I’m a firm believer in delivering excellent customer service and the benefits that it brings to business. We are always hearing about how to improve customer service so I thought instead I would give you a couple of recent examples that happened to me of how to deliver poor customer service….
1. I was in a call centre doing some NVQ assessing for customer service…. Client calls in…agent answers…very irate and says I have been waiting for 15 minutes trying to get you to answer….to which the agent replies well wait another 15 then…and promptly puts the phone down!
2. I go to open a new savings account…I take the easy route and apply online. Half way through the website replies “we are sorry we can’t progress your request – please call our call centre”. So I phone the call centre. First question…what is your account number? I dont know I didnt get that far with the application. Reply – well without your account number I cant help you! I reply well cant you find my details from my name and address? Agent sighs and says OK hang on I will try but you are not making it easy for me! Agent finds my application and says we need to have details of all your earnings and savings. I ask why as I am applying for a cash ISA. Agent replies we need the information to proceed. I again enquire why and get the same stock answer. I tell the agent look this is too stressful so cancel my application. Agent says fine and thanks for wasting my time! I immediately apply online with another provider. Everything goes through like clockwork and I dont have to supply any income or savings details!

Well hopefully these will have been a bit of fun. But there is clearly a serious side and I am sure I can guess how you would like to be treated.

About the author: Paul Stanford http://www.paulstanford/blog has provided practical advice to hundreds of entrepreneurs for the past 5 years helping them to successfully start-up, transform and sell their businesses. Get in touch to see how his business http://www.4momentum.co.uk can help do the same for you. You have full permission to reprint this article provided this box is kept unchanged.

Posted by: Paul Stanford

A Board Advertising

Many small businesses with a presence in or near the town centre need to make themselves “visible” to potential clients. One of the most cost effective ways of doing this is through the use of A Boards. They do work and that is one of the reason s why there are so many of them.

However many are now under the threat of being banned because Council’s say they are a Health and Safety risk for pedestrians.

This is a difficult one and I can see both sides of the argument. But is a blanket ban really the way forward? Or should small businesses be able to put whatever they like on our pavements? Or is there a third alternative whereby businesses could register for an A Board so that it conforms to Health and Safety guidelines (e.g. size and siting)?

Are you a small business owner that has been affected by this? Or are you a pedestrian that has had an accident because of an A Board? Tell us what you think…..

Paul Stanford is a Director of 4Momentum http://www.4momentum.co.uk. 4Momentum provides business advisory services to small businesses, charities and social enterprises primarily in Sussex. Services include advice on starting a business, growing and transforming a business and selling a business. Clients typically contract 4Momentum for short periods of an hour to long term consultancy over many months for advice on subjects such as mentoring, business planning, sales and marketing advice, bidding for contracts, raising finance and general business advice. Paul is approved by the UK Government to deliver business advice on their behalf through Business Link and is a member of the Institute of Business Consultants. Visit his blog at http://www.paulstanford.co.uk/blog

Copyright 2008 Paul Stanford

Posted by: Paul Stanford

Protecting your income