CustomersAreAlways: December 2007 Archives

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Dec29	Six Links For Saturday Maria Palma December 29, 2007 Know More: Resources customer service It's been a day full of good readings! Here are six links for Saturday: According to this article at The New York Times, Apple is becoming known as the "Nordstrom" of the tech world. Dale Wolf has convinced me that my Twittering isn't really a waste of time. I just signed up for Twitter the other day wondering if I would actually use it, but perhaps my customers would like to know what I'm up to every day? I discovered a new customer service blog, CustomerOps, via QAQNA. Here's an interesting question: Can you be customer centric without being employee friendly? Anna Farmery is in the hospital and we wish her well. What a trooper - she still makes time to blog about healthy customer service... Time to think about YOUR happiness project for 2008! Will this be the year you do what you absolutely love? Posted at 10:36 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec29	Reminder: Price Increase for "Customer Service is the New Marketing Summit" Maria Palma December 29, 2007 Awhile ago I announced the news of a one-day event called the "Customer Service is the New Marketing Summit" sponsored by Get Satisfaction. Well, if you're thinking about attending this event on February 4, 2008, you should get your ticket... Continue Reading Posted at 9:33 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Only Way to Improve Customer Service in 2008 Maria Palma December 29, 2007 As we head into the New Year and you're making your list of things you want to accomplish, have you added "create a better experience for my customers"? How about "improve my customer service skills"? The only way you're going... Continue Reading Posted at 4:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Teach Juggling Skills to Customers? Maria Palma December 29, 2007 If you're looking for an entertaining overview of the "ABC's" of customer service, you might want to check out this article by Silvana Clark. Here's what she suggests for the letter "J": Juggle: Expecting extra long lines? Hire a professional... Continue Reading Posted at 3:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Airports Hope to Provide Better Customer Service in 2008 Maria Palma December 29, 2007 According to this article over at The New York Times, airports are stepping up to create a more pleasant experience for fliers. The question asked is, Can Airports Calm the Nerves? The consensus among "industry experts" is that delays will... Continue Reading Posted at 11:53 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec28	Be Nice in 2008 Maria Palma December 28, 2007 Have you made your New Year's goals or resolutions for 2008 yet? I actually like this idea of a dream book... I also like Manolo's (one of my favorite fashion bloggers) advice: "Make the world more super fantastic. Be kinder... Continue Reading Posted at 9:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Firing Your Customers Revisited Maria Palma December 28, 2007 There's a great debate over at the Wharton website about firing your worst customers (via Duct Tape Marketing). The study done by two Wharton marketing professors says that firing your "low value" customers is counterproductive because: "Companies that rid themselves... Continue Reading Posted at 7:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Branding = Marketing = Customer Service Maria Palma December 28, 2007 What does the word "branding" mean to you? Brad VanAuken of Branding Strategy Insider says that branding is: "The Source of a Relationship with Customers" Here's a good definition by Kristine Kirby Webster I came across over at Marketing Vox:... Continue Reading Posted at 1:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Unnatural, Natural Behavior Maria Palma December 28, 2007 Yesterday I read Joe Capista's free ebook Build a Multi-Million Dollar Business (get it at his blog). Dr. Capista talks about "The Success Triangle" which are three things you need to have a successful business. This triangle consists of: 1. ... Continue Reading Posted at 12:14 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec27	Create Fun For Online Shoppers Maria Palma December 27, 2007 I received a few gift cards this Christmas, so I've spent a good portion of the day doing some online shopping. I'm seeing more websites with "communities" where people can share information about products or services. I'm also aware that... Continue Reading Posted at 3:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec26	In Business Every Single Action Matters Maria Palma December 26, 2007 In the business world, every encounter you have with a person is a chance to make a good impression so that they remember you the next time they need a product or service that you offer. Whether it's shaking their... Continue Reading Posted at 11:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Macy's, Don't Say I Didn't Try to Help Maria Palma December 26, 2007 Recently I wrote about how Macy's was a big disappointment for me this year - which was met with dismay from a "customer" who left a comment saying that I should "just get it over with already. what are you... Continue Reading Posted at 9:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Pre-Christmas Apple Experience Maria Palma December 26, 2007 If you're still not convinced that Apple stores has one of the easiest shopping experiences in the tech world, you may change your mind after reading this post... A couple days before Christmas I walked into the Apple store in... Continue Reading Posted at 6:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Customer Service According to Generation Y Maria Palma December 26, 2007 Customer service consultant Anne M. Obarski wrote an excellent article that talks about the challenges of Generation Y and customer service. Here's a little snippet of something that all of us should think about: "...The Gen Y group has been... Continue Reading Posted at 2:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Christmas Gift Returns: Tips for Customer Service Reps and Customers Maria Palma December 26, 2007 Although the day after Thanksgiving is a big shopping day, the day after Christmas is probably just as busy - people are using their gift cards or exchanging and returning Christmas gifts. For a customer service rep, the hustle and... Continue Reading Posted at 12:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec21	Customer Service the LeBron James Way Maria Palma December 21, 2007 We're halfway through the NBA basketball season and I'm just now really getting into it. I just watched an exciting game between the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets that went into double overtime. (Denver won - yes!) However, one person... Continue Reading Posted at 7:28 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec20	Customers Are Always 2007 Year in Review Maria Palma December 20, 2007 Instead of going through all my posts from this past year trying to decide what my favorite posts are, I like this idea of sharing the first few lines from the first post of each month, (which was actually started... Continue Reading Posted at 9:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Getting Personal With Holiday Greeting Cards Maria Palma December 20, 2007 What do you usually write on your holiday cards? is the question posed over at Service Untitled. I think this is an important question to address - especially for people like me who used to say, "Merry Christmas" in my... Continue Reading Posted at 3:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec18	Focus, The Two P's and How to Achieve Success Maria Palma December 18, 2007 Matthew Britt tells us that we should focus on serving. The word "focus" has been coming up more and more in my readings, so I thought I'd explore it here because I think many of us could do a little... Continue Reading Posted at 2:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	What Should I Wear to a Customer Service Interview? Maria Palma December 18, 2007 In my blog readings the other day I came across this question that someone asked in a forum: What should I wear to a customer service interview? I thought this would be a good question to answer since I'm sure... Continue Reading Posted at 12:48 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec17	New Resource Bank: Changing the Way Banks Do Business Maria Palma December 17, 2007 Bring up the phrase "banking system" and you're sure to hear alot of moaning and groaning. I've talked about banks with poor customer service before, but today I'm going to share with you a company who may be changing the... Continue Reading Posted at 5:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	5 Ways To Take Care of Employees Maria Palma December 17, 2007 In the recent SmallBusinessConsulting.com newsletter, David Gass, the CEO & President of the company, shared a feel-good story about a former NBA basketball player named Bob Love and Nordstrom. Here's an excerpt from the story: "...After leaving the NBA he... Continue Reading Posted at 2:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Customer Service Carnivale Posted at the Envision Blog Maria Palma December 17, 2007 I'd like to thank Jill Majors for hosting this edition of the Customer Service Carnivale! There are some good reads there, so make sure to take some time out today to learn something new ;) I was happy to see... Continue Reading Posted at 11:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec16	Customer Service Reads/Links Maria Palma December 16, 2007 Here are some good Sunday night reads - or early Monday morning reads, depending on where you are in the world! I get excited when I discover new customer service blogs...Just this past week I found Customer U, a blog... Continue Reading Posted at 5:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Macy's: The Biggest Disappointment in 2007 Maria Palma December 16, 2007 As some of you may know, I've been following Macy's (NYSE:M) news this past year. I just came across this interesting interview with CEO Terry Lundgren over at CNNMoney.com. Here's a little snippet from the interview:Q: What has been your... Continue Reading Posted at 4:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Create a Wow in 2008 Maria Palma December 16, 2007 I just found out about this event taking place next month. "Create a Wow" Virtual Conference will be held online from January 8-11, 2008 and is sponsored by IdeaMarketers.com and CreateAWow.com. Most of the conference is geared towards providing information... Continue Reading Posted at 12:39 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec15	Know More Media Reaches the 2-Year Mark Maria Palma December 15, 2007 Yesterday Know More Media celebrated its 2-year anniversary! As one of the first bloggers on the network, I'm extremely excited to see the network become a huge success. It's been such a fun ride. If you had told me five... Continue Reading Posted at 10:32 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Top 5 Holiday Gifts For Loyal Customers Maria Palma December 15, 2007 Are you doing some last minute holiday gift shopping for customers? No matter what you're budget is, here are my top 5 picks:1. A book full of motivational or inspirational quotes - something like 1001 Motivational Quotes for Success: Great... Continue Reading Posted at 6:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec14	Thank You Is Enough For Me Maria Palma December 14, 2007 As I reflect on this past year and the relationships I've formed with blog readers, friends, and customers (who are friends, by the way!), one of the people that stands out in my mind is Liz Strauss of Successful Blog. ... Continue Reading Posted at 1:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec13	3 "Top of Mind" Marketing/Customer Service Tips Maria Palma December 13, 2007 Last week I asked the question, Are Customers At the Top of Your Mind? C.B. Whittemore of Flooring the Consumer tagged me to share my own 3 tips. However, there are some prerequisites for these tips: It shouldn't take a... Continue Reading Posted at 6:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	3 For Thursday Maria Palma December 13, 2007 Here are three notes/links/reminders for today...1. Reminder that the Customer Service Carnivale is Monday, so get your submissions in by this Saturday, December 15. Jill Majors of the Envision Blog hosting! Would you like to host an upcoming carnivale? ... Continue Reading Posted at 1:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec12	It's Been Awhile Since I've Written About Starbucks... Maria Palma December 12, 2007 Some of you long time readers may know that I am a Starbucks evangelist. I think I blogged about the company just about every week last year year! As a matter of fact, I mentioned Starbucks in 55 posts since... Continue Reading Posted at 10:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Mitchell Report and Sports Players' Obligations to Fans Maria Palma December 12, 2007 Former senator and federal prosecuter George Mitchell will be releasing what he calls "The Mitchell Report" this Thursday. This report is part of a 20-month investigation of steroid use in Major League Baseball (MLB). It'll be interesting to see what 50... Continue Reading Posted at 1:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Exceeding Customers Expectations: Just Do It, Don't Say It Maria Palma December 12, 2007 Here's a great conversation I came across via When Customers Rule! Nick over at FusionBrand wrote a couple years ago that "exceeding expectations" is a stupid strategy. Shubhadeep of When Customers Rule! believes that we should exceed customers' expectations... Continue Reading Posted at 11:52 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec11	Spreading Blessings to Customers This Holiday Season Maria Palma December 11, 2007 "I want to spread blessings to my customers," my step-mother told me yesterday. She was talking about making holiday cookies and giving them to her customers. Now this is a woman who doesn't even own the business. It wasn't the... Continue Reading Posted at 3:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Take The Customer Service Pledge Challenge! Maria Palma December 11, 2007 Do you want your customers to know that you're dedicated to customer service? Take "The Pledge Challenge" offered by MeasuredUp.com. Let your online shoppers know that you care about customer satisfaction. All you have to do is download a badge... Continue Reading Posted at 11:24 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 9	100 Customer Service Tools and Resources Maria Palma December 9, 2007 We can thank Web 2.0 for all the different tools, hacks, widgets, blogs, and what-have-you that makes organizing our business so much easier. The only downside to that is that we now have so many of tools to choose from! ... Continue Reading Posted at 10:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fast Food Training: Customer Service Lesson for the Day Maria Palma December 9, 2007 Q: What happens when you put a new hire on the register by herself? A: A long line full of hungry people forms! After gift shopping today I went to McDonald's to grab a little snack. There was only one... Continue Reading Posted at 5:29 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 8	Want to Speak at a Future ICMI Conference? Maria Palma December 8, 2007 Are you a speaker looking for more exposure? Do you want to share your knowledge or experiences in the call center or customer service? Then you may be interested in speaking at one of ICMI's (International Customer Management Institute) future... Continue Reading Posted at 4:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Turning a Jerk Into Your Best Customer Maria Palma December 8, 2007 In the world of customer service we're constantly meeting people from all walks of life with different wants and needs. Sometimes we get customers are easy to please, sometimes they're not so nice, and then there are those who are... Continue Reading Posted at 2:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 7	Where To Find Customers Online Maria Palma December 7, 2007 Here at Customers Are Always I talk a great deal about joining the online conversations that your customers are having. But where do you go to find those customers? In the video below Mike Sansone of ConverStations illustrates that in... Continue Reading Posted at 9:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Why You Shouldn't Ignore Customer Conversations Maria Palma December 7, 2007 Here's a great article to read during the Friday commute - that is, if you're not driving! Customer Service is the New, New Marketing. Not to be confused with the Customer Service is the New Marketing Summit I mentioned before!... Continue Reading Posted at 3:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 6	How To Build Rapport With Customers Maria Palma December 6, 2007 Have you ever had a conversation with a prospective client or customer that seemed to be going nowhere? How do you get past all that "small talk"? Steve Coscia shares a tip on how to build rapport with customers in... Continue Reading Posted at 11:56 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Grammy Awards, The Beyonce Experience, and What Loyal Fans Can Do For Your Business Maria Palma December 6, 2007 If you're a music lover like me, you probably already know that the Grammy Award nominees were announced today. As a browse through the list of Grammy nominees, one name stands out: Beyonce. When I did my write-up about "The... Continue Reading Posted at 9:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Attend the "Customer Service Is the New Marketing" Summit! Maria Palma December 6, 2007 You're invited to a special event! WHAT: "Customer Service Is the New Marketing" Summit WHERE: Golden Gate Club \| 135 Fisher Loop \| Presidio State Park, San Francisco WHEN: Monday, February 4, 2008 \| 8-5:30 pm PST Get Satisfaction (I... Continue Reading Posted at 11:16 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 5	Are Customers At the Top of Your Mind? Maria Palma December 5, 2007 Chris Brown of Branding & Marketing shares 3 "Staying Top of Mind" Marketing Tips and Becky Carroll of Customers Rock! has taken the challenge to share her own three tips to stay top of mind with customers. The consensus here... Continue Reading Posted at 2:50 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Is Best Buy On Its Best Behavior Now? Maria Palma December 5, 2007 Those of us who spend any time reading customer service or marketing blogs know that Best Buy (BBY) has a pretty rotten (like smelly manure) reputation in terms of service. And if you don't know, check out my previous posts... Continue Reading Posted at 1:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 4	An Inspirational Quote on Connection, Compassion and Communion Maria Palma December 4, 2007 In my blog readings this weekend I came across a little tidbit that I want to share with you. This was written by Mary O'Malley and it gives me hope for the future. Maybe this will inspire you to be... Continue Reading Posted at 11:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Coutts Woman: Inspiring Women in Business Maria Palma December 4, 2007 As a woman entrepreneur, I take interest in resources that are geared towards women in business. I recently learned about Coutts Woman, a monthly online business magazine that contains news and lifestyle features such as money and travel. Through this... Continue Reading Posted at 7:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	High School Students and Future Business Success Maria Palma December 4, 2007 Recently the US News and World Report named the America's best high schools. Determining these best high schools was a three-step process which included: 1. A measurement of how each school's students performed on state tests 2. A measurement of... Continue Reading Posted at 3:37 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 3	Diggin' the Customer Service Carnivale Maria Palma December 3, 2007 The Customer Service Carnivale has been posted over at Online Business Resources! I have a favor to ask of you, Dear Reader...If you have a Digg account and you've been inspired by this edition, would you please Digg it!? I... Continue Reading Posted at 2:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments

« November 2007 | Main | January 2008 »

Dec29	Six Links For Saturday Maria Palma December 29, 2007 Know More: Resources customer service It's been a day full of good readings! Here are six links for Saturday: According to this article at The New York Times, Apple is becoming known as the "Nordstrom" of the tech world. Dale Wolf has convinced me that my Twittering isn't really a waste of time. I just signed up for Twitter the other day wondering if I would actually use it, but perhaps my customers would like to know what I'm up to every day? I discovered a new customer service blog, CustomerOps, via QAQNA. Here's an interesting question: Can you be customer centric without being employee friendly? Anna Farmery is in the hospital and we wish her well. What a trooper - she still makes time to blog about healthy customer service... Time to think about YOUR happiness project for 2008! Will this be the year you do what you absolutely love? Posted at 10:36 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec29	Reminder: Price Increase for "Customer Service is the New Marketing Summit" Maria Palma December 29, 2007 Awhile ago I announced the news of a one-day event called the "Customer Service is the New Marketing Summit" sponsored by Get Satisfaction. Well, if you're thinking about attending this event on February 4, 2008, you should get your ticket... Continue Reading Posted at 9:33 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Only Way to Improve Customer Service in 2008 Maria Palma December 29, 2007 As we head into the New Year and you're making your list of things you want to accomplish, have you added "create a better experience for my customers"? How about "improve my customer service skills"? The only way you're going... Continue Reading Posted at 4:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Teach Juggling Skills to Customers? Maria Palma December 29, 2007 If you're looking for an entertaining overview of the "ABC's" of customer service, you might want to check out this article by Silvana Clark. Here's what she suggests for the letter "J": Juggle: Expecting extra long lines? Hire a professional... Continue Reading Posted at 3:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Airports Hope to Provide Better Customer Service in 2008 Maria Palma December 29, 2007 According to this article over at The New York Times, airports are stepping up to create a more pleasant experience for fliers. The question asked is, Can Airports Calm the Nerves? The consensus among "industry experts" is that delays will... Continue Reading Posted at 11:53 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec28	Be Nice in 2008 Maria Palma December 28, 2007 Have you made your New Year's goals or resolutions for 2008 yet? I actually like this idea of a dream book... I also like Manolo's (one of my favorite fashion bloggers) advice: "Make the world more super fantastic. Be kinder... Continue Reading Posted at 9:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Firing Your Customers Revisited Maria Palma December 28, 2007 There's a great debate over at the Wharton website about firing your worst customers (via Duct Tape Marketing). The study done by two Wharton marketing professors says that firing your "low value" customers is counterproductive because: "Companies that rid themselves... Continue Reading Posted at 7:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Branding = Marketing = Customer Service Maria Palma December 28, 2007 What does the word "branding" mean to you? Brad VanAuken of Branding Strategy Insider says that branding is: "The Source of a Relationship with Customers" Here's a good definition by Kristine Kirby Webster I came across over at Marketing Vox:... Continue Reading Posted at 1:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Unnatural, Natural Behavior Maria Palma December 28, 2007 Yesterday I read Joe Capista's free ebook Build a Multi-Million Dollar Business (get it at his blog). Dr. Capista talks about "The Success Triangle" which are three things you need to have a successful business. This triangle consists of: 1. ... Continue Reading Posted at 12:14 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec27	Create Fun For Online Shoppers Maria Palma December 27, 2007 I received a few gift cards this Christmas, so I've spent a good portion of the day doing some online shopping. I'm seeing more websites with "communities" where people can share information about products or services. I'm also aware that... Continue Reading Posted at 3:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec26	In Business Every Single Action Matters Maria Palma December 26, 2007 In the business world, every encounter you have with a person is a chance to make a good impression so that they remember you the next time they need a product or service that you offer. Whether it's shaking their... Continue Reading Posted at 11:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Macy's, Don't Say I Didn't Try to Help Maria Palma December 26, 2007 Recently I wrote about how Macy's was a big disappointment for me this year - which was met with dismay from a "customer" who left a comment saying that I should "just get it over with already. what are you... Continue Reading Posted at 9:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Pre-Christmas Apple Experience Maria Palma December 26, 2007 If you're still not convinced that Apple stores has one of the easiest shopping experiences in the tech world, you may change your mind after reading this post... A couple days before Christmas I walked into the Apple store in... Continue Reading Posted at 6:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Customer Service According to Generation Y Maria Palma December 26, 2007 Customer service consultant Anne M. Obarski wrote an excellent article that talks about the challenges of Generation Y and customer service. Here's a little snippet of something that all of us should think about: "...The Gen Y group has been... Continue Reading Posted at 2:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Christmas Gift Returns: Tips for Customer Service Reps and Customers Maria Palma December 26, 2007 Although the day after Thanksgiving is a big shopping day, the day after Christmas is probably just as busy - people are using their gift cards or exchanging and returning Christmas gifts. For a customer service rep, the hustle and... Continue Reading Posted at 12:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec21	Customer Service the LeBron James Way Maria Palma December 21, 2007 We're halfway through the NBA basketball season and I'm just now really getting into it. I just watched an exciting game between the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets that went into double overtime. (Denver won - yes!) However, one person... Continue Reading Posted at 7:28 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec20	Customers Are Always 2007 Year in Review Maria Palma December 20, 2007 Instead of going through all my posts from this past year trying to decide what my favorite posts are, I like this idea of sharing the first few lines from the first post of each month, (which was actually started... Continue Reading Posted at 9:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Getting Personal With Holiday Greeting Cards Maria Palma December 20, 2007 What do you usually write on your holiday cards? is the question posed over at Service Untitled. I think this is an important question to address - especially for people like me who used to say, "Merry Christmas" in my... Continue Reading Posted at 3:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec18	Focus, The Two P's and How to Achieve Success Maria Palma December 18, 2007 Matthew Britt tells us that we should focus on serving. The word "focus" has been coming up more and more in my readings, so I thought I'd explore it here because I think many of us could do a little... Continue Reading Posted at 2:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	What Should I Wear to a Customer Service Interview? Maria Palma December 18, 2007 In my blog readings the other day I came across this question that someone asked in a forum: What should I wear to a customer service interview? I thought this would be a good question to answer since I'm sure... Continue Reading Posted at 12:48 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec17	New Resource Bank: Changing the Way Banks Do Business Maria Palma December 17, 2007 Bring up the phrase "banking system" and you're sure to hear alot of moaning and groaning. I've talked about banks with poor customer service before, but today I'm going to share with you a company who may be changing the... Continue Reading Posted at 5:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	5 Ways To Take Care of Employees Maria Palma December 17, 2007 In the recent SmallBusinessConsulting.com newsletter, David Gass, the CEO & President of the company, shared a feel-good story about a former NBA basketball player named Bob Love and Nordstrom. Here's an excerpt from the story: "...After leaving the NBA he... Continue Reading Posted at 2:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Customer Service Carnivale Posted at the Envision Blog Maria Palma December 17, 2007 I'd like to thank Jill Majors for hosting this edition of the Customer Service Carnivale! There are some good reads there, so make sure to take some time out today to learn something new ;) I was happy to see... Continue Reading Posted at 11:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec16	Customer Service Reads/Links Maria Palma December 16, 2007 Here are some good Sunday night reads - or early Monday morning reads, depending on where you are in the world! I get excited when I discover new customer service blogs...Just this past week I found Customer U, a blog... Continue Reading Posted at 5:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Macy's: The Biggest Disappointment in 2007 Maria Palma December 16, 2007 As some of you may know, I've been following Macy's (NYSE:M) news this past year. I just came across this interesting interview with CEO Terry Lundgren over at CNNMoney.com. Here's a little snippet from the interview:Q: What has been your... Continue Reading Posted at 4:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Create a Wow in 2008 Maria Palma December 16, 2007 I just found out about this event taking place next month. "Create a Wow" Virtual Conference will be held online from January 8-11, 2008 and is sponsored by IdeaMarketers.com and CreateAWow.com. Most of the conference is geared towards providing information... Continue Reading Posted at 12:39 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec15	Know More Media Reaches the 2-Year Mark Maria Palma December 15, 2007 Yesterday Know More Media celebrated its 2-year anniversary! As one of the first bloggers on the network, I'm extremely excited to see the network become a huge success. It's been such a fun ride. If you had told me five... Continue Reading Posted at 10:32 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Top 5 Holiday Gifts For Loyal Customers Maria Palma December 15, 2007 Are you doing some last minute holiday gift shopping for customers? No matter what you're budget is, here are my top 5 picks:1. A book full of motivational or inspirational quotes - something like 1001 Motivational Quotes for Success: Great... Continue Reading Posted at 6:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec14	Thank You Is Enough For Me Maria Palma December 14, 2007 As I reflect on this past year and the relationships I've formed with blog readers, friends, and customers (who are friends, by the way!), one of the people that stands out in my mind is Liz Strauss of Successful Blog. ... Continue Reading Posted at 1:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec13	3 "Top of Mind" Marketing/Customer Service Tips Maria Palma December 13, 2007 Last week I asked the question, Are Customers At the Top of Your Mind? C.B. Whittemore of Flooring the Consumer tagged me to share my own 3 tips. However, there are some prerequisites for these tips: It shouldn't take a... Continue Reading Posted at 6:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	3 For Thursday Maria Palma December 13, 2007 Here are three notes/links/reminders for today...1. Reminder that the Customer Service Carnivale is Monday, so get your submissions in by this Saturday, December 15. Jill Majors of the Envision Blog hosting! Would you like to host an upcoming carnivale? ... Continue Reading Posted at 1:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec12	It's Been Awhile Since I've Written About Starbucks... Maria Palma December 12, 2007 Some of you long time readers may know that I am a Starbucks evangelist. I think I blogged about the company just about every week last year year! As a matter of fact, I mentioned Starbucks in 55 posts since... Continue Reading Posted at 10:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Mitchell Report and Sports Players' Obligations to Fans Maria Palma December 12, 2007 Former senator and federal prosecuter George Mitchell will be releasing what he calls "The Mitchell Report" this Thursday. This report is part of a 20-month investigation of steroid use in Major League Baseball (MLB). It'll be interesting to see what 50... Continue Reading Posted at 1:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Exceeding Customers Expectations: Just Do It, Don't Say It Maria Palma December 12, 2007 Here's a great conversation I came across via When Customers Rule! Nick over at FusionBrand wrote a couple years ago that "exceeding expectations" is a stupid strategy. Shubhadeep of When Customers Rule! believes that we should exceed customers' expectations... Continue Reading Posted at 11:52 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec11	Spreading Blessings to Customers This Holiday Season Maria Palma December 11, 2007 "I want to spread blessings to my customers," my step-mother told me yesterday. She was talking about making holiday cookies and giving them to her customers. Now this is a woman who doesn't even own the business. It wasn't the... Continue Reading Posted at 3:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Take The Customer Service Pledge Challenge! Maria Palma December 11, 2007 Do you want your customers to know that you're dedicated to customer service? Take "The Pledge Challenge" offered by MeasuredUp.com. Let your online shoppers know that you care about customer satisfaction. All you have to do is download a badge... Continue Reading Posted at 11:24 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 9	100 Customer Service Tools and Resources Maria Palma December 9, 2007 We can thank Web 2.0 for all the different tools, hacks, widgets, blogs, and what-have-you that makes organizing our business so much easier. The only downside to that is that we now have so many of tools to choose from! ... Continue Reading Posted at 10:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fast Food Training: Customer Service Lesson for the Day Maria Palma December 9, 2007 Q: What happens when you put a new hire on the register by herself? A: A long line full of hungry people forms! After gift shopping today I went to McDonald's to grab a little snack. There was only one... Continue Reading Posted at 5:29 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 8	Want to Speak at a Future ICMI Conference? Maria Palma December 8, 2007 Are you a speaker looking for more exposure? Do you want to share your knowledge or experiences in the call center or customer service? Then you may be interested in speaking at one of ICMI's (International Customer Management Institute) future... Continue Reading Posted at 4:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Turning a Jerk Into Your Best Customer Maria Palma December 8, 2007 In the world of customer service we're constantly meeting people from all walks of life with different wants and needs. Sometimes we get customers are easy to please, sometimes they're not so nice, and then there are those who are... Continue Reading Posted at 2:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 7	Where To Find Customers Online Maria Palma December 7, 2007 Here at Customers Are Always I talk a great deal about joining the online conversations that your customers are having. But where do you go to find those customers? In the video below Mike Sansone of ConverStations illustrates that in... Continue Reading Posted at 9:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Why You Shouldn't Ignore Customer Conversations Maria Palma December 7, 2007 Here's a great article to read during the Friday commute - that is, if you're not driving! Customer Service is the New, New Marketing. Not to be confused with the Customer Service is the New Marketing Summit I mentioned before!... Continue Reading Posted at 3:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 6	How To Build Rapport With Customers Maria Palma December 6, 2007 Have you ever had a conversation with a prospective client or customer that seemed to be going nowhere? How do you get past all that "small talk"? Steve Coscia shares a tip on how to build rapport with customers in... Continue Reading Posted at 11:56 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Grammy Awards, The Beyonce Experience, and What Loyal Fans Can Do For Your Business Maria Palma December 6, 2007 If you're a music lover like me, you probably already know that the Grammy Award nominees were announced today. As a browse through the list of Grammy nominees, one name stands out: Beyonce. When I did my write-up about "The... Continue Reading Posted at 9:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Attend the "Customer Service Is the New Marketing" Summit! Maria Palma December 6, 2007 You're invited to a special event! WHAT: "Customer Service Is the New Marketing" Summit WHERE: Golden Gate Club \| 135 Fisher Loop \| Presidio State Park, San Francisco WHEN: Monday, February 4, 2008 \| 8-5:30 pm PST Get Satisfaction (I... Continue Reading Posted at 11:16 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 5	Are Customers At the Top of Your Mind? Maria Palma December 5, 2007 Chris Brown of Branding & Marketing shares 3 "Staying Top of Mind" Marketing Tips and Becky Carroll of Customers Rock! has taken the challenge to share her own three tips to stay top of mind with customers. The consensus here... Continue Reading Posted at 2:50 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Is Best Buy On Its Best Behavior Now? Maria Palma December 5, 2007 Those of us who spend any time reading customer service or marketing blogs know that Best Buy (BBY) has a pretty rotten (like smelly manure) reputation in terms of service. And if you don't know, check out my previous posts... Continue Reading Posted at 1:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 4	An Inspirational Quote on Connection, Compassion and Communion Maria Palma December 4, 2007 In my blog readings this weekend I came across a little tidbit that I want to share with you. This was written by Mary O'Malley and it gives me hope for the future. Maybe this will inspire you to be... Continue Reading Posted at 11:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Coutts Woman: Inspiring Women in Business Maria Palma December 4, 2007 As a woman entrepreneur, I take interest in resources that are geared towards women in business. I recently learned about Coutts Woman, a monthly online business magazine that contains news and lifestyle features such as money and travel. Through this... Continue Reading Posted at 7:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	High School Students and Future Business Success Maria Palma December 4, 2007 Recently the US News and World Report named the America's best high schools. Determining these best high schools was a three-step process which included: 1. A measurement of how each school's students performed on state tests 2. A measurement of... Continue Reading Posted at 3:37 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Dec 3	Diggin' the Customer Service Carnivale Maria Palma December 3, 2007 The Customer Service Carnivale has been posted over at Online Business Resources! I have a favor to ask of you, Dear Reader...If you have a Digg account and you've been inspired by this edition, would you please Digg it!? I... Continue Reading Posted at 2:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments

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