Customers

Why You Should Have A Say In Airline Mergers

New York Times | Ron Lieber | Posted 04.27.2012

Read More: Frequent Flier Miles, Airline Mergers, Frequent Flyers, American Airlines, Customers, US Airways, Flying, Customers Rights, Money News

Every time a company goes through bankruptcy court or gets involved in merger talks, it's disappointing to see who does not have a seat at the negotia...

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The Hidden Payoffs of Good Customer Service

Frank Farwell | Posted 04.19.2012

Read More: Small Business, Entrepreneurs, New Products, Entrepreneurship, Customers, Customer Service, Management, Small Business America, Small Business News
Frank Farwell

When they see these letters as a hassle and try to slough them off, they are just shooting themselves in the foot. Instead of embracing a problem and solving it now, they are pushing it off into the future, where it will do more damage.

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Attracting More Clients

Karen Luniw | Posted 04.16.2012

Read More: Success, Law of Attraction, Universal Principles, Business People, Attraction, Attract, Make More Money, Clients, Customers, Business News
Karen Luniw

Do you enjoy the people you work with? If you don't, start focusing on their best aspects or start focusing on all the other aspects about your work that you love. What you'll find is that they'll start to shift.

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Got A Customer Service Complaint? Tell Us On The GripeLine

Posted 03.14.2012

Read More: Customer Service Complaints, Gripeline, Business News, Customer Representatives, Bad Customer Service, Customers, Customer Service, Personal Finance, Money News

Has a company disappointed you with their lousy customer service or shoddy product? Or surprised you with their responsiveness, refund policy or gener...

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8 Mobile Trends For Small Businesses To Watch In 2012

Bo Fishback | Posted 03.27.2012

Read More: Iphone, Foursquare, Small Business America, Small Business, Mobile, Mobile Trends, Marketing, Twitter, Customers, Facebook, Zaarly, Small Business News
Bo Fishback

Small businesses can get overwhelmed trying to figure out which social networks or new types of communication should be added to your communication toolbox. So what trends do you need to be paying attention to -- and acting on -- in 2012?

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Big Bank To Test New Online Discount Program

Reuters | Posted 03.25.2012

Read More: Cardlytics, Video, Groupon, Wall Street, Reuters, Bank of America, Bankamerideals, Banks, Coupons, Customers, Javelin Strategy, Deals, Business News

* Offering retailer discounts through online banking site * Program to be tested first on BofA's own employees * Service...

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Boosting Sales by Giving Customers What They Don't Need

Ravi Dhar | Posted 02.26.2012

Read More: Consumerism, National Retail Foundation, Customers, Business News
Ravi Dhar

As both retail bundling and self-gifting increase in popularity -- and this is most definitely the case among major online retailers -- it's time to start thinking seriously about what the customer doesn't need, and at what price he doesn't need it.

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Company Building In The Age Of The Platform: 8 Lessons From Amazon, Apple, Facebook, And Google

Phil Simon | Posted 02.11.2012

Read More: Slidepollajax, Google, Small Business, Apple, Startup, Small Business Advice, Gang of Four, Startups, Age of the Platform, Facebook, Customers, Platform, Amazon, Small Business America, Small Business News
Phil Simon

We have entered a new age -- the Age of the Platform. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google (a.k.a. the 'Gang of Four') have done nothing less than pioneer a fundamentally new way of doing business.

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A Street Closing in Queens Hurts Business but Unites a Community

Daniel Medina | Posted 01.30.2012

Read More: New York City Department of Transportation, Small Business, Coalition, Congressman Joseph Crowley, Councilman Daniel Dromm, 37th Road, Jackson Heights, Asian Americans, City Hall, Jobs, Queens New York, Customers, New York City, New York News
Daniel Medina

The customers are gone. Empty red steel chairs line rows of computer desks where they once sat. A tall stack of bills lies on a cracking, worn-out wooden desk that cannot be repaired until business is good again, if that is anytime soon.

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Not Just Debit Fees: The Other Ways U.S. Banks Cost Customers

The Huffington Post | Harry Bradford | Posted 11.14.2011

Read More: JPMorgan Chase, Pew Charitable Trust, Checking Accounts, The Chicago Tribune, Bank Fees, Bank of America, Unemployment Benefits, Account Holders, Debit Cards, Customers, Debit Card Fees, Citigroup, Business News

The era of the debit card fee may have come and gone, but plenty of bank charges remain. Indeed, with all the talk of debit fees, it's easy to for...

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Small Business Media Attention: 5 Ways To Get It

Dan Schawbel | Posted 01.09.2012

Read More: Small Business Branding, Small Business, Apple, Brand, Small Business Advice, Dell, Slidepollajax, Marketing, Branding, Coca Cola, Customers, Small Business Marketing, Small Business News
Dan Schawbel

One of the biggest challenges small businesses face is getting attention, in part because small businesses have no brand to leverage. Here are five ways to stand out from the crowd, get the attention you deserve, and build a follower base you're proud of.

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Mikey Likes It! How to Leverage a Satisfied Customer

Andrea Sittig-Rolf | Posted 11.13.2011

Read More: Small Business Ambassadors, Small Business, Ambassador Toolkit, Small Business Advertising, Marketing, Small Business Clients, Happy Customers, Customers, Small Business Marketing, Small Business Customers, Small Business News
Andrea Sittig-Rolf

Every business should assemble an Ambassador Toolkit. It'll help you better leverage your satisfied customers and turn them into a walking and talking word-of-mouth army.

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The Debit Is in the Details

Len Hollie | Posted 11.06.2011

Read More: JP Morgan Chase, Debt, Payments, Checking Account, Ecommerce, Check Cashing, Debit Cards, Money, Shopping, Economy, Wells Fargo, Prepaid Cards, Employment, Rewards, Federal Reserve, Jobs, National Trend, Retail Stores, Holiday, Credit Cards, Labor Day, Revenue, Spending, Banks, Consumers, Fees, Customers, Cash, Debit Cards Rewards Program, Swipe Fees, New York News
Len Hollie

In August, the Federal Reserve imposed a cap on the fees banks can charge retailers every time customers swipe their debit cards. Why is that important? In addition to banks, consumers may be the biggest losers.

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WATCH: Banned For Being Too Good A Customer?

The Huffington Post | Ellie Krupnick | Posted 10.12.2011

Read More: Video, Abercrombie, Shopping, Abercrombie Bans, Abercrombie & Fitch, Customers, Customer Service, Fashion, Style News

The conventional wisdom is that stores want their customers to buy more, not less. So this most recent headline had us scratching our heads: "Woman ba...

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The Life Out Loud: One Man's Journey From Baseball Champ to Rock Star to Entrepreneur

MeiMei Fox | Posted 10.10.2011

Read More: Sales, Relationships, Rock Star, Jeff Riddle, The Storrow Band, Celibacy, Business, Entrepreneurship, Jakob Martin, Customers, Musician, Entrepreneur, The Givegive, Baseball, Ian MacManus, Impact News
MeiMei Fox

In his 30 years on this planet, Jeff Riddle has been an all-star baseball player, rock star, real estate magnate, spiritual seeker with a vow of celibacy, motivational speaker and, now, entrepreneur.

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3 Bad Small Business Clients And When To Fire Them

Karen Leland | Posted 09.27.2011

Read More: Small Business, Sales, Clients, Small Business America, Small Business Advice, Customers, Customer Service, Business News
Karen Leland

It really comes down to the classic 80/20 rule: 20 percent of your clients will cause you 80 percent of the grief in your business. Smart small business owners know how to identify trouble clients right away, head off problems early on and, when necessary, cut their losses.

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Use The 'Aha! Formula' To Close On Sales Calls

Andrea Sittig-Rolf | Posted 09.25.2011

Read More: Customer Loyalty, Small Business America, Small Business, Sales, Small Business Advice, Business Advice, Sales Meetings, Conference Calls, Customers, Business News
Andrea Sittig-Rolf

Every sale starts with the appointment. I have developed the Aha! formula, which will help you anticipate the objection, handle the objection, and ask for the appointment

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Use 'Social Media Events' To Engage Customers

Carol Roth | Posted 09.24.2011

Read More: Customer Loyalty, Social Media, Online Events, Social Media Marketing, Small Business America, Small Business, Startups, Customers, Business News
Carol Roth

Social media events -- from live chats to product unveilings to webinars -- are a fun way to engage customers.

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How Swipe Fees Affect Customers

Daily Finance | Regina Lewis | Posted 09.12.2011

Read More: American Express, Retailers, Mastercard, Small Business, Discover, Visa, Daily Finance, Swipe Fees, Consumers, Debit Card Swipe Fee, Credit Cards, Customers, Debit Cards, Credit Card Fees, Business News

Swipe fees are the charges retailers pay when they allow you to use plastic at their store. In reviewing the comments and speaking about the story on ...

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Is Your Business Ready For A Double-Dip Recession?

Andrea Sittig-Rolf | Posted 08.24.2011

Read More: Economic Recovery, Small Business America, Small Business, Business Advice, Double-Dip Recession, Customers, Recession, Demand, Business News
Andrea Sittig-Rolf

Try these tips and be ready for a double dip recession, or thrive if it doesn't happen.

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Breaking Up is Hard to Do: How to Avoid Fatal Partnership Errors

Susan T. Spencer | Posted 08.22.2011

Read More: Business Partnerships, Small Business America, Entrepreneurs, Partnerships, Small Business, Sales, Startup, Entrepreneurship, Customers, Business News
Susan T. Spencer

The euphoria of having a working partner to share the responsibilities, coupled with the cash to grow the business, evaporated in less than six months. By that time we were in court, the company had lost all its business and I was left with a nothing.

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The 7 Deadly Startup Sins

Robert Sofia | Posted 08.22.2011

Read More: Small Business America, Small Business, Startup, Marketing, Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship, Customers, Business News
Robert Sofia

Because these seven mistakes are easy to make, it's vital for entrepreneurs to know what they are, why they are so dangerous and exactly how to avoid them.

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Use Customers To Finance Your Startup

Fred Wilson | Posted 08.20.2011

Read More: Small Business America, Startup Financing, Small Business, Startup, Business Advice, Venture Capital, Customer Financing, Entrepreneurship, Customers, Business News
Fred Wilson

The most common way customer financing is done is you sell the customer on the product before you've built it or before you've finished it.

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How To Protect Your Company From A Data Hack

Todd Davis | Posted 08.10.2011

Read More: Small Business America, Citigroup, Credit Cards, Small Business, Cyberbullying, Social Security, Cyber Security, Cybersecurity, Customers, Data Breach, Hackers, Business News
Todd Davis

The cost of data breaches continues to rise, and it's no surprise that many find themselves asking, "If the high-profile companies are at risk, what's the small business to do?"

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BofA Tests Program Asking Customers To Approve Overdrafts Via Text

AP | By CANDICE CHOI | Posted 07.09.2011

Read More: Bofa Text Program, Bank of America, Overdraft Fees, Atm Fee, Overdraft Text, Bofa, Debit Card Purchases, Customers, Bofa Text, Business News

NEW YORK -- Bank of America plans to test a program that will let customers approve debit card purchases that exceed their balances by text message. ...

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