page, which includes an overview of a company’s products and services, explains what the business is all about. Blogging Blogs enhance the content of a website in many ways. Blogging is one of the easiest ways to keep fresh content on your site. The types of blogs you choose to include on your site provide a helpful service to your readers. Other blog styles provide in-depth information about new products, services, features, and anything else you desire in an entertaining format that’s easily shareable on social media. Building brand awareness takes time, but the effort pays off as more and more people discover your brand through your engaging content. Social Media If your business doesn’t have any social media accounts set up, now is the time to do it. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter offer space for your business to engage with an audience. Once people start following your social media accounts, you have the opportunity to establish a relationship that converts people to your brand. Social media posts provide an opportunity for fresh content, feedback, and engagement. In fact, social media is the most accessible way for people to communicate with brands in today’s world. People can like, comment, and share your message with others, which is free advertising for your brand. Of course, if your brand needs a bigger boost than organic traffic can provide, there is always paid advertising. Ad and Sales Copy By design, ad and sales copy persuades audiences to buy products or services. The copy is typically direct and designed to evoke a response. Experienced writers who craft sales copy know how to keep it friendly and conversational. When you think about it, most people don’t mind getting a discount on products and services. They appreciate sales messages to an extent, as long as they’re well-composed. Industry-Specific Writing Industry-specific content written by medical doctors, attorneys, scientists, educators, and other professionals provides a high level of authority (which Google loves and ranks accordingly). While some business owners enjoy writing their own web content, many businesses hire writers with backgrounds related to their industry. Writing expert copy that accurately conveys important information is not for everyone, which is the reason that ghostwriters who are already knowledgeable in a specific niche get hired to write copy for various industries. Journalistic and Public Relations Writing Journalists make a living writing about real events that span a variety of topics, including business news. Businesses often hire public relations agencies to meet their communication needs. Any time they have big news to share with the world, writers create press releases and distribute them to the appropriate audiences, often through a newswire service that reaches thousands of journalists, news anchors, and writers in a variety of places. If your company’s news is exciting enough, you may receive a request to be interviewed for a news story or online article. Creative Writing Creative writing takes talent and a deep understanding of audience and purpose. Creative writers must know the brand and its audience well before attempting to create content that is humorous, witty, and colorful. But when used appropriately, it leaves a lasting impression. Talented writers infuse creativity into the content they write. Creative social media posts, blog posts, advertisements, and other types of online content evoke emotions in people that drive them to take action. This action results in positive wins for businesses in the form of conversion, publicity, and loyalty. Why Does Your Business Need Content Writing? Businesses should view content writing as a good investment that, when nurtured, yields conversions and customer loyalty. Content writing lays the foundation for a strong online presence, which is crucial in today’s digitally driven world. Here are 10 reasons why your business needs content writing: Content Quality Matters What you include on your website should benefit your audience. People find value in content that is well-written and well-researched. Plus, popular search engines reward websites that are authoritative and trustworthy by ranking them higher in the SERP, where people can find them. That’s why you should invest in skilled professionals who can take your website to the next level with high-quality writing. Copywriters Know Strategy Hiring a professional copywriter takes the pressure off business owners limited on time and resources. Experienced writers understand the many variables at play in an online setting. For instance, many people who aren’t familiar with SEO strategy don’t realize that the words you publish on a website factor into your overall online visibility. They start by writing what they know, without regard to keyword research. But this doesn’t always lead to success. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline, and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles and many more.

If you're not new in the Business industry, Mancao E-connect Business Solutions is here for you to help you become a pro customer agent! The key to being balanced is to bear in mind when it comes to your own customers. If you want them to remember you for the right reasons, you need to offer a genuinely outstanding standard of customer service. Well, have you ever wondered what a constitutional employee/ agent is like? Is it about individuals who go the extra mile, or is it about a culture that prioritizes the customer above all else? Is it a matter of ensuring your team is well-staffed enough to be properly attentive to customers or is it about training them in what customers are looking for? The correct answer is that it’s a combination of all these things. We are in the modern era that our consumer is used to the modern environment, reputation really does matter a huge amount. It’s never been easier for consumers to give their opinion or to find the opinions of others, thanks to online reviews. So providing exceptional customer experiences, and the question of how to be better at customer service has never been more important than they are today. With the rise of the internet, customer reviews, and social media, reputation management – as well as the satisfaction of doing a good job – requires you to prioritize customer service. Here are a few tips on achieving a world-class like customer service: 1. Listen This might seem like an obvious, elementary point, but you’d be amazed how many businesses don’t take it as seriously as they ought to. It’s very easy to tell your customers that you’re listening to them, but it’s quite another to actually take their feedback into account – and act on it. You really do need, though, to pay close attention to what your customers are trying to tell you, and if you fail to do so, your business is likely to pay a heavy price. You should respect the fact that customers are taking time out of their own schedule to provide their views – even if those views are negative. Indeed, even negative feedback can be useful; it may be that it highlights a genuine problem. Few people complain simply for the sake of it. If negative feedback hits upon an issue that genuinely needs resolving, then you need to take the requisite action. 2. Empathize, Empathize, Empathize Another one of the most elementary ideas for improving customer service is that of treating customers with respect when they contact you to make a complaint. It’s a simple fact of running a business that you will, every so often, receive some complaints from customers. You could run the tightest ship in the world, but there will be times when your business falls short of the customer service standards to which it aspires. The point is to be prepared for any issues and to know how to deal with these complaints when they arise. Firstly, you need to appreciate that when a customer contacts you to complain about some aspect of the experience they’ve had, they’re probably already feeling a bit tense about the matter. They may even be angry. So your staff needs to be thoroughly trained in how to handle these situations. 3. Create a Customer Service Culture The thing about customer service is that it’s not just about giving staff a list of dos and don’ts. Your approach to it has to go much further than that. It’s a matter of instilling a particular type of ethos, and ensuring as best you can that your staff embody that ethos in their approach to customer service. This requires creating an internal, customer-first culture that accords customer service the overarching priority it deserves. In every aspect of your business, there needs to be a laser-like focus on meeting the needs of the customer, and ensuring that they have the best possible experience. Everyone in the organization must be made to understand that the work they do is geared towards this fundamental end. It’s not simply a question of training staff during the onboarding process and then leaving them to do the rest. There needs to be a continual emphasis. 4. Communicate Clearly With Customers We’ve already noted how the rise of the internet and social media have made it easier than ever for customers to give their views on your business. But, on the flip side, it’s also easier than ever to keep in touch with your customers. When a customer reaches out to you to raise an issue, you need to redouble your efforts to address it in a timely and clear manner, so there’s no room for ambiguity or uncertainty. Make sure you pay proper attention to your social channels because customers will use them to contact you. The days when people solely raise issues via a phone call or even an email are gone. Of course, people still use those channels, but society has come to take on increasing importance over the last few years. The danger here is that everyone can see how you reply to a tweet or a Facebook post; this means that you need to be very careful in how you handle issues raised via these mediums. When responding to a customer, keep them updated with any progress relating to the issue they’ve raised with you. Don’t bombard them with irrelevant updates as this will only antagonize them, but at the same time, don’t leave them in the dark. Your communications with customers need to be friendly but professional, and they need to be strictly relevant to the matter at hand. 5. Hire the Right People Again, you’d think this was another self-explanatory point that needed no further elaboration, but many businesses are way too careless when it comes to their hiring practices. When thinking about how to improve customer service, you need to think about who you’re bringing into the team. Do your new recruits have previous experience in providing top-class customer service? Do they really buy into the ethos you’re trying to create? Too many companies hire new staff out of necessity, indeed almost out of panic, and this means they don’t always take the time to assess whether newcomers are actually likely to be a good fit for the company. But the caliber of the staff you hire will have a major bearing on the standard of customer service you provide, and hence the customer experience as a whole. It goes without saying that training can make a big difference, and previous experience isn’t necessarily the be-all and end-all. However, you do need to take a step back before hiring and consider whether the person you’re thinking of bringing in really shares your commitment to exceptional customer service. If you have any reservations at all on this score, it may be best to continue your search until you find the right addition to your team. 6. Honesty is Always the Best Policy It takes a lot to build up a good reputation, but it takes nowhere near as much time or effort to knock it down. However well established you are in your field, and however many years you’ve been providing consumers with amazing experiences, all that can be undone remarkably easily. A surefire way of wrecking a good reputation is to be dishonest with customers. You have to remember that your customers are intelligent people. They’re not stupid or naive Some may have years of experience of customer service, and they know the difference between good and bad. Trying to pull the wool over their eyes, or hoodwink them in some way, is a fool’s errand. If there’s a genuine problem, you need to own up to it and address it in a transparent and honest manner. Mistakes happen: we’re only human, at the end of the day. This is a much more effective way of getting the customer back on the side than kicking the can down the road or trying to pass the buck. 7. Respond to Customers Quickly When a customer goes to the trouble of contacting you, it’s because they have a point or a query they want to raise. You need to demonstrate that you respect them enough to respond to them in a quick, timely manner. This is one of the top tips for great customer service: your communications with customers need to cover the issues they’ve raised in full, but they need to be as swift as possible, too. This is all the more important on social media, because – as we’ve discussed – other people can see your interactions. Respond to social queries quickly and always be scrupulously polite, but know when to take them private. Potentially thorny issues are better discussed in private messages away from prying eyes. This is as much about the customer’s privacy as yours. But again, always be absolutely polite and professional in private messages. 8. Answer the Phone! If you’ve ever been frustrated in your efforts to get hold of a business by phone, you’ll understand perfectly well how people get so annoyed about it. There are certainly few things more irritating than being left on hold for hours on end, forced to sit through the same irritating music. Then there are the businesses that don’t answer your calls at all or fail to respond to your voicemails in a reasonably quick manner. If you really pride yourself on providing excellent customer service, you need to prove it by answering phone calls in a timely way. Don’t leave people hanging around for ages. Make sure your team understands the importance of responding to calls – tell them not to leave any phones ringing out for more than a couple of rings. They must appreciate that your customers have their own lives to be getting on with. 9. Try to Avoid Escalations Whenever a customer makes a complaint, it brings about a very sensitive situation – perhaps the most sensitive you’ll have to deal with in customer service. The fact that they’ve gone so far as to make a complaint already indicates that they’re not happy with your business. You need to start by getting to the bottom of why this is, and then assess exactly what you can do to resolve the problem. If you’re determined to grow your business and build its reputation for outstanding customer service, you need to be prepared to make compromises in the face of customer complaints. This may require you to do certain things that you’re instinctively not comfortable with. 10. Preempt Further Questions When responding to a customer, you must appreciate that the issues they raise may themselves create further questions. You should try to anticipate these as best you can. If you start going off on a tangent, talking about things that have relatively little relation to what the customer has actually said, it’s unlikely to impress them. Addressing customer queries and dealing with customer complaints can be something of an open-ended process. It helps if you can thoroughly understand your customers. Be prepared to be patient, and don’t feel like you have to dispatch customer queries in double-quick time. In conclusion, customer service, however, really can be the difference between lasting success and rapid failure. If you can keep your customers happy, you’ll also keep them coming back to your business, time and time again. So, gear up for building a sustainable relationship with prospects, get a healthy sales pipeline, and close more deals. Contact us today! Get in touch with us at randy.mebs@gmail.com For more details, feel free to visit www.mebsph.com/ or contact our company at +1 (917) 725 2180. Check out Mancao E-connect Business Solutions (MEBS) and learn about their top-rated Customer Service Representatives, Lead Generators, Appointment Setters, Virtual Assistants, Cold Callers, and Telemarketers perfect for your business in cities like Tampa, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Los Angeles, and many more.