Building a brand and differentiating yourself from competition are one of the key challenges facing startup businesses. Committing to quality customer service can be a key and achievable tool in the success of your business. While this may seem obvious, it frequently loses prioritization when other issues strain the business. For 
example, the following is obvious:
• Satisfied customers, repeat customers, positive social media, and referrals are the best and least expensive marketing a business can have. There is no substitute for a satisfied customer.
• In contrast, dissatisfied customers, poor service, and negative referrals can offset the best marketing efforts.
• Avoiding problems with great products and service is the most productive strategy to execute great customer service.
• “You only have one chance to make a first impression.”
• Response time is becoming a key measure affecting sales, profitability, and excellence. It is wasteful to not promptly answer customer requests, have long lines, run out of inventory, etc. [Read more…]
We all understand the importance of goals, purpose, direction and measurement in establishing commitment, success, team work, and coordination. Somehow between that understanding and the execution things often go awry.
Have you ever watched one year olds learn to walk? If you have, you are sure to notice a number of similar experiences. While every child learns how to walk in a similar way, each one’s experience is unique as they get up, fall down, get up, and keep trying. What is amazing is their determination, lack of fear, commitment, practice, and continuing efforts to test the situation. That’s the power of positive thinking. As a startup and turnaround business consultant, I constantly hear, read advice, and see comments focused on worries, concerns, caution, in essence, all the old paradigms related to bringing about business success. While some of these perceptions may have validity in certain situations, they’re generally not productive. 
After counseling over 1,500 clients seeking to start new businesses, it’s troubling so many of them seem possessed with what can be called the Zuckerberg, venture capital, or hockey stick plan to starting a business.
As everyone in business knows, pricing is key. Pricing of products and services for startups is far more complicated today than even ten years ago. A good pricing strategy can involve new tactics such as freemium, special discounts, variable pricing, etc.
Several clients and consultants advocate startup capital as entrepreneurs’ greatest need. Our take on this assessment is they have put the cart before the horse.