“When the
customer comes first, the customer will last.”-Robert Half
It’s a not-so-well-kept secret that customer service is a key to keeping and maintaining lasting customer relationships. Without it, you may get a customer in the door, but you won’t guarantee you will ever see that customer again. Since Club Cabeza knows more than a few customer service artistes, we have polled several area businesses for their customer service tips and tricks.
Customer Service Tip #1: Quality Products
Romi DiRoberto,
President and Design Consultant for Florida Design & Associates, Inc., has worked
with her husband and his cousin at their family owned interior design business
since 1993. The company’s “Shop At Home” services range from window and drapery
design to home interior consulting. When customers call DiRoberto, they know
they can count on a wide and high-quality product selection.
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| Romi DiRoberto |
“One of the
things that matters most is the quality of service and product,” DiRoberto
says. “If my clients are not happy, then I am not happy. I think that is a
direct reflection of my personality as well as the way that I think any and all
businesses should be represented.”
DiRoberto says a
strong knowledge base of the construction and design industries allows her to
find the right products to show clients. She is always looking for new
offerings, including the Coulisse product line of pleated shades, roller shades
and gliding panel systems.
“They have a sleek
design and when they are fully raised, the head rail almost disappears,”
DiRoberto says. “The roller shades have many options as well and will fit any
window in any room in any style of home or office.”
DiRoberto has
taken this business knowledge to her Pompano Beach-based doggy-grooming salon
called “Doggy Stylin’.” The same values in providing quality services carry
over into the business where dog groomers Jeannie and Mary have more than 30
years’ experience in the industry.
Customer Service Tip #2: Find Your Niche
Photographer Noël de Christian found a niche in the photography business, and has made a life’s
work out of it.
“My services are
rather niche-oriented since I don’t photograph everything under the sun,” de Christian says. “I basically photograph adults with a strong focus on men. Us
men are usually neglected from professional photography — though it’s getting better —
with a much stronger emphasis on women, children and families.”
When de Christian
found his niche in the photography world, the results were life-changing for
him and his clients.
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| Noel de Christian Photography |
“I believe that
today’s men are starting to realize that they can be photographed
professionally for personal reasons and still enjoy the session and its
outcome,” he says. “I have client who mentioned to me how their new pictures
have changed their lives for the better and how others see them.”
Offering a vast array of services that include portraits, headshots, male physique and fashion and what de Christian terms “Dudoir” or male boudoir shots, de Christian’s prestige and reputation as a photographer have grown as he continues to cultivate his business. One of the latest industry trends he has observed is producing high-end coffee table books from his photographs. He works with high-end book production companies to produce books options that include images printed on metallic paper to binding in rich leathers. de Christian says his clients utilize the books as a gift to a significant other or as an elegant way to display and capture a moment for a lifetime.
“Everyone has a
story to tell, and it’s my job to tell that story through images,” de Christian
says.
For more information about Florida Design
& Associates, Inc., visit floridadesignservices.com or follow them at
twitter.com/FLDesignAssoc. To find out more about Doggy Stylin’ grooming salon,
visit www.pompanodoggystylin.com
or call toll-free at (888) 482-2399.
For more information on Noël de Christian photography, visit
noeldechristian.com or follow de Christian on Twitter at
twitter.com/Photo_Noel. You can also call (954) 777-3000 for more information.
Identifying Marketing Trends: Social Advertising
With more than 1.06 billion monthly active users, it’s hard to deny the promotional capabilities of Facebook from a marketing perspective. In October, Facebook rolled out a “Sponsored Posts” option that allows you to promote friends and business’ posts for a fee. According to Facebook, the “Promote Post” function is especially beneficial to those making charity fundraising efforts, accomplishments, sales and personal announcements, such as an engagement. This option joins a growing marketing approach known as “social advertising.”
Identifying Marketing Trends: Social Advertising
With more than 1.06 billion monthly active users, it’s hard to deny the promotional capabilities of Facebook from a marketing perspective. In October, Facebook rolled out a “Sponsored Posts” option that allows you to promote friends and business’ posts for a fee. According to Facebook, the “Promote Post” function is especially beneficial to those making charity fundraising efforts, accomplishments, sales and personal announcements, such as an engagement. This option joins a growing marketing approach known as “social advertising.”
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| Marnie Goldberg, Amplification, Inc. Social Medium |
“Sponsored posts
are extremely effective at increasing your reach and helping you target
specific demographics,” says Marnie
Goldberg, Social Medium at Amplification,
Inc., a South Florida-based social media company. “We have been very successful with fan acquisition campaigns for a number of clients and with promoting a specific event."
Goldberg cited
several examples from her social media clients, including a recent sponsored
campaign of a YouTube video for Polo
Trace Golf Club that increased video views by a factor of five within a few
days (Click here to view the video "Ladies League at Polo Trace Golf Club"). An awesome side effect was an increase in fans, too. Meaning by
sponsoring the video, Polo Trace’s fan page on Facebook also acquired new fans
as a result.
Goldberg calls
this the “halo effect.”
“When you are
trying to acquire fans for a Facebook page, having some sort of messaging is essential,”
Goldberg says. “Combining video and sponsored posts has given us great
success.”
Thanks to
Facebook’s tracking metrics, social media reach and effectiveness is more than
anecdotal. Goldberg says Facebook provides a wealth of information, including
impressions and unique visitors.
“As marketers, we can then use this information to calibrate our efforts and adjust messaging whenever necessary,” Goldberg says.
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| Party in the Park will be held on May 5. |
“When we help
clients target their efforts, they see better results,” Goldberg says. “Making
the cyclical connection among video, sponsored posts and fan acquisitions is a
natural fit.”
For more
information on Goldberg and Amplification, Inc., please visit www.amplificationinc.com and follow
them at @We_Amplify_You.
