Customers and clients are at a premium these days. I am a business owner of check issuing services, and I count every penny that comes through that front door. You want to make sure that your business is not only growing with new customers and clients but that you are optimizing the current client and customer base you have.
The true value in clients and customers comes down to knowing who the heck they are and what they like; oh, and what customers think of you. Knowing this information is vital to your business evolution. When you know what your customers like and how they react to your products and services, you can repurpose, rebrand and rebuild your business. You waste less time and resources. You fail a little bit less.
But how does one “get to know the customer?” Begin with straight talk customer service.
Ways To Learn What Customers and Clients Want!
Well, let’s have a look at a few good ways.
Do you mail checks to your customers or clients? If you do, you can always slide in a survey for them to complete as part of our check cutting service. To help incentivize the completion of the polls, you could offer them future discounts. At Check Issuing, our check writing service automatically allows clients to put memorandums, studies and anything else inside the check envelopes. Everyone opens envelopes when they contain money, so viewership of your survey is no issue. That’s not the same response when you email or mail (without a check). People simply don’t have to open their emails and many people toss mail that doesn’t seem necessary. These are examples of excellent customer service and a good definition of great service.
You can email them. Wait, didn’t I just say that wasn’t so great? No, I said using a check writing service to slide in a survey has better results per business mailer. But that doesn’t mean email doesn’t work. For one, every person or entity that you do business with might not even get a check. And for two, email is expansive and broad. You can get a lot of messaging out to a lot of people using email. But when it comes to email, best practices matter. Be honest and succinct in the subject line. Make sure you are emailing people who would most likely be interested in your survey (current clients and customers). Maybe offer them something in return like a discount? People love discounts and free things…they just do!
Set up focus groups. Yes, this is much more complex, but there are business services which can help you do this. This option is geared more towards companies which are already pretty profitable as such an endeavor might be costly. Focus groups allow you to see exactly how a customer responds and interacts and engages your business line. Such information is invaluable.
Maybe you want the help of Check Issuing? Sure, we aren’t going to run a focus group for you, but we can certainly help your company disseminate a survey or questionnaire in a check envelope (securely, we might add).
Resources:
Keys to good customer service
The Art of Sales in Business
Speaking honestly here, very few people have any adoration at all for sales; the ones who love sales, are probably rich. Sales people either think sales are too easy (they underestimate what it takes to sell anything therefore not honing their craft) or they over think it (they try too many scripted sales adventures).
Without sales, most businesses would be completely dead. Sales are part of almost any business model imaginable, whether that is selling from business to customer or from business to other businesses, sales are a required wing of the company. So it would make sense to assert that if your sales pitches and sales agents are bad, the company is, well, … it could be a bit better.
So then, how does one make it better when it comes to the dreaded “sales” word?
Be convinced the product is good. If you are managing sales agents, they need to like your product. I know that there are some great, out there who can just sell anything, but the fact is, sales are always improved when people are enthusiastic about selling the business. If you are selling hosting, consider giving hosting at an extreme discount or even free to sales agents. That will certainly paint your product in a good light with your sales reps. Speak enthusiastically of the product, not just in a sales related vernacular.
Learn to dissipate fear and relieve uncertainty. People don’t buy things often times because they are afraid or uncertain; so begin by focusing on those aspects. Sit down with sales reps and go over all the reasons for which a potential sale would decline the offer and then fix those reasons. It isn’t rocket science, it is simply reverse engineering and good business. You already know why they’d want it, what you need to know (and correct) is why they wouldn’t want it. Networking within your industry is an excellent way to learn this knowledge.
Always be aware of who your client is. Be detailed in your knowledge of your client’s business model, the history of the business, who the partners are, and their philosophy as the sales process research. Know their business service or product. Maybe even buy or order the product or service. You want to go in intimately involved for the best sales results. Not only will this help you sell, it will help you win them over. They will be excited that you seem as passionate about their business and they are.
Never talk past the deal. This is last on my list, but man is it important: stop talking about the deal once you’ve closed the deal. Continuing to talk about closed deals just keeps the door open for potential changes and honestly, even rejections. The deal is done, stick a fork in it and move on.
The Business Of Avoiding Failure
Business is all about success. You look for new successful ideas and products. You devise marketing plans hoping your new business becomes a mega-brand and super successful. You make your website faster hoping for more successful transactions.
It is clear to most of us that success is often a minority result buried in piles of failure. That’s OK (and accurate) but that doesn’t mean we should seek out failure as a way to stimulate success. If we can avoid failure, we should avoid it.
Below are three significant ways I feel every small business executive can improve their odds of avoiding failure.
Always keep tabs on your competition: Your enemies should be kept close is a saying that’s not exactly an ancient proverb, but it shouldn’t be understated, either. Understanding what your competition is doing to succeed and fail can help your company stay on top of which agenda items you should hold near and dear. The fact is, innovation is rarely super unique. You can learn a lot by watching others.
Be able to quickly assess your risk versus reward scenario: Running a small business means constantly being challenged with new ideas. New ideas are a big part of expansion, growth, and failure-avoidance. With any new idea, the largest challenge is figuring out whether or not to invest it in; deploy development; partner up for it. And the only way to figure out these looming inquisitions is to be able to quickly apply risk versus reward scenarios. Refine this skill and quickly reap the benefits of newfound successes and failure avoidances.
Enhance focus by any and all means: Our world is laden with distracting trifles. Our Facebook feeds viewed quickly on our smartphones, text messages, phone calls, and emails, all contribute to time waste. They also break up focus. Put specific time aside during the day solely intended for work related projects. Turn the smartphone upside down, log out of business email, shut off the ringer: this will help you fire on all cylinders creatively speaking. This will also make your “downtime” on Facebook a lot more enjoyable, knowing you’ve accomplished priorities already.
In the end, you should never get so caught up in avoiding business failure that you become afraid of it. Success means not being afraid to fail. But when you can avoid it, it can only benefit you.
Check Issuing Wants Your Business
Check Issuing focuses on your business. We care about your success because your success is our success. Our clients are all long-term relationships, we aren’t in the business of one night stands (sorry for my lewd comment). When businesses use us for their check issuing services, they end up keeping us for a very long time. We have more satisfied clients than any other similar services. Our business is family run, but deeply advanced when it comes to who we’ve hired to help us become the success we are today. We are a team. We love our clients. We protect our clients.
The fact is, you worry about check fraud. It can hold your entire business hostage. At Check Issuing, we can safely say that we are experts in the field of preventing check fraud. Why worry that you will become the victim of check fraud when we are just a phone call away? Our system works directly with the banks. We have the most secure check envelopes in the world.
Our business also serves your branding needs. Wait, branding? Who the heck are we? We are a full-service check disbursement provider, that’s who we are. We allow you to make sure your checks look professional and clean. Want to put your brand’s logo on your check? That’s easy when you use our service.
We also offer a team of merchant specialist to help assist you. With decades worth of combined merchant banking experience, we are the most reliable decision you’ll make when it comes to your check processing.
We offer real-time stats, the ability to put memorandums inside your check’s envelopes and super secure checks. We just don’t mess around with this checking stuff. Got questions?
Our company is experts at rebate fulfillment services – Call us today
