November 2005 Issue:

• Give Your Clients a Better Customer Experience
• Online Shopping: The Best Miles-Per-Gallon this Holiday Season
• Going Away for the Holidays? Pack Your Laptop!

Archived Issues

Give Your Clients a Better Customer Experience

One of the smartest moves for any small business is to clearly differentiate itself from the competition. Since actions speak louder than words, you should look for ways to be creative and “cutting-edge” when it comes to customer service and the overall user experience. Try to be THE company that is so great to work with that customers buy from you every time because they feel so positive about the experience. Here are a few ideas you can put into action to add value and benefit to your customers’ experiences:

1. Watch the Trends. Retailers that apply innovative thinking to emerging trends can generate significant growth and financial reward. For example, tailor your thinking toward aging baby-boomers, create gender-specific campaigns, or take advantage of the popularity of the healthy lifestyle trend.
   
2. Solve Their Problem. Add useful services, provide information, and help your customers fix their specific problem or situation. Bundle your products and services into complete solution packages that provide extra value to your clients.
   
3. Do It for Them. In a hurried, time-crunched society, consumers really appreciate any extra convenience you can provide to them. Offer fast shipping, home delivery, installation services, at-home consultations, etc.
   
4. Help Them Choose. With so much information and massive product choices, it’s a perfect opportunity for you to make things easier for your customers. Let them sample the products before purchasing, provide on-demand computer kiosks for them to look up information, or create blogs and online communities to provide clients with the help and information they are seeking.
   
5. Go Where They Go. New technologies are allowing retailers to connect with customers almost anywhere -- at home, at work or in the car. As busy consumers look for greater convenience, there is a growing demand for mobile retailing and target marketing that goes everywhere your customers go. Think about using Podcasting, Text Messaging, or any number of innovative ways to reach your customers 24/7.
   
6. Make It Easy. Innovative processes, great customer service, and design solutions that are simple, intuitive and meet shoppers' needs can save consumers valuable time and effort. Retailers that embrace new technology tools that provide easier and more rewarding customer experiences will increase their sales and also the loyalty of their customers.
   
7. Do It Their Way. Be creative and find ways to provide unexpected rewards or enjoyment for shoppers. Offer customization of items, free gift wrapping, personal shopping assistance, etc.

Online Shopping: The Best Miles-Per-Gallon This Holiday Season

Online shopping, especially during the holidays, gets more popular each year. In fact, online shopping is expected to increase by at least 25% this year compared with the 2004 holiday season. Of course there are many reasons consumers are using the Internet to do their shopping, but this year there is a new reason to turn to the Internet: high gas prices.

Even though gas prices have hit all-time highs over the last few months, most people have the same driving commitments and needs, like getting to and from work, which makes it difficult to cut back on driving. Internet shopping, however, offers consumers a way out of adding to their weekly gas costs.

Studies show that both men and women gift givers find multiple benefits when shopping online. One of the most common reasons given for shopping online is that consumers say they find the best prices online, and about 25% of people say they find online shopping efficient.

Shoppers this holiday season will be looking for items like apparel, (88%), holiday and seasonal items (82%), and videos and DVDs (79%). Gift cards are also a very popular item online, since most merchants offer gift cards of varying amounts that can be purchased online and sent anywhere.

Even if your business does not directly sell products or services online, you can still provide your customers with great information on your web site to help them find what they are looking for this holiday season. Make sure your location, hours of operation, holiday specials or sales, etc. are up-to-date and easy for your customers to see on your web site.

So as holiday shoppers watch those gas prices rise and fall this season, make sure your business is ready to help them save time and money. Make your products and services available online and help your customers "get it done" for the bargain price of $0 per gallon.

Going Away for the Holidays? Pack Your Laptop!

Mobile workers aren’t the only ones packing up their Laptop PCs for traveling, it appears to be a growing trend among vacationers as well. In a recent study, more than half (51 percent) of those surveyed said they would bring along a laptop computer on a future vacation. Thirty-four percent responded that they've already vacationed with their laptops. So why are people taking along their laptops on vacation? Apparently, it’s mostly because of their addiction to email.

Email is the most common use of laptops for vacationers, with more than 70% of people checking or sending personal email while on vacation. But work-related email sneaks in there too, with 43% of vacationers admitting to checking or sending email that is work-related.

The availability of Wi-Fi hotspots has definitely increased the convenience of using a laptop while on vacation, and wireless Internet connectivity has become a must for most computer users. With wireless technology widely available, you can reach your customers anytime, even while they are vacationing almost anywhere in the world.

So if vacationers are packing their laptops, make sure your email marketing programs don't take a vacation! Stay on your regular schedule of email marketing initiatives (e-newsletters, sales flyers, etc.), because your messages will still be seen by your customers, even if they are not in their offices.

Five Sparrows values your privacy and will never share, sell, or rent your information to anyone, and you may unsubscribe from this publication at any time.

Copyright 2005 Five Sparrows, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
3889 Hartland Hills, Hartland, MI 48353
www.fivesparrows.com