Business Information for Entrepreneurs by an Entrepreneur

At some point in time, you've probably heard a soothing voice on the telephone and felt like talking to that person for hours; conversely, you may have called a company and felt disgusted speaking to their customer service representative.

It is really important to have good phone manners, yet many companies don't make any extra effort to train their employees on basic phone etiquette. Some people simply lack basic phone manners - and this often results in lost revenue, irate customers and lost opportunities.

Unfortunately, many people have stopped respecting others and talking politely. Surveys suggest that a whopping 8 out of 10 Americans don't know how to talk politely and they lack respect and courtesy. It has evolved into a serious national problem.

The fact is that most negative reactions are cased by poor customer service. So if you really want to provide your customers with good service, then you should educate your employees and keep them from saying the following:

• “It's not our policy”- These types of excuses are just poor telephone manners. Customers don't like to be
  neglected and they don't care what the policy is — they want their problem to be solved and to feel like the
  company cares about them. If an employee cannot fix a complaint, then they should seek help from their manager or
  supervisor to find alternatives.
• “That's not my department or my job” Everyone working in the company should be ready to be accountable and
  field every customer's needs.
• “Can you call back”-These words really boggle customers' minds. It keeps them wondering when they should
  call back, and why. Nothing is more important than customer service, and this phrase should be avoided.If the problem absolutely cannot be solved on the spot, the employee should take the customer's name and number,
  and give an exact time as to when they will receive a return call.

Of all the reasons that customers stop doing business with a company, poor phone manners and lack of customer service is #1. Just as important as knowing what to say is knowing what NOT to say.

People are generally tempted to start working from home by the lure of being their own boss. When they actually start the business, they get weighed down with daily activities and business responsibilities.

Initially, most small business owners feel that working from home is easy; it certainly can be, if managed well. However, mismanagement can cause unwanted stress and loss of focus, resulting in lost productivity.

To help you decide if working from home is right for you, I've compiled this hand-checklist for you to use.

• Guidance and camaraderie- Do you need constant guidance and regular feedback to work productively? Are you easily distracted and hate working alone? Do you love working in well-structured offices? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you may not be cut out for working from home.

Most social butterflies can't work alone because they need more structure and the presence of other people to boost their performance.

• Child matters- If you have a small child who needs constant attention, then working from home may sound right for you. For most working parents, eliminating child care expenses is motivation enough.However, you should keep in mind that it is not easy to juggle work and home in the same environment. You need a lot of patience and discipline to manage both well.

• What is the nature of your job? If you are a technician or cashier then working from home might be impossible; but if you are into public relations or sales then you can probably work at home without negatively impacting your career. An increasing number of companies offer the ‘work from home' facility to their employees.

• Are you disciplined and goal-oriented? If you can work without guidance, are self-motivated and can direct yourself, then you can probably work from home and complete your duties efficiently.Working from home isn't for everyone. Consider the above points to decide if it is right for you.

Marketing experts often stress the fact that developing the right brand identity is as important for small businesses as it is for large corporate behemoths. However, small business owners often fail to make an impact on their target audience because in most cases they are unable to communicate what their brand is.

Explained below are some of the most prominent reasons that will help you to understand the importance of brand building.

Brand building is necessary…

• To convey the business' good health and established status: By building the right brand identity, small businesses will be able to convey to clients and customers that the organization is an established business enterprise and its products and services can be trusted. This way, small businesses will be in a better position to attract new customers and retain existing ones.
• For procuring funds on short notice: Effective brand building creates the right impression on investors, something that helps a lot in procuring much-needed funds on short notice. Most investors rely on popular sentiments while making their investment decisions - and this is exactly where brand building comes to the rescue of small businesses.
• To maintain competitiveness in the marketplace: Customers have become increasingly brand-conscious, and they are often wary of buying something that does not have a proper nametag to it. By building the right brand image, small businesses can create a level playing field while successfully competing with other bigger brands.

If you are a small business owner who is confused and unable to decide whether or not to invest in brand building, take some time to consider the reasons explained above. They will help you make the right decisions and connect with your customers.