Reputation Check: Negative Reviews Are Costing You Business!

I’m in the process of moving from Washington state to Missouri in the next month. Moving is stressful regardless, but trying to coordinate a move to a city 1,800 miles away has been quite the challenge. Fortunately, I’ve had help knowing which neighborhoods to consider and I already know the area fairly well. What I don’t know is the leasing companies.

Coming from the automotive industry where dealerships are eager to constantly reach out to prospective buyers, the leasing industry is a bit different as I’ve come to learn. I essentially had a week in town to lock down a place to live, so I wanted to make the most of my trip by viewing several potential houses in case my favorite fell through.

In this process, I reached out to several leasing companies to secure appointments. For several, I submitted a web lead a week in advance so they’d have my contact information and followed up with a phone call. As the clock ticked, I switched directly to calling the companies. Many did not contact me back, some opted to text only and some preferred email. One didn’t get back to me for over a week, finally texting me when I had already returned.

As I was scrambling to set appointments, I ended up researching several of these leasing companies. Ironically, the company I had the most trouble with – the one that did not return my calls and emails for over a week had the highest reviews. The company I ended up going with had some of the lowest review scores.

I will admit I hesitated in deciding to move forward with the company I chose due to the review scores. But I’d had the most positive experience from the get-go with this company. I even had been dealing directly with the owner. He was professional, punctual, friendly and helpful. I really couldn’t understand why his company would have gotten such low reviews. So I decided to see what people had to say.

Now working in automotive, I’ve seen my share of negative reviews. I also know that when you’re making a large investment such as a vehicle or a home, there are many factors that can impact your ideal outcome. Maybe you have a low credit score or things in your history that will prevent you from affording what you would prefer. I also know there are always two sides to a story and again, my background at a dealership gave me excellent insight as to what the customer is claiming versus what actually went on. Yes, there are times when a business completely screws up – it happens. But a lot of the time, it has nothing to do with the business and everything with the customer.

In reading the reviews, I confirmed what I suspected – the majority of reviewers were disgruntled over something that didn’t really have anything to do with the company. Several even admitted to not having leased from the company, and while I think it’s important for consumers to provide feedback on why they didn’t choose a particular business, these review sites are weighing their feedback as a non-customer equally to actual customers. Other reviewers were complaining about details that were clearly laid out in the rental application.

After reading several reviews, I began to notice some patterns and realizing perhaps many of these reviewers were being unreasonable. Yes, there were some legitimate complaints, but when I considered my great experience with the company, either the complaints had been attended to, perhaps a change in staff had occurred, or maybe someone was just having a bad day.

In the end, even after seeing a low review score, I decided to go with this company based upon my experience and several interactions with the owner and his staff, because all had been positive and met my expectations. Once I’m settled into my home and have a little more experience with this company, I will leave a review detailing my experience. I’ll also let them know they may want to take a look at their online reputation so they don’t lose potential clients.

On the flip side, what businesses need to consider is how many consumers will see a low review score and not even bother contacting the business in the first place. A restaurant, salon or hotel with low review scores likely won’t even be contacted by consumers. They will move right along to the next business without even thinking about it, because why should they bother?

So what’s a business to do about negative reviews?

Claim and Monitor Your Review SitesThis seems a bit like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many businesses have not claimed their business on review sites. Additionally, it’s easy for listings to be added, so make sure you’re Googling your business monthly to find new listings or use a reputation monitoring service. Setting up Google Alerts for your business is another great way to get immediate notifications of anything being said about your business online.

Read & Respond to Reviews
Not everyone who leaves a review is disgruntled; oftentimes the feedback left can be valuable to improving your customer service and processes. If you see a pattern, perhaps several complaints about a particular employee or wait time, this is definitely something to investigate.

I’m a huge proponent of responding to all reviews as well. Not only is this a way to thank your reviewers for taking the time to provide feedback, it can potentially encourage your reviewers to be more honest. If a business doesn’t monitor their review sites, reviewers feel more comfortable bashing the business because there appear to be no repercussions or accountability. However, when businesses respond to reviews, the reviewer knows their feedback is being read, so they may be a bit more honest, especially if the business is offering to right the situation.

Not sure how to respond to reviews? Check out my article here!

Encourage More Positive Reviews
The best way to counter negative reviews is with more positive, legitimate reviews. Make sure you have a process in place to encourage your customers to leave reviews, whether it’s follow-up emails, calls, signs around your business – whatever works best for your industry. Do not pay for reviews or have your employees post reviews as if they were customers – these are obvious to those reading your reviews and violate most review site policies. But if you’re regularly asking customers for reviews, especially happy customers, you’ll see an improvement of your review site score.

Remove Reviews That Violate Review Site Policies
I am very against the idea of removing legitimate reviews. However, there may be times when a reviewer goes above and beyond to try to destroy your business. Perhaps they are a disgruntled customer, legit or not, or even a competitor. I would recommend first reaching out to them to try to resolve the conflict in a professional manner, however if that does not work and their review violates the review site’s policies, you can get the review removed in most cases. This is typically a rare occurrence, but one to keep in mind.

Additionally, your business may receive reviews that are for a different company. This can happen to businesses with similar names or chains. If that happens, you may also have those reviews removed. Keep in mind, removing reviews is likely rarely to ever happen and should not be considered a solution to negative reviews.

If you are not monitoring your review sites, you are doing your business a huge disservice and potentially losing a lot of business to your competitor. By taking just a few minutes each week to check and respond to your reviews, in addition to encouraging customers to leave reviews, you can see your review scores increase as well as your business.

How to De-Authorize Pokemon Go From Accessing Your Google Account

When you register for Pokemon Go with your Google account, you provide them with full access to your Google account (read more here: http://bit.ly/29HanFi) But it's easy to undo that. Check out this short video to learn how! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel for more tutorials! Check out my website at http://bit.ly/1TKzTtT Video recorded using Screencast-O-Matic (http://bit.ly/1XplPoI) Thanks for tuning in!

Keep Your Facebook Fans Engaged with Events!

If you have a business that hosts events - any events at all - you're doing yourself a huge disservice if you do not create Facebook events to support this. Facebook events are easy to set up and a great way to engage your fans and promote your business.

What to Create Events For:

• Sales
• Open houses
• Training events
• Parties
• Industry events
• Online events

Benefits of Creating Events: 

Mobile: 90% of Facebook users access the site via mobile (source). Oftentimes, mobile Facebook users have Facebook events linked up to their mobile calendar which will cause the events to show up on their daily agenda.

FOMO (fear of missing out): When users indicate they are "interested" in a Facebook events, their friends are notified via timeline. Additionally, users are notified when their friends are attending events nearby. This helps pique their interest about what's going on and who is attending the event.

Boosting: It's relatively inexpensive to boost an event to your Facebook fans, their friends or to a targeted market. Relatively inexpensive meaning just a few dollars a day can make a big impact.

Your Friends: When you create an event for your page, it's wise to invite your own personal friends who may be interested in attending. This is a quick and easy way to increase your event visibility and encourage more people to attend the event.

Creating events is easy! Click here to learn how or watch this short video:

Bonus tip: need a Facebook event cover image? Create one easily and for FREE at Canva!

Want to learn more about Facebook? Check out my book: 

Everything I've Learned About Facebook: A complete guide on how to create, strategize, manage and promote your Facebook page to increase customer base and brand awareness for any size business

Social Media Marketers: Memorial Day is Not a Happy Day

While we see messages promoting a fun, extended weekend, barbecues and sales, Memorial Dayis not a happy day for millions of Americans. It’s not a celebratory day to have fun. It’s a somber day to remember those who died while serving in the nation’s armed forces. And while it’s become traditional to have fun and sales during this time, it’s also important to be respectful and honor those who serve and the families of those who serve.

There are many who will defend using the word “happy” in a Memorial Day social post, but keep in mind the backlash companies have gotten from doing so. Is defending your business and reputation something you want to spend Memorial day weekend doing?

Here’s some “Happy Memorial Day” examples from Facebook and the reactions they received (click on the links below the images to view the posts & comments on Facebook):

The responses were pretty consistent on these posts:

I never understood why we put “Happy” in front of Memorial Day. It is a time of mourning and remembrance.

Anyone that puts the word “happy” before Memorial Day is suspect of having never observed the holiday for the purpose of which it was created. (And the exclamation mark adds insult to ignorance.)

Just as a reminder. It’s not “Happy” Memorial day. Memorial day is a day set aside to remember those that have died serving our country.

Happy Memorial Day? What is so happy about today? Families are missing and remembering their loved ones that fought for our freedom. The ones that fought for you to be able to be free and where you are today .

Not to hate but a reminder .. Memorial Day is to celebrate the lives of the brave men that lost there lives to give u this wonderful life u r enjoying ..so it’s not a happy day .. Sad day to the mothers and children that list there fathers .. So please respect this day ..

Happy? There is nothing happy about this day. It’s a day for reflection. Poor choice of wording for such a day.

May I suggest purchasing a copy of 100 Questions & Answers About Veterans so that you will read why the statement “Happy Memorial Day” is really offensive to many veterans as well as thanking them for their service.

Final verdict? Be respectful and honor those who died in the line of duty as well as their families and save “happy” wishes for more appropriate occasions.

Want some more examples? Check out these Memorial Day social media fails from the Observer.

An Evening With the Talking Heads 253-Second Film Competition 2016 Entry

This was my entry for the 2016 Grand Cinema 253-Second Film Competition (formerly 72-Hour Film Competition) in Tacoma, WA. The film was produced by and starred Sally Ulianich and Rochelle Wells, and also featured Brandon Boote. The criteria was: -No longer than 253 seconds long -Everything must be completed in a 72-hour time span beginning Thursday April 21st at 7pm and ending Sunday April 24th at 7pm. -The following items must be included in each film: -A toothbrush -A local Tacoma business -An allergy -Line of dialog: "That's all she wrote" Footage edited using Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

An Evening With the Talking Heads 253-Second Film Competition 2016 Entry

Creating an Order Acknowledgment, Packing List & Bill of Lading in Excel 2016

In this video, I show you how to create an order acknowledgement, packing list and bill of lading in Microsoft Excel 2016. This allows the user to enter the information in one location and have it transfer to the appropriate places on the other forms. This was by special request from viewer Mike K and I hope this helps many people accomplish this task. Formulas used were vlookup and iferror; also used was data validation to create drop-down lists, set print area, insert page breaks, hide zero values, hide NA error messages, insert worksheet, and much more. Access my Excel workbook from this video here: http://bit.ly/1XplPoG Don't forget to subscribe to my channel for more tutorials! Check out my website at http://bit.ly/1TKzTtT Video recorded using Screencast-O-Matic (http://bit.ly/1XplPoI) Thanks for tuning in!

Creating an Order Acknowledgment, Packing List & Bill of Lading in Excel 2016

Businesses: Why You Should Respond to All Online Reviews

According to Neilsonwire, 81% of consumers say it's important for businesses to respond to reviews.

When a customer has a positive experience, they'll tell one person. When a customer has a bad experience, they'll tell 10. And that's actually old news. With the popularity and accessibility of online review sites, customers have more power than ever to tarnish the reputation of your company after a single bad experience.

It doesn't matter that your customers are generally very happy with your products or service. If your company receives enough bad reviews, it doesn't matter how happy the majority of your customers are, you are very likely to lose potential customers from the negative reviews. So it is imperative that you respond to all online reviews, positive or negative. You want to show your customers that you pay attention to what's being said and that you make changes from their feedback.

The good news is that there are several things you can do to control your online reputation.

Where Do I Start?

Here's a few essential steps that are going to make things a lot easier for you

• Get organized: Something that has helped me immensely is to create a document to keep track of all the online places my business exists. I have a bulleted list that has each online place, the login info, a link to the login page and a link to the business profile page. This way, I know where I've claimed my business online and can easily access the login and profile pages for each online place.
• Claim your name: If you haven't done it already, go to all the major review sites, search for yourself and take the steps to claim your profile on the sites. If you don't find a profile for your business, set one up.  (Some major sires to check are: Yelp, Google + Local, Yahoo! Local, Insider Pages, CitySearch, Better Business Bureau, and Facebook - click here to learn how to set up a business Facebook page). Important: make sure you set up the account as a business, not a user. This is usually done by searching for your company then following a "claim your business" link from the business profile page.
• Verify your accounts: Most of these sites require you to prove that you are the company you have claimed and will do this with an email, postcard or phone call with a verification code. Follow the instructions to ensure you have done so properly so you can easily access your account.
• Set up Google Alerts: While you can usually set up notifications in each site to notify you when you have received a review, it's also a good idea to setup Google Alerts to notify you relevant alerts about your company whenever they come up in a search. These are especially helpful for alerting you to new reviews or online comments about your business (or anything you want for that matter) so you can respond quickly.

These steps will help you stay organized and alert to what's being said about your business.

Which Reviews Should I Respond To?

This one is easy: every single one. Even if a review is a couple years old, you can always respond "Thanks for the feedback! We're glad you had a great experience and we hope to see your face again soon!" to a positive review or "Thank you for the feedback. We're sorry you had a less than positive experience, but we're happy to let you know we've made some changes based on your feedback and we'd love it if you gave us another chance!" to a negative review.

If customers or potential customers see that you read and respond to reviews, they will have more confidence in your commitment to customer satisfaction and may leave a slightly less harsh review, knowing that you will respond and they will be called upon to contact you to make things better. Responses are also a great way to connect with your customers outside of the business.

What Do I Say?

First and foremost:

• Be sincere. If your response could be taken the wrong way, reword it. Make sure it doesn't sound sarcastic or mocking of the customer or the problem can quickly explode and escalate.
• Accept responsibility. Did you actually make a mistake? Own up to it. People are understanding, especially when you accept the blame. Mistakes happen and when you accept responsibility and work toward a resolution, chances are your customer will be forgiving. On the flip-side, do not publicly blame your customer, even if it was their fault. There's still the "customer is always right" mentality so blaming the customer won't do you any good. If they are mad, they very well may add on how you had the audacity to blame them to their negative review.
• Customize each response: While you will probably have a pretty general response to reviews, make sure to customize each one, using the customer's name and any public details if known. For example, if Emily Brown says your soups are the best in town, respond to her by name and mention how happy you are she thinks so highly of your soups. Change up your format so you sound like a real person, not a cookie cutter response.
• Thank the reviewer. Here's where it can get a little sticky if you're not careful and where sincerity is crucial. You truly are thankful they gave you feedback, so make it sound that way. Customer feedback is one of the best ways to improve your business. If no one ever told you what you were doing wrong, how else would you know? Thank the reviewer for their feedback and let them know you appreciate the time they took to write a review.
• Take bad situations offline ASAP. It's important to acknowledge all reviews, but for customers who had a bad experience, you don't want to have an online discussion or you risk the possibility of others joining in and causing a huge ordeal. In fact, there have been several instances in which 1 negative review spread across social media, causing people from all over the country to leave negative reviews of that business, even though they had never been there. This is not a good way to get attention and can/will severely damage your reputation.
• Offer a solution: Don't just leave them hanging on your apology. What can you do to improve the situation? You don't need to give specifics in your response, but just mentioning that you have some options you think they will like and to please call or email you for details. This shows that you are making an effort to make the situation right.
• Respond publicly. This is important so others viewing your reviews see that you acknowledge and act upon your reviews. This shows a dedication to customer satisfaction.

Consider negative reviews as opportunities to make things right for current and future customers and positive reviews as advertising.

What about negative reviews?

Think about this from the consumer's point of view. If you had a negative experience somewhere, what are things you'd like to hear? Certainly start with an apology and remember to be sincere.

Here's a couple ideas for phrases you can incorporate into your negative review responses:

• We are so sorry you had a less than positive experience
• We appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to improve our service based on your comments
• Our customers are important to us and we do our best to make sure they are happy
• Is there anything we can tell our staff to improve upon?
• We do our best, but sometimes mistakes happen
• We apologize for any misunderstanding
• This normally doesn't happen/was an exception
• It's unfortunate we were unable to take better care of you - we were surprised to hear it
• Customer satisfaction is our priority and we want to make this right for you
• We'd like the opportunity to discuss your recent visit. Please contact us at xx@xx.com or (xxx) xxx-xxxx and ask for _______.
• Please don't hesitate to contact us if there's any way we can help/serve you better
• We have several options for you, please contact us to go over them to see what will work best for you.
• We'd like a chance to make a better impression on you
• Please know we will improve moving forward

What about positive reviews?

Yes, people do leave positive reviews and it's important to acknowledge them. Think of it this way: if a potential customer reads their review and decides to go to your business because of that review, that customer earned you new business. These are the people who can and do give you a good reputation. And people who have positive experiences are generally less likely to leave a review, so it's important to appreciate them. Keep all of this in mind when responding to positive reviews.

Here's a couple ideas for phrases you can incorporate into your positive review responses:

• Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with us
• We appreciate your feedback and continued business with our company
• We look forward to seeing you in the future
• Make sure you visit our website/Facebook page for upcoming events/specials
• If there's anything we can do to make your future experiences even better, please let us know

Following Up

So you've responded to your reviews and a customer who posted a negative review contacts you as requested---what do you do now?

• Thank them for contacting you. Here's your chance to make things right.
• Listen to them. Even if they were in the wrong, let them tell their side of the story. Sometimes when people are forced to face negative situations, they realize that they did in fact have a part in the situation.
• Stick to the facts. If you took measures to make their experience better and they were not satisfied, it's okay to let them know you tried everything you could, as long as that's true. If you could have done something differently, tell them. Do not be demeaning or condescending, just be factual.
• Be helpful. Telling a customer there's nothing you can do about it now is one of the most unhelpful things you can say. Instead, look for solutions and remedies to the problem that may be acceptable.
• Find a solution. Ask the customer "what would you like me to do about this?" Be polite and listen to what they have to say. When you put them on the spot, you give them the opportunity to do the hard part for you. Sometimes a refund or discount is all they want. If that's something you can do, then do it.
• Thank them again. Let them know how appreciative you are that they gave you the opportunity to make things right. Even if you couldn't give them everything they wanted, it's okay to say "I'm sorry we couldn't do more, but I'm so glad you contacted us so we could try to help you out."
• End it on a positive note. Life will go on. You tried. Sometimes you can't make people happy no matter what you try, but whatever the result, be gracious and polite, taking the high road. Leave them with nothing but positive things to say about your company.

The Awkward Question

So, now that you've done your best to correct a bad experience with a customer, what about that review hanging out there? That's the whole reason you went through this whole ordeal and you and the customer both know it's still there.

So yes, if you have worked to resolve a situation you were made aware of by a negative review, you can ask them if they would please update their review. There's no guarantee they will, but chances are, if you resolved their situation very satisfactorily, they will be happy to update their review. And it's perfectly fine if they mention that they had a bad first experience as long as they mention the effort you took to fix it for them. Updated reviews are very powerful in improving others' perceptions of you.

Next Steps

Now that you're all set up and ready to respond, make sure you do so regularly and in a timely manner. By putting in the effort to manage your reputation through review responses, you will gain more control and see positive outcomes from your efforts.

Additional reading: The Power of a Positive Customer Experience

Originally published at: http://wp.me/p1zSqF-9U

10 April Fool's Day Pranks to Pull on Your Coworkers

Ah yes, it's April Fool's Day once again. Maybe it's because I'm the youngest child, but I feel like you're never too old to pull a fun prank on others, not only on this day, but whenever your office needs a little pick-me-up.

So here are some fun pranks you can pull on your friends or coworkers.

OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER NOTE: Don't be mean. Be funny. Don't do anything against company or privacy policies or anything illegal. These are for fun, not to traumatize or hurt anyone, or to get you fired. Don't waste company time, do this on your own time.

1. Tape the bottom of their mouse. 

This only works with a laser mouse (but come on, who has roller ball mice these days?) but this prevents the mouse from working. It will baffle the unknowing victim because the mouse will be plugged in, the red light will show, but the pointer won't move for anything. If you can get really clear tape on there, even if your coworker turns it over, they probably won't notice the little piece of tape causing all their problems. Tip: Apologize to your IT person in advance.

2. Remove all the ink from their pens

I did this once and I felt kind of bad about it. A coworker had been on vacation so she was a prime target to come back to work pranks. We pulled a number of pranks on her, and fortunately, I was watching when she discovered all her pens were missing the ink because she was on a phone call and trying to take down information. The guilt got the best of me, so I ran a pen over to her. But it was really funny to see her scramble.

3. Unplug their phone handset

This one is great because the phone will still ring (make sure you unplug just the handset, not the phone line) but when they pick up the phone, the line will be dead and the phone will keep ringing. And of course, don't leave the cord hanging out where they can see it, make sure it's tucked underneath. If they use a headset, you can unplug that as well for good measure. Just remember your coworker could miss important calls - use with discretion.

4. CONFETTI PARTY!!!

Who doesn't like some festive confetti? Grab those hole punchers and punch away to load them up with a massive supply of confetti. Then, spread it all around their desk or better yet, find a way to get them to accidentally spill the confetti everywhere. Tip: Be nice to your janitorial staff and clean it up yourselves.

5. Let them pee in the dark

When your office buddy takes a bathroom break, open the door, give a slightly menacing laugh, turn off the lights and close the door. I wouldn't let this one go for more than a few seconds, but just long enough to remind them of their own mortality. And just remember, if you do it to someone, they can just as easily do it right back to you. Take a flashlight or lock that door!

6. Turn all their stuff upside down

This is another thing we did to my poor, unsuspecting coworker, and she had a TON of stuff in her cubicle. Being careful not to damage anything, turn whatever you possibly can upside down. If you want to be more subtle, stick to photos and calendars on the walls. If you want to be obnoxious, add pen cups, paper clip holders and everything else in sight to the mix.

7. Flip their desktop view

This one is maddening and usually happens on accident. Now, this may not work for their version of windows or graphics card, but if you click ctrl + alt + arrow keys, you can flip their desktop view sideways or upside down. The kicker, is their mouse won't work how they expect it to either. To undo this, just ctrl + alt + opposite arrow key. For Windows 7, you can do this by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting Screen Resolution, then change the orientation to flipped (to be honest, I was too chicken to try this because I didn't want to have IT fix it so no guarantees, but that should do the job). Again, apologize to your IT person in advance.

8. Screenshot their desktop & remove all their icons

Here's another one you can pre-apologize to IT for doing. Take a screenshot of your coworker's desktop and save the image. Then, select all their desktop icons, cut and paste them into a folder for safekeeping. Then set the screenshot as their desktop background. They will be able to see all the icons, but none will work because the icons aren't actually there. Watch and laugh evilly while they struggle, then help them fix it.

9. Send a reply to an email they didn't really send to you

Find an email your office buddy sent you and change the contents from their sent mail to look like you're responding to an email they sent you that really doesn't make any sense. They will go nuts trying to figure out what's going on. Tip: keep it clean, office-friendly and preferably cryptic, so cryptic they don't even remember what they were talking about. Because they won't remember. Because they didn't send it.

10. Fake a huge saleIt's the first of the month, so what better way to start it off than with a huge sale? If you work with salespeople (who have a sense of humor) go ahead and give one of them a call to place a GIGANTIC order. Disguise your voice so they don't know it's you. Or wait, do they recognize that voice? It sounds kinda like this person in that department. But what if it's not? The last thing they want to do is accuse a real customer of being a fake one. Let the joke go on a couple minutes then let them in on it gently. We're here to work, remember?

HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!

Originally published at: http://wp.me/p1zSqF-bd

Reminders Not Working on Your iPhone? This Easy Fix Just Might do the Trick!

I love my iPhone 4S because it helps me get through the day. It tracks my sleep patterns. It tells me who's singing that song playing on the radio right now or whether that guy on Oz was also on the Cosby Show.

It also helps me remember things. Well, more like helped me.

After one of the many recent updates (one of which failed miserably and set my phone back to it's original settings---pretty sure that was a user error, but frustrating nonetheless) my phone downright refused to keep any reminders for me. She had no explanation why, just plain refusal.

I put a bandaid on the situation by still asking her to remember stuff for me then taking a screenshot of it before she rejected my request, but come on, I just need my reminders to work.

The solution ended up being stupid simple, but not in an obvious setting location. Apparently during an update, I had neglected to turn my reminders on in iCloud.

Here's how: Settings > iCloud > Reminders (make sure the button is in the on position).

I turned reminders on in the iCloud then opened my reminders and there they were! Now I can get back to being productive!

This article was originally published on my website at: http://wp.me/p1zSqF-fH

How Just 1 Negative First Impression Can Leave a Lasting Impression

What kind of first impression is your team making?

More than 10 years ago, I worked at the front desk of a storage and distribution warehouse. It was a very small satellite of a Canadian company with about 10 employees. One day, I received a call from a large postage meter company. Since part of my job was to thoroughly filter incoming calls and only put through a very limited number to my manager, I had to prevent him from having to take any unnecessary calls.

I allowed the salesperson to make his initial spiel, but being a small company and mailing very little, we didn't have a need for such a service and I informed of that. He continued to try to sell me on the idea, and I continued to let him know we only mailed maybe a dozen items a month. I'm not a pushy person and probably much more polite than I should be, especially since that was one of my first desk jobs. The salesperson was not pleased with my answer, so he hung up on me.

Yes, the salesperson hung up on me.

To this day, every time I hear that company name - and it's a big company - I think of that incident and the horrible first impression I have of that company. And even though he was just one person there (who hopefully didn't work there much longer after that incident), he was a representative of the company providing a very negative lasting impression. So lasting that I saw a competitor's product at work yesterday and told that story to my coworker, and this is more than 10 years later!

Maybe some don't think this is a big deal, but what if down the road, I decided to give them a second chance? And what if I had an issue with my account or their product which is bound to happen? Would they be willing to help me or would they hang up on me?

Conversely, had the salesperson been understanding and helpful, perhaps providing his contact information for me to have on hand if perhaps some day our needs changed, I would have remembered that. And if I had needed their services, I would remember that and probably would be much more forgiving if any account or product issues arose. I would also be much more likely to pass that information on to those I knew as a recommendation.

That wasn't the only time I have been hung up on, but another experience goes to show how a negative situation can be turned around. I took a sales job at my next company selling uniforms to law enforcement. I received a call one day from a police chief and although I was being as helpful as possible (and polite), he hung up on me. That's fine, I get people have bad days, especially in the law enforcement field. But what turned the situation around was that he called me back moments later and apologized. Yes, he was having a bad day, and no, I hadn't done or said anything wrong.

While it's important to provide everyone with excellent customer service, it is imperative to provide a good first impression because as my example shows, bad first impressions can last for decades. And negative experiences spread like wildfire, especially with social media and review sites. Too many negative reviews about a business can quickly kill future business or even put a company out of business.

So make sure if you talk to customers, you are always as helpful and polite as possible and instill this in your team members who talk to customers, because just one negative impression can leave a lasting impression and lose a potential customer, possibly forever. If a negative situation does arise, be sure to quickly respond to try to mend the situation. People can be very understanding and forgiving if you're sincere. In fact, reaching out to a customer and repairing a negative situation can change their impression and make them a customer for life.

Building positive relationships in and outside of your company will make it a much more pleasant place,  and will also grow your business.

Tell me about your good, bad or redeeming first impressions of a company in the comments - I'd love to hear your experiences!

This article was originally posted on my website at: http://wp.me/p1zSqF-gK

Copy & Paste Not Working on Your iPhone? 4 Easy Steps That Worked for Me!

While the IOS 8.0.2 update seemed to fix the plethora of problems presented in IOS 8.0.1, one problem I've been having on my iPhone has been the ability to copy and paste. After Googling this problem, I saw that many others were having the same problem on their i-devices.

Device: iPhone 4S 16GB, IOS 8.0.2

Specific Issue: I've been trying to copy & paste a quote from Facebook, Safari and Google apps into LinkedIn. I've been able to highlight and copy, however, when I go to paste, nothing will come up.

I read through several forums to find suggestions of what worked for people and tried several of them. After performing the following 4 steps  I managed to get it to work:

1. I freed up some storage space & memory by deleting some photos & apps, closing all my Safari browser windows and open apps
2. I made sure everything loaded when I opened Settings > General > About (before, it wouldn't load the number of songs, etc; I had in there and someone else mentioned this)
3. I installed the free app iClear & ran it to clear my clipboard, even though it showed nothing on my clipboard
4. I did a hard restart (holding the power & home buttons down at the same time until the phone shut down & restarted)

After those 4 steps, I went into Safari, copied the quote and successfully pasted it into my LinkedIn app. Then I went back into Safari, copied another quote and pasted it into Twitter. The Paste bubble was a little slow to show, so when trying to paste, be patient for a few seconds to see if it will eventually show. You shouldn't have to wait more than 3 seconds.

Some forum posters tried to solve the problem by setting their device back to factory settings, however I did not find that to be necessary, but it's possible that could be an additional step you could take to try to resolve the problem.

If you try these steps, please let me know in the comments if you have success. Also, if you've done something else to fix this problem, please let me know in the comments.

Article originally published on my primary blog at: http://wp.me/p1zSqF-gw

10 Ways You Can Use Live Streaming Video Apps to Promote Your Dealership

We know that videos are extremely engaging in the world of social media. The latest and greatest are live streaming video apps Periscope and Meerkat.

Meerkat and Periscope are two live video streaming apps

While both apps vary (I've only used Periscope as of writing this), they both allow for live video streaming with promotion through Twitter. Live video streaming apps that allow users to share live video with followers around the world. Those watching the live stream can interact via chat or tweets which are visible to all viewers. Streamers can opt to have the broadcast go public or to specific viewers. You can also opt to save the video sessions to  your phone when complete to upload and share to your social sites.

Users can register with their Twitter account and set notifications so they are notified when an account they follow is having a live stream. When linked with a Twitter account, a tweet will be published to your account announcing the video. Any followers will also receive a notification.

Below are some of the many ways a dealership can use live video streaming to build engagement with followers and promote the dealership:

• Vehicle walk-arounds: Dealers are becoming more tech-savvy and creating walk-around videos of vehicles, but Periscope allows dealers to stream live walk-arounds, allowing viewers to live chat questions which the presenter can answer in real-time. It's a great way to interact with followers. Pro tip: Invite viewers ahead of time or schedule a private Periscope session with a lead so they can download the app and be ready to tune in when you go live.

Screenshot of a live vehicle walk-around by Eau Claire Ford in Wisconsin

• Events: Let's face it - no matter how cool a dealership is, when there's an event, those attending expect to receive some sort of sales pitch so they may consider not attending, even if it's for a good cause. However, by live-streaming the event, you give potential attendees a view inside the event and show viewers they're not going to be locked in a room with a salesperson (à la timeshare) and that the event is actually a lot of fun. Pro tip: Invite event attendees to talk on camera live. This will also encourage them to share the live stream with their friends. 

• Training Sessions: Do you have car care clinics? If so, Periscope is a great opportunity to invite customers to participate in the clinic live without having to be there. They may also be more comfortable asking questions from behind a phone screen than in person. Pro tip: Include a link to your Twitter and Periscope accounts in invitations and Facebook event so viewers can be ready to join the live viewing and send a link to the recording via social media so those who missed it can view it.

• Service: Do you have an "Ask a Mechanic" blog? Use Periscope to live stream question and answer sessions with viewers. This is a great way to connect with viewers and have a two-way conversation with them. Pro tip: Ask viewers to suggest topics for the next video and have a set day and time to regularly stream the session. This gets them engaged and more likely to tune in to future broadcasts.

• Testimonials: Not everyone may feel comfortable on camera, but for those who are, getting a live testimonial can be a great way to get some positive content for your dealership. Pro tip: Save the video after filming and share it to your social sites.

• Virtual Test Drives: Sometimes it's difficult to show off features through photos or a walk-around. Grab a designated Periscope videographer and take a car out on the road to show off features such as park assist, hybrid smart driving, back-up cameras and more! Pro tip: Upload the saved video to your YouTube channel so viewers can experience the test drive with you later on.

• Show Off High Performance Vehicles: Photos just don't do muscle cars justice. They're impressive, but what's even better is hearing the growl when the car starts up and the engine revving. Pro tip: Tweet teasers a couple of days in advance using attention-getting hashtags to grow your audience and build excitement for the live broadcast.

• F&I Q&A: F&I can be one of the least enjoyable parts of purchasing a new vehicle. Help get customers comfortable by holding F&I sessions so customers can ask questions and get answers without any pressure. Pro tip: Include any special financing options available for people with bad credit to help them determine eligibility before their visit to the dealership.

• Employee Spotlights: Let your employees show off their personality and grow a fan base by filming a fun Q&A with them. Be sure to include employees from all departments. Pro tip: Include how long they've worked at the dealership and their favorite thing about working there to promote a positive image of the store.

• New Inventory: Take a stroll through the lot to show off new inventory. This can be exceptionally engaging to show off pre-owned new arrivals or specialty vehicles. Pro tip: Include a link to a simple inquiry form or include a phone number so viewers can easily submit leads for their vehicle of interest. Have staff monitoring your Twitter feed to respond to any inquiries submitted through Twitter.

As you can see, there are tons of opportunities you can take advantage of by incorporating live video streaming at your dealership. What are some other ways dealerships can use live video streaming? I'd love to hear your ideas!

This post was originally published on my primary blog at: http://wp.me/p1zSqF-hj