We discussed small business customer service. The tools you can use, empowering your team, and strengthening your relationships with your customers.
- We’re on every Tuesday from 8-9 pm EST. The next chat will be held on June 1, 2010.
- You can read the instructions on how to participate here: http://sbbuzz.biz/instructions
- Invite others to join in, help them get started. We started this chat to facilitate conversation between small biz owners.
| scoblitz: | Welcome to #sbbuzz, a Tweetchat for the next hour of small biz talking technology on Twitter. Join us! http://sbbuzz.biz/instructions |
| scoblitz: | Rules: 1)NO pitching till end 2)Be nice 3)Stay ON TOPIC! 4)Send ?s for group to me 5)Use #sbbuzz in all messages 6)Have fun! #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Start off w/an INTRO: 1 message about you and your business and whatever else we need to know. #sbbuzz |
| selahsynergy: | Hello Sbbuzz friends. Susan here from Selah Synergy ready to chat about small business. Oooops, did I forget my hat? #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | I’m Scott Blitstein – Customer Experience with @batchblue and we’re going to talk all about Customer Service tonight. #sbbuzz |
| ginabee: | Hello all! Gina from writeytidy.com writing & content creation. So happy to be here tonight with the sbbuzz gang once again! #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Co-hosting tonight is friend and co-worker @stellel #sbbuzz |
| ginabee: | @scoblitz So you’re wearing your Customer Service hat tonight… #sbbuzz |
| stellel: | I’m Christelle Lachapelle Customer Experience with @batchblue and trusty hat-wearing side-kick to @scoblitz #sbbuzz |
| southrngurl6489: | Hi. I’m Jenn, an aspiring business woman and full time student. Nice to meet you all. #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | I’m late, I’m late, I’m late…for a very important #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Our Bee is busy attending an event tonight so we’re jumping in with our Bee Hats to keep the conversation going. #sbbuzz |
| ginabee: | @stellel Awesome Customer Service hats! Looking good for wrocking Customer Service!!! #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | Mike here. Social media consultant with an ass-kicking passion. Expert or guru not in my vocabulary. #sbbuzz |
| icebluebanana: | I am mark, and I write for icebluebanana.com. Also, I work as a consultant, which is very customer service intensive. #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | OK – let’s jump right in and talk Customer Service. #sbbuzz |
| BlueDelivered: | Hi I’m Dawn… didn’t know we were supposed to wear a hat to this party! #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Q1) How do you know when you need a dedicated customer service person? #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | Q1: When u can’t handle all the interaction ur currently getting. Customers are getting left behind. #sbbuzz |
| icebluebanana: | Q1 – great question – likely when that is one think that you can’t keep up with – risky hiring someone you don’t know though. #sbbuzz |
| DiSnEyTRAVELmum: | A1. When customer service is suffering due to growth — time to add someone new. #sbbuzz |
| southrngurl6489: | Q1) How do you know when you need a dedicated customer service person? When you are just keeping up with the CS and other tasks #sbbuzz |
| BlueDelivered: | Q1: when you can’t meet the needs of your customers right away #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | Q1: Also, if ur current CS staff is overloaded. Time to hire. #sbbuzz |
| icebluebanana: | @mikestenger Hey Mike. Nice to be here. Seems like a good group – tough subject, which is nice. #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | Q1: If ur staff is overloaded, not good. Customers are neglected, really not good! #sbbuzz |
| DiSnEyTRAVELmum: | Our business is two people right now — we both do everything — however, there r times I have to slow down b/c 2 busy. #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | @mikestenger Great – how do you monitor that effectively? #sbbuzz |
| DiSnEyTRAVELmum: | @mikestenger I never want to neglect clients — CS is key in my biz. #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | Up for a GR8 discussion? Get in & join us here at #sbbuzz |
| stellel: | @DiSnEyTRAVELmum Do you have customer service staff in your business? #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | @scoblitz Pay attention to their workload & any concerns via staff. Many having same issue? Make changes. #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Q2) How do you stay in the customer service loop when you are no longer the one doing it? #sbbuzz |
| DiSnEyTRAVELmum: | @stellel My partner and myself do CS, PR, Marketing, Booking, Writing, Itineraries EVERYTHING. #sbbuzz |
| southrngurl6489: | Q2) You periodically check in with customers, customer satisfaction surveys #sbbuzz |
| AboutWDW: | #sbbuzz Q1: If you are that busy, it may be time to reevaluate your prices — raising them may increase profit and keep you from going nuts. |
| BlueDelivered: | Q2: I think this is the biggest challenge… finding staff that will care as much as you do (or close to it) #sbbuzz |
| icebluebanana: | monitoring is difficult, and the reason you need at least one person you can trust (unless you have money for phone monitoring..) . #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | Q2: Keep in close touch with staff on a consistent basis. Don’t wanna get behind if any problems. #sbbuzz |
| icebluebanana: | and @southrngurl6489 Q2) You periodically check in with customers, customer satisfaction surveys #sbbuzz (great!) |
| scoblitz: | Q3) Follow up from @ginabee – How do you find people who will care as much as you do to help your customers? #sbbuzz |
| DiSnEyTRAVELmum: | Im just going to retweet all your A2 since I don’t delicate yet. Sandra #sbbuzz |
| bostonmarketer: | @mikestenger What’s #sbbuzz? |
| mikestenger: | Q2: Regarding customers themselves, every once in a while reach out to them & ask questions. #sbbuzz |
| stellel: | Surveys are a great idea! #sbbuzz |
| DiSnEyTRAVELmum: | @bostonmarketer Small Business Buzz #sbbuzz |
| DiSnEyTRAVELmum: | We just hired a P/T sales person — she started with enthusiasm — but not much now. sigh. #sbbuzz |
| BlueDelivered: | Anyone else having tweetdeck issues?#sbbuzz |
| BlueDelivered: | @southrngurl6489 @scoblitz thanks for the info on tweetdeck #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Lets try again – Q4 -What specific tools do you use to provide customer service? #sbbuzz |
| southrngurl6489: | Q4- I’d love to know….research for future needs  #sbbuzz |
| mikestenger: | Q4: I don’t know…email, phone, Skype, those tools #sbbuzz |
| icebluebanana: | Q4 – face to face always best – tools = phone, then chat, then email – old fashioned, I guess #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Q5: How do you empower your employees to provide excellent customer service? #sbbuzz |
| icebluebanana: | Q5 – listen to what they think about improving the service & use suggestions if they are good #sbbuzz |
| selahsynergy: | @scoblitz Q5: Essential! The sooner every employee realizes they are empowered to create a customer experience, the better. #sbbuzz |
| ginabee: | Q5 – Seems to me that communication from the inner sanctum of the co. & great listening on both sides will arm cs w/ tools they need #sbbuzz |
| southrngurl6489: | Q5: Give them guidelines to make decision calls, and stand by them if they make appropriate calls #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | @selahsynergy I agree! #sbbuzz |
| stellel: | @selahsynergy Great way to put it! #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Feels like we got cut short but now it is what we affectionately call Pitch Time. Please tell us a little about your business. #sbbuzz |
| selahsynergy: | @stellel @scoblitz Thanks.I think it’s more about creating a customer-focused culture than procedures (tho procedures help growth) #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | If you’d like a once-a-week e-mail reminder (including the topic) sign up at http://sbbuzz.net #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Thanks to everyone for the great but brief discussion! We’ll get the #sbbuzz summary posted on the site soon at http://sbbuzz.biz #sbbuzz |
| selahsynergy: | @scoblitz Thanks for the chat. Fun and informative as always. #sbbuzz |
| icebluebanana: | lots of great ideas in here #sbbuzz |
| stellel: | Thanks everyone! Great chatting with you all! #sbbuzz |
| scoblitz: | Thanks to all – especially to @stellel for co-hosting and for the nifty Bee Party Hat! #sbbuzz |
| ginabee: | Pitch: You know your business inside & out but can you write about it? I put your brilliance into words! http://www.writeytidy.com #sbbuzz |
| ginabee: | Yes, thanks to @scoblitz & @stellel for fantabulous moderation despite the technical difficulties. Your hats were niftylicious! #sbbuzz |
