Have you ever noticed that most of the advice about creating great customer service comes from the world of big business? It suggests that in order to develop excellence you need to learn from global Hotel chains, enormous car rental companies, luxury department stores or massive technology firms. If you are a small business this kind of advice is well-intentioned but often of little use. You likely know already that outstanding customer service can be a real difference maker when it comes to small businesses, but how exactly does a small business develop outstanding service? You won't do it by copying what Airlines or online shopping giants do. Customer service is not getting better, it's getting worse. Almost everybody has a story to share about a terrible customer service experience. These stories span almost every kind of business and can be found all over the globe. Really smart businesses understand that this is not good enough. If you want to remain in business, remain profitable and keep your best customers you need more than ever to focus on making sure you're better than the rest. The best way to differentiate your business from your competition is the quality of the service you provide. Nowhere is this more important than the world of small business. In these pages you'll learn how customer service has become so bad as you explore the specific things businesses do that damage the customer's experience. You'll find out what customers really want and why they behave as they do. You'll see what you need to do to re-focus on customer service, and how to create the right environment to deliver excellent service every time. You'll identify the mistakes that are routinely made in business and how to avoid them. Finally you'll learn the best way to include and manage your most precious assets, your employees, as you begin the journey to excellence in customer service. You'll find resources, vivid examples and valuable tips for putting the ideas into action inside your own business. The book is written for action, showing you where and how to put your focus on the things that will matter most to your business. A career of working with great organizations teaches that it's not about throwing unlimited resources, money and technology at a business that creates a great customer experience. You'll learn that it's much simpler than that, and doesn't require any of those expensive inputs. Many before you have tried and failed to become excellent at customer service because they failed to understand what it really requires. This book is designed with the small business in mind and explains what really matters to the customers of a small business, and what makes for a great customer service experience. There are hundreds of books on the market packed with advice on customer service. The advice is sound but comes from a different world, the world of big business. This book is written specifically for small businesses and provides practical and straightforward ideas and advice that every small business can use. If you're a small business and know you can't continue to compete on price, scale, reach or some other big business advantage then this book is for you. You'll see how to take advantage of the one thing you possess that bigger competitors can't match.. your close and local relationship with customers. Get that relationship right and you can compete with and defeat much bigger competitors. A first-of-its-kind book for small businesses, The Small Business Advantage will show you how unlock the amazing potential of your small business, and how to create a unique and sustainable advantage to grow your business and retain your loyal and profitable customers in the years ahead.
The Small Business Jigsaw guides you through a series of tried and tested tasks that will show you how to plan, grow and love your business. Among other things you will learn how to: Build an online presence to rival that of any successful business Make social media and low cost advertising work for you Set goals and take the first steps towards achieving them Increase your customer base and maximise sales Whether you are just about to start your business or are already trading, this step-by-step workbook will move your business forward in the right direction for you.
So, you want to start a small business? -Have you ever thought you could run a business better than your boss does?-Is it your dream to be self-employed?-Do you wish for the day when you can call all the shots?-Do you need the freedom and flexibility of business ownership to accommodate your lifestyle? -Do you believe business ownership will provide you a better quality of life?-Is business ownership the answer for how to support your family?The Small Business Start-Up Workbook is designed to thoroughly equip you to launch and run a successful business. What this book does not do is try to impress you with a few hundred additional and unnecessary pages of information which will not contribute to your success. My goal is not trying to impress you with everything I know. This book is a portion of what I know; it is the portion I believe you will need and appreciate when making the decision to start your own small business. I have worked very hard to keep this book direct, pertinent, and valuable. I believe it is enough and not too much. I hope you agree.The Small Business Start-Up Workbook is designed to provide you with a road-map to starting your business and save you thousands of dollars in consulting fees. In business, mistakes can be quite costly and lead to priceless "now-I-know" moments. This Step-by-Step guide will provide you with practical input that you can use immediately, from applying for your first business license and setting up an office, to creating your business name and logo, branding your business, and opening the doors. The Small Business Start-Up Workbook is a great place to help you prepare for the nuances of business ownership and decide if becoming an entrepreneur is your next move.Starting a business is a daunting task, regardless of your previous experience. Many people become paralyzed at the thought of business ownership. Prospective business owners may feel lost and confused by the questions: Who?, What?, Where?, When?, Why?, And how? Many people find themselves doing nothing rather than following their dream of becoming a successful business owner. Being prepared with what to expect will help you navigate the land mines along the way.America rose to greatness through the efforts of visionaries, hard workers, and risk takers. The greatest achievers in history created their legacies. They did not wait for opportunity to come seek them. As a business owner, I feel I have discovered one of life's greatest secrets: Business ownership is the very embodiment of the American Dream. I hope this book helps you dream big and helps make those dreams come true. Mark Torr, Author of The Small Business Start-Up Workbook
