by John Shepherd, Adams Entrepreneurial Fellow
Sometimes customers have expectations that are impossibly difficult or that cannot be realistically met. In my lawn care and landscaping business, rain and wet weather slows down our work. Standing water can cause power surges and endanger the crew and bulldozers just do not work in three feet of mud. There are still customers who expect us to work on the project.
When dealing with these types of customers what should business owners and managers do? EO the Entrepreneurs Organization (eonetwork.org) lists these six steps to follow when dealing with an unhappy customer:
1. Listen carefully to what the customer has to say, and let them finish.
2. Ask questions in a caring and concerned manner.
3. Put yourself in their shoes.
4. Apologize without blaming.
5. Ask the customer, "What would be an acceptable solution to you?"
6. Solve the problem, or find someone who can solve it— quickly!
Sometimes the best solution is to cut your losses and fire the customer. Sounds crazy, but it can actually save money. Problematic customers can take up so much time that we give less attention to our happy customers and run the risk of multiplying the problem. If the customer requires more time, effort, or service than ever intended - it is time to take a stand.
In her blog for Fast Company, Customer Evangelist Lynette Chaing shared a letter she received that fired her as a customer.
Dear Lynette, I'm really sorry we haven't been able to meet your needs. We're a small company and though we are pretty good at doing custom orders, there is only so much we can do with our limited resources. We're refunding your deposit, because we believe in under-promising and over-delivering, and we can't promise we can make you happy. We hope you understand. Sincerely ...
The vendor acted swiftly, and Lynette responded by doing business with them again. That's a positive outcome.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Google and SBA Launch “Tools for Online Success” Partnership
WASHINGTON, DC – Today the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Google announced a new partnership and unveiled “Tools for Online Success,” an array of online resources and training designed to help small business owners harness technology to grow their businesses. The “Tools for Online Success” site (http://www.google.com/help/sba) features tutorials, video testimonials, and tips from savvy small business people who have leveraged the Web to become more efficient, more cost-effective, and more successful.
"The SBA is pleased to partner with Google to put these important tools in the hands of small businesses across the country," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. "As the Web evolves and consumers adapt accordingly, we know that more customers are finding traditional 'Main Street' businesses online. With these tools for online success, we can ensure these small businesses reach new markets and customers so they can continue to create jobs."
"One fifth of searches on Google are related to location, which shows that people are looking to the Internet to make decisions about where to go and what to do in their daily lives," said John Hanke, Vice President of Product Management, Google. "We want to connect our users with the businesses that provide the goods and services they need, but the first step is for those businesses to have an online presence. We're excited to team up with the SBA to make that process easier for business owners across the country."
Google and the SBA unveiled the partnership during a forum held today at the SBA’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C., and broadcast live online to press and small business owners across the country. Susan Holt, Principal and Owner of CulinAerie, a recreational cooking school in downtown D.C., shared her experiences working with the SBA and explained how she has used online tools like Google Places and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to attract more aspiring cooks.
Holt is just one of the many small business owners from across the country who are sharing how they've used online tools to reach new customers. Many are featured in the video testimonials found at the “Tools for Online Success” site. Each video documents the unique success stories that these small businesses have created using online technology:
Masha Hleap-Hershkovitz, Owner of Fuego Mundo in Sandy Springs, Georgia, uses social media to request feedback from restaurant customers for improvement. Ms. Hleap-Hershkovitz even used social media to name her restaurant. “We bounced back and forth with a potential name for months, and we were kind of bottle-necked,” she says. “We put it out there [on social media], and it came back 70 percent ‘Fuego Mundo.’” Visit http://www.fuegomundo.com.
Sean Vahey, Owner of Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream in San Francisco launches new menu items and cultivates a worldwide following for his company’s unique ice cream flavors using social media and Google Places. “I don’t have a lot of time do marketing,” Mr. Vahey says. “I don’t have a lot of time to sit down and reach out to people. I’m able to get on the computer and two minutes later, I’ve gotten the word out…Our Google Places page is important, because it’s got all of our information in one spot - our website, our phone number, you can see where we are on a map, and you can even get directions.” Visit http://www.humphryslocombe.com.
Sumul Shah, Owner of Lumus Construction in Woburn, Massachusetts, uses its website and online maps to research projects all over the United States and show potential customers examples of its past work. According to Mr. Shah, “Customers can see and visualize the types of projects and the complexity of the work we do…In the future, our website will not only talk about how much renewable energy we’re building, but we’ll actually quantify it. We’ll be able to take live data coming from all the wind turbines and solar panels that we’ve installed, simulate it, and be able to report not only how much energy we’re producing, but also what the environmental benefits are.” Visit http://www.lumusinc.com.
Aliyyah Baylor, Owner of Make My Cake in Harlem, New York City, redesigned her website to display vivid imagery of its baked goods. Make My Cake is family-owned and operated, and Ms. Baylor says, “Our website is an extension of our business when it’s too busy for someone to answer the phone. It’s our virtual salesperson, and that is very key.” Visit http://www.makemycake.com.
Mandy Scott, Owner of Mandy Scott Flowers in San Francisco uses highly targeted online advertising to help her premium flower boutique compete with national brands on a small marketing budget. She says, “We are tiny compared to the big players. I can’t hope to compete with them on any kind of national scale, but I feel locally we do very well. Showing up in both natural and paid search results is important for us because we want to be on a level playing field with the big guns.” Visit http://www.mandyscottflowers.com.
Jessica Soler, Owner of Salon Red in Decatur, Georgia, uses a website and local online listings to help her customers find salon locations and book appointments. She says, “A great example of how the web helps Salon Red is we were nominated with one of the local papers to be a ‘Best Of’ salon in Atlanta, and tons of people went online to vote for all of our locations. We just were flooded with business, and it all came from online.” Visit http://www.salonred.com.
Christopher Bartlett, Owner of Skaters Landing in West Hartford, Connecticut, uses online videos to teach customers from all over the world how to properly shop for and use ice skating products. “We really were able to reach out to new markets,” says Mr. Bartlett. “I don’t look at [our online efforts] as a place to go to and hard sell, but to really talk with people and answer some of the questions that people might have.” Visit http://www.skaterslanding.com.
Louis Rossetto, CEO of TCHO in San Francisco brings a start-up mentality to his company’s premium chocolate production. TCHO uses web analytics to constantly improve its website's layout, ensuring consumers are engaging with its products in the most effective way possible. “You can’t be a modern company without using modern tools, and online is just fundamental to being in business today,” says Rossetto. “Our website represents our direct link to our customers. We use it to explain who we are, engage our community, and it’s certainly a storefront for us. You’re inviting the whole world into your store if you do that online.” Visit http://www.tcho.com.
Continued success stories like these are the goal of the Google/SBA partnership. Visit the “Tools for Online Success” website for a full run-down, but here are a few easy tips all small business owners should be using:
Establish your online presence. One out of five searches on Google are related to location. Most local online listings such as Google Places are free, and if your business doesn’t have a website, there are ready-made site templates and free hosting services that make establishing an online presence easy.
Use free marketing to reach customers. You can build a fan base with free services like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter that keep your customers in-the-know about new products or specials and aware of promotions. These services are great "word of mouth" platforms - where a customer following you might tell their friends about your business.
Know your customers. Easy to use web analytics tools can tell you a lot about your customers by analyzing what search term brought them to your website or what they look at while they are there. This information can help you make smart decisions about what you feature and what search terms you should run search ads on.
Keep an eye on the latest trends. The growing popularity of smartphones means that more and more customers are searching for local information on the go. This makes it all the more important that a business’s online presence be accurate and up-to-date. You can link to your menu, give users driving directions, and even post digital coupons.
"The SBA is pleased to partner with Google to put these important tools in the hands of small businesses across the country," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. "As the Web evolves and consumers adapt accordingly, we know that more customers are finding traditional 'Main Street' businesses online. With these tools for online success, we can ensure these small businesses reach new markets and customers so they can continue to create jobs."
"One fifth of searches on Google are related to location, which shows that people are looking to the Internet to make decisions about where to go and what to do in their daily lives," said John Hanke, Vice President of Product Management, Google. "We want to connect our users with the businesses that provide the goods and services they need, but the first step is for those businesses to have an online presence. We're excited to team up with the SBA to make that process easier for business owners across the country."
Google and the SBA unveiled the partnership during a forum held today at the SBA’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C., and broadcast live online to press and small business owners across the country. Susan Holt, Principal and Owner of CulinAerie, a recreational cooking school in downtown D.C., shared her experiences working with the SBA and explained how she has used online tools like Google Places and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to attract more aspiring cooks.
Holt is just one of the many small business owners from across the country who are sharing how they've used online tools to reach new customers. Many are featured in the video testimonials found at the “Tools for Online Success” site. Each video documents the unique success stories that these small businesses have created using online technology:
Masha Hleap-Hershkovitz, Owner of Fuego Mundo in Sandy Springs, Georgia, uses social media to request feedback from restaurant customers for improvement. Ms. Hleap-Hershkovitz even used social media to name her restaurant. “We bounced back and forth with a potential name for months, and we were kind of bottle-necked,” she says. “We put it out there [on social media], and it came back 70 percent ‘Fuego Mundo.’” Visit http://www.fuegomundo.com.
Sean Vahey, Owner of Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream in San Francisco launches new menu items and cultivates a worldwide following for his company’s unique ice cream flavors using social media and Google Places. “I don’t have a lot of time do marketing,” Mr. Vahey says. “I don’t have a lot of time to sit down and reach out to people. I’m able to get on the computer and two minutes later, I’ve gotten the word out…Our Google Places page is important, because it’s got all of our information in one spot - our website, our phone number, you can see where we are on a map, and you can even get directions.” Visit http://www.humphryslocombe.com.
Sumul Shah, Owner of Lumus Construction in Woburn, Massachusetts, uses its website and online maps to research projects all over the United States and show potential customers examples of its past work. According to Mr. Shah, “Customers can see and visualize the types of projects and the complexity of the work we do…In the future, our website will not only talk about how much renewable energy we’re building, but we’ll actually quantify it. We’ll be able to take live data coming from all the wind turbines and solar panels that we’ve installed, simulate it, and be able to report not only how much energy we’re producing, but also what the environmental benefits are.” Visit http://www.lumusinc.com.
Aliyyah Baylor, Owner of Make My Cake in Harlem, New York City, redesigned her website to display vivid imagery of its baked goods. Make My Cake is family-owned and operated, and Ms. Baylor says, “Our website is an extension of our business when it’s too busy for someone to answer the phone. It’s our virtual salesperson, and that is very key.” Visit http://www.makemycake.com.
Mandy Scott, Owner of Mandy Scott Flowers in San Francisco uses highly targeted online advertising to help her premium flower boutique compete with national brands on a small marketing budget. She says, “We are tiny compared to the big players. I can’t hope to compete with them on any kind of national scale, but I feel locally we do very well. Showing up in both natural and paid search results is important for us because we want to be on a level playing field with the big guns.” Visit http://www.mandyscottflowers.com.
Jessica Soler, Owner of Salon Red in Decatur, Georgia, uses a website and local online listings to help her customers find salon locations and book appointments. She says, “A great example of how the web helps Salon Red is we were nominated with one of the local papers to be a ‘Best Of’ salon in Atlanta, and tons of people went online to vote for all of our locations. We just were flooded with business, and it all came from online.” Visit http://www.salonred.com.
Christopher Bartlett, Owner of Skaters Landing in West Hartford, Connecticut, uses online videos to teach customers from all over the world how to properly shop for and use ice skating products. “We really were able to reach out to new markets,” says Mr. Bartlett. “I don’t look at [our online efforts] as a place to go to and hard sell, but to really talk with people and answer some of the questions that people might have.” Visit http://www.skaterslanding.com.
Louis Rossetto, CEO of TCHO in San Francisco brings a start-up mentality to his company’s premium chocolate production. TCHO uses web analytics to constantly improve its website's layout, ensuring consumers are engaging with its products in the most effective way possible. “You can’t be a modern company without using modern tools, and online is just fundamental to being in business today,” says Rossetto. “Our website represents our direct link to our customers. We use it to explain who we are, engage our community, and it’s certainly a storefront for us. You’re inviting the whole world into your store if you do that online.” Visit http://www.tcho.com.
Continued success stories like these are the goal of the Google/SBA partnership. Visit the “Tools for Online Success” website for a full run-down, but here are a few easy tips all small business owners should be using:
Establish your online presence. One out of five searches on Google are related to location. Most local online listings such as Google Places are free, and if your business doesn’t have a website, there are ready-made site templates and free hosting services that make establishing an online presence easy.
Use free marketing to reach customers. You can build a fan base with free services like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter that keep your customers in-the-know about new products or specials and aware of promotions. These services are great "word of mouth" platforms - where a customer following you might tell their friends about your business.
Know your customers. Easy to use web analytics tools can tell you a lot about your customers by analyzing what search term brought them to your website or what they look at while they are there. This information can help you make smart decisions about what you feature and what search terms you should run search ads on.
Keep an eye on the latest trends. The growing popularity of smartphones means that more and more customers are searching for local information on the go. This makes it all the more important that a business’s online presence be accurate and up-to-date. You can link to your menu, give users driving directions, and even post digital coupons.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Small Biz Lessons Learned: Insurance
Theft, damage, or fire loss of equipment can put a small business out of business if the company does not have the proper insurance coverage. Unfortunately, I learned this lesson the hard way. I have been the owner of J. & K. Lawn Care for over 10 years and in all that time I have never had an equipment claim. That is, until a fire in the trailer destroyed it and all of its contents. All of my lawn care equipment was in the trailer ready for the first mow of spring.
On the Sunday of the fire, I learned the importance of insurance, and knowing your policy.
First off, I was under the impression that I had full replacement coverage for all my equipment and the trailer. NOT! When I called the insurance company, I was surprised to learn I had insurance for the current value of the mowers, a limited amount for the other contents of the trailer, and since the trailer was not hooked to my vehicle, the trailer itself was not covered. Furthermore, since I was using the trailer for business and not personal use, even though the trailer was on my property, homeowners insurance would not cover the trailer.
One of the things I did have was rental coverage in case my equipment was damaged or stolen so that I could continue business. This was a great asset as I spent over $3,000 renting equipment while I negotiated with the insurance company over coverage and value. In the end, I only received a check for about half of my initial investment.
I have had to finance and purchase several replacement pieces of equipment and this unforeseen expense has hurt my company. I had money set aside for investing in other projects that will have to wait.
If I have learned anything from this experience it is that you need to truly understand your personal business insurance. First off, you need REPLACEMENT VALUE on all equipment, not just the fair market price. You should also have coverage for the cost of RENTING equipment in the case of an emergency. It took me almost two weeks before I got a check from my insurance company, without that coverage I could have lost several customers. Lastly, if you do business from your home, make sure you have a RIDER POLICY on any building or equipment that you use as part of the business. Your homeowners insurance probably does not cover any damage caused from doing business from your home or outbuildings.
It was an expensive lesson, but I hope I’ve helped some of you.
John Shepherd, Walsh College Adams Fellow
On the Sunday of the fire, I learned the importance of insurance, and knowing your policy.
First off, I was under the impression that I had full replacement coverage for all my equipment and the trailer. NOT! When I called the insurance company, I was surprised to learn I had insurance for the current value of the mowers, a limited amount for the other contents of the trailer, and since the trailer was not hooked to my vehicle, the trailer itself was not covered. Furthermore, since I was using the trailer for business and not personal use, even though the trailer was on my property, homeowners insurance would not cover the trailer.
One of the things I did have was rental coverage in case my equipment was damaged or stolen so that I could continue business. This was a great asset as I spent over $3,000 renting equipment while I negotiated with the insurance company over coverage and value. In the end, I only received a check for about half of my initial investment.
I have had to finance and purchase several replacement pieces of equipment and this unforeseen expense has hurt my company. I had money set aside for investing in other projects that will have to wait.
If I have learned anything from this experience it is that you need to truly understand your personal business insurance. First off, you need REPLACEMENT VALUE on all equipment, not just the fair market price. You should also have coverage for the cost of RENTING equipment in the case of an emergency. It took me almost two weeks before I got a check from my insurance company, without that coverage I could have lost several customers. Lastly, if you do business from your home, make sure you have a RIDER POLICY on any building or equipment that you use as part of the business. Your homeowners insurance probably does not cover any damage caused from doing business from your home or outbuildings.
It was an expensive lesson, but I hope I’ve helped some of you.
John Shepherd, Walsh College Adams Fellow
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
February Action for Adams Entrepreneur Fellow
by John Shepherd
February was an interesting month for me as the 2010 Walsh College Adams Entrepreneurial Fellow. I worked on a lot of different projects during the month including Take Off With Troy and Panthera.
I was part of the group that made presentations to potential grant funders from Florida and New York. We’re trying to secure funding for a new entrepreneurship program at Walsh College. I was able to explain the Adams Fellowship to the group as well as share my experiences at Walsh. From all accounts, our presentation went very well. It was a great opportunity for me to see how the staff prepares and executes a sales pitch. Look for announcements on the project in the future.
Take Off With Troy is taking shape. I recently attended the “State of the Cities” event sponsored by our partners The Troy Chamber of Commerce. Some of the people I have been working with this month are Michelle Hodges, President of the Troy Chamber of Commerce, Jeffrey Wright, Senior Vice President of Hennessey Capital, and Nancy Grose, of the U.S. Small Business Administration. All of them are very interesting people with great ideas. What is most exciting for me is that they are all willing to help me and Take Off With Troy succeed.
In the next month I will be attending a lot of Walsh Business Leadership Institute Affinity Group meetings. These meetings bring together established business owners as well as aspiring business owners. They are a great place to learn and share information. I will also be wrapping up the 2009 Small Business Makeovers.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
FREE Microsoft Office 2003/2007 Exams
NEWS FROM MICHIGAN WORKS
§ Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Office 2003 Exam
§ Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) Windows Vista & Office 2007 Exam
To Schedule an Exam:
¨ Contact New Horizons Computer Learning Centers to schedule a date and time for a Measure-Up pre-test.
o New Horizons Troy Location (248) 824-1000, Extension 0
o New Horizons Livonia Location (734) 525-1501, Extension 0
¨ Notify New Horizons Computer Learning Center that you were referred by Michigan Works! Troy.
¨ Your exam must be complete by April 11th, 2010.
To Complete an Exam:
¨ When you report to New Horizons for the exam, please bring two pieces of identification. One must be photo identification.
¨ You must pass a Measure-Up pre-test before sitting for the certification exam.
¨ New Horizons Computer Learning Center will issue the voucher(s) for the certification exam(s).
Important Notes to Remember:
¨ Your exam must be complete by April 11th, 2010.
¨ Elevate America offers online intermediate learning for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook. You are strongly encouraged to complete the intermediate learning prior to scheduling an exam. Vouchers are available at Michigan Works! Troy.
§ Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Office 2003 Exam
§ Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) Windows Vista & Office 2007 Exam
To Schedule an Exam:
¨ Contact New Horizons Computer Learning Centers to schedule a date and time for a Measure-Up pre-test.
o New Horizons Troy Location (248) 824-1000, Extension 0
o New Horizons Livonia Location (734) 525-1501, Extension 0
¨ Notify New Horizons Computer Learning Center that you were referred by Michigan Works! Troy.
¨ Your exam must be complete by April 11th, 2010.
To Complete an Exam:
¨ When you report to New Horizons for the exam, please bring two pieces of identification. One must be photo identification.
¨ You must pass a Measure-Up pre-test before sitting for the certification exam.
¨ New Horizons Computer Learning Center will issue the voucher(s) for the certification exam(s).
Important Notes to Remember:
¨ Your exam must be complete by April 11th, 2010.
¨ Elevate America offers online intermediate learning for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook. You are strongly encouraged to complete the intermediate learning prior to scheduling an exam. Vouchers are available at Michigan Works! Troy.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Attention Novi Business Owners
Business Assistance Team Town Hall: March 2nd
Helping small business grow and prosper in Novi
Join the City of Novi on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 7:30-9 a.m. at Walsh College in Novi for a FREE networking event and learn about the Business Assistance Team (BAT) in Novi.
The mission of the BAT is to identify small and medium size businesses within the Novi community that would benefit from the business and planning experience the team is able to offer. The goal is to provide knowledge, guidance and useful tools for these businesses to utilize in order to maintain and grow their business in an effective and efficient way. There are NO sales involved in this assistance.
The specific types of assistance the team can offer, include:
• Sounding board for potential ideas
• Review existing business plans
• Marketing, advertising, public relation advice
• Networking within the community
• SBA financing/loan options
To reserve your spot and for more information, please contact Sarah Marchioni at smarchioni@cityofnovi.org or (248) 347-0580 by February 26th.
Helping small business grow and prosper in Novi
Join the City of Novi on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 7:30-9 a.m. at Walsh College in Novi for a FREE networking event and learn about the Business Assistance Team (BAT) in Novi.
The mission of the BAT is to identify small and medium size businesses within the Novi community that would benefit from the business and planning experience the team is able to offer. The goal is to provide knowledge, guidance and useful tools for these businesses to utilize in order to maintain and grow their business in an effective and efficient way. There are NO sales involved in this assistance.
The specific types of assistance the team can offer, include:
• Sounding board for potential ideas
• Review existing business plans
• Marketing, advertising, public relation advice
• Networking within the community
• SBA financing/loan options
To reserve your spot and for more information, please contact Sarah Marchioni at smarchioni@cityofnovi.org or (248) 347-0580 by February 26th.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Helping small business grow and prosper in Novi
Join Walsh College, The City of Novi and National City Bank on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at Walsh College in Novi for a FREE networking event and an opportunity to learn about the Business Assistance Team (BAT) in Novi.
The mission of the BAT is to identify small and medium size businesses within the Novi community that would benefit from the business and planning experience the team is able to offer. The goal is to provide knowledge, guidance and useful tools for these businesses to utilize in order to maintain and grow their business in an effective and efficient way. There are NO sales involved in this assistance. The specific types of assistance the team can offer, include:
The mission of the BAT is to identify small and medium size businesses within the Novi community that would benefit from the business and planning experience the team is able to offer. The goal is to provide knowledge, guidance and useful tools for these businesses to utilize in order to maintain and grow their business in an effective and efficient way. There are NO sales involved in this assistance. The specific types of assistance the team can offer, include:
- ·Sounding board for potential ideas
- Review existing business plans
- Marketing, advertising, public relation advice
- Networking within the community
- SBA financing/loan options
To reserve your spot and for more information, please contact Sarah Marchioni at smarchioni@cityofnovi.org or (248) 347-0580 by February 26th.
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