I am grateful for my local community and their participation in our Eastern Suburbs Connect facebook group.I started the group in 2018 to be able to share & promote local businesses cause it’s a no no in other groups. I also wanted a group that reflected the reality of a real conversation / interaction like..
I like this so so much because it shows Airbnb have a thinking realistic management who value customer service, user experience as much as they value their brand!
Hello, Happy New Year! I am so over terrible service AND terrible manners!! Based on 30 years experience in customer service and managing people and a little longer on the planet, I know there is a correlation between the 2! I have always trained people along the lines of great customer service is an extension..
This page is updated during the week! To see other News Room updates please click here. **** How One Generation Was Single-Handedly Able To Kill The Music Industry http://buff.ly/1lo0883 via Elite Daily **** “Staff productivity to drop during World Cup 2014” http://buff.ly/SZoR7A > #WorldCup2014 I’m not surprised at all based on friends’ & my activity..
Join us next Friday in Sydney @ Referron, I’m talking about the Connected Customer and how to engage them at BSI Connect. More information here. “The Future of Now: Always On, Always Connected Communication technology unites us, relays news equally with opinion, transports us to worldwide events, and shrinks distances between our relationships. We’re..
Melbourne Retailers & Wholesalers are in for a treat! I am honoured to be part of such a great lineup! Tara Dennis, Jules Brooke, Melissa Hobbs & I are talking retail for a full day at Reed Gift Fairs Burst into 2015 Workshop. Morning Tea, Lunch & Afternoon Tea provided. $132.00 Not to be missed!!..
I’m excited to be a RETAIL HUB expert at Reed Gift Fairs in Sydney in September!! Follow the signs & you will find us at The Retail Hub is at Sydney Exhibition Centre Glebe Island. See the schedule here: http://www.reedgiftfairs.com.au/en/sydney-september/Retail-Hub/ I’m talking all things #Retail, come & say hi: Saturday 20 September @ 11:00 am ..
This page is updated during the week! To see other News Room updates please click here. **** EVENT: “Gamification & Social Media As Weapons to Increasing Audience Engagement”, Theresa Lim 8 July http://buff.ly/VAWSgz **** Great post from presenter Theresa Lim “Top 6 Ways To Make Your Next Event Truly Experiential!” http://buff.ly/1ltp3me **** Creating cool images..
This page is updated during the week! To see other News Room updates please click here. **** Interesting!! “Apple trademarks its stores” He was a smart man!! “Steve Jobs placed a great deal of emphasis on distinctive shop design, stating that “Unless we could find a way to get our message to customers at the..
This page is updated during the week! To see other News Room updates please click here. **** RT Posse: Hit the #SydneyFilmFestival and ask the Program Gurus for their recommendations on the perfect movie to watch today. http://buff.ly/SSa6n4 **** Finally a retailer who understands the Aust customer is not going to be price gouged! RT..
This page is updated during the week! To see other News Room updates please click here. **** I was interviewed by Jamie Smyth for this Financial Times article: “International invaders shake up Australia’s home grown retailers” http://buff.ly/1tw0SbB **** @Starbucks know their customer, what they want and how to deliver it, retailers take note! #customer #ux..
This page is updated during the week! To see other News Room updates please click here. **** I have noticed this happening – share this on your personal pages with your friends on facebook: **** My heart is broken that the wonderful Maya Angelou has passed away. Thank you teacher for your wisdom, kindness &..
I grew up in a time of Retailers who stood tall; family businesses with passionate, knowledgeable, roll-the-sleeves-up-and-join-the-troops managers, leaders and owners. As a Grace Bros Management Cadet, I worked with so many talented Managers and retailers. Over the past 20 years, retail has lost its way and the passionate skilled leaders are few and far..
I had a week from hell in terms of customer service, but the pinnacle had to be the service and ethics of Mytopiastore on Ebay. I ordered a Cantilever Umbrella for Mum’s birthday party on 24 October, party was on 10th Nov and they say 3 – 7 days delivery – with 17 days out..
Parking fees is a hot topic for retailers and shoppers, every retail discussion I have these days includes the cost of parking and how it deters customers from shopping in bricks and mortar stores. In fact when I chat to Gen Y about driving / parking they say it is easier just to hop online..
A great post on Facebook from Gelato Messina on their price increases. I am sure true purveyors of quality hand crafted products will get it & these people ARE their customers after all!! Nicely handled! I LOVE people’s comments underneath the post too!! Check out their website too, yum! Ultimately, it came to this: “Essentially..
I POSTED THIS ON MY FB PAGE TODAY: The word ridiculous doesn’t even cover this. Instead of this retailer learning some customer service skills & learning how to not spend too much time with customers who only use her an info source & buy elsewhere, she is charging a $5 ‘Browsing Fee’!!! I would also..
Another great example of ‘Crowd Sourcing’ AND great retail here from Country Road. Country Road know: their market that know that their customers are perfectly aligned to the brand they know that when they ask their customers what they want, they can develop that product and their customers will buy it The other ‘great retail’..
Great example of customer engagement ~ handwritten note is a gorgeous touch! via Burberry “A handwritten note to Burberry Facebook fans from Christopher Bailey – Watch the show live on the Burberry Facebook page today, 4pm London time” In case you don’t know, Christopher Bailey is Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer.
Putting together great speakers for Social Media Women & media140 events this year! 1st media140 : 26 March in Sydney . Register & check out the next few events click here *********** The ever talented Garance Dore talks business with Imran Amed. click here to read *********** This is interesting via media140 :”#VALENTINES Something you..
Internationally, department stores and brand name retailers have been integrating their social media activity with their real life retail theatre very well. Locally, I have not seen great consistent examples, until now! David Jones did a really good job on Facebook sharing the lead up to Autumn / Winter 2013 Season Launch; from casting, to..
Great read!! via E V E R Y T H I N G on Facebook. I am not sure if it is true or fact but I think it is a great illustration of appropriate customer handling. I love that this employee was empowered enough to handle a tough situation. Having 4 visits at international..
I really hate it when retailers lie about delivery!! I had an order in with Buyinvite (if you don’t know it takes 7 – 21 days to get the order). Got an email saying that my order had ‘unforseen delay’ and they didn’t know when it would be delivered. (message now deleted from the Contacts..
Last week, I tweeted my disgust at Mercure Sydney charging 1.5% credit card surcharge. My first post was positive: checking in on foursquare with a cute pic of a vintage post box. I was not alone with others commenting on the surcharge: They replied to the Four Square tweet but not the surcharge….so I..
A super quick post today, with a longer one to follow! It is amusing to be seeing the ‘resurance’ of the awareness of the importance of customer service! People are talking about it like it is a new planet; “The way to build sales and ensure your business’ longevity is to focus on customer service”,..
Event cinema cheap tix $7.50 pre buy – good deal but WHY THE “Additional $1.10 per ticket booking fee applies when redeeming online”? That is ridiculous!! They have removed the ticket counters at the cinema with machines and actively encourage customers to order online – it’s quick and easy. The system is in place whether..
This is a little bit of tough love: Dear Retailers, It’s Not Me, It’s You! I constantly hear retailers blaming the customer for their situation, so I thought I would write them a Dear John Letter: If Australian customers were to write Australian retailers a ‘Dear John’ letter as to why they have left them..
Articles ideas are erratic, sometimes I have 20 at once and sometimes I have zero! I was thinking about my next article when a client told me that when talking to staff about customer service he always uses what I said in my seminar (before he became a client), Customer Service is Like Dating.So I..
We find ourselves in an interesting time. Consumer behaviour has never been more fickle, retail has never been tougher, communication has never been easier while at the same time harder to manage and competition has never been tougher, as we now all operate on a world stage. So while it may be easier to find..
I want to share this question i was emailed: “I was shopping at Wittner Shoes last night, picked up a bag that was clearly priced and took it to the counter to purchase only to be told it had been priced incorrectly. The bag originally should have been $220 down to $119 the tag was..
I attended the PayPal E-commerce Insights meeting last week. One thing is certain, PayPal have their finger on the pulse of what drives the online consumer, how they want to shop and what tools are needed to make it easier! I will post some information shortly.
View This Post as a PDF The rules are different and the playing field has totally changed leaving business owners with the options of adapt or perish. Australian business owners have never had to be as skilled as they need to be today; education, knowledge, skill and marketing prowess, are all needed by business owners…
With all the focus on Social Media at the moment being about ROI and sales, it is nice just to let the ‘Social’ take centre stage! To see all of my pictures, please click here. Denea, editor of Gourmet Rabbit, @GourmetRabbit on twitter (in ‘Twitter-speak” this denotes a person’s ‘Twitter Handle’ or their name /..
I just left this comment on an article in Smart Company titled: “How Happy Staff & Online Deliver Retail Growth” in reference to David Jones’ poor results last week, view here. I was compelled to comment as I feel very strongly that the 2 main depsrtment stores in Australia have not done anything for the..
Profitable sales are the objective of every retailer, to achieve this they need: View This Post as a PDF their current customers to buy more in one transaction customers to shop in their store more often customers to stay in their store longer new customers Any good buyer knows profitable sales are not just as..
In July I was presenting Social Media Seminars at the GHA (Gift & Homewares Australia) Home & Giving Trade Show to Exhibitors and Retailers. It quickly became apparent to me that I was largely talking to an audience that had not yet dipped it’s toe into the online space let alone considered Social Media as a..
One of my favourite magazines Giftrap asked me to write an article on Customer Service and we thought it would be fun to create 10 Commandments!
There are a lot of things that business owners need to focus on and being obsessed with their competition is not one of them. It is time to look at your competitors in a new light. Your competitors will elevate your whole category / product group or niche. They will also be a comparison to you and allow you to shine in comparison!! Use your competition to increase the awareness of your niche & show how great your business is!!
Without Exceptional Customer Service, any business cannot thrive, grow or survive long term. The Internet and Social Media have meant that customers can share their experiences, good & bad, immediately. Here are some tips to help elevate your Customer Service Experience.
This is a great lesson in how to handle customer comments, complaints and lack of satisfaction; sometimes customers don’t speak the same language and there may be misunderstandings but handled in a respectful manner, any situation can end pleasantly!
I was chuffed to be asked to talk about my favourite topic: Customer Service with Prue MacSween on her Small Business program on 2GB, 873 AM, last night, 29 September 2009. I have long been a fan of Prue’s, she is knowledgeable, funny, witty and is not afraid to raise a topic that should be..
….at least the rules are the same! The most important ingredient in the recipe for success is your customer – without the customer there is no retail business. Consumers are getting savvier and are far more knowledgeable than ever before. They are more demanding and have more choices now than ever before. Compare retail now..
Just when I had lost faith in customer service and passionate retailers (my customers excluded of course!), a friend took me to Gelatomassi in Newtown on Sunday for what he said was, “the best Gelato in Sydney (possibly Australia)”. We were in Concord so this was a lot of pressure to put on one place!..
Just created a Facebook Page called “Awww, How Nice Is This?” so that we can share the things that make us smile and the nice things that people do! Please become a fan of the page and share with your friends!! Like this rose from our garden – so divine no? Maybe we can help..
Retail has never been more complicated. Consumers have access to more information, choice and options than ever before. Your customer is comparing you to other stores, sites and products from the comfort of their home. You can communicate with your customer via: post, email, radio, sms, local paper, facebook, twitter, online advertising and the list..
write something here IMPORTANT – to build a relationship with your customers and make them feel valued and important. This is vital for building long term customer loyalty.This may sound like an obvious thing to say but you, and your staff, should make eye contact with every customer who walks in your store or past..