Customers


Recent Customers Articles

Don't Hesitate to Wake Us

Jan 1, 1997

Want to let your customers know how committed you are to serving them? For years, J.W. Kisling, the CEO of Multiplex Inc., a St. Louis maker of beverage-d...  Read more

Out of Town, Not Out of Touch

Jan 1, 1997

George Matarazzo wanted to get away from the city. So he closed down his high-growth, high-profile landscape architecture firm and started a new solo busi...  Read more

Just the Fax, Please

Jan 1, 1997

The fax machine is the undisputed favorite business tool of international executives when communicating with their foreign customers. In short, fax machin...  Read more

A+ for Homework

Jan 1, 1997

The secret to meeting client needs is doing your homework, says Craig DeLuca, president of Executive Perspectives (EP), a 40-employee management training ...  Read more

Don't Forget the Quiet Ones!

Jan 1, 1997

Customer surveys may call attention to problems only after the fact, and ongoing demands from new and vocal customers may drown out a loyal, but silent, m...  Read more

Don't Keep Customers on Hold

Jan 1, 1997

Picture this: You call up to order some winter underwear and, instead of making you fidget on hold while elevator music blares in your ear, someone answer...  Read more

Better Call to Confirm

Jan 1, 1997

You and your family get off the plane, pile into the rental car, and head out for vacation. Immediately you're faced with two problems: You can't remember...  Read more

'Tis Another Season

Jan 1, 1997

Sending Christmas cards used to be an effective way to plant your company's name before current and prospective customers. "People can't help feeling warm...  Read more

Label Us Meticulous

Jan 1, 1997

When work orders don't reflect customer needs, product rejection rates rise. Unfortunately, customers don't always have the technical knowledge to convey ...  Read more

Love from the Assembly Line

Jan 1, 1997

Open communication is a hallmark of the 300 employees in the plants of Super Sack Manufacturing Corp., a producer of bulk containers, in Fannin County, Te...  Read more

Keeping Tabs on Expectations

Jan 1, 1997

The concept is simple: Match customer expectations with yours . Making it happen is more difficult. Managing expectations is essent...  Read more

Leave No Stone Unturned

Jan 1, 1997

How a manufacturer got serious about customer complaints, devising a detailed form and database system to get to the root of each problem.  Read more

Fax for Flounder, Call for Cod

Jan 1, 1997

Fast turnaround time on orders is a sure way to satisfy customers and increase business. For Tasos Argiras, president of Sparta Fish, based in Manchester,...  Read more

Know the M.O.

Jan 1, 1997

Cold calls are incredibly intrusive because they aren't sensitive to your customer's schedule," says Dave Rogers, president of Information Control System ...  Read more

Education, Enthusiasm, and Experience

Jan 1, 1997

As the U.S. leader in kayak manufacturing, Perception Inc., based in Easley, S.C., has done more than just stay afloat during its 20 years in business. In...  Read more

Mail Bonding

Jan 1, 1997

Short of holding continuing-education classes nationwide, how can you ensure that your product will stay in use? Dr. Andrew Wang, cofounder of $1.5-millio...  Read more

Lost and Found

Jan 1, 1997

Does this sound familiar? A busy CEO installs an automated phone-answering system, figuring it will save lots of time and money. "At first clients said it...  Read more

Jump In Together

Jan 1, 1997

Ventana Medical Systems, a biomedical instrument and reagent manufacturer, in Tucson, maintains an online customer database that alerts service reps to a ...  Read more

Efficiency in Any Language

Jan 1, 1997

Customize your database, integrate it into every aspect of your business, and keep it current. advises Irene Agnew, president of Agnew Te...  Read more

Helping Your Customer's Customers

Jan 1, 1997

Improve your business partnerships by giving your customers the tools they need to serve their customers. Aurora Casket Company, a $90-million, 750-employ...  Read more

Freshly-Squeezed Customer Service

Jan 1, 1997

At Odwalla, a maker of fresh-fruit and nutritional juices, based in Half Moon Bay, Calif., it's the delivery-truck drivers who have face-to-face interacti...  Read more

Weekly Praise with the Paycheck

Jan 1, 1997

Your service to customers is only as good as your employees. To remind them that what they do affects customers, why not attach notes to employees...  Read more

Pride of Ownership

Jan 1, 1997

"If you give people ownership of something, they take better care of it," declares Bob Ottley, owner of One Step Tree and Lawncare, in North Chili, N.Y. A...  Read more

Tips for Planning Employee Recognition Events

Jan 1, 1997

Microtest, a $50-million computer and LAN products supplier, celebrates National Customer Service Week each year. The Phoenix-based company designs a seri...  Read more

Help Employees Take Responsibility

Jan 1, 1997

Our customers request little from our employees other than a pleasant disposition," maintains Linn Moedinger, vice-president and chief mechanical officer ...  Read more

Giving Dead-End Jobs a Future

Jan 1, 1997

How do you motivate entry-level employees to give excellent customer service? Carolee Pierce, general manager of Facilities Management and Consulting (FMC...  Read more

Hurry Up and Wait

Jan 1, 1997

How does Dr. Henry Samson, an optometrist located in New Haven, Conn., improve customer service? Samson realized that patients dread filling out "intake" ...  Read more

Declare War on Poor Service

Jan 1, 1997

According to an industry survey, Holy Cross Hospital, in Chicago, has climbed from the 13th to the 98th percentile in patient satisfaction rankings. How? ...  Read more

Everybody Say Cheese

Jan 1, 1997

Frank Meeks, president and owner of Domino's Pizza Team Washington, a 52-store chain in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, has always understood the...  Read more

Listen to the Bartender's Advice

Jan 1, 1997

Christopher Bear, president of the Texas School of Bartenders, in Houston, initially thought quality awards were for big companies, not for a small compan...  Read more

Let Awards Go to Their Heads

Jan 1, 1997

Employee recognition programs motivate employees to deliver quality service--which leads to satisfied customers. With 100 employees to motivate, the J& S ...  Read more

Make Exceptional Service the Standard

Jan 1, 1997

While standards won't substitute for passionate commitment to service excellence, they do encourage consistent behavior that satisfies customers. That's w...  Read more

A Day in Their Shoes

Jan 1, 1997

Would your business do better if your employees could view the world from your customers' perspective? Yes? Then put them there with empathy train...  Read more

Recruit Only the Best

Jan 1, 1997

Whenever someone provided him with great service, Blayne Blowers made an unusual offer: He handed the person a card that read, "I was impressed by your se...  Read more

Screen-Test Prospective Stars

Jan 1, 1997

To fill job vacancies, Shane Jones, CEO and owner of Ace Personnel, in Shawnee Mission, Kans., used to interview 10 people out of the hundreds who respond...  Read more