Category Archives: Customer service

Getting over telephone blues

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Jon Stow

You might have gathered from an earlier post that I had personal experience of running into trouble with an alleged rolling contract with the telecoms provider. I have now been advised that I have won my appeal to the OFTEL … Continue reading →

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Poisonous cultures

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Jon Stow

I have already written about workplace cultures  and how they can lead to poor standards. These cultures are usually not management led, and management may not know. However if a culture is there for all to see, there is no … Continue reading →

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Making a meal of our managing duties

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Jon Stow

I am all for delegation of responsibility to staff. That is part of good management if you are confident your managers and employees are up to coping. Of course it is important that they ask for advice and they are … Continue reading →

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Telephone blues

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Jon Stow

As some of you may remember I think it is very important that the published telephone number of any business is answered in person by a human being. I tried to contact a couple of sole trader business advisers last … Continue reading →

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The Water Margin guide to business

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Jon Stow

  The expression “small business” has many meanings. There is no way of knowing whether we mean a business with fifty employees or just one person on her or his own. What I am going to say apples to the … Continue reading →

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Why the personal touch is important in business

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Jon Stow

  Small businesses have a huge advantage. They know their customers. Large businesses don’t. Small businesses which become large businesses forget their customers. I wrote a while back about our extreme disappointment at our treatment by a veterinary practice.  Quite … Continue reading →

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Monitoring help from afar

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Jon Stow

Recently I bought a couple of computer monitors for the office. I inserted the word “computer” in that last sentence to distinguish it from the other sort of monitor, which is someone who keeps an eye out. When I was … Continue reading →

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Customer service Aunt Sallys

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Jon Stow

If we have a dispute with a provider about anything because we don’t think they delivered, it is better to take it up with them and to deal with it privately. Continue reading →

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Short-sighted customer fleecing

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Jon Stow

I went to a meeting at a hotel the other day, which is one where my colleagues and I quite often hire a room. On this occasion we didn’t hire a room but met in the lounge. I didn’t actually … Continue reading →

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Why we need to give our colleagues and clients a lifeboat

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Jon Stow

Here’s a funny thing The other day I wrote about leaving our clients and prospects in the air by not getting back to them at holiday times. I had intended to follow this with a piece about longer periods of … Continue reading →

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