Archive for the 'Business Relationships' Category

13
Apr
11

chameleon businesses — friends today, foes tomorrow

By Matrix Advertising Leave a Comment
Categories: Branding, Business Relationships, New York City and Strategic Planning
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

New York is home to a sizable number of slash kids… and adults. (We’re talking people who work a number of odd jobs while pursuing their dreams here, not folks walking around waving knives and other sharp objects.) We have the dancer/(slash) messenger/stand-up comic; the writer/yoga instructor/tutor; the musician/dog walker/waitress. Trust me, I could go on all day.

It’s so fascinating to see how these individuals are able to transform themselves effortlessly from one situation to the next. In the morning, they’re smiling as they ask how you take your latte. And then at night, they’re scowling as they scrutinize your outfit and I.D. card with a penlight at the door.

We’ve got a lot of notable slash kids in the business world, too. Amazon began as an online bookstore but now sells everything under the sun — car parts, jewelry, and even food. Apple, originally Apple Computer, is now also world-renowned for its iPod, iPhone, and iPad devices. And SXSW (South by Southwest), which started off as a 700-attendee music festival, has grown twenty-fold into a go-to event for anyone with ties to the music, film, or interactive industries. So as marketers we need to be constantly aware of how businesses are changing — evolving. A brand that may have started in an area far removed from where we are focused can — in the blink of an eye — become a very strong competitor. I mean, who would have thought back in 2004 that Google and Facebook would grow to become such serious rivals?

Photo credit: Art G

24
Nov
10

the makings of a great client

By Matrix Advertising 1 Comment
Categories: Business Relationships and Communication
Tags: , , , ,

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to express my appreciation for some of the things our clients have done to help strengthen our client-agency relationship — things that have helped to make us a better agency. Traditionally, it has always been the responsibility of the agency to ensure that things run smoothly and that the client is happy, but it makes a big difference when the client is committed to doing their part to make this a reality by:

1. Having a clear understanding of their ultimate business goal: It’s OK for a client not to know what marketing tools are best for a particular business challenge — that is our job, after all. But when they are set on moving forward without having figured out what they would like to achieve, well then things can get a little complicated.

2. Treating everyone from the CEO to the intern with a certain level of respect: Yes, the client is the one paying the agency, and this entitles them to the highest quality of service an agency can provide. It does not, however, entitle the client to a lord-serf relationship — the agency shouldn’t be expected to sit there quietly tolerating insults, mind games, and threats.

3. Being comfortable enough to voice not only likes but also dislikes: There’s nothing better than a client who feels comfortable speaking up when they are not happy with something. This eliminates the need for guesswork and, subsequently, saves everyone a great deal of time and frustration. Grievances or concerns voiced in an appropriate manner are not impolite — they are an important part of the communication process.

And now it’s your turn. What are you most grateful for when it comes to maintaining a healthy business relationship?

Photo credit: Bert Heymans

11
Aug
10

the frustrations of customer disservice

By Matrix Advertising Leave a Comment
Categories: Accountability, Branding, Business Relationships and Communication
Tags: , , , , ,

We moved to a new office recently and because we are a small-sized agency, every one of us was involved in the coordination process.

While working to get various services set up, I spent over 14 days interacting almost daily with the customer service departments of a number of businesses. And I came away from the experience exhausted and frustrated. Had customer service taken some of the following steps — actions that are also important in agency client service — things would certainly have turned out better for all involved:

1. Go through all the important details of the job with the customer at the beginning, so that he/she has a clear understanding of the costs, project stages, timeline, deadlines, and deliverables beforehand.

2. Clearly document all proceedings and make them easily accessible to your co-workers. That way, anyone in the company can refer to the customer records, and pick things up from where they were left off.

3. Listen. Before you start rambling off from your script, try listening to what the customer has to say, and then respond accordingly.

4. Appreciate how the customer might be feeling. This may be the first time that you’re hearing anything about this particular job or issue, but it might be the 12th time the customer has placed a call in to try to get the matter resolved.

5. Take accountability. Admit to the customer when you or your company has made a mistake, and apologize.

6. Be proactive. Don’t respond to all your customer’s questions with a simple yes or no. You know what alternative options or temporary solutions would be best for your customer, and what problems may arise from placing the customer’s order as is. And you should be the one to point this out.

Now, I know that I am not alone on this one. We’ve all been on the receiving end of less than stellar customer (client) service. So what recommendations on how to improve vendor-customer communication and relationships would you like to add to this list?

Photo credit: crosathorian

« Previous Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.