Hey, despite my many research-backed rants on why you should spend more time with customers, the bottom line is that there is a limit, and you need to be concerned with getting customers what they want in an efficient manner.  The trick here is that this should also be applied when realizing when you simply cannot help a customer. If you don't know the solution to a problem, the best kind of support member will get a customer over to someone who does.  Don't waste time trying to go above and beyond for a customer in an area where you will just end up wasting both of your time!

- Gregory Ciotti for HelpScout 

Lately, to my disappointment, I have not encountered near enough notable customer service exchanges. In fact, quite the opposite ~ until the other day! My daughter recently had surgery and her surgical pre-op nurse demonstrated service at it's finest. It was obvious that this person operates naturally from a place of compassion, but she was also textbook perfect with her service delivery ~ and in my world, with what I do for a living, I don't use that "perfect" word very often. 

After you apologize, tell the customer what happened.  Stick to the facts.  Keep emotion out of it.  Be truthful, even when your company made a mistake.  The customer may not like the answer, but your honesty will be appreciated.  In the end, a customer is going to respect an employee who is frank and honest over one who evades, covers up, or lies.

- Renee Evenson, Customer Service Training 101

Happy New Year to all! What will 2015 bring? July 3, 1985, the movie, Back to the Future hit the theaters, and the year of the future in this movie was 2015. So, welcome to the future ladies and gentlemen! 

As many do each New Year, I too, fall into considering change, a better self, and what improvements do I need to make to ensure a better me! For me personally, it is not about New Year resolutions necessarily, it's more about a new vision for the New Year. The beginning of a New Year is refreshing because it gives you permission for all sorts of new decisions that somehow don't happen as easily once the year is in full swing. One of my new visions for 2015 is to read more each day. So who better to inspire my vision for reading, than the inspiration king himself, Zig Ziglar.

The timing isn't ideal.  Is it ever?  Do you ever truly know when it's the right opportunity and the right moment for you to do something?  You're busy, you're stressed, you're struggling to make ends meet, you're about to get married and then you're about to have a kid...I hear you.  Life is filled with complications--today and six months from today.  If you wait for life to stop throwing you curve balls, you will die waiting.  There will never be a "perfect" time to change your life.  Make your choices here and now - not tomorrow or the day after.  A dream deferred is not a dream come true.

-Tabatha Coffey, Own It!

'Tis the season of giving, but rather than just giving during this season, shouldn't we "give" to our customers throughout the year? And in business, what exactly should we give? Naturally, especially during the holidays, we rack our brains to come up with an idea for a nice, hopefully meaningful, present to give to our customers. While the thought and gesture put into giving a tangible gift should no doubt be appreciated by our customers, we can escalate our spirit of giving for a far better impact on everyone, including ourselves, by giving more regularly. Now don't be a Grinch- engaging in regular "giving" is not hard. Piqued your interest?  Let me break it down for you...