10 Customer Service Solutions for Small Businesses

10 Customer Service Solutions for Small BusinessesGajus/Shutterstock Excellent customer tafelgeschirr is critical to running a successful geschftsleben. But gone is the era of phone-only betreuung. These days, customers expect stab und sttze to be convenient and fast. This means being available wherever they are, whether thats on Twitter, Facebook, email or your website, and whether theyre getting in touch via their smartphone, tablet or an old-fashioned phone call.From help-desk tafelgeschirrs to live chat, social media and mobile support, here are 10 customer service solutions for your small business.1. FreshdeskTeamwork is key to excellent customer service. Freshdesk is a help-desk platform that lets customer support agents work together to deliver the best level of customer service possible. When a help ticket is opened, all team members can landsee the ticket and the customer. Freshdesk can show you which agent is working on the ticket and its status , customer information and communications, internal notes about the issue and more. This way, if customers call back and different agents are assigned to tickets, they can easily get caught up quickly to resolve issues. Freshdesk also comes with service level agreement (SLA) options for your customers, which helps you prioritize tickets and gives them an idea of when they can expect a response. 3 Ways Customer Service Has Changed (And How to Adapt)Freshdesk starts at $16 per agent per month. A free version is also available, but is limited to three agents each plus-rechnenal agent costs $15 per month.2. ZendeskSometimes, customers need one-on-one help other times, theyd rather solve issues on their own. Zendesk is all about putting customers first. It features both an easy-to-use multichannel ticketing system which organizes all email, Web, social, phone and live chat communication in one drehort and a customer self-service portal for customers who prefer to troubleshoot issues th emselves. Zendesk can also help you build more meaningful relationships with customers with its customer engagement feature, a platform that gives you access to key data and insights to improve performance and deliver personalized customer support.Zendesk starts at $1 per month per agent and is limited to email ticketing. More comprehensive plans start at $25 per month per agent.3. DeskWant to make customers happy? Desk can help with its fast, efficient customer support system. Designed specifically for small businesses, features like universal inbox, case management, productivity tools and workflow automation help you stay organized and speed through help tickets without compromising quality. In addition to phone and live chat customer service, Desk includes unlimited Web, email and social media (Twitter and Facebook) support. Agents can also access the platform and help customers on the go with the Desk app for iOS and menschenhnlicher roboter.Desk starts at $30 per agent per mont h. An advanced plan is also available for $135 per month per agent, which lets you customize your plan and includes enterprise level features.4. HappyFoxSupport tickets dont create themselves. From phone calls and chat to email, social media and Web inquiries, HappyFox can take help requests from multiple channels and automatically convert them into tickets in an organized, efficient help-desk system. The platform can also help you deliver fast customer service by identifying common issues and grouping related cases, as well as split tickets among multiple agents for more complex problems. Additionally, HappyFox integrates with a wide range of business apps including Google Apps, Salesforce, SugarCRM, Insightly, SurveyMonkey and FreshBooks to streamline customer service with the services your business uses the most.HappyFox costs $9 per month per staff member for startups, or $19 per staff per month for small businesses.5. ClickDesk Want to provide on-demand support on your websit e? Try a live-chat service like https//www.businessnewsdaily.comvoice chats or video calls. Agents can manage all of these in the ClickDesk help-desk portal, where they can handle multiple conversations and stay organized to give customers a great experience. If agents dont like the portal, chats can also be taken via Google Hangouts.ClickDesk starts at $16.99 per month. A free version is available, but its limited to one agent and voice chat.6. OlarkLive chat helps you with more than just customer service it can also help you boost sales. Olark uses live chat to give businesses an opportunity to close sales before customers click away. Agents receive multiple chats, as well as prioritize them for instance, to prevent shopping-cart abandonment. It also provides detailed customer information to help agents with the sale, such as browsing histories, how long customers have been on your website, contact information and whether they are returning or new customers. Olark also integrates with many third-party business products, such as Salesforce and Magento, to streamline customer service with the rest of your operations.Olark starts at $15 per month for one operator and includes all core features. For more operators, check out the Gold plan for $44 per month.For a side-by-side comparison of the best live chat support software, visit our sister site Business.com.7. My LiveChatIf youre not sure if a live-chat solution is right for your website, try a free service like My LiveChat first. It offers key functions available in paid services, such as multiple tickets, chat transcripts and real-time visitor monitoring, as well as pre-written responses to save agents time. My LiveChat is also highly customizable, so you can personalize chat windows with your own colors and branding. The software can be accessed over the Web and on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.My LiveChat is 100 percent free. Paid plans, which eliminate the My LiveChat branding and give you email reports, start at $15 per month.8. SparkcentralWhen customers have a problem with a company, many turn to social media. Sometimes, theyll sound off to their followers other times, theyll tag or mention you to get your attention. Get a handle on social media customer service and respond to issues with Sparkcentral. This social media support platform features an engagement dashboard to help agents quickly resolve issues and improve response times, a reporting and analytics portal to track metrics and productivity, and real-time collaboration tools to automate workflows and share knowledge to help customers as a team.Contact Sparkcentral for pricing information.9. Parature Facebook PortalExpand your social media presence by providing 24/7 customer support on Facebook. The Parature for Facebook Portal provides a comprehensive, personalized support center right on your Facebook page. It lets customers submit help tickets, get live-chat support, access a FAQ section and find updated infor mation, all without leaving Facebook. This way, customers can get help directly from your support team and the resources on your Facebook page, instead of posting about their issues on your Facebook wall.Contact Parature for Facebook for a price quote.10. HelpshiftDoes your business have a mobile app? Use Helpshift to deliver customer support right from your app. This in-app messaging platform lets you help customers on mobile devices, so they dont have to go to your website, search for answers or make a phone call. Helpshift makes getting answers as easy as texting, thus giving customers a better customer service experience that works for them. Features include image and video attachments for instance, customers can send screenshots to show you their problem push notifications, analytics and the ability to customize colors, fonts and other branding. Helpshift supports iOS, Android, HTML 5,Unity, Cocos2d-x and PhoneGap apps.Helpshift starts at $20 per month for up to two team memb ers and 20,000 monthly users.Our report on small business database and customer relationship management options complements the solutions outlinedabove Start Your Business Business Ideas Business Plans Startup Basics Startup Funding konzessionsverkauf Success Stories Entrepreneurs Grow Your Business Sales absatzwirtschaft Finances Your Team Technology Social Media Security Build Your Career Get the Job Get Ahead Office Life Work-Life Balance Home Office Lead Your Team Leadership Women in Business Managing Strategy Personal Growth Find A Solution HR Solutions Financial Solutions Marketing Solutions Security Solutions Retail Solutions SMB Solutions About Us Contact Us Partner with Us Copyright Policy Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Advertising Disclosure Sitemap 200 Fifth Avenue, Second FloorWaltham, MA 02451infobusinessnewsdaily.com Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) All Rights Reserved. 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Why Introverts Can Make Great Leaders

Why Introverts Can Make Great Leaders Ask an introvert and an extrovert what defines a great conversation. Introverts enjoy spending time with one or a very select number of individuals, and in-depth conversations are rewarding. Extroverts love talking to many people. The more they engage, the more they are fired up. But an introvert needs time to reflect, explore ideas and carefully consider their options. They do reach out but also need to pull in and weigh all the data points.Society values and has popularized extroverts. Think of most of ur advertisements fun is always in the context of a party, large gatherings, and big venues. Fun is never portrayed as putting on your noise-canceling headset to listen to Drakes latest CD, or streaming a movie by yourself or completing the worlds largest crossword puzzle. Introverts get a bad rap they are seen as shy, cool and detached.Society has read introverts wrong. Just think of the composition of great kollektivs teams with synergies requi re balance. If a team was made up of all extroverts, great ideas may get lost with all that static. As it is, introverts need to work hard to interject themselves.A significant number of my executive coaching clients are introverts. They are being asked by their leaders to have a voice at the table. This is not always easy for them as they tend to be polite and wait their turn. By then though, its too late and a noisy peer jumps in and takes the glory.One of my coaching clients generally resists speaking up as she worries she doesnt have all the answers. Should she want to advance as a leader, she will be required to challenge her peers. If she doesnt, she runs the risk of being a follower. This is echoed by one of my most senior clients when he stated, If members of my executive team do not speak up, I assume they have nothing to say. Powerful statement, but so true.It may be easier for an introvert to shift towards being more outward than for extroverts to restrain themselves. Ext roverts work hard to stay still. A majority of forthright leaders are advised by their executives to improve their listening skills.Heres a case in point. One of my clients decided I needed some feedback. He stated that I should formulate my leadership guidance in the context of he shoots, he scores. I asked him what he meant by that and he said, Talk faster. I should get what I need from you within 510 minutes. I reminded him that the platform for our coaching engagement was designed to enhance his stakeholder capabilities. This meant actively listening and learning to incorporate other views.When we watch introverts, their leadership style does not fit the stereotype of front-of-the-room charismatic presence. Their energy is not bouncing off the walls. They have a different vibe. Their style can be equally compelling.I would argue that introverts are indeed charismatic, just in a different way. They are experts at lobbying for support, they do it by attracting one vote at a time. Before they know it, they have created a groundswell. They are great listeners, they are methodical, they vet ideas, and they provide the necessary due diligence. So all of you introverts take heed. You have earned an equal place as impactful leaders.--Cindy Wahler, Ph.D., C.Psych. is a leadership consultant specializing in executive coaching and talent management. She can be contacted at cwahlercindywahler.com. This article was originally published on Ellevate Network.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

Job interview question and answer Why did you leave your last job

Job einstellungsgesprch question and answer Why did you leave your last job Job interview question and answer Why did you leave your last job?Posted October 13, 2011, by Helen IsbisterThe key to answering this question with your employability intact is simple maintain a positive attitude. A sure-fire way to teleport your application to the bottom of the pile is to badmouth your ex-anfhrer and grumble about your old job. Be clear, confident and calm about why you left, or are leaving, the other gig, before redirecting your response to exactly why you are so keen to work in the position on offer.Reason for leaving You got sackedThis is the Mount Everest of tricky interview questions if youve just been sacked, but its not impossible to conquer as long as you figure out your tactics and dont panic. Its a risky business to leave an ill-fated stint off your resume (especially if it welches your most recent), because if you are caught in the lie your chances will go up in smoke. The safes t way to navigate this interview danger zone is to be honest, take responsibility for the situation, explain what you have learned from the experience and how the problem wont apply to the new position.Possible response It was decided that my skills and qualifications werent suited to the position. I am excited by this role because it matches my experience and I know I will be able to thrive and make a valuable contribution to the company.Reason for leaving You were made redundantBeing made redundant is a world away from getting sacked. Make sure you explain the circumstances behind the redundancy the company was downsizing, moving in a different direction or relocating to another state so it is clear that the decision was in no way based on your ability or attitude. However, dont dwell on it nothing screams dont hire me like a bitter or insecure mindset. Show you are enthusiastic about the career opportunities you are now presented with and are ready for new challenges.Possible response The company was relocating to Brisbane and closing my office. I was with the company for 15 years and I see this as a fantastic opportunity to use my skills gained in that time in a new role.Reason for leaving You hated your boss/colleagues/job/all of the aboveDespising the ground your boss walks on, wanting to strangle your colleagues or an inexplicably tedious job are very valid reasons for showing yourself the door. But offload your career angst on your partner, mother or dog and make sure the angry vibes get nowhere near the interview hot seat. Focus on other reasons, any other reasons, about why you are considering a change of job and psych yourself into a positive frame of mind.Possible response After graduating, I spent seven years with the one company gaining exceptional knowledge of the industry. I am now enthusiastic to apply my skills in a different organisation with new opportunities and challenges.Reason for leaving You werent getting paid enoughThe bottom li ne is often, well, the bottom line when it comes to leaving a job. However, a potential employer isnt going to be impressed that a big pay packet is your primary motivator. It also wont go down very well if it becomes evident you have an over-inflated sense of your own monetary value and that they will be funding your next round-the-world trip You can mention that your