customer service | Fast Company

Three Companies that Started down the Trust Path with Customers First

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Sep 27, 2009

They do it by talking about and engaging with topics and content that will make their customers smarter. Or they share tidbits that are fun and engaging, and share the love. These are the secrets of successful corporate blogs - and ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

Five Companies that Fix their Story to Inspire Service

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Sep 20, 2009

Branding as a strategy means little if the customer experience is not there. If your story doesn’t align with what you do, all of the clever tactics you can come up with to follow your lofty goal will not make the cut.Unless you can ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

Would CPG Brands Compete with their Own Channels for Customers?

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Sep 13, 2009

AdAge writes an interesting article about going beyond online ads to eCommerce opportunities for CPG brands. Will it pay off? Services are easier to deliver online. A few product dot-bombs in the early 2000s made us keenly aware of ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

Customer Issues and the Bottom Line

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Aug 30, 2009

Many marketers spend a considerable amount of time calculating the ROI of campaigns by looking at cost per lead (CPL) or Web conversion numbers. You are probably quite smart yourself to the ways of lead nurturing and its importance in ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

Innovation and Failure

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Aug 23, 2009

There is a good relationship between innovation and failure. As Monica Harrington shares, Microsoft Bob gave plenty of very smart people a run for their money - and lessons to take to their next project. Those are familiar ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

Mad Men and Trust Agents

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Aug 16, 2009

They’re at the opposite ends of the conversation spectrum. The show context is that of media and advertising, two areas that are undergoing rapid change - some would call it a decline. Mad Men captivated the public’s imagination ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

Fluency in Customer Conversation is a Key Business Driver

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Aug 9, 2009

There is a reason why this publication is called Fast Company. The US has an even shorter attention span than many places I’ve had the fortune of spending time in. I’ve been writing about customer conversation here for more than ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

How to Give Your Company Service Deadlines

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Aug 2, 2009

Usually it’s the customers who give you deadlines - and sometimes ultimatums - on service. Needing something done by, support within “x” time, service at “y” time and place. What would happen if you turned that concept on ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

How you can get the Most out of Customer Service

BY Valeria MaltoniSun Jul 5, 2009

We spend so much time talking about how to improve customer service that I thought one post on how to improve customer attitude would be time well spent. If you think about it, we call a customer support line only when we have a ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

How to Map to the Social Media Engagement Profile of Your Customers

BY Valeria MaltoniSun May 17, 2009

You probably already know that Forrester’s social technographics profile can help you analyze the social profile of your customer base. As authors Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li explain in the book Groundswell, people increasingly use ...READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

How to Answer the Social Phone

BY Valeria MaltoniSun May 10, 2009

It seems that if there are many ways to listen in the social Web, there are also many reasons with the ways to answer. Tom Asacker puts it well, we define ourselves both according to what we identify with and what we reject, and given ...READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

8 Surprising Ways To Delight Customers

BY Lisa NirellTue Feb 7, 2012

Look across the universe of possible ways you could delight your clients this month. It's easier and less costly than you think. Skip the traditional "drinks and dinner" route and consider these fresh alternatives. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Make Room At The Meeting Table--For Your Customer

BY Don PeppersFri Jan 27, 2012

Try to remember the last time you had an internal meeting to review the sales pipeline, the latest product offering, or the upcoming marketing plan. Now imagine that your customer had actually been in the room, listening in. If there are things you would've changed, it may be time to invite your customer to the table (if only metaphorically). READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

In Social Business, Pay Sales Teams Less And Customer Service More

BY Francine HardawayMon Jan 23, 2012

If we prioritize business growth, we are almost always prioritizing transactions rather than relationships. We compensate sales teams much more highly than we compensate customer service or marketing teams. This is wrong. Anyone can bring in a customer once--but what does it take to keep that customer and unlock his value?READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

In The Commoditization Of Everything, Adaptation Will Win

BY Prasad ThammineniThu Jan 5, 2012

Lots of industries are becoming saturated with competitors, to the point where they’re becoming commoditized. And a funny thing happens when an industry that was once nascent becomes the next big thing: Everyone thinks they can do your job. But it doesn’t signal the end for startups; instead, it’s a renaissance, a period of both rebirth and adaptation.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

In Your Company's Bid To Court Social Influencers, Don't Forget The "Regular Customers"

BY Ekaterina WalterMon Dec 19, 2011

Ninety percent of all conversations Americans have about products and brands take place offline; focusing too much on social-media influencers and ignoring everyone else will be to your brand's peril. READ»

HARVEY'S HARDWARE | Comment

How To Charge Higher Prices And Thrive

BY Neil BaronMon Dec 19, 2011

Harvey’s Hardware is a legend in my town of Needham, Mass. In business since 1953, Harvey’s sells what most people consider to be commodity items--nuts, bolts, lawnmowers, and shovels. And yet, Harvey’s revenue per square foot is almost four times higher than the typical hardware store. Here's how they do it--and how your company can, too. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

3 Ways To Put Your Customer First

BY Emily HeywardFri Dec 16, 2011

The brand that puts its users first, whose sole purpose is to serve them, will surely win. But it’s one thing to know this, another to put it in action. So this holiday season, start with these three simple ways to grow your business by practicing generosity.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

How To Give Your Customers More Of What They Love

BY Greg RollettThu Dec 15, 2011

It is always easier, less expensive, and more effective to sell more to existing customers than it is to attract, court, and sell to new ones. Here are the best ways entrepreneurs and small business owners can provide multiple products at multiple price points to keep customers coming back for more. READ»

TECHNOLOGY | Comment

Building A Better Chat Room

BY Neal UngerleiderWed Nov 9, 2011

If the new startup Tokkster is right, being able to chat with other customers on company home pages will be the next big thing.READ»