Refunds and Warranty Claims for Internet Businesses

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Article Title: Refunds and Warranty Claims for Internet Businesses
Author: Nick Wood
Category: Customer Service
Word Count: 531
Keywords: seo, search engine optimisation, article site, website design, web template, internet refunds
Author's Email Address: cambonick@gmail.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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It is all very well, just fantastic in fact, to have a steadily growing sales portfolio, achieved through your website. How are you travelling in the way you deal with returns? Are you achieving the balance between a robust and sustainable system, and a nightmare for your customers that will see them abandoning you in droves?

It really does not matter whether you sell products or sell services through your website. No matter what, you can bet that a certain percentage of your sales will turn into a refund or warranty claim. There is an almost endless variety of business models out there on the net these days. Everything from retailers offering physical goods, such as stereo players, to people in their region, to service providers selling their skill to people everywhere in the world. Every one of these businesses has customers, and therefore will have customers seeking to return what they bought.

So how does your business process claims for a refund, repair or replacement? Have a look now at your processes. Firstly backup a bit and see how clearly your site explains those processes to potential customers, in the pre sales phase. Some facts that I suggest you have freely available and easily found are.

1) Warranty and return terms for every item you sell
2) A FAQ section dealing with the process you need your customers to follow to initiate a claim
3) All the relevant time periods that apply in the claim process

I am suggesting that if you openly acknowledge that claims can arise in any sales process, and clearly explain how a customer can access the claims information, then two advantages will develop. Firstly, in that vital pre sales phase where potential customers are choosing their preferred supplier, they will take positive notice that you have been open enough to provide this information. If your competing suppliers do not supply this information, then this point alone my win people over. Secondly by having claims information easily reachable on your site, you will see a reduction in those time consuming enquiry emails from confused customers.

So now let us look how well your business actually processes a refund, repair or replacement claim. What you need to know at this point are a few facts.

1) Claims verus sales over a given period, (for example a quarter), expressed as a percentage
2) Timelines for those claims from lodgement to finalisation
3) Repeat customers who have lodges a claim previously

As every business type is different, so is the expected and acceptable claims percentage. You as the supplier will know from research what is a good percentage and what is far too high in your sector. Compare your results with the benchmarks, and you will have a great idea of how you are travelling. Similarly, by analysing the time lines, you can tell if your business drags its feet, and thereby annoys its customers. The third figure will perhaps take a bit more digging to uncover, but it is worth it. If customers who have lodged a claim with you have then subsequently purchased again, this is powerful anecdotal evidence that you have your claim process running well.

Have fun finetuning your business, and I wish you all the best.

Nick owns this article site, is proud of it, and stands behind its value as a tool to promote your business. Have a look at it now by pasting this url into your browser: http://www.articlebrowzer.com
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Customer Value Propositions In Business Markets

Melih Oztalay offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: Customer Value Propositions In Business Markets
Author: Melih Oztalay
Category: Customer Service, Management, Strategic Planning
Word Count: 535
Keywords: Christophe Sevrain,CJPS Enterprises,medical device manufacturing,new technology medical device,busin
Author's Email Address: melih@hsfideas.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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'Customer value proposition' has become one of the most widely used terms in business markets in recent years. Yet our management-practice research reveals that there is no agreement as to what constitutes a customer value proposition - or what makes one persuasive. Moreover, we find that most value propositions make claims of savings and benefits to the customer without backing them up. An offering may actually provide superior value - but if the supplier doesn't demonstrate and document that claim, a customer manager will likely dismiss it as marketing puffery. Customer managers, increasingly held accountable for reducing costs, don't have the luxury of simply believing suppliers' assertions.

Take the case of a company that makes integrated circuits (ICs). It hoped to supply 5 million units to an electronic device manufacturer for its next-generation product. In the course of negotiations, the suppliers' salesperson learned that he was competing against a company whose price was 10 cents per unit lower. The customer asked each salesperson why his company's offering was superior. This salesperson based his value proposition on the service that he, personally, would provide.

Unbeknownst to the salesperson, the customer had built a customer value model, which found that the company's offering, though 10 cents higher in price per IC, was actually worth 15.9 cents more. The electronics engineer who was leading the development project had recommended that the purchasing manager buy those ICs, even at the higher price. The service was, indeed, worth something in the model - but just 0.2 cents! Unfortunately, the salesperson had overlooked the two elements of his company's IC offering that were most valuable to the customer, evidently unaware how much they were worth to that customer and, objectively, how superior they made his company's offering to that of the competitor.

Not surprisingly, when push came to shove, perhaps suspecting that his service was not worth the difference in price, the salesperson offered a 10-cent concession to win the business - consequently leaving at least a half million dollars on the table.

Some managers view the customer value proposition as a form of spin their marketing departments develop for advertising and promotional copy. This shortsighted view neglects the very real contribution of value propositions to superior business performance. Properly constructed, they force companies to rigorously focus on what their offerings are really worth to their customers. Once companies become disciplined about understanding customers, they can make smarter choices about where to allocate scare company resources in developing new offerings.

We conducted management-practice research over the past two years in Europe and the United States to understand what constitutes a customer value proposition and what makes one persuasive to customers. One striking discovery is that it is exceptionally difficult to find examples of value propositions that resonate with customers. Here, drawing on the best practices of a handful of suppliers in business markets, we present a systematic approach for developing value propositions that are meaningful to target customers and that focus suppliers' efforts on creating superior value.

"Customer Value Propositions in Business Markets', James C. Anderson, James A. Narus and Wouter van Rossum, Harvard Business Review, March 2006.

Melih ("may-lee") Oztalay, CEO
SmartFinds Internet Marketing
Web: http://www.cjps-enterprises.com
EMail: melih@hsfideas.com
At CJPS Enterprises we specialize in execution. We give your company an unfair advantage.
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There Was A Fly In The Soup!! But They Kept The Customer

Bob Janet offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: There Was A Fly In The Soup!! But They Kept The Customer
Author: Bob Janet
Category: Public Relations, Customer Service, Relationships
Word Count: 724
Keywords: selling,marketing,problem solving
Author's Email Address: Bob@BobJanet.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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We have all heard it happened to someone, we have herd the jokes,

Customer to Waiter: "What is that fly doing in my soup?"
Waiter. "Looks like the back stroke."

Customer to Waiter: "There is a fly in my soup."
Waiter: "Don't worry, He will not eat much."

The other day I was having lunch with my good friend Bert. We were engrossed in conversation about the many details needed to be taken care of for a big party he and his wife were hosting in a few weeks at their home. As he was about to finish the last spoonful of his soup it happened. With great surprise he said, "Look what is in my soup!" It was a fly. I motioned to the waitress, and as she approached and saw the fly Bert was holding on his spoon she immediately gasped and apologized. "I am very sorry," she said as she quickly retrieved the empty bowl, spoon and fly from in front of Bert. In a very nervous voice she asked, "Would you like another bowl?"

Bert replied, "No." She then excused herself and quickly went directly through the swinging door into the kitchen. Before a minute passed the waitress returned, and still nervous and with a cracking voice, said, "Sir I apologize. We have thrown all the soup away and we will not charge you for your entire meals." Bert nodded his head and thanked her. As we left the restaurant Bert turned to me and said, "Well one of my party problems is solved. I am going to use this restaurant to cater our party."

The waitress turned a 'Fly in the Soup' into what may be the largest catering job they have ever had. All because she knew what to do when there is a fly in the soup.

Do you and your representatives know what to do when there is a fly in your customer's soup?

The fly may be a late delivery, a telephone call not returned in a timely manner, a product or employee not performing up to the customer's expectations, or one of many things not delivered as promised. The Fly is a problem, and if you and your representatives do not know how to react positively for the customer immediately, you are not going to turn a fly in the soup into a sale.

You do not have to give your products and services away as this waitress did, but you must do something, immediately to regain the customer's trust. There are just too many other places for your customers to purchase your products and services for you to neglect the need to be prepared to turn a fly in the soup into a loyal customer.

2 ways to prepare for your 'Flies' in the soup:
1. Predetermine what to do:
A. Write down all the obvious negative (flies in the soup) situations that have arisen or may arise. Do this with all of your representative (sales professionals, delivery personnel, cleaning crew, etc.).
B.Have them help you come up with actions to take when these situations arise. Actions, which can be done on the spot as the flies in the soup situations happen, and actions that can be done without anyone else's approval.
2. 100% Customer-Centered:
It is very easy to turn a fly in the soup into a lifelong customer if everyone in your organization is 100% Customer-Centered.

When your business is 100% Customer-Centered, everything you say and do will be about the customer, not about you.

One-way to be 100% Customer-Centered is to practice what baseball great Reggie Jackson, of the New Your Yankees called W.I.T. Whatever It Takes. Reggie believes he became one of the sports greatest home run hitters because he did whatever it took to become the best.

I adapted W.I.T. in 1990, for our retail stores, and yes our expenses did increase because we replaced items that did not perform up to the customer's expectations when we might have been able to adjust them or convince the customer to settle. But, our sales exploded to levels we never dreamed we could reach, and over time we greatly decreased our advertising cost as our customers recommend us constantly to their friends, colleagues and relatives.

Bob Janet uses 40 plus years of face-to-face selling and marketing experiences, combined with his unique fun-entertaining presentation audience involved style to help sellers gain and retain their most profitable customers for a lifetime of selling. http://www.BobJanet.com
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Power Polling: How to Win Elections and Customers

Randy Gilbert offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: Power Polling: How to Win Elections and Customers
Author: Randy Gilbert
Category: Politics, Customer Service, Current Affairs
Word Count: 760
Keywords: Politics, government politics, presidential, election, vote, candidates, democrat, republican
Author's Email Address: drproactive.mail@gmail.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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"If you love proven money-making strategies -- then wow! You'll love this what I learned from this book, it's called, "The Power of the Vote."

It's written by Douglas Schoen, and it's especially empowering in an area that is so important, but often so misunderstood --- Politics!

If you say, "Politics aren't for me," then you're in for a surprise!

Business people and entrepreneurs should not ignore politics, because there is one element of politics that is absolutely ESSENTIAL to success...and that is Polling.

There is "money-making power" in the ability to listen to your customers, because THEY ARE YOUR VOTERS. Finding out what they want and then giving it to them is like millionaire magic.

The techniques and tactics of political polling are relevant in almost every industry.

Behind the carefully crafted speeches and professionally edited commercials, is a political campaign strategist who above all knows what it takes to win the hearts and minds of voters.

In the last few decades, technology has brought about a huge shift in the tools available to such strategists, transforming their jobs and increasing their effectiveness.

Few people understand this better than Douglas E. Schoen, political strategist, and author of "The Power of the Vote."

Schoen writes, "It is my job to understand and explain what voters are thinking...Public opinion research gives me the tools to do that."

Public opinion research, or polling, is more than just a simple gauge of public support for one side or another. Polling is how politicians connect with their constituents to find out what issues and values are most important to them.

Advances in computers mean that instead of having to analyze a poll for days to get meaningful information, the results are now available almost as soon as the last of the
responses is recorded.

This allows people like Doug Schoen to continually keep abreast of how the public is reacting to any campaign. As he explains it, "Instead of simply setting strategy at
the beginning of a campaign, polls [can] now be used to evaluate tactics and determining the campaign's message and strategy on a day-by-day basis."

Business leader and Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, said, "He's [Doug Schoen] played a defining role in hundreds of political campaigns, and this book reveals the
inside story of how he does it. I recommend it to anyone who's interested seeing how sophisticated, state-of-the-art political campaigns work."

According to Schoen, a campaign can now literally "commission a poll in the morning, have the results by that night, and come up with a new strategy by the following morning." But conducting a useful poll and actually making that information useful are two very different tasks.

Before you can get useful data, you have to ask good questions. This means that first of all, your questions must be understandable for people, even if they don't have much education.

Next, you need to ask questions that will test your marketing messages. And last, you have to give people real choices. Schoen says, "If you just ask people whether they
like famine and poverty, of course people are going to say they don't. On the other hand, are they willing to pay higher taxes for programs that will help the poor?"

Doug Schoen tells how polling helped AOL circumvent a customer relations disaster and achieve previously unparalleled success by advising founder Steve Case to capitalize on his personal appeal, publicly acknowledge AOL's shortcomings, and present a new plan to upgrade the quality of their network.

Polling also helped craft one of the most effective marketing campaigns in American corporate history for the launch of Eli Lilly's anti-depression drug Prozac.

But according to Schoen, a good poll goes beyond just asking the right questions. "The key to meaningful results," he explains, "is having the proper analytical framework with which to interpret the numbers." In order to do that, you need to know something about the people giving you your responses. Even beyond getting their opinion, you need to learn who they are, whether or not they're likely voters, what their values are and how
strongly they hold them.

Schoen writes that "Ultimately, polling isn't about predicting what will happen. It's about trying to determine what you need to say in your communications to get voters to react the way you want them to." In democracies around the world, polling has become a vital tool for any politician that seeks to harness the power of the vote.

This book is the ONLY book available to help you understand the power of polling from person recognized as being the father of modern polling.

Dr. Proactive enjoys producing "Inside Success Radio" where he interviewed Doug Schoen about his proactive approach to politics. Doug is providing updates on Campaign '08, along with the real un-spun polling numbers, and behind-the-scenes insights.
http://ThePowerOfTheVote.com
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