Friday, August 31, 2007

Customer Support Solution - Does It Make A Difference?

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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Article Title: Customer Support Solution - Does It Make A Difference?
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service, Software
Word Count: 462
Keywords: Customer Support Solution, customer support software
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Starting your own online business may seem to be the most lucrative option. But, if you really want to make a difference, then you will have to do a lot more than you can possibly perceive. You see, the success of your online business basically depends on how well the customers take to your products or services.

This is why you need to do everything in your capacity that will help in satisfying customer needs and expectations. Quality and pricing may still play the dominant role, but other than that, the thing that matters most is the effectiveness of your customer support services.

This is often the main headache for small time operators simply because, most of them often do not have the requisite funds as is necessary for starting and operating a full-fledged customer support center. Even if they do manage somehow, it does not help much because they have to share their profits with the outsourcing company.

However, you need not worry too much, because cheaper yet highly effective customer support solutions are now available in the market. You just have to go and get one.

There are many options available, but if you are looking for something that provides the best value, then just invest in a customer support software package. These packages are designed to automate your customer support services, making it possible for you to spend your precious time and effort on more productive activities.

You may not be able to visualize it initially, but you will easily see the benefits of using these software systems in just a week or two. You will no longer have hundreds of unread messages in your inbox, but you will find mostly customer queries, suggestions, feedbacks and complaints.

The software will automatically lead your customers to what they might be looking for, thereby doing away with the need to send emails to your inbox. Another benefit is that you will get protection from spammers that are always on the lookout for new mail ID's.

Make it a point, to send hundreds of mail messages over to the recipient. In effect, you will never again see spam mails in your inbox, if you opt for a customer support software package.

The good thing about customer support solutions is that most of them are available at affordable rates, making them the perfect option for small time operators such as you. What is even better is that most of them are available as free trials, allowing you to test the software before you actually invest your hard-earned money in buying it.

So, if you want the best results, just download some of the free trials and test them. You can then easily select the one that best suits your needs and requirements.

If you want the Ultimate Customer Support Solution make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
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Thursday, August 30, 2007

Customer Support Solution - The Way To Go About Your Business?

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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Article Title: Customer Support Solution - The Way To Go About Your Business?
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service, E-Commerce
Word Count: 493
Keywords: Customer Support Solution, premium response, customer ticket software
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Customer support solution is usually unheard of by small enterprises. Well, actually, they just ignore it, since setting up a customer support service proves to be quite costly in terms of both, time as well as money. That's not the case anymore is it, especially now that the Internet is finally here to stay.

There is vast competition among companies, big and small alike and it's almost like a rat race in which you could just be the underdog. Getting the customers attention is the easy part; the tough part is when you have to manage them. Customer support solutions were known to be really costly where you could have hurt your pockets real bad, but that not the case anymore.

For advocating a good customer solution, there are many softwares available in the market as well as on the Internet. The customer support software is an ideal package that can help you to manage all of your customers online. Communications is an essence needed for your business to grow and reach new heights.

Software packages like the customer support software provides rapid interaction with the customers. The reason for adopting these softwares is simple. Sometimes, it becomes very difficult to answer hundreds of customer e-mails at one go. What this software does is that it analyses the customer's queries and directs them to the solutions such as the FAQ board, quotations of your products, etc. If the problem is related to something technical, the customer query is automatically forwarded to your technical staff. A CSM (Customer Support Management) system is an important asset for any enterprise. An effective knowledgebase is an important aspect in this matter.

Customers are always looking for new information and your knowledgebase system should take care of that. Customer support solution is nothing but a software support provided to the company to make its work more coordinated and deliver quick results. Apart from the customer support softwares, an additional feature that you can provide to your customers is live chat. When we talk about live chats make sure that you get the best of your technical staff for engaging into customer interaction.

This feature makes handling customer queries much easy and faster to handle. This is a perfect feature for those customers who just need to clear some doubts about the product or service. A customer support software combined with the live chat feature can offer you the perfect customer support solution that you always needed to maintain good customer relationships.

In this day and age, customer satisfaction is the sole motive of any web entrepreneur. To take care of a businessmans needs, there are many customer support software available in the market as well as on the Net. So what are you waiting for, these softwares are very much affordable and you can spend more time focusing on different productive ideas and techniques to grow your business. All you have to do now is go get one.

If you want the Best Customer Support Solution make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
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World Class Indian Companies Don't Care About World Class Products or Services

Jaydeep Bhattacharjee offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: World Class Indian Companies Don't Care About World Class Products or Services
Author: Jaydeep Bhattacharjee
Category: Consumer, Customer Service
Word Count: 861
Keywords: world class, consumer, customer, customer service, product review
Author's Email Address: admanya.articlemarketer@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world today and there is no denying that some Indian companies are doing very well at least for themselves by riding the economic boom. But when the press and the pundits frequently talk about world class companies Indian consumers wonder whether they have one.

First of all it is not very clear on what basis the commentators label a company as world class. Some companies may be achieving spectacular numbers as far as turnover or profits are concerned but when it comes to customer service or product quality it is important to study the perceptions of consumers about the company and its products. As a matter of fact, most of the reviews I read in internet about these world class Indian companies are actually quite damning and therefore it is strange that the same companies are applauded in press where as the consumers feel differently about them.

It is easy to proclaim something as world class in India as a very tiny percentage of Indian consumers have traveled abroad and experienced truly world class products and services. A very good example could be Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate which is considered to be the best in the Indian market and perceived as a very high quality product in India. But if you have tasted Swiss or Belgian chocolates or even the same Cadbury which is available in UK market you will come to know the stark difference in quality of the chocolates that is offered in India.

Take another company called Airtel which is also one of India's most well known brand. This company is particularly mentioned in the press time and again as a world class company. No doubt, the company is doing excellent in terms of growth and it is also the darling of the stock market for making huge profits but one has serious doubts if it can be called a world class company as because if you are using an airtel mobile phone connection you will know what I am taking about.

Airtel connection quality is just like the quality of electricity we get in India and since we don't have any clue of what world class quality is we accept whatever available and even foolishly boast it as something of world standard. I have used mobile connection of Duetsche Telecom. Vodaphone and Saudi Telecom for quite many years and I rarely experienced any problem but with Airtel a consumer can consider himself very lucky if he can have a smooth conversation of just 2 minutes with facing voice fading or disconnection.

This is not only specific to Airtel but with other mobile service providers as well and actually they are far from being world class and it is a shame that we project these companies as world class whereas they are actually delivering sub standard products and services and duping consumers. It is not only the connection that is an issue with Airtel even their customer service is pathetic and in spite of all these business channels and newspaper continue to laud them.

It will be wrong to assume that Indian consumers are fool but they are rendered powerless by our system as in this country we do not have strong consumer courts and systematic way of addressing consumer grievances. This allows the companies to be indifferent to customer grievances and basically when the revenue is not a problem (because of the huge market size), the companies just spend money in advertisements and take good care of the officials and press people to create the hype to sell their goods and services. But the frustration of the consumers can be understood if you read the reviews these companies attract in various product review websites and blogs.

So it is hype and money power that can create a world class company in India in no time and most of the companies operating in various segments are exactly doing so. One of the best and most visible examples is Bharti Airtel Ltd. This company is going strength to strength where as their service and quality is certainly not improving and actually going down. Who cares as long as you can afford Sachin Tendulkar or Shahrukh Khan to endorse your product and any way the consumers can't do much in our current political and legal settings.

But it will be unfair to say that there no companies that are striving to give world class services or products to Indian consumers. Though the number of such companies is very less but they do exist and they are loved because of their superior service and products. One such company is Jet Airways and this perception is shared by majority of consumers.

You will rarely get a bad review about Jet Airways and that is the greatest testimony of their service. We all know that in today's market you need advertisements, public relations to make your brand recognized and products sold but efforts should be made to deliver good quality as well and provide customer service. But unfortunately with the majority of the so called world class companies in India delivering world class services or products seems to be the last priority.

Jaydeep Bhattacharjee writes on consumer issues concerning the Indian consumers. He is the founder of http://www.admanya.com - India's leading C2C Portal. Admanya is free and it completely depends on consumer participation for its content. Join Admanya and be an empowered consumer.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Free Help Desk Software - Is It Worth It?

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
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Article Title: Free Help Desk Software - Is It Worth It?
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service, Software
Word Count: 477
Keywords: Free Help Desk Software
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Help desk software is an application offered by companies, through which customers can access their technical support services. These programs not only offer customers with background and technical information of the organization and its services, these solutions also forward customer service requests and alerts the right agents via intranet.

Similarly, the application can be used by the technical staff to access emails and follow-up customers with a variety of follow-through techniques. The best feature of help desk software is that it allows the access to the database that logs solutions.

A core and vital part of a successful business, the script is the place where problems are reported and managed. A quality software can easily work in cooperation of existing software and design. Most help desk software have a live chat feature that can be used to interact with customers.

Presently, a large number of companies are using remote access programs to handle technical problems. Software such as Microsoft Remote Desktop, BOSSAssist, IBM Tivoli, PcAnywhere and Dameware are just a few of the many such programs that can handle support service issues.

Some scripts that are available:

1. SysAid
SysAid is a software suit of web based It management, that has simple interface, varied features and easy to install and maintain. The software is well programmed and can easily automate processes for help desk, hardware configurations, asset monitoring, software licenses, tasks, and projects.

The SysAid software can easily bond with the private network, offering necessary IP details and control on each machine connected in the technical service network.

The software also centralizes data in a database, offering service request history and response logs. Overall, the software offers software and hardware inventory in a single, easily accessible, user-friendly web interface.

Other benefits:

* Offer forms for service requests
* Sort, classify and modulate service requests according to priority.
* Print reports on the call logs and performances of the program.
* Efficient usage and communication via Email, SMS, and instant messages
* Cooperative features such as escalation, automatic notifications, a knowledge base
* Management and monitoring of organization inventory and confidential files
* A variety of interfaces in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Hebrew free online support, patches and updates for six months.

2. Liberum Help Desk

This script was created for small time or medium sized businesses and organizations. The software involves a more graphical interface, which is simple and easy to use. The software can easily administer and track technical support problems.

Besides, being open sourced, the base code can be easily customized and modified under the GPL license. The base code is written in HTML, ASP code and runs on the Windows NT/2000/XP.

Key features of the Help Desk software:

* The software process is online and web-based
* Email and Inbox facility available
* The presence of Windows authentication offers more accessible database
* The software has built-in reporting to keep track of support reps

If you want the Ultimate Free Help Desk Software make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Will A Customer Support Software Improve Your Life And Well Being?

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
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Article Title: Will A Customer Support Software Improve Your Life And Well Being?
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service, Software
Word Count: 470
Keywords: Customer support software, support ticket system
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Customer Support Software is a software solution that handles issues about certain products and services. The software is based online and uses the 'help desk' and 'trouble ticket' system to help and assist customers. An essential component of a marketing strategy and business, customer support software is highly productive in customer service management.

A more traditional method of offering customer-service was through an interstate, low toll phone line. However, as businesses grew and spread over the Internet, customer service came online and is easily accessible now to customers 24/7. An online customer service solution easily assures satisfaction to customers who are constantly seeking help and answers to their queries.

Custom support software is stand-alone software and can easily handle customer upkeep. In many organizations, it is used to integrate and stabilize the functioning of multiple channels, deliver response to multiple users, allocate distinctive task assignments and alarm systems to set alerts and escalation.

On the front-end, the software offers a friendly interface to handle email responses, offering priorities through the 'trouble ticket' system and assigning unique service requests. In advanced packages, the software even offers a separate inbox that can be used to browse customer queries, suggestions, feedback and complaints.

The Trouble ticket system is based on the priority and urgency of the query or complaint. The system was created to resolve problems within a specified time-line and under a specific service level agreement. Overall, the trouble ticket system can help classify, identify and handle a problem, creating a unique log in the centralized database.

To create a successful customer service department, an organized 24/7 support team of people is not sufficient. Creating an accessible and commendable database is also necessary. A well-organized customer service can help you customize the 'help desk' software for event logging, communication between operators and to maintain schedules.

Other add-on features that can improve a customer service:
* automation of work process
* integrating a group of features, so as to form a customized template
* ticketing system with a closed loop facility, that monitors, raises, assigns and manage issues
* self-help facility
* individual and group access to the mail servers and inbox
* VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) to conduct a real time conversation between agents and users
* Maneuvering and handling the existing self-help knowledge base

Available on the Internet are a variety of customer service software:

The Bridge CRM software solution:

BridgeCRM is a web based software that is used to conduct PC based Customer Relationship Management (CRM). It is used for small-time customer service support as it is suited for 10 users. The database used by the software makes procedures quick and easy.

ChatStat Customer Interaction Software system:

The Software is easy to use and is available with an instant online messenger interface. The messenger service helps agents to provide live chat support to clients and customers.

If you want the Ultimate Support Ticket Software Solution make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
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Troubleshooting With A Help Desk Software

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
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- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
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- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: Troubleshooting With A Help Desk Software
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Software, Customer Service
Word Count: 427
Keywords: help desk software, support ticket system
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Using a help desk software for providing first hand support to any service related or product related query has proved to be very effective in IT service management. All big business houses, especially the software or infrastructure service providers, Telecom companies, banks and financial institutions, product vendors are finding it easy to handle loads of customer queries and various service requests.

This also functions not only as a bridge between the external customer and the supplier it can also act as the first point of contact for any service related queries within the same organization.

This acts as platform for a single point of contact for the customer for all his queries and issues. Customer need not run around the bushes to find out who can answer his queries or help him out of the trouble. It also helps create the bare minimum for customer relationship management in the competitive world.

Help desk software is cost efficient for the service providers. This incorporates centralized functions to co ordinate customer queries rather than opting for multiple contacts.

The help desk software gathers all details of the service request, complaint, or queries that the customer raises. Simple queries are answered immediately and call is closed. Complex queries are routed to a different contact for a specific service through this help desk software.

If the service request cannot be resolved soon or requires specialized knowledge, then a call is logged with a unique ID number. This is called the incident ticket. This support ticket then forwarded and assigned to the correct support group. Depending on the occurrence ratio of similar requests or complaints, the queries are resolved accordingly by the respective group/s. Depending on the nature of the ticket or complaint; it might lead to a change to or replacement in the product or service that is in question.

The help desk software is programmed to act according to the priority and the severity of the incident. Usually they also track the developments and the status of the incidents, updates the customer about the progress or status of the ticket.

Once the incident is resolved, the issue is close after re-confirmation from the customer.

You can either purchase help desk software or find such a package free. These are multi functional devices that enables streamlining technical doubts. If you are a small business entrepreneur, free software can do the trick. For large business these software often need to be customized for various activities. In that case, it is best to buy it or order it to tailor it to the business requirements.

If you want the Ultimate Support Ticket Software Solution make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
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Monday, August 27, 2007

What Are The Issues With Any Customer Support Software?

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
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- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: What Are The Issues With Any Customer Support Software?
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service, Software
Word Count: 456
Keywords: Customer Support Software, support ticket system, css
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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With the advent of Internet technology, it has certainly become quite easy, to start and operate your own small online business. But, this should not be a reason for complacency because many of the conventional rules of business are still applicable in today's digitized world.

For example, you will still be required to take proper care of customer needs and requirements, even when you might be selling only the best quality goods or services through your website. Now, do not think that you are being asked to start a full-fledged customer support center.

We very well understand the limitations of small businesses and will never ask you to do the unthinkable. However, we do recommend that you install a customer support software on your website as soon as possible because ultimately, it's the level of trust that determines the success of online businesses.

There are many issues that might require your attention while operating an online business.

There is one hurdle that is probably the most difficult to avoid and that is hundreds of emails that you are required to write and send as replies to customer generated queries and complaints. You just cannot afford to ignore mails received from customers because if you do so it will create a bad impression on your customers and over a period of time, completely ruin your business prospects.

However, you need not get overly concerned because you can easily eliminate such hugely boring and repetitive tasks just by installing a customer support software on your website. This software helps a lot because it automatically guides customers to the exact answers that they might be looking for, thereby eliminating the need to enter queries and complaints in the space provided.

The software basically creates a win-win situation, wherein you benefit because you no longer have to send hundreds of replies and your customers benefit because they no longer have to endure the long waiting period to get the right answers from you.

Customer support software systems are no doubt the best option for small online businesses. But, before you actually invest your hard earned money in buying one, you need to consider a few things, obviously because the market is virtually flooded with all types of customer support software, making it quite difficult to select the best.

However, don't lose all your hopes, because if you use the right techniques, you can easily zero in, on the most cost-effective customer support software. The best way to go about is to download the free trials of some of the most popular software systems and test each one of them individually. You can then easily set aside the bad ones and select the one that best suits your needs and requirements.

If you want the Ultimate Customer Support Software Solution make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
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Friday, August 24, 2007

Customer Service Representatives - Dealing with Customer Needs

Kevin Pederson offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
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- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to kevin@home-remedies-for-you.com
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-----------
Article Title: Customer Service Representatives - Dealing with Customer Needs
Author: Kevin Pederson
Category: Customer Service
Word Count: 399
Keywords: customer service representative jobs,customer call center,customer service representatives
Author's Email Address: kevin@home-remedies-for-you.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

Customer service representatives work in various kinds of companies. It is their responsibility to make sure that the customers of the company are provided with sufficient service regarding customer concerns and questions. The customers are usually individuals who want to inquire about something, or a company asking about the service.

A customer support representative communicates with the customers in order for them to give out information. This information answers to the concerns which consumers have brought up regarding services or products that they have obtained from the company. They are responsible for managing and solving the complaints of the customers. There are many ways wherein customer support representatives reach out to their customers. They may offer their help through:

1. e-mail
2. telephone
3. mail correspondence
4. fax
5. personal service

There are some client service representatives who deal with common inquiries and concerns. On the other hand, there are also some who focus on certain matters.

The inquiries of customers are usually regarding the balance of their credit cards, or they want to see the status of their order. To provide the consumer with solutions, a customer service representative looks up the information over the computer. Sometimes, concerns which have been brought up need further research and explanation. When handling the issues of a customer, a customer support representative tries to solve it through following the established guidelines of the company. Usually, the guidelines include validating the complain through questions, providing potential answers. A customer support representative might offer customers with exchanges or refunds. Sometimes, client service representatives have to check up on the issue of a certain customer, to see if it has been resolved.

Customer service sales involve a client service representative assisting customers with their purchasing decisions. He or she may advise consumers which product is suitable for them. Sales and customer service go hand in hand, especially when the company is selling services and products.

A lot of employers only require a high school education from interested applicants. On the other hand, there are also other employers who want their customer service representatives to have excellent communication skills. Employers want their applicants to have acquired a bachelor or associate degree. When you want to work as a customer service representative, you should have knowledge on the computer. You also need to be excellent with your communication skills. Plus, you also have to be good when it comes to solving the problems and concerns of customers.

Kevin Pederson has contributed many articles on http://www.learningpulse.com/ your online guide to making wise career choices and various educational programs
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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Customer Satisfaction is Good for Business

James Ingram offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: Customer Satisfaction is Good for Business
Author: James Ingram
Category: Customer Service
Word Count: 453
Keywords: Customer Service, Business
Author's Email Address: jcingram@gmail.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Great customer service is the goal for every business large or small. Or at least it should be! Businesses depend on clients to generate sales for their products and services. When customer satisfaction is high, people are referred to a business by word-of-mouth marketing. The key to develop a growing business is to make people so satisfied with a product that they "tell and sell" others about it.

One of the keys to developing a high-level of customer satisfaction is access to customer support. In some industries (like computers and communications), customer support is available 24 hours a day - 7 days a week. This level of service is becoming the norm for many sales driven organizations. To maintain and grow a client base, constant communication between the business and the customer is maintained as much as possible.

Word of mouth marketing is the best form of advertising in existence. Customer satisfaction for every sale and real testimonials are the basic building blocks of a successful business. When someone has a good experience they tell other people about. On the other hand, when people have bad experiences they go out of their way to let everyone know. Why is that? Well the truth is people want to find faults when their expectations are not met. So in business when we meet and exceed a client's expectations they don't find faults and have good experiences. A customer feedback card is a common way to show customers that a business cares about their experience and wants to improve services.

Common feedback questions are posed to get responses that will help deliver services more effectively. One way to do this is to have customers grade service and satisfaction levels based on specific aspects of the service. Another way is to provide Yes or No questions to indicate if customers want a specific service. Feedback forms can also provide a comments section to get personal evaluations from customers. These evaluations are very useful to include in marketing campaigns as testimonials from clients.

For anyone who has ever gone on a luxury holiday, the thing they remember most about a trip is the way they were treated, in other words: the customer service. Of course, a vacation is the main reason for going away, but when asked by friends or family if they had a good time somewhere, and if they would do it again, the response is usually, Yes!, if the service is good.

Nothing gets people talking better than a smile and a great deal. Product testimonials based on great experiences are the best marketing tool in the world. Doing business is not always about money. It's about relationships, building trust and offering an exceptional product at a great price.

James Ingram is a father of three, living in a small oceanside town on the beautiful Pacific Coast. He and his wife love to travel, which is how they got introduced to their current business. Visit http://www.home-resort-network.com Where Luxury meets Affordability.
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Friday, August 17, 2007

How to Choose Your Ticket System For Service Management

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: How to Choose Your Ticket System For Service Management
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service, Software
Word Count: 499
Keywords: ticket system, support software
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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A ticket system is alternative web based approach to the mailto URLs and mail forms. Usually these are endorsed with CGI scripts on your web pages for bug tracking, efficient Service management, customer support, and preparing task lists.

The reason you want to have such a system in your website is because raising a troubled ticket is as convenient as putting forward your applications in a web form. It is a part of web based support solution to log in request, assess the type of request and forwarding it to the skilled system user to take care of the service ticket, this way you can manage the whole process much more efficiently.

A help desk support actually engages system users who accept the request, log the request, and assigns an excusive number to each service request and saves it in the database for later review, this may sound complex but it's actually organizing your workload. If you are a beginners can start with text database and then upgrade versions as per the industry requirements.

Previously whenever customer used to put a query, an automatic thank you request for logging in the query was generated. However, this is not enough to ensure the customer satisfaction. You need to look for tickets that automatically generate comprehendible instructions regarding submission of requests and follows up and monitors the progress of the tickets. Automatic email messages should beforwarded to the system users/operators regarding the new customer query.

Very importantly is that an efficient program also makes sure that there is least reduction of time spent on support. Operating in group-mode it helps routing the ticket to the right user who claims the ownership of the ticket guaranteeing that no one else is holding the same ticket simultaneously.

* Ticket systems are web operated. You can work from anywhere in the world to get an access to the customer service database, through any browser and any operating system.
* A good support software will have sophisticated tracking options that helps to know the status of your ticket immediately.
* Follow up messaging and monitoring systems are well developed in these programs. These are addressed through email alerts.
* You can customize them according to the industry preferences. You can add as many fields as you want to in the mail form that is being used. Efficient software allows unlimited user access. Many operators can log in simultaneously to view and monitor status in a support software.
* A Layout Designer Model can even customize the ticket browser to view the tickets all in a list.

To find out which ticket system is tailored to meet your needs and business requirements you need to go through the popular web based customer support packages or help desk solutions. Many packages have incorporated a free demonstration how the software works.

Test out the program and watch the demo carefully before you decide to go for the ideal module, that way you will be fully satisfied before you commit to a system.

If you want the Ultimate Support Ticket Software Solution make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Support Ticket Software

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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-----------
Article Title: Support Ticket Software
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service, Software
Word Count: 527
Keywords: support ticket software
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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A Support Ticket Software is a smart solution to support email queries quickly and efficiently without duplication of effort. The advanced system of email ticketing helps a better communication among customers and system users.

Having such a tool is designed to first of all organize all of your support workload and secondly to reduce the amount of time you spend answering customers. This is a big advantage because if your customers aren't asking questions it means they are getting all their issues resolved so they don't have to go through that hassle.

This is an efficient package that incorporates a full email history, group access and multiple user log in, inventory tracking, customized ticket browsing facility, list manipulation, follow up and monitoring the ticket status and many other facilities that truly support service management competently.

This is actually is a more professional and personalized approach to customer services.

It helps the customer service team to locate the status of their queries each time, immediately whenever they want. It is a logical and organized approach towards problem management and troubleshooting. By raising trouble tickets that are accepted, and sent for resolving to the relevant system operators, the software actually assigns a system operator with the particular task of handling the problem ticket that is uniquely assigned to the same person. This also ensures that while answering the same no one else in the groups has the same ticket simultaneously.

You can install this system on your server easily and effectively. Depending on which one you use it will have comprehensive user interface and automatic tagging facility with unique ticket IDs.

Instant Response System or IRS helps in real-time conversation among the seekers and providers. With all the advanced features you can get, responding to customer issues becomes convenient and speedy and you can use the knowledgebase to reply to the inquiries put forward through tickets.

These solutions are generally multi-lingual and allow quick translation according to customer preferences. Moreover, The Template feature lets you build unconstrained satellite helpdesks with exclusive substance and design.

Ticket Views assists to set filters the incoming ticket lists. Customizing, Sorting, and using additional filters to organize the ticket for better status review makes the support ticket software indisputable. Login sharing feature makes it easy for clients and users to log in simultaneously without remembering passwords and this can be controlled from a single database.

Reporting based on advanced filters employed enables generation of reports sorted by department, date, time, user, or client. The system also makes easy to track the Service Level agreement (SLA) status i.e. whether met timely or not. Additionally, workload analysis and task summary enhances the service management features, by tracking the task/ activity of system operators within a given period in a support ticket software.

Purchased Software and Freeware

Some of this programs available could be open source and you need no pay anything to use those. Only problem with freeware is sometimes these are crippled versions of what they can exactly do. The basic features are more or less common in a freeware and purchased support ticket software. The purchased products gain an edge because of the value-added features that allow greater flexibility and options.

If you want the Ultimate Support Ticket Software Solution make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Leadership and Details Make the Difference

Joe Farcht offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: Leadership and Details Make the Difference
Author: Joe Farcht
Category: Customer Service, Advice
Word Count: 487
Keywords: leadership,strategic management,Chick-fil-A,success,customer service
Author's Email Address: joefarcht@cox.net
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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I was fortunate to have a one-on-one conversation with Mr. Dan Cathy, President and COO of Chick-fil-A. His company is a highly respected, successful 60 year old private business.

He commented to me that his leadership journey in Chick-fil-A evolved over time. He first aspired to the 50,000 foot level, meaning complete overview and strategic management of his company.

Now he is focusing on developing the front line employee and improving the processes where food is being served. He said that managing an employee's attitude, developing a wow service skill, or doing something memorable for a customer at the point of contact makes all the difference.

Multiply that by each employee multiple times every day and that effort could result in hundreds of thousands of acts of service that would have a huge positive impact on his business' success.

He was saying that the differentiating feature of business is made at the front line and with the individual. It's in the leadership and details that make a difference. Do the little things excellently and the business grows and succeeds.

To get the details right at the point of service (or product delivery), people need to be trained and developed to deliver superior service or products.

They need to possess the right attitudes, competencies, and motivation. There is only one way that can happen. Front line employee supervisors need to possess those same or more effective qualities. Without the supervisor's managers possessing those same qualities, the downstream positive benefits quickly vanish.

Without the executives and senior executives possessing those same positive qualities, the front line employees have no chance of creating wow service or products. The success of every company begins at the top.

Dan Cathy is the leader at every level when it comes to developing people and focusing on the details that make a difference.

Where are you in your leadership development journey? Do your front line employees possess the positive attitudes, wow competencies, and know-how to make the business transaction memorable for the customer?

Are you focusing on and developing your executives, managers, and supervisors to develop those qualities in themselves so they can coach and impart them to your employees?

You see, it starts at the top. If you are not at the top, it starts with you where you are. As you develop those qualities, you will one day reach the top. Day Cathy has gotten it right.

Leadership and the details make the difference. Where are you in your personal leadership development?

If you are not operating at a level of excellence, make a new choice! A choice to change and develop the attitudes, competencies, and process focus that will ensure that you and your business continue to grow and succeed in the long-term like Chick-fil-A.

Joe Farcht is the founder and president of Leadership Advantage, Inc. He develops leaders, is an Executive Coach, and author of the book Building Personal Leadership: Inspirational Tools & Techniques for Work & Life. Learn at http://www.leadershipadvantageinc.com joefarcht@cox.net or 602 996-1802.
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Trends In Customer Support Software

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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-----------
Article Title: Trends In Customer Support Software
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service, Software
Word Count: 429
Keywords: Customer support software, csm, css, customer management software
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

A Customer Support Software is a software solution that promotes easy and rapid interaction between the potential and existing prospects and the entrepreneurs in different business domains. A robust and aggressive business environment thrives on customer relationship. If you are able to satisfy your customer then you sustain to be a part of the rat race. A device that enables this effort is tailor-made CSM.

Thriving proper customer relationship is dependent on profound knowledgebase that the program provides. This knowledge should also be common knowledge easily reached by support groups including self-service. This should make space for 360-degree analysis of the prospects as well as handle purchases and service contracts. Efficient CSM should be able to route customers and escalate troubled ticket routinely, without human intervention.

A good management program is the tool customized to meet exclusive entrepreneurial needs in service and maintaining customer relations.

Any solution you look ideally assign new tasks/activities to member depending upon their skills and sustain a sophisticated workflow, prompting automatic warning and re-assignment of tasks if these are running behind schedule. Good customer support software is enabled of activity tracking, monitoring, and translating the relevant task to workflow and course automation. Integrated reports and relevant analysis, automated communication options through emails and/or cellular phones are the added advantages of installing such a program.

This is usually developed to extend mutual support to the entrepreneur, users, support and technical segments and customers. The web portal supported is customized for task submission and management. Real-time communication with the support team is the USP of any good program. The centralized information base with self-compatible tools/directives, useful URLs and specified access to sites are distinctive to a quality CSM.

Software solutions are customized for call centers, IT needs to track support requests from department and users. Call centers are now using software that enhances Customer Relation Management (CRM) as a holistic approach to customer retention and escalation. Therefore, software that performs beyond tracking task requests is the need of the hour that such a program should integrate.

There are software solutions that focus on internal support. It is designed to facilitate IT operations and ensuring quality IT service. It also ensures the ability to set and monitor service level agreement (SLA) that reflects customer priorities. Many others have multimedia routing dovetailed with tracking requests. Most Customer Support Software is capable of distributing tasks analyzing the workload. These help in uniform designation of tasks throughout the group. Many CSM's incorporate interactive voice response (IVR) systems that are speech-enabled.

Customer Support Software that might be helpful:
Premium Response
BMC Software
TechExcel
Genticity
Numara Software
FrontRange Solutions
GWI Software

If you want the Ultimate Support Ticket Software Solution make sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Support Ticket Software: Silent Money Maker?

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
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-----------
Article Title: Support Ticket Software: Silent Money Maker?
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: Customer Service
Word Count: 532
Keywords: Support Ticket Software
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

How do you know if you need a support ticket software. There's a series of things you would normally consider to find out if you really need one, but I came up with a couple of questions that will help you realize if you really need to manage your support effectively: Do you own a website? Does your website get visitors that are curious about your products or services? Do you get emails from your visitors asking you the same questions?

The problem is that you don't know how to automate all your support, and even with a support ticket software you won't necessarily be able to do it because not all of them are made the same. This is why so many marketers that are making incredible amounts of money online have spend hundreds of hours a month answering emails and doing the same support (most of them without even knowing it) over and over.

Why don't they find a solution, well who really knows, but I know you're a sharp cookie if you're still reading so don't fall into the category of the people that run their business in the same way for years you know, the ones where 5 years later they are EXACTLY the same, you want to be constantly improving your business to work less and sell more. That's what this article is about.

If you actually manage the queries from your customers, the benefits become so apparent it would be hard not to pat yourself on the back because you've actually done something really effective. Some of the benefits of doing this are : Reducing your support by almost 90%, your responses actually getting through to all your customers, answering questions in less than 30 seconds effectively, and many more.

This is why if you get a support ticket software that does this, you will not only save thousands hours per year but it will also allow you to focus on creating new projects, making more money. You see, it's not how much time you work, because you can spend a lot of time doing activities that are not profitable, but it's how effectively you work. If you work smart you don't have to work as much and chances are you'll make much more money in the process.

The way to get to this place with your website is simply by setting up a support ticket software on your website. I know this doesn't seem like that much at first but there is enourmous power in doing this to your website. The key is to place the right script that does one simple function: Put all your FAQ's in front of the customer before he asks a question. That is how they find their answer.

There are many scripts out there that are just designed to organize your tickets. That's good but it's not all that you want to get. You want a solution that also places your commonly asked queries in front of your customers automatically so you don't have to answer the same question over and over. So do a search and you'll find if you really need a ticket systema and the one that works the best for you.

Looking for a way to turn your business around? Discover how a Support Ticket Software can save you time and set the profits for your business on Fire! Visit http://www.premiumresponse.com for details.
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Customer Service thru Call Centers - Are They Making Lives of Indian Customers any Easier?

Jaydeep Bhattacharjee offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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Article Title: Customer Service thru Call Centers - Are They Making Lives of Indian Customers any Easier?
Author: Jaydeep Bhattacharjee
Category: Customer Service, Consumer, Training
Word Count: 782
Keywords: call center, customer, call center agent, help desk, customer service, product review
Author's Email Address: admanya.articlemarketer@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

We all have to fall back on call centers these days whenever we need some help or information for our bank accounts, mobile services or tour itineraries as we don't have the time to visit the relevant department. But the experience is seldom satisfactory and many people believe that customer service over telephone simply does not work in this country. Of course we cannot ignore the convenience of 24/7 but how far can we expect to get our queries resolved by the call center agents?

My personal experience is that simple queries like the balance of a savings account or payment due date of a mobile telephone bill can be handled by a call center. In fact most of the call centers had IVR facility and you even need not interact with an agent as the machine will read out the balance or due bill amount. But when it comes to taking a decision the efficiency level of call centers drop drastically and most of the time the outcome is very frustrating.

Usually a phone banking customer has access to internet and so to me the IVR is not so much of a value addition as one can check the same information in the web. So what is really expected of a call center are the queries which an automated system cannot resolve and needs human intervention. For example why my credit card was charged twice or my phone bill is not being mailed to me and in these kinds of cases the call centers are not really meeting the customer expectation.

I have a very bad experience with the country's leading mobile services provider; I used to get my mobile bill to my email and since last few months the bills are not mailed to me when I had to take the initiative and report to the call center. I am still struggling to get this resolved despite repeated calls and emails, and for the past 3 months I am paying them in spite of not getting the bill just because I cannot afford to have my phone disconnected. Every time I call them I have to tell my problem from scratch and they assure me of sending all my bills and provide me with a token number but nothing has happened yet.

Nothing can be more frustrating than this and I have discovered after searching some product review sites that I am probably not alone. There are hundreds of customers suffering miserably at the hands of these call center agents as the agents cannot offer any solution to their woes and matters even get more complicated and confusing. In most of the cases it seems that the call center agents have no clue about the business processes and they just give misleading information and false assurances without understanding or studying the problems or cases.

The companies are heavily investing on the call centers but the investment so far is concentrated on infrastructure whereas the need clearly lies in the area of training and development of staff members. What is required for the call center staff is a good understanding of the business process and adequate supervision but that is unfortunately completely ignored. The BPOs have failed to provide process training to agents so that they can help customers and are simply providing some computers, network, CRM software and an accent training which is definitely not adequate for setting up a customer help line.

My experience with India's No. 1 travel portal help desk was even more pathetic. I made an internet booking about 6 months back thru their website and when after 24 hours I was not mailed the e-ticket I was desperate to speak to a call center agent. I had to wait for more than 3 hours to finally get hold of one agent as either the numbers were busy or I was put on hold and finally disconnected. I was almost missing my flight and after that I promised myself never again with last minute tickets online.

There are numerous bad experiences like this with call centers and I think people are learning to avoid them and depend more on physical presence to get their queries answered and problem solved. It is no doubt a great concept that can make the life of the companies and customers better but unfortunately the companies have a long way to go before being able to really help their customers thru help desks. Right now the call centers are nothing but a bunch of unsupervised fresh college pass outs who have no idea of what they are doing and in some way struggling to answer customer queries using their imagination and some limited information in the computer databases.

Jaydeep Bhattacharjee writes on consumer issues concerning the Indian consumers. He is the founder of http://www.admanya.com - India's leading C2C Portal. Admanya is free and it completely depends on consumer participation for its content. Join Admanya and be an empowered consumer.
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

What Not To Do As A Salesman

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
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- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
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- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
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-----------
Article Title: What Not To Do As A Salesman
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: Customer Service
Word Count: 488
Keywords: Selling,skills,sales,salesmen,salesman,technique,buying,opportunity,customers,confidence,honesty,
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Selling requires the combination of skills in persuasion and product knowledge. But there are some salesmen that lack both. In fact, there are common selling mistakes that salesmen usually make so that sometimes a transaction which should have led to sales does not occur at all. However, some of these selling mistakes are quite understandable because salesmen are sometimes desperate for sales since their compensation is not based on salary but rather from the amount of sales they had been able to generate.

In this business, you will be ale to observe quite a high number of job turnovers because salesmen were not able to meet their quotas and become frustrated or they simply got tired of convincing people who do not even want to give them the time of day. But you can avoid all these if you have a positive attitude that aims to please people and have the right techniques that will make them listen. It is also important to understand the likes and dislikes of people so you can avoid making them uncomfortable. In line with this, here are some of the top mistakes you should always avoid as a salesman.

1. Showing little confidence. There is no better way to discourage your potentials than by exhibiting a lack of self confidence. If you have little trust on the product or service you are offering then they will likewise become discouraged from buying that product. But if you present your products with the confidence and trust of someone who has already tried it then you can expect your potential customers to become interested in the opportunity as well.

2. Do not stretch the truth. If the product you are selling has its limitations then it is your responsibility to make your potential customers aware of these limitations. It would not be right for you to lie and tell people that the product is capable of more functions than it actually is. People do not want to be lied to and being truthful can have a positive impact on your reputation.

3. Never say you do not know. There are some salesmen who have the misconception that they have to answer each and every single question that is thrown to them by the customers even if they do not know the answer. You should avoid this mistake because it is better to say you do not know than to invent something up.

4. Not being presentable. Being a salesman means that you have to talk to a lot of people that can potentially become your customers. Because of this, it is important to present a good image of yourself and the company you work for. In addition, people are naturally attracted to presentable people so making an effort to look professional can yield good results. There are many other things you should avoid but the basic rule is to have honestly when selling because people respect honest persons.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/
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The Value of Open Ended Questions in Sales

Tim Hagen offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: The Value of Open Ended Questions in Sales
Author: Tim Hagen
Category: Sales, Customer Service
Word Count: 642
Keywords: questioning skills, sales questioning, qualifying
Author's Email Address: salebuilder@aol.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Open-ended questions are one of the salesperson's most vital tools (if followed up by listening). They help gather information, qualify sales opportunities and establish rapport, trust and credibility. With such core value to the sales process, the professional leaves little to chance when it comes to owning a repertoire of powerful open-ended questions.

Questions that are answered by more than a simple yes or no;questions where the prospect or customer gets directly involved in the sales discussion. The key here is to ask the question and let the prospect or customer give you their answer- no leading- no prompting.

Consider the difference between the following statements, "Are you happy with your sales team?" and "Tell me about your sales team..." The material covered is identical, but the likely answers are very different especially since this is a closed question. The expected reply is a "yes" or "no". If a salesperson asks that question and gets one of those answers, then the ball is back in the salesperson's court to encourage a fuller response. A client may chose to say more, but often they do not.

The second question already encourages the client to explore the issue. A salesperson gets more information this way, and the meeting seems less like an interrogation. It also allows the salesperson to uncover needs that they may not have heard by asking questions in the other format. "What" and "how" are great words to start a question with, since they cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no" response.

This principle can be used by anyone trying to get a conversation going. If you are talking with someone you don't know very well, ask them open ended questions. If you think of a "yes or no" question, put it into a more open ended version. You've given the other person an opportunity to talk for a while, and the conversation is moving and, in sales, you are uncovering what they really need.

Just in case you've not had a chance to put yours down in writing, here are some of favorite open ended questions(you'll likely have several additional questions that are specific to your industry but these'll get you more than started). Write down the one's you find valuable and commit them to memory, or make them as a handy reference near your desk when you are tied for the right words with someone you are talking to.

Information gathering

What prompted you/your company to look into this?
What are your expectations/requirements for this product/service?
How do you see this happening?
What is it that you'd like to see accomplished?

Qualifying

What do you see as the next action steps?
What is your timeline for implementing/purchasing this type of service/product?
What are your thoughts?
Who else is involved in this decision?
Establishing rapport, trust & credibility
How did you get involved in?
What kind of challenges are you're facing?
How do you measure that?
What other issues are important to you?

Finally, when you have someone that absolutely won't open up, try using a bridge statement. Bridge statements force the prospect or client to share information. By using phrases such as "I see", "what else?", and "anything else?" you are gathering as much information as possible. Think of your questioning as a highway, if you get off too early you are truly leaving money on the table. Plan out your questions in advance and don't be afraid to use silence to find out as much as possible about your client.

Finally, good questioning is critical to the sales process. Learning as much as possible about the potential client is key to solving their problems and issues. By asking good questions and listening, the client will often close themselves which takes one major step out of your sales process. They will also view you as someone who is helping them, not selling them.

Tim Hagen is the President of Sales Progress LLC. Tim has been doing sales consulting for over 20 years in a variety of industries and has been instrumental in creating strong sales programs. He can be reached at http://www.SalesProgress.com or 262-240-1077.
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Sunday, August 12, 2007

The Common Habit Among Salesmen That Can Destroy Their Careers

Steve Kroening offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: The Common Habit Among Salesmen That Can Destroy Their Careers
Author: Steve Kroening
Category: Customer Service, Sales, Christianity
Word Count: 401
Keywords: business, sales, profit, customers, God
Author's Email Address: steve@wisdomsedge.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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"As a salesman, my boss evaluates my performance based on the number of sales and the amount of money I make (mainly the latter). How can I perform my job for God's glory and without letting the money run my life?"

This is a great question that a friend recently asked me. In sales, you're often torn between two masters -- your boss and your customers. It's a difficult place to be. While your customers aren't technically your "master," try staying in your job without them. If you don't please them, they'll go somewhere else, and you won't meet your goals.

But if you don't please your boss by meeting or exceeding your goals, then you'll be out of a job. So what do you do?

When you're evaluated based on how much money you bring into the company, there's a very strong temptation to choose between these two masters. Of course, the easiest one to serve is usually your boss. After all, you have to work with your boss on a daily basis.

The trouble with this decision is that it may cause you to do something unethical and/or immoral to get your customers' money.

What's the solution? First, you have to remember that your only master is God. Your boss has some authority over you -- but not outside of God's authority. And you can serve only one master (Matthew 6:24). Therefore, every decision you make must have this as its goal -- pleasing God. And we know that unethical and immoral decisions (and actions) don't please God.

Once you understand that God is your master and you are to please Him, then you have to ask yourself this question: Am I willing to sin (displease God) to get what I want? Your answer, obviously, should be "no."

It's far more pleasing to God if you put your own job in jeopardy by doing what's right than if you harm your customers just to meet your goal. And, practically speaking, the latter may have some short-term advantages. But long term, it will cause a lot more damage to you and your company.

So the answer to the question, then, is to make sure your focus isn't on the money. Put your focus on pleasing God by pleasing your customers. In most situations, you'll also please your boss with ample sales and cash flow. But if not, at least your Master will be pleased with your actions.

Steve Kroening writes for Success magazine and also publishes Wisdom's Edge. You can get Biblical tips on health, finance, relationships, parenting, and success, delivered to your email inbox every week. Simply visit http://www.wisdomsedge.com and sign up for this free e-zine.
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Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Low Cost Airlines and Cheap Fare - Are Indian Budget Travelers Really Satisfied?

Jaydeep Bhattacharjee offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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Article Title: Low Cost Airlines and Cheap Fare - Are Indian Budget Travelers Really Satisfied?
Author: Jaydeep Bhattacharjee
Category: Consumer, Air Travel, Customer Service
Word Count: 873
Keywords: low cost airlines, low cost carrier, consumer, product review, review
Author's Email Address: admanya.articlemarketer@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

Things have changed dramatically in air travel in the last few years as far as India is concerned. Once upon a time flying was possible only for privileged few but that scenario is now a thing of the past.

Air Deccan has spearheaded the transformation of converting air travel into an affordable option for the huge middle class of our country. Air Deccan started its service in August 2003 and just in 4 years there and today there are at least another half a dozen low cost carriers crisscrossing the Indian skies. The notable of them are Spice Jet, Go Air and Indigo.

The low cost carriers has not only become a boon for the middle class but it has also helped air passengers across the board as full service airlines have been compelled to reorganize their pricing structure and stay attractive for passengers who are constantly looking for better deals. So therefore the market is flooded with lots of offers from leading full service carriers like Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Kingfisher and Indian. They range from credit card cash back to free hotel room to fly your spouse free and what not.

Despite the rise of aviation fuel over the years the average ticket price has gone down. The full service airlines are also offering early bird discounts to optimize capacity utilization. Many a times if you book early at least a month in advance you may get cheaper price in Jet Airways than that of Air Deccan.

So far so good for consumers but will the party last? The answer lies how far the low cost airlines can position themselves as dependable for the purpose of travel. Air Deccan has publicly proclaimed several times that their competition is with the railways and not other airlines which is definitely very tempting to the budget travelers.

But the general experience with the leading low cost carrier is not always so positive. There are numerous reviews and blogs written by passengers in product review websites which tells horrible experiences of people who took a flight with this airline and this kind of feedback is not only Air Deccan specific but also abundant for other low cost carriers. The consumers are not complaining for the catering or the lack of attractive female cabin crew but for basic facilities and requirements that they expect from an airline.

The most serious problem dogging the low cost airlines is their poor public image. They are not perceived as dependable because of the very high incidence of flight cancellations and delays.

Most of the time there is a chaos whether on ground or in the air. For example, as the seat number is done away with there is always a mad rush just like a local bus or train inside the cabin during boarding. It is tougher to allocate resources for betterment of service for the low cost carriers as the revenue is lower but the biggest blunder for the cause of revenue woe and resource crunch is t