Turn Holiday Customers To Year-Round Customers – Is It Possible?

Trick or treat?

Voila, Halloween is here! Everywhere people have started to plan something special to make this Halloween share more fun than the previous. Brand marketers, small business owners and the entrepreneurs want to cash this opportunity (freaky holidays and festive seasons) to earn more revenue.

Yes, it is time to earn revenue. Just look at different brands, they work year round planning for grand bash in their retail promotions during Holidays. Brands are there who shoot ads in the summer for next December and starts retail branding much before the first snowfall.

High traffic volumes, huge customer service calls, giant returns on investments and stock up on cashiers at the registers are the four pillars to achieve this holiday.

 

Retailers prepare themselves to achieve these four pillars every year during different holidays and festive seasons. For year round, they prepare and celebrate when the season slows to halt. In the midst of all, there is one essential in-store element that retailers cannot miss – NEW CUSTOMERS!

Retailers need to add capital on the new traffic, to harness more revenue. What do the retailers can execute to turn holiday shoppers into year round shoppers? Here, we are going to share three expert tips:

1. CREATE PEER-TO-PEER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE THIS HOLIDAY & FESTIVE SEASONS

Brand marketers, retailers and small business owners if you really want to send the message of turning holiday shoppers to your year-round customer, then take the first step carefully -

FIRST STEP: provide an amazing in-store customer experience to seasonal shoppers

SECOND STEP: create a strong impression, as the first impression lasts.

In seasons, you will find that people no longer leisurely walks around the mall. They are in a rush, know exactly what they look for and are in search of employees to help. Have more employees, educate them on the products, and let them wear a smile always. Spread the holiday cheer that should be your employees’ motto.

What you are offering customers in the first visit of your store or website during holidays, will affect their decision. In holidays, you need to exert extra effort to lessen your customers’ waiting time. Thus, ask your employees to give customers adequate attention, so that they keep coming back.

2. JUST NOT CONNECT- ‘FOLLOW UP’ CUSTOMERS THORUGHOUT THE YEAR

Well, retailers and brand marketers might feel this point as no-brainer, but this opportunity will allow you to get as much information on the customers. Get their email address, phone numbers, and ZIP codes etc. Send them retail promotions, offers and discount messages year round. Tailor promotions according to the persona - family man, businesspersons, young adults, teenagers etc.

Holiday sales are a one-time event. People will love to establish a connection if you present them something valuable, year-round in spite of being a holiday shopper.

·    Send customers personalized birthday cards during their birthdays

·    Send greetings on special events like anniversary, wedding, new born-babes  etc

To travel an extra mile, you need to follow-up. Go ahead, if one item is out of stock, call up the customer and let them know when it will come next. Personal emails and calls will confirm a stronger customer-marketer relationship.

3. EXCEED CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

The above two points add value to this attribute. If you want to turn your holiday shoppers into long-term customer, you need to exceed expectations. Create memorable and positive experience. What does this indicate? Do not compromise over customer happiness. Surprise your customers every time with unexpected offers and giveaways. Treat them in a manner, as they want to be treated during the holiday rush.

Give away free items to increase repeat business and influence customer goodwill. A customer who will experience this will be more willing to share their excellent customer experience via popular social media platforms.

Will you like to miss the opportunity to get more customers with your customer feedback?

So don’t’ just meet, rather exceed customers expectation this holiday!!!

Turn your holiday shopper to long-term shoppers with these three ideas. Happy Holidays …. Have a Grand Shopping Season!

Author Bio: Moumita Dasgupta, a financial blogger and the owner of bizandfiz, shares her knowledge and expertise of various financial topics. A clear view on market, business, Forex, funds, personal finances etc. are the subjects she perfectly underlines through her articles.  Find Moumita on Google+

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The Big Data - Changing Customer Experience in Your Style

Big Data is certainly the biggest trend and a key technology that comes with a big promise for small, big and mid-sized businesses. Big Data Week, which commenced on 22 April 2013, said about industries using their big data to take conform decisions about their organizations and improve their business functions mainly sales and marketing.

According to the Big Data experts who met in the Big Data week, Big Data is an asset to sales organization if they can understand their use clearly. You will definitely have some tangible result.

We have terabytes customer history and their behavioral pattern that tries to extrapolate the customer experience sensibly. Rather you work on hard data and evidence, to improve the customer experience.

Customer service is an area that is untouched by developing technology. You have numerous channels to use, but customer experience has not gelled well with anyone in the same way as big data.

Major Big Data Approaches Used by Top Performers

Talking of Big Data you will come across the three best approaches, which the top performers prefer to use.

Interactive Exploration - For discovering real-time patterns in big data, in a synchronized way as they emerge

Direct Batch Reporting- To summarize the data collected

Batch ETL - To analyze historical trends or link the disparate data

Survey report of MIT Sloan Management Review  says that top performers prefer to use the three trends five times to the lower performers to deliver superior customer services.

It is quite tricky to figure out how to translate the information into increased website traffic and fuller shopping carts and that also in real-time. Well, for the marketers there is some good news. Now you can find different tools to dig mines of data to refine your online marketing approach.

While talking to industry experts in Big Data week, we learned 8 big factors, which helped the experts to tame their data and improve the customer experience.

Let us read on:

1. Continuous Progress and Not Instantaneous

Do you know from today, Big Data will bring vast changes in the way you do business. Well, do not jump into action at once. To have productive result try the test-and-learn method. Move at a slow pace with your website designing or personalization, rather than innovating them in one sweep.

Difference in market exposure:

Successful marketers- try to refine them all the time

Experts - take baby steps and improve their company every day to retain the customer loyalty for a longer period

2. Support Big Data Goal with Individual Goals

For achieving different business goals, you must have separate strategies like acquiring new customers, boosting new conversion rates, improving customer loyalty or increasing customer value. This helps to use data in a better way.

3. Omni-Channel Service

Customers are turning mobile, and they prefer to use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to interact with various industries. Research shows that 93% of consumers regularly use multiple channels to interact with leading brands. All the consumers expect to receive the same levels of customer service, and for that, Omni-channel service is the talk of the town. It helps to improve the customer interactions and starts a multi-channel communication through mobile, speech, chat, store etc.

Most of the industries have all the relevant data to deliver this modern and intuitive service and make the customers life easy.

4. Internal Sell of the Concept

Well, in the Big Data Week we have seen some organizations, prefers to provide evidence-based marketing to get everyone on-board. They encourage continuous sharing and learning. Presents the data in an easy way and does not hide the results to help the customers in decision framing.

5. One Team

You need to include different marketing strategies, various creative web developers and analytic experts who at times feel threatened to work with hard evidence. To improve the customer’s experiences find a dedicated way to drive the processes for future improvements.

6. The Data You Have Collected Is the ‘BEST’

CRM and website of your organization keeps on collecting real-time data that are far more valuable than you might have obtained from the outside vendor. It is about your prospective customer and collection of those data, which your competitor does not have.

Some typical examples on which you can capitalize your big data strategy are -

Channel

Conversion rates

Form inputs

Frequency of website visits

Geography

Interaction pattern

Purchase source

Social traits

Transaction pattern

7. Customer By Customer Real-Time Optimization

Most of the marketers set their goal in a way that embarks on - what customers should see, what offers company will give them and what companies will say to them. Designing a desirable customer experience is important to make them buy more.

8. Providing a Predictive Experience

Big data helps to predict issues before they occur. You can achieve this by analyzing the data and developing smarter models to adapt the customer needs. These big data processes helps to pay dividends in brand loyalty and thus business will require fewer sources to manage customer enquiries and complaints. At times, the big data benefits extend to support cross-sell and up-sell. Just to understand customer requirements and suggest relevant complementary replacements.

Big data helps companies to anticipate the wants and the needs of the customers, simplifies the customer interaction channels, and tries to learn from those interactions for future improvements.

Try to do all of this and you will see that your customers are smiling, irate ones will turn back, and prospective ones will retain loyalty for a longer time.

Dig out large profits with Big Data and improve your customer service!

Author Bio : Moumita Dasgupta, a financial blogger and the owner of bizandfiz, shares her knowledge and expertise of various financial topics. A clear view on market, business, Forex, funds, personal finances etc. are the subjects she perfectly underlines through her articles.  Find Moumita on Google+

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A Positive Business Approach: Comforting Your Employees at Crucial Times

Through the article, we are going to share a trend that both small and big business owners must adopt to keep tab of their business surrounding.

One of the most important aspects that they must take care is their Employees.

If you are an owner with a human face, then you have to consider this trend as a successful and a positive business approach. As soon as you start a business, it is important to look into the benefits of your employees. In the crucial times, it is necessary to enlighten and comfort your employees.

Tragedies are unavoidable, it can occur anty time at anypart of the world. And if the tragedies strikes your employees, then don’t you think that it might affect your workplace?

Tragedies occur often and in any part of the continent. And if the tragedies strike the employee, then it might affect their workplace. The tragedies to note like: WTO Building Catastrophe (9/11), Boston Marathon Tragedy the most recent one has hampered many people and has affected their workplace.  

Talking of Boston Marathon, many of the employees who took part in the marathon, though uninjured had not been able to overcome the trauma. As for 9/11 people were shackled like anything and they still cannot forget the pains of losing their friend, family, or maybe closed ones.

With 9/11 and Boston bombings alarming the media, tragedies have taken a serious setback in the working arena. In such an instance, owners should know the ways to handle such critical situations. Since, Boston is not the only place, tragedies can happen anytime.

Show Compassion towards Your Employees

A business environment in which we deal is actually based on give and take policy. But yes, you have to maintain  the need of your employees staying within this policy. In order to get the best out of them, you have to consider something else as the major priority. Such as:

·      Sending someone home early in this traumatic period.

·      May be availing him or her with an extra holiday.

·      Attending the funeral of your employees close relative, just to show support to your employee.

Don’t Think That You Know Your Employee Feelings

Being the owner of your business don’t think that you are always empathetic. But, if you are having hard working employees and if he or she just cannot concentrate due to a tragic event, however, you may or may not affected by it, then assume that they are telling the truth.

Have the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

All your employee needs to do is to call a toll-free number anytime within the 24 hours. This number allows them to connect the counselor. EAP programs are inexpensive. You do not need to be an expert when you think to help the employee during a crisis and if the crisis is personal, then the employee does not need to inform you. EAP is such an instance calls back and reports that one of your employees called, but they won't inform you about the problem, but let your employee get a befitting solution and a recovery from the trauma or setbacks.

Sticking to the Laws

If 50 or more than 50 employees are working under you, then you fall under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that requires giving some time to those who need a medical aid or maybe to the one who is the caregiver for a family. Many of the states have a lower threshold and even some additional features. Check out the laws and rules that you have to abide. The law is actually a guideline that lets you fulfill the needs of the employees that are immediate and good.

Well, it is better to conclude with the tagline -  “happy employees bring better profits”. So, if business is your concern, take care of your employees to amplify your business reputation.

Author Bio : Moumita Dasgupta, a financial blogger and the owner of bizandfiz, shares her knowledge and expertise of various financial topics. A clear view on market, business, Forex, funds, personal finances etc. are the subjects she perfectly underlines through her articles. 

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How - To Benefit Your Growing Business By Getting Started With Small Business Banking?

When you first open up a small business, it is crucial to open up a business bank account. The Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, requires businesses to keep business funds separate from personal funds, so it is generally not a good idea to try to get away using your regular personal account for your business.

Getting a separate account for your business can make things much simpler when it comes to keeping those finances separate.

When you are first getting started with small business banking, you may need some advice to get going in the right direction. Finding a good bank for your new business can make a huge difference in the convenience and success of your company. Before selecting the first small business banking service that you run across, here are a few things to consider.

Business Bank Accounts Vs Credit Unions

While you take a decision about a small business bank to work with, you must consider the difference between commercial banks and credit unions. In the past, businesses primarily worked with commercial banks, but now there are credit unions that provide the opportunity of having business accounts.

Often, rates are lower at credit unions, although they may not have as high of a percentage of financial backing. Take time to compare the differences between commercial banks and credit unions so that you can be confident about taking the right decision for your business.

Fees for Business Accounts

While you are looking for a financial institution for your business, it is a good idea to pay attention to fees. Fees can vary greatly depending on the institution, so make sure that you read the fine print and ask questions. Institutions can place high fees on endorsement stamps and checkbooks, so don’t forget to include these factors in your consideration.

Additional Accounts for Your Business

In addition to your regular business checking account, you may want to consider starting a business savings account. As you decide on a financial institution, make sure to consider fees associated with starting a new account and rates of interest on your savings.

Building A Relationship With Your Bank

As you work with a new bank, it can be very important to develop a good relationship with them. Take the time to meet with key individuals so that you know who you are working with. This relationship may be very beneficial when it comes time for your business to grow and you are in a need of a loan.

With quality small business banking, you will have the financial tools your new business needs.

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How – To Save Money on Your Auto Insurance

Thinking to buy a new car, even if you buy it on cash you have to buy insurance for it, it’s obvious. It is not easy to maintain a car in these economic upheavals. In United States and its neighboring countries, cars are not a luxury rather a necessity. If you are in your 20s and started a career, a salary drawn and you need your own car to avoid the conveyance evils.

As the demand of buying car increases day by day, the car companies provides ample of loans and budgeted cars. However, for any type of car, which you fall for, you need to get the car insured.

Auto insurance companies  are many in number and  are ready to offer you with insurance at a flexible rate. However, most of them try to swindle you. You do not have a magic button that can save your money. In such a circumstance, how will you save money on the auto insurance?

Well, if you delve carefully you will find there are several factors that affect your auto insurance rate. How are you going to avoid those factors from affecting your auto insurance rates?

In this article, we will discuss about them, and if you follow them, then be sure to save a lot of money in the run. You can expect to receive 10% to 60% discount rates on your auto insurance if you follow the tips.

A Good Credit Score - Try to maintain a good credit score, since an insurance company will check your credit score before they grant an insurance coverage. Credit score will reflect  whether your profile is good or not. If you are having low credit score, then you have to pay higher rates. You can check your credit report at Annual Credit Report, free government credit report website.

Ask For a Group of Discount Rates -  There are companies who are ready to offer you with group discounts. If you need extra insurances, then try to buy it from the same company. If they are not able to offer you with variable insurance offers, be sure that they have partners to offer you the same. If you can refer your friends then you can lower your own insurance rate.

Get Free Quotes From the Auto Insurance Company – Try to get free quotes from as many companies you can. If you will do that manually, you will waste your precious time. Therefore, it is better to use any insurance comparison site like GoCompare as they are free.

Stay Insured - As companies do not like to cancel plans, and even if you cancel them, next time a huge amount will be added back. Some companies may decline your claim. Companies look for serious customers, and if you are serious, you can enjoy the discount rates.

Where Will You Find Cheap Auto Insurance?

To get a cheaper auto insurance package you have to follow some specific rules. This will allow you to speculate logically and get the best returns.

My dear readers are you having a good driving record. If yes, then you will be paying less. That is one of the most important aspect of the auto insurance company. If you show them that you are a good driver then you will get attractive discount rates.

Note: (Young driver do pay more as they are less experienced in driving)

Some clauses that auto insurance companies prefers to follow:

·         1. The company who will offer you with the auto insurance will look how often you drive. If you drive for long hours, they will consider you as a risky insurance owner.

·         2. Do protect your car from theft, thus using anti-theft devices in your car is necessary. If you love those devices then insurance company will also share a part of discount in return.

Of course, this is not all, rather a general overview on the auto insurance companies in the States. As soon as you apply for auto insurance, you will get more to cultivate yourself and thus protect yourself.

Author Bio : Moumita Dasgupta, a financial blogger and the owner of bizandfiz, shares her knowledge and expertise of various financial topics. A clear view on market, business, Forex, funds, personal finances etc. are the subjects she perfectly underlines through her articles. 

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Small Business Accounting Services Help Owners to Grow Businesses

Accounting services, you might have heard of it. Why do business owners feel like trying them?

Most business owners have adopted small business accounting services because of the immense value they can gain for their business. These solutions help fledgling business owners to maintain accurate records of revenues and costs while keeping records straight for tax reporting purposes. In order to understand the popularity of accounting services, here we are sharing 3 most popular reasons business owners adopt prefer to adopt these services.

So here we go:

Not Everyone Likes Math or Record Keeping

Although there are people who have no problem sitting down every day keeping track of every minute financial detail and maintaining immaculate records, other people find this to be the worst possible part about owning a business. Every other task might be handled without complaint, from gauging the scale of the next shipment to handling payroll, but the finer details are simply maddening.

Laborious, yet mandatory tasks like creating reports and reconciling bank statements are tasks that suit numbers-inclined individuals. The numbers-resistant business owners rather like to spend time creating new designs, selling more products or building new thing. Thus, they switch to adoption of business accounting services.

Scalable Services

You will come across a variety of different services that can help business owners to maintain accurate records, and the best resources of this service are that they are scalable most of the time. This can help a fledgling business to manage costs while getting a firm foundation for financial records.

As the business grows, it may need to expand the services of different kinds such as help with forecasting expenses. At some point, the business may need a full array of services, and if they have been using the right company from the start, this will be just a simple transition.

Core Features Simplified

You will come across a variety of financial reports that can be provided by accounting services. Bank reconciliation can be one of the most important among them. However, many other important features are critical to the popularity of accounting services. People also look for an income statement, balance sheets, and profit and loss as well as a ledger sheet. Companies also utilize this service to invoice orders, and to collect payment from the clients.

In addition, business owners find that customer service gets a retreat with account services. It is an absolute lifesaver. With an account manager assigned to the business, business owners have an established contact for all of their problems.

Do you want to know more about small business accounting services, have a look at the website Business Bookkeeping.

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Packed Your Bags For The Trip...Well Is The Trip Insured?

Let me guess you love mountains, greens or maybe vast ocean as a vacation spot. However, you are caught up in the fast and vast space of your job. Each one of you plans for an exciting trip to refresh the body, mind and soul. 
Planning, preparations and buying the special tour package, a lot to do. Well, how many of us are actually prepared to adapt the new roads? 

You do not know which situation you might land up while taking the unknown roads.

You may remember to carry your essential medicines and your first-aid box. It’s not possible to move with the hospital benefits along with you. Medical expenses could be much higher then you expect, while you are on a vacation to distant places. 

Talking about travel insurances, most of the insurance companies that cover your general health care do not give protection beyond a limit.For example, a travel insurance plan from an American Insurance firm may cover the expenses of the state itself and Canada. If you were travelling anywhere beyond these two locations, you might face a messed up situation.

Does your insurance ensure you with any travel benefits? Do you want to have travel insurance? What the travel insurance company generally offers their customers? What all, you may seek, would the company cover if at all it covers? 

• Travel insurance covers
• Trip cancellation
• Travel medical aids
• Emergency medical evaluation
• Accidental death/flight accident coverage

How you travel insurance works in your favor?

You might have booked the tickets, called in for the hotel’s breeziest room- and suddenly your trip gets cancelled. The insurance company may not give the desire protection in such an instance. Your insurance company, however generous, can only provide you with the insurance inevitable circumstances only.

What are those situations where the travel insurance company is going to support you? 

• Delayed processing of passport or visa
• Got ill or hurt
• Unavoidable weather hazard
• Dispute with a business

Your insurance company would be there with you all the time to make up your cost failures. 

Different insurance agencies offer different policies at different seasons. Some policies come with additional benefits, whereas some may trap you with their “conditions apply” notion.

Crosscheck your agent to see if you get the benefits or privileges under the following category:

• Terrorist attacks
• A travel planner before leaving your business
• Crashed your car on the way to the airport
• If your house drowns
• If you have been summoned by local administration

Who will pay you back? How will you get back the money you invested in the trip? 

Your travel insurance company is going to pay.

They would pay or cover up for the difference between what you paid for and what your travel vendor returns. 

Note: Be careful while you choose a travel insurance and travel agency to buy a policy for yourself. Compare the offers and price with some other agencies via internet or by talking to agents about the areas that your insurance company has promised to cover. A thorough market research is mandatory for you to avail the best deal. 

Once you insure yourself with a travel insurance plan, you can just set out with your bag packs and that too in a relaxed, tensed free manner. 

Explore new boundaries this season with well-equipped travel insurance. Have a happy and safe journey!

Author Bio : Moumita Dasgupta, a financial blogger and the owner of bizandfiz, shares her knowledge and expertise of various financial topics. A clear view on market, business, Forex, funds, personal finances etc. are the subjects she perfectly underlines through her articles.  Find Moumita on Google+

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