Beware Internal Communication: Aggressive Emails Lead to Unfair Dismissal Claim

A recent determination by the Employment Appeals Tribunal has awarded an employee compensation of €12,500 after finding she was constructively dismissed from her employment. The decision was primarily based on aggressive emails and the fractious relationship the employee had with her General Manager. The case is a prime example of the importance of maintaining positive working relationships and communicating in a professional manner.

Schonfeld -v- West Wood Club Clontarf Limited (UD 1013/2013)

This case concerned an employee, who was the manager of the company’s “fitzone”, who went on maternity leave in May 2010. During the employee’s period of leave a new General Manager was appointed in September 2010. Prior to her return from leave, the employee was notified that her fitzone position no longer existed in isolation and that ultimately she would be required to undertake childcare work also. In addition, it was explained that the employee’s hours would need to “change dramatically”.

Foul Language and Unreasonable

The employee stated that when she returned to the work that she had issues with the General Manager’s reasonableness and that “the general manager constantly screamed at her while gesticulating with her hands in front of the claimant’s face, as well as raising her voice and using foul language… The general manager had screamed and gesticulated at the claimant … to the point that the claimant began to hyperventilate”. The employee stated that when she approached the General Manager to seek a way that they could work together on a proper level that the General Manager responded that this could never happen as the employee was “a f***ing drama queen”.

The General Manager admitted to the EAT that she had sent emails to the employee when in a frustrated state and that “some of the language used was inappropriate”.

Resigning without Lodging a Formal Grievance

The employee ultimately began to seek alternative employment but despite the lack of available job opportunities she resigned anyway. The employee did not lodge any formal grievances prior to resigning and this is worth noting as quite often this is fatal to a claim of constructive dismissal. This concept is similar to that of an employer dismissing an employee; unless the employer does so via internal disciplinary procedures then the employer is unlikely to be able to justify the dismissal. Similarly, if an employee resigns without exhausting the internal grievance procedure then they will find it difficult to justify a constructive dismissal claim. This can be seen in the EAT cases of Keogh -v- Green Isle Foods (UD516/2007) and Clifford -v- Maritrade Ltd (UD27/2000) where the EAT rejected the employee’s claims of constructive dismissal as they had not exhausted internal grievance processes prior to resigning and thus they had not exhausted all avenues.

However, this did not prove fatal to Schonfeld’s claim as the grievance procedure, due to the lack of a relevant HR manager, required her to lodge her grievance to her General Manager, the very same person she had the grievance with.

EAT Decision

The EAT determined that the employee had been constructively dismissed and awarded the employee €12,500 compensation. The EAT outlined that a significant factor in this decision was that “some of the emails sent by that manager to the claimant were aggressive and offensive. That style of communication was compounded by some of her verbal airings with her.”

Conclusion and Learning Points

This case demonstrates the importance of ensuring that all internal communications, written and verbal are of an appropriate and professional tone and nature, and that any performance issues with employees are dealt with in an objective and non-personal manner, preferably through face to face communication. It also demonstrates the importance of having a clear internal grievance, bullying and harassment policy in which employees can have faith in the integrity and independence of the process, especially in the instance that they need to make a complaint against an employee high up or at the top of the organisation.

Peninsula would recommend, based on the above, that employers consider the following questions in respect of their own businesses:

Have you got a clear Grievance process in place?
Are your employees aware of whom they can report a grievance, particularly where their grievance is against their line manager?
Have you got a bullying/harassment/dignity at work policy in place?
Have your managers received appropriate training in terms of people management?
Have you got a clear Email Policy in place?

If you have any questions in respect of the above article then please do not hesitate to contact Peninsula on 1890 252 923

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Small Business Mentoring: 9 Factors to Consider When Looking for the Right Mentor

To get ahead in life, everyone needs advice and help. Ask even the most successful individuals in the world how they got to where they are. Most likely, you will establish that they have at least one mentor who guided them along the way. In this post we’ll look at small business mentoring and the factors to take into account when looking for the perfect mentor.

Whether you are on the receiving or giving end of investment advice, energy, or time, it is extremely important to view mentoring for exactly what it is – a totally priceless gift. This is according to the CEO of Avention, a business information and sales enablement solutions provider based in Massachusetts.

Do you want a good mentor who will help you get to a higher level in both your personal and career life? Today, so many life coaches exist. So how do you separate the chuff from wheat? Here are nine factors you should consider when looking for an inspiring and incredible mentor:

Always know that praise is not necessarily part of the entire deal

Sadly, most people who claim to want a mentor only want strokes and attention. This is not the kind of constructive feedback that results in professional and personal growth. According to the CEO of Avention, if you study the lives of the best entrepreneurs, greatest athletes, as well as investors, they all enthusiastically accepted coaching and advice or had great mentors. He continues to add that, to him, those types of individuals, their curiosity, self-awareness and desire to grow and become better inspired them to seek mentors.

Do not entertain silence – remember silence breeds failure

Excellent mentors help you grow through open and frank conversations regardless of how hard they might be. For example, mentoring mentors provide constructive feedback repeatedly so that no employee ought to be surprised when time for a performance appraisal comes. Avention CEO says that typically, many people that are surprised by their own appraisals are most likely to be poor or weak managers.

Active empathy and listening builds relationships

One thing you should always know is that a relationship is exactly what maintains a mentor-mentee relationship. Once this relationship becomes obligatory, the utmost benefit to both individuals rapidly dissipates. According to Avention CEO, over time, relationships usually diminish because of lack of being true to each other.

Always opt for a mentor you admire and desire to emulate

One of the worst ideas when it comes to choosing a mentor is aligning yourself with an adviser all because of her or his title or for political gain. So you don’t have a wise individual who you admire? Well, the best place to start is hanging out in an incubator or industry events. Widen your pool of associations. Go to any form of venture capital gathering that you can manage. Use LinkedIn and try to gather and garner as many introductions and connections as possible.

Bluntness

Some call it forthrightness, which is agreeable. Your mentor should not act or talk like a politician. When you are in trouble, you need someone to give you strong and cutting blunt advice on exactly what you might not be doing correctly.

Additionally, your mentor should have the audacity to tell you everything like it is. If you notice that he or she cannot do this, then avoid him or her like a plague.

Choose a mentor who allows you to have a vision for your future

In addition to providing advice in the present, your mentor should also offer the required support and scaffolding to allow you to envision your future. Most often, it is very hard to envision the next phase of your life when working so hard in the present. Moreover, at times, after you have completed your PhD, it can be quite difficult to envision what your life will be like. The same applies to any level of education.

Choose a mentor of any sex, but the same sex is much better

Although it is highly preferred that you choose a mentor of the same sex, it is still okay to opt for a mentor of the opposite sex. Man-to-man mentorship, for instance, is brilliant because men can talk about personal issues that affect them without feeling weird. Unless your prospective mentor of the opposite sex boasts of the specific skills necessary for your mentorship, it is advisable to stick to one who is of the same sex. This will benefit you big time in the long run.

He or she should be totally honest

Honesty is one of the most important aspects your mentor should possess. Besides being honest as the mentee, ensure that your mentor is honest as well. It is highly advisable that he or she be more than frank on any issue. Your mentor should be bold to tell you when you are doing things the wrong way. Positive criticism is of utmost importance. It helps you grow and build your confidence. In the end, you become stronger.

He or she should be time efficient

Most, if not all, mentors hold very senior positions. Consequently, they are super busy. They are great at utilizing every single second of their days. Do you want to be efficient at managing time? Well, you need a mentor who is great at time management. Time efficient mentors will share with you the strategies needed to help you become better at managing time. In addition to efficiency at time management, you should look for some small underlying behaviors. Some behaviors, small as they are, might make such a huge difference between your failure and success.

That being said, your success is always your prerogative. You are the driver of your success. Do not sit and wait for a mentor to suggest action plans for you. Get out of your comfort zone and make excellent use of all resources at your disposal – your mentor included. This way, achieving success will be more than possible. There is no doubt about that.

Bio
Charlie Brown is one of the contributors of a leading financial website. Talk to him today if you need help regarding national debt reviews.

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Avoid Making These 4 Common Startup Mistakes

If you’re planning to start a business, you’ll find there are way too many opportunities to learn the hard way. Inexperienced entrepreneurs end up hurting themselves financially when they start a business and fail to avoid common mistakes.

Experience is a great teacher. And someone else’s experience is an even better teacher. One way you can avoid unforced errors in business is to learn from the painful lessons of other business owners.

Here are some common startup mistakes.

1. A Failure to Understand Your Clients

If you’re considering a business-to-business (B2B) operation, be certain you’ve walked a country mile in your potential client’s shoes before you start dispensing advice about how to travel.

You might think you’ve found the perfect market. You might believe you understand exactly what people in a certain line of work truly need. But unless you’ve been in that line of work, you should think again.

Zach Clayton is the owner of Three Ships, a digital marketing company. He says he spent way too much time showing clients detailed reports about how his company delivered a strong return on investment (ROI).

One day, a client company offered him a role as an interim chief marketing officer.

“I had no idea how hectic and overwhelming that job actually is. You’re in marathon management meetings. You’re arguing with the head of sales about the right lead goals. You’re hiring a new PR firm for the West Coast,” he says. “I realized clients were too busy solving other problems to go three levels deep on understanding all the technical work we do.”

Now, he operates with clients on much simpler terms.

2. Allowing the Perfect to Become the Enemy of the Good

Not every project is going to launch perfectly. Accept that while you’re new at this.

Entrepreneurs struggling for a first-class level of presentation in a new release or product launch often allow themselves to say no to something that is good, but not perfect.

Sure, your brand name is on the product and you certainly want to leave a good impression. However, you’re also faced with competition. Some of your competitors in the same space may capture market share because they don’t allow themselves to be caught up in perfection.

If you have a great product, go ahead and release it. If there are some wrinkles that can be ironed out, do so in a way concurrent with your launch. Don’t lose money because you’re stuck on absolute perfection.

3. A Failure to Prepare for the Regulatory Environment

Strictly speaking, your business will have two sets of enemies. The first set of enemies will be your competition. The second set of enemies will be the various regulatory agencies that insist on forcing you to spend money to comply with current laws.

Many entrepreneurs go into business fully aware of the first set of enemies and are ready to tackle them. But many forget about the second set of enemies and end up paying costly fines or, worse, being shut down for a while.

Hire a good attorney to be sure your business is compliant with prevailing regulations. This is one area where you must be proactive. You simply can’t afford to wait until something bad happens and then hope to fix it after the fact.

If necessary, seek the proper training for your employees so they can perform their jobs in line with government standards, and able to maintain OSHA compliance.

4. Being Too Stingy

It’s easy to fall into the “cutting corners at any cost” trap, especially when you’re first starting out and want to stretch each dollar as far as it will go.

The old adage about it taking money to make money is still valid. You have to spend money to earn money. Get used to the idea.

That’s why you should seriously consider opting for a “go big or go home” strategy when it comes to new purchases. Sure, you can buy refurbished equipment and second-hand, lower quality hardware and still launch your business effectively.

But you should also think about the future cost. If that equipment depreciates faster and needs to be replaced sooner than higher quality equipment, have you really saved any money?

Also, what’s the opportunity cost associated with the extra effort required to ensure older equipment functions properly?

In many cases, your best choice is high quality. That doesn’t mean you need to spend an extra 50% just for a brand name, but you want to ensure that you’re getting a great product for the money. Many entrepreneurs don’t do that, and regret it later.

Starting a business can be a wonderful, fulfilling experience. Be sure you do it right and avoid some of the common mistakes made by your fellow entrepreneurs.

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[Event] Business Matchmaker, The Helix, May 7th

Many companies have said to me that once they have got over the setup phase they know they need to think about where to next? – how can they be innovative? how can they bring R&D into their business?

One way to start looking at this is by working with a university and leveraging their expertise to bring you along that path. It can however, be difficult to get access to the right expertise and it can be a bit daunting to navigate complex university environments.

To address this Dublin City Universtiy wants to help companies to see how it all works. We want companies to come and have an informal chat about their business and their ideas directly with researchers to see where the conversation takes them. Companies can also find out about the best mechanisms to fund R&D in their business through access to Irish state and European funding.

If this is of interest you should come along to our Business Matchmaker Event in The Helix on May 7th. Register your company online and tell us a bit about your company and if you have any particular area you would like to discuss. A matchmaking facility will be available where you can request to meet specific researchers or they can request to meet you.

It’s a FREE no obligation conversation that may yield results now or in the future for you.

www.b2match.eu/dcubusinessmatchmaker

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Mindfulness for Business People

Mindfulness is the new (jack) black in business. It is everywhere. And not just as part of personal or self development, but as part of the DNA of businesses. We doing quite some work on briefing companies about happy, mindful staff with a sense of purpose. It makes perfect business sense. Happy staff is 25% more productive.

Focus on self development

There are lots of books on being mindful as a person. From “The secret” to “The Celestine Prophecy” or from “The road less traveled” to “The monk who sold his Ferrari”. Not much in business books. Maybe “Coherence” or “Reinventing organisations”, but nothing that crosses the self development chasm to business development.

The old masters

We have always found that in those cases the old masters are worth studying. Management theory is only 50 years old and Drucker is still the godfather.

Mindfulness is a lot older then management theory. It is part of every religion and was part of ancient cultures as a way of life. The first person who brought this all together in a book was Jack Black. Another old master and also ahead of his time.

Coming to Dublin

And he is coming to Dublin too. On the 11th of June. Talking about mindfulness and business. So we decided to look at his first book, which is “Mindstore, the classic personal development programme”.

Read it

If you are into personal development, you should read it. If you are a start up, you should read it. If you are an owner manager of a small business you should read it. Everything that is now fashionable and “new” is in that book.

Balance

A balanced view on your life. Family life, social life, health, personal development, attitude, career, finance and spiritual life. His theories and advice is not confirmed by neuroscience. You are what you think. PMA is important. You are limited by your beliefs. The need to manage stress. The importance of setting goals. The importance of writing them down (only 4% does). The need to use all parts of your brain (dualbrain).

Mindfulness for business people

The need to avoid being managed by the hypothalamus. Apparently we come with 20,000 inbuilt programmes when we are born. All based on evolution and social biology. A lot are no longer that relevant. The programming in the schools (way before Ken Robinson identified this) doesn’t help either. The trick is to start doing some of your own programming. Your brain is a bio computer.

Start with attitude

It needs to be positive. So you ban negative words (and people) and you keep smiling. The mind can only hold one thought at the time. So negative thought can always be replaced. And neuroscience will tell you that it does wonders.

Quantum physics

If you belief that the mind is a quantum machine with decides on what your reality is going to be, you can see how powerful it could be. Suggest you read “The future of the mind”. Predicting Mindtech as a hotspot.

Vision

The importance of a vision. A powerful one. Forget achievable and realistic. You need to dream. Making is as visual and detailed a possible. Burning it into your brain (like burning a CD). Burning the pathways. The same way your create habits.

Vision is more important then planning. But you need to commit to that vision. Belief it. Helping your quantum computer to make it happen. You are what you think. Our thought become our realities. You are creating future history. And it become part of the programming of your bio computer.

The software to programme your brain

He gives you the software as well. The meditation techniques. The mental structures. Literally. He helps you to build a mental house space where you can apply a whole range of techniques. A mental house with a shower, a library, an editing suite, a sleeping room and anything else you can imagine. As the metaphor for relaxation, the re-energising, the mental cleansing, the affirmation and PMA, the visioning, the remembering and the dreaming.

No short cuts

The point is the burning. It has to become a routine. You need to practice and maintain your mental house. There are no short cuts. You need to take the time to do it. Regularly. The way you would exercise your body. Bruce Lee said “Knowing is not enough we must apply, willing is not enough we must do.”

There is one short cut, the famous tip of your tongue at the back of your from teeth. To bring you in a better mental state almost immediately.

It all works

I am interested to find out how this will work in a business context. Being mindful together as a team? Collective business consciousness? Inter-connectedness with communal wisdom? Business 5.0? Brainstorming in alpha waves? It sounds weird. But so did Mindstore over 20 years ago. Can’t wait to find out. You can book your place here.

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Are you Prepared for a Revenue Audit?

A Revenue audit covers income tax, corporation tax, and returns submitted in respect of PAYE/PRSI, VAT or Relevant Contracts Tax. Every employer needs to keep a full and accurate record of business transactions for a period of 6 years. As a customer of Tailored Payroll we will guide you through a PAYE Revenue audit should you be selected. We ensure your payroll is processed in compliance with Revenue requirements in line with the latest legislation changes.

There are three methods of selection for audits which include:

Screening Tax Returns –Revenue examine the returns and review tax compliance history.
Projects on different business sectors – Projects are conducted to examine tax compliance levels.
Random selection – means that all tax payers have a possibility of being audited.

Once you have been selected for an audit:

The auditor will explain the purpose of the audit and give an indication of the length of time it will take to complete
You will be given the opportunity to disclose any inaccuracies in your tax return
An inspection of your records will be undertaken to confirm if figures have been correctly filed and the tax declarations are exact
If it is found that the majority of returns are correct you will be notified
If adjustments are required, this will be discussed verbally with you and you will be notified in writing.
The auditor will ask for your agreement to the total settlement figure before finalizing the audit.
Once agreed, the full amount should be paid to the auditor and you will be issued with a receipt

Contact Tailored Payroll today for a competitive price. Our flexible service includes:

PAYE,PRSI and USC Calculations
Registration of Employer with Revenue
All employer Revenue submissions to include: P30’s,P45’s, P35, P60’s and registration of new employees

We provide email Payslips and P60s to employees
Creation of Bank file for payment to employees
No hidden costs

For more information about this business visit their website or email to payroll@tailoredpayroll.ie. Tailored Payroll is part of Use SBC as a channel initiative. If you want your business to be featured, click here.

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Scam Alert: TeamViewer the Fraudster’s Newest Tool

In my previous blogs I have written about the different social engineering techniques used by fraudsters to trick people into handing over online banking credentials, enabling the fraudster to gain access to the funds of your business.

The public continues to be on high alert to the dangers posed by unsolicited emails containing malicious software but it would seem that fraudsters have found a new way to trick people into handing over those all important security details.

The latest scam involves the use of TeamViewer. TeamViewer is a genuine piece of software which allows the user to gain remote access and control over any computer or Mac within seconds. The key selling points of the software are:

Remote Support – no need for any installation on the client side
Remote Administration – 24/7 access to remote computers and servers
Remote Access – access your data and applications – anytime, anywhere
Home Office – access your office computer from home

And most importantly, it’s free to download thus making this piece of software a valuable addition to the fraudster’s ever expanding toolkit.

How does the Scam Work?

The fraudster will make contact by phone and claim to be calling from your Bank. You will recall from my earlier blog on Vishing: Know the Voice of the Fraudster, these guys have done their homework and can sound extremely convincing. As is the norm, the aim will be to create panic by claiming that there is a virus on your computer and that the person (the fraudster) on the other end will assist you in removing the virus from your computer.

You will then be asked to download the TeamViewer software onto your computer. This gives the fraudster full remote access to your computer enabling them to take over your online banking session; informing you that they are removing the virus but the only thing that is being removed is the money from your bank account!

A Bank will never ask you for remote access to your computer or to download TeamViewer.

Please share this post and help fight cyber crime!

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Improve eCommerce Conversion Rate

Poor user experience is one of the top reasons that people leave websites without purchasing. In fact, 25 percent of shoppers will leave a website if it is too difficult to use. One of the areas where customers find a website offers a poor user experience is during the checkout process. If the process is complicated, lengthy or intrusive, a consumer will leave that site and purchase from a competitor with a better checkout procedure. If you want to make the purchasing process easier for your customers, there are a few adjustments you can make to your system that will lead to a sale. Keep reading for a few helpful tips to improve eCommerce conversion rate.

Do Not Require Account Setup

It is understandable why an online business may want to have customers set up an account with them when they checkout. In fact, 24 percent currently do so. However, by requiring consumers to register, you may be alienating a large number of them. Signing up for an account means more steps to the checkout procedure and consumers are already exhausted by trying to remember a myriad of user names and passwords.

Customers also don’t understand the need to set up an account since when they visit a brick-and-mortar store, they are not asked to create an account. If you want to build a database of customers, adding a registration section is fine, but always include the option to purchase as a guest as well.

Multiple Payment Methods

When consumers check out on a website, as many as 58 percent of them expect a variety of payment options. Although it is impossible to offer every conceivable payment option, not all consumers use credit or debit cards to purchase items, even online. Offering a third-party payment processor, such as Paypal or Venmo, electronic checks and debit or credit card payments gives a consumer multiple methods for purchasing from your website.

According to professionals who specialize in credit card processing services for businesses, it is also a good idea to make sure that your payment process is acceptable on several different devices, and that the mobile pay is up to date.

Don’t Let Errors Slow them Down

When people are typing in information, they often make mistakes. Either they miss a number in their credit card, misspelled their email address, or added an extra numeral somewhere on accident. Make it easy for them to find and correct any errors that are made on the checkout page. If an error is discovered by you checkout system, have the screen scroll directly to the error with an explanation of the problem.

Also, when an error occurs, be sure that the data that is correct is not eliminated. Nothing frustrates a customer faster than spending ten minutes to fill out all of their information, only to have it deleted because they added one letter too many.

Don’t Overload them by Asking for Too Much Information

No one wants to fill out forms full of information when they are buying something online, especially if the information has nothing to do with the purchase. If you are asking for an email address, you probably do not need a phone number as you can ask the consumer any question you may have via email. This applies to credit card payment fields as well.

Always add a click box that allows the customer to automatically fill in the billing information when it is the same as the mailing information.

Security Concerns

One of the biggest reasons that customers leave at the checkout page is concerns about the security of their payment. In a recent study, 58 percent of customers said that they had left a website when they did not feel as if their payment would remain secure. Be sure to offer Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates that provide a secure connection and encrypts credit card data. You also should comply with the PCI Security Standards Council requirements as well.

Don’t Let Distractions Get in the Way

When a customer arrives at the checkout page, they are finished with your website and ready to purchase their items. Do not place advertisements on your checkout page or make customers click through pages with items similar to what they have purchased in hopes they will buy more.

Allow customers to navigate easily from the sales section of the site to the checkout section. Most customers will see through any gimmicks that try to get them to buy more, so when they are ready to check out, make it easy for them to do so.

If you want to keep your customers from abandoning your site and going to a competitor, do everything you can to make the purchasing process as easy as possible. There are plenty of tactics you can use to drive traffic to your site, and to keep visitors interested once they are there, but the checkout process is not the time to try these methods.

Whether your customers purchase products or services online, in the store, or through mobile payment, they are more likely to go through with the purchase if the process is convenient. Do what you can to expedite the purchasing process and enjoy happy customers that are willing to come back again and again.

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Earning Money Online Tips

Earning Money Online Tips: These days it has become more and more common for people to make money online. This means you could get many more avenues that you could utilize to build the wealth that you want depending on how hard and smart you are willing to work.

Once you make money, you should treat your hard-earned money with some respect in order to have more than you spend in order to build wealth.

Below are 6 ways to earn money online;

Online surveys

Online surveys don’t usually earn you a lot of money per survey, but the advantage is that they are usually short and relatively easy to complete. If you set a target to do several every day, they can add up to become a healthy revenue stream.

Transcribe audio

Just like online surveys, transcribing audio is not a high paying job, but it has several advantages, transcribing jobs are plenty, relatively easy and fast and don’t require much commitment.

Edit audio

If you happen to have or if you can purchase or freely download sound editing software, you can use your computer to clean up webcasts and interviews before their posting for online viewing or listening.

Create online content for blogs and websites

Many websites and blogs require content that will make them relevant and drive online traffic towards them. You can look for the several online websites and blogs that need such content written for them and negotiate for some pay for creating content.

Create stock photos

There is always need for photos in any online content. Making use of your digital camera and uploading pictures to certain forums can be an easy way to benefit from a hobby of taking photos and earn some money.

Become a freelance web designer

You could also become a freelance web designer. Depending on your skills and the technologies you are able to implement in websites you design and/or develop, you can earn a good living from this kind of work.

Once you have earned money through your online endeavors, you should try and keep as much of it as possible and focus more on re-investing it.

There are several easy strategies that you could use to keep track of your money and save more than you spend as described below:

Create a list of essentials

You should list down all the budgetary items that you usually spend money on.

Approximate your income

Find out how much money you currently earn.

Evaluate your current expenditures

Find out from your listed expenses what you spend most of your money on.

Get rid of unnecessary expenditure

Once you know what you spend most on, get rid of expenses that you could do without.

Set targets for savings

Keep focused on keeping your money by setting targets to keep most of your hard-earned money

Create an emergency fund

It is a good idea to set money aside for eventualities, so that you are prepared if they happen.

Author Bio

Charlie Brown has been a certified credit counsellor for the last 5 years. He loves to share his financial expertise with anyone who can listen especially those in debt. He has written several articles for the national debt relief program. Visit his blog for more information

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Ways to Strengthen Customer Relations

Regardless of whether you run a PR agency or a fashion boutique, customer loyalty plays a key role in your company’s success. After all, the energy it takes to retain your current clientele should be substantially less than the necessary effort to recruit new buyers. What’s more, a fiercely allegiant customer base can be the best marketing tool at your disposal; no matter how much money you spend on advertising, no promotional message will ever be quite as impactful as word-of-mouth. The below tips provide insights on how to foster enduring relationships with your current customers to ensure loyalty and longevity.

1) Make Customer Relations a Priority Amongst Staff

As a business leader, you’re not able to micromanage every single interaction your workers have with clientele or the public. Therefore, instill solid values within them and, more importantly, firmly cemented plans of action for different scenarios. Make company policies on how to handle disgruntled customers, both in-person and online. Remember, contended employees will naturally bring a positive energy to communications with others, so also take steps to invest in your staff’s satisfaction.

2) Give Incentives for New Customers to Become Repeat Customers

Email and social marketing are affordable ways to further nurture customer relationships. Let people know about new inventory or sales, and perhaps reward loyalty with special, exclusive coupons. Depending on the nature of your product or service, consider whether you could start a membership program. Would signing up allow participants to accrue “points” with each purchase? Would they receive a monthly rate to use your facilities rather than pay per visit? Would there be special VIP privileges? Such bonuses seal the deal with customers to keep them coming back for more.

3) Provide Branded Mementos

By furnishing loyal customers with goods that display your company’s logo, you accomplish two goals at one. Firstly, you’re able to strengthen preexisting relationships and provide the clients with a lasting, positive impression of your organization every time they use the items. Secondly, others will see the recipients writing with your pen, opening up your umbrella, donning your t-shirt, or pulling out your mints. This will serve as a silent endorsement for your company and raise overall awareness. This is why it’s important you put great thought into the chosen gift that will display your logo. Find pieces that align with your overall brand identity. The items should ideally be used on a regular basis and in public forums where they can receive greater exposure.

For example, a customized watch that displays your logo will be seen by others, especially when the wearer shakes hands. Similarly, an attractive tote bag can be handy in a versatile range of settings. Goods that are poorly made, are easily disposable or are essentially useless will serve little purpose, so avoid paper weights, bookmarks, matches, etc.

4) Collect and Incorporate Feedback

Everyone likes having their opinions heard and respected, so why not use customers’ input to make your business better? Not only can you use the knowledge to circumvent troublesome issues, but it can help your clientele feel a sense of pride in your business. For example, if you own an ice cream shop, you can encourage customers to vote for which new flavors they want to see on the menu, the ones that select the winning ice cream will undoubtedly appreciate that their views hold substantial weight in your mind.

5) When Possible, Provide a Human Touch

Automation is quick and efficient, but also impersonal and can backfire. Go above and beyond to interact with your customers. For example, let’s say you offer businesses’ an online file storage and sharing system; you or your staff could follow up with any email-based tech questions by offering to hop on the phone to help the person figure out the situation step-by-step.

Essentially, people are more likely to share an emotional bond with a fellow person rather than a faceless corporation, so add personality and an emotional component into your customer interactions whenever possible.

In regards to all five points suggested above, always be seeking out new possibilities rather than staying with the tactics that seem to work year after year. Just like human relationships, the connections customers have with your business will naturally shift over time, and your strategy should evolve with it. Consistently seek out feedback and new ideas to figure out whether there truly are ways you can improve the bond your clientele shares with your brand.

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