SCAM ALERTS
(406) 586-3036
FREE PHONE SHOPS

Leveraging Online Reviews

Everything has been moving towards the web for many years now, displacing everything from business directories, like the Yellow Pages, to actual in-person commerce. Included in that shuffle is how word-of-mouth—one of the most critical ways your business’s reputation is measured—is spread. While chat around the office cooler or in…
VIEW FULL POST

Customer Service in a Time of ‘Social Distancing’

Many of our clients are in the retail, restaurant, and medical services industries, which means their employees are out in front of the public all the time. Reduced hours, understaffing, sanitization requirements, supply-chain stress, and temporary business closures are very real factors affecting these industries and many others, so it’s…
VIEW FULL POST

The Attitude of Indifference

There’s no getting around the fact that December is a tough time for employees. On the one hand, increased sales are a critical boon for business, but on the other, there’s seemingly no end to the stress and frenetic pace of the holiday season. But the people working in the…
VIEW FULL POST

The Race to the Bottom

As reported in the business-news aggregator service Morning Brew, “Kohl’s stock fell as much as 18% after it missed Q3 earnings and slashed its fiscal 2019 profit outlook. CEO Michelle Glass blamed a race to the bottom for promotions and warmer weather in September.” Retail news this week hasn’t been…
VIEW FULL POST

Lessons from Nike’s Amazon Departure

Earlier this week, Nike announced that the company will no longer sell its products through Amazon, saying, “As part of Nike’s focus on elevating consumer experiences through more direct, personal relationships, we have made the decision to complete our current pilot with Amazon Retail.” That pilot program began back in…
VIEW FULL POST

Three Simple Tweaks for Better Customer Service

Whatever your business’s wares, whether cuisine, cars, groceries, or something else, your first and most important product is your customer service. How your customers are treated and the impression they’re left with when they leave are the most important factors for both repeat patronage and evangelism. Your impressive selection of…
VIEW FULL POST

Surviving in the World of Big Chains and Online Warehouses

The Verge posted a fascinating article describing so-called Amazon Nomads, independent merchants who scour out-of-the-way stores (often failing chains in small towns) for products on clearance to snap up and sell using Amazon’s storefront. But with all of the prognostications about the death of brick-and-mortar, one can’t help but think…
VIEW FULL POST

The High Cost of Saving a Buck

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to save a buck. That’s why so many of us choose to shop at big-box stores that deal in such a high volume they can afford to sell their products closer to cost. Those narrower profit margins still translate to larger profits overall due to…
VIEW FULL POST

Setting Expectations

As Katherine Barchetti has said, “Make a customer, not a sale.” Indeed, one of the common themes of our blog is the importance of making the customer experience your top priority so you can do just that. There is nothing more vital than the lasting impression he or she takes…
VIEW FULL POST

Recent Comments