Techniques: Microcases
Three articles examining how small businesses are using technology. Read more
Customers
Recent Customers Articles
Best Hometown Business: Dilbert Creator Draws on Local Handyman
A light-hearted look at who the creator of Dilbert calls on for home repair, and why he has to! Read more
The Return of Customer Loyalty
A vetern entrepreneur explains why it's more important than ever to keep the customers you already have. Read more
Further Reading: Real Time
A noted business adviser explains why it is so important to understand the effects of time and speed on the marketplace. Read more
Philanthropy Is Good for the Community. But Does It Help Me?, Customer Service Article
cript"> '?h1">Philanthropy Is Good for the Community. But Does It Help Me?net/adj/ There are many rewards for... Read more
What Do America Online and Dennis Rodman Have in Common?
When AOL over-sold its service, did it apologize and make nice? Not really! Read more
Best Hometown Businesses in America
Inc. launches a new series of articles and here is an overview of what the series offers, and what to look forward to. Read more
What You Want Before You Know You Want It
Despite high labor and inventory costs, a small hardware store has been in the black for decades. Here's why. Read more
We Have Met the Enemy, and He Is Us
A veteran entrepreneur explains why it's usually employers, not employees, who create poor customer service. Read more
CEO Notebook
Various members of Inc.'s staff field questions and answers from CEOs on employees, trade shows and more. Read more
We Want More Referrals. What Can We Do?
Ask. For a two-hour period every Tuesday, Daniel Cronin, one of the four partners of Chorus Communications, in King of Prussia, Pa., has all 70 sale... Read more
New Biz Puts 7,300 on Payroll
An overview of a start-up that is based on consolidating professional employer organizations. Read more
CEO's Notebook
Various senior businesspeople answer topical questions about such areas as taxes, banking, and training. Read more
Technology Redux
The president of a manufacturing firm explains why sometimes the way to upgrade is to resurrect what used to work. Read more
Who's On-line?
Here's a look at how the shoppers on the Web are quickly becoming representative of the population as a whole. Read more
Guru Watch
For the past 10 years, Ann Cavoukian, coauthor with Don Tapscott of Who Knows: Safeguarding Your Privacy in a Networked World (McGraw-Hill, 1... Read more
Looking for Customers? Pick on Someone Your Own Size
Start ups looking for rapid growth, might want to try signing up smaller companies rather than blue-chip behemoths. Read more
How Can I Increase Sales?
Are you following up with former customers to ask for more business? Clifford's Flowers, in Quincy, Mass., uses sales records to generate letters to past ... Read more
What's in Store for Mobil? Check Your Local 5
A quick look at why large companies have a lot to learn from the little guys, like how to handle customers. Read more
A Niche in Time
A veteran entrepreneur explains why sometimes the only way to help your company to survive is by changing businesses. Read more
Medical-Food Start-up Offers Tasty Treatments
An overview of a hot start-up that's marketing good-tasting foods designed to help treat chronic medical conditions. Read more
Making the Transition to One-to-One Marketing
Two marketing experts offer advice about how companies can establish one-to-one marketing. Read more
Are Your Prices Right?
An overview of how a revenue management pricing strategy can increase revenues without losing customers. Read more
Cutting a New Deal
Recruiting new customers is expensive. That's why Ron Provenzano, co-owner of $5.2-million Zano's Hair Design, in Naperville, Ill., finds it more profitab... Read more
A Graceful Goodbye
You undoubtedly give good service to new and current customers, but how do you treat the ones who are switching to your competitor? If you treat e... Read more
Long-Term Commitment
As much as Dan McNulty, president and CEO of Acoustic Imaging Technologies, in Tempe, Ariz., tried to convince prospects about his diagnostic ultrasound e... Read more
No Service, No Sale
Turning down a sale is tough. After all, selling is what salespeople are trained and paid to do. But, if Multiplex can't provide foreign customers in remo... Read more
Let's Play Tag
Friendly interactions delight customers. A little nudge from management can make it happen. The Jordan Pond House Restaurant, in Acadia, Maine, cre... Read more
No Time for Downtime
Many firms wouldn't dream of providing warranty replacement hardware until after the damaged equipment has been returned. But RapidFire Solutions, a $13-m... Read more
Ask Us Anything
When Patricia Gallup and David Hall launched PC Connection (PCC), in Marlow, N.H., the nation's first mail-order business devoted exclusively to the IBM p... Read more
Fixed to Stay Fixed
Just because you think you've fixed a problem for a customer doesn't mean the customer is satisfied. That's why Carol Brachman, customer-support manager f... Read more
Match Their Medium
Hoss's Steak and Sea House, located in Duncansville, Pa., prides itself on its customer orientation, but it was stumped on how to reduce the most frequent... Read more
Customer Alert!
Emotions escalate when a customer is forced to call technical support multiple times for an ongoing problem. Frustration increases when someone has to ret... Read more