Handling a frustrated or angry caller is not an easy feat! While the stress and anxiety of managing these situations fade as you learn more about your job, the importance of dealing with difficult clients never fades.
When it comes to client support, dissatisfied clients air out their sentiments more than the satisfied clients. Bad news travel faster than the good. Thus, you must ensure that the client hangs up with a happier disposition.
#1: WORK EFFICIENTLY
Time is money. The more efficient you can be, the more clients you can help throughout the day. You need to address all the concerns as quickly as possible. You must be organized because clients get frustrated when they wait or when they are put on hold for a long time.
#2: BE PREPARED
Before starting the call, ensure that you pull out all the relevant files and reviewed all the notes pertaining to the case. Being prepared will help you to avoid asking for the client’s story again. After the call, take down notes on what was discussed. This will help you know what to follow-up next time.
#3: ACTIVELY LISTEN
In general, one of the vital aspects of handling difficult callers is active listening. Listen to your clients while simultaneously showing concern and getting insight into the issue. This will help you arrive at a solution.
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#4: REACT POSITIVELY
Train yourself to be pleasant during stressful situations. Practice your tone of voice and use a calm approach. At times, callers can test your patience to the limit. You must separate yourself from their emotions and treat the issue objectively. Reacting with anger can only exacerbate the situation.
#5: LET IT GO
It is worth your time to apologize for any problem or inconvenience caused. If the problem was originally the client’s fault, blaming the person will make it worse. Remember that the client should be your ally and not your enemy. Assist the client to arrive at a workable solution together.
Image Credits: pixabay.com
When the challenging call is over, take a deep breath and let it go. Hanging on to the stress of the demanding situation can affect your relationships at work. There is simply no benefit in reliving the difficult call.
There might never be an ideal time to start a local courier business than in 2021. For those who don’t know, more than 55% of consumers in 2020 consciously set out to support and purchase from local businesses.
According to them, they did so to support local jobs in their community. People want to support local businesses in a very big way.
Since a lot of people are buying locally, small businesses require an affordable and easy way to deliver their products around the area.
Just like consumers, merchants like to support fellow small businesses. They’re searching for local courier businesses to help them fulfill demand.
Fortunately, you can easily tap into this market and be the courier service provider they need. However, do you know how and where to start?
Keep in mind that starting a profitable courier business can be lucrative and quick. However, it only happens if you know where to start and how to scale.
Starting a local courier business can be a frustrating, difficult, and slow process. However, if you know the steps, you can make things quick and easy for you.
Determine Your Niche
To guarantee success, you have to establish your unique niche. This is a crucial step if you live in an urban location with a lot of existing courier service businesses.
Even if you’re located in a small town, it will offer you a quick start to targeting your new clients.
Talk to your potential clients, whether they are caterers needed to deliver prepared meals at a particular time or lawyers needed to deliver a document on the same day.
Talk to these people to determine what they need. Then, provide it to them at a reasonable price. This is the secret to success for any business. You need to provide clients with what they want or need.
One of the greatest niches you should consider is offering local businesses same-day local delivery. With this, you can compete with big services, such as FedEx and UPS.
All businesses require a good business plan. Aside from analyzing both your target audience and competitors, this plan should tackle problems with the marketing methods and finances of your company as well.
Your business plan will help keep you on track towards reaching your goals as you start your courier business.
In your business plan, one thing you need to tackle is how you plan to acquire customers. For example, you might need to take advantage of websites to drive new traffic to your business.
Give Your Business a Name, Logo, and Space
This is perhaps the most enjoyable part of starting a business. You get to choose the name of your business. Try to be creative. Make sure the name of your business stands out, is unique, and is memorable.
Also, try to tie the name of your business with the services you offer. This means that you have to avoid making the name too confusing and ambiguous.
Aside from the name of your business, you also have to design the logo of your company. With this, your clients can easily recognize you and distinguish you from the competition.
For example, you might have the same business name as a company that sells hand sanitizers. To avoid confusion, make your logo a lot different.
If you’re planning to start your business at home, you’ve got to ensure the zoning in your neighborhood allows home businesses.
On the other hand, if you plan to lease a commercial space, you need to think about both the monthly fees and the location of the property.
When it comes to getting a reliable delivery car, you’ve got two basic options. You can either rent a car or purchase one right away.
If you choose to buy a car for delivery purposes, you’ve got to ensure you inspect it thoroughly for defects before you complete the sale.
Also, you’ve got to ensure you have van insurance coverage, the right license, and more.
Insure Your Business
You will require a lot of insurance coverage for your courier business. This includes liability insurance, cargo insurance, and car insurance.
It’s also vital to have an insurance policy so that you can establish trust with clients.
Call your local commercial insurance broker to determine how much it will cost to insure your business. The price might differ from one location to another, the perceived risk, and the types of deliveries you make.
Market Your Courier Business
Once you’ve got everything you need for your courier business, the next thing you should do is to market it.
You can first communicate with your family and friends to start off using your social media accounts, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Also, try to create a business page on each of these social media platforms.
Almost every courier business will have to market to other businesses that are searching for a courier. You can do this by creating a list of businesses that might require a courier service.
Once you’ve got a list of these businesses, contact or email them. You can even visit their store and drop off your business card.
Online advertising and marketing can also be an effective and low-cost way to target business owners.
Facebook and Google AdWords both have easy-to-use self-serve platforms. You can target clients based on keywords they search for online. You can learn more about DIY marketing if you look it up online.
If you were to ask members of a typical family which room of the house was their favourite, the odds are pretty good that their answer would be the kitchen. After all, the kitchen is usually the source of food, which, when shared with the other members of the household, results in happy memories and opportunities for bonding. It’s the place people go for a bit of comfort when they’re feeling down or overwhelmed, where they celebrate, and where they feel most full and satisfied. Clearly, there are many positive associations to be made with the kitchen.
It’s no wonder, then, that many homeowners seek to renovate this part of their home before any other. This actually makes perfect sense: aside from all the positive associations people tend to have with the kitchen, it’s also a common area, which means all members of the household benefit equally when it’s refurbished, as compared to bedrooms, studies, work areas, or en-suite bathrooms.
Whether you’re looking to simply upgrade to a new kitchen hood Singapore homes typically have installed, or are redoing your kitchen’s entire look, here’s what you need to know.
Set Your Budget
As with most big-ticket purchases, remodelling your kitchen will require you to set a budget. Before you begin choosing backsplashes or installing that shiny new range, you need to know how much you can comfortably afford, without severely compromising other aspects of your family’s lives. There are no hard and fast rules for preparing a budget for this, but some experts recommend trying to limit spending on remodelling to less than 15% of the total value of your home per room. Therefore, if your home is valued at SGD500,000, your remodelling budget for each room should not exceed SGD75,000.
Another aspect of budgeting that is often overlooked is the time required to complete the project. If you’re having your kitchen remodelled, you might have to deal with unfamiliar people coming into your house on a regular basis, for at least a few days. Weigh the comfort and convenience of your family versus the value of your remodelling project, before embarking on it.
And speaking of weighing one thing against the other…
Weigh Needs and Wants
Are there parts or features of your kitchen that absolutely need to be reworked or replaced? Meanwhile, are other parts of your kitchen still serviceable, and maybe in need of some repair or cleaning? If you can differentiate between the two, then congratulations, you have successfully distinguished between needs and wants.
If your hob has undergone multiple rounds of repairs and still can’t successfully heat up your dinner, then it’s probably time to get it replaced. This is something that needs to happen, in order for your kitchen to be functional again. On the other hand, your backsplash may be slightly soot-stained or pocked with old grease, but cleaning it up will have it looking, if not as good as new, at least presentable. You won’t have to replace or reinstall it just yet. Prioritizing your needs over your wants will go a long way towards keeping your project within budget.
Get Ready to Compromise (and to Let Go!)
Sure, everyone would love to have walnut baseboards, a marble countertop, and a smart fridge that knows when you’re out of milk and orders it for you. However, not all of us can afford to pay the costs you’re likely to incur from buying or installing these luxury items.
Inevitably, in the course of your remodelling, you’ll have to make compromises. Some items might be more expensive than you initially expected, causing your budget to spike even before you’ve gotten to the good stuff. Some items might simply be unavailable where you are, meaning that you’ll have to settle for alternatives that aren’t quite what you had in mind. In either case, you’ll definitely have to pivot to new options and let go of some of your initial ideas in order to complete your project without going overboard. Just try to go with the flow and find alternatives that give you nearly as much satisfaction or appear as similar as your original concept.
Decide Whether to Outsource or DIY
If you happen to be the handy type and are skilled with a saw and plane, then this tip doesn’t apply to you. Just do your own remodelling and you’ll probably save around 40% on your budget. However, if you’re unfamiliar with woodworking or electrical installation, this tip will definitely help. Naturally, having an expert will make your project run like clockwork, but it will also quickly eat into your budget. On the other hand, attempting to do it yourself could be a fun project and will probably save you a few bucks, but the results may not be what you expect. Again, there are no predetermined rules for this, other than if your budget is limited, try to do it yourself, but if you really want a good job done, then simply leave it to the pros.
Take these tips into consideration when planning your kitchen remodelling project so that the next meal you serve your family will come from a kitchen that’s magazine-worthy!
Buying a car is one of the biggest purchases you will make, so finding something that aligns with your budget and lifestyle is important. It can be especially tricky to find reliable financing for a car, whether you take out a loan or buy it outright.
There are plenty of lenders available that offer car loans, and finding the right one can be difficult. Doing your research can help you secure more favourable interest rates and repayment terms. Here are a few tips to help you get the right auto loan for your car.
Improve Your Credit Score
To secure the best deals on an auto loan, you will need a good credit score. Most lenders will offer low interest rates to individuals with a credit score in the mid to high range. If your credit score is low, you may want to spend some time improving it before applying for an auto loan. This will help you keep the interest rates low. Sometimes, waiting a few months is worth it.
Find a Budget Friendly Car
Before you buy a car, it’s a good idea to figure out your budget. You don’t want to set your eyes on a car that is too expensive. If you already have a car, make sure the new one doesn’t disrupt your finances and makes monthly expenses easy to manage.
Take a good look at your monthly expenses and see if the new monthly payments could impact your budget. It also helps to see if you can divert funds from other things towards the monthly car.
Since you’ll be dealing with interest premiums and other fees, it is important to keep everything within your budget.
Once you’ve determined your budget, you can start looking up cars with affordable price tags. For example, the Nissan Navara is widely touted by experts to be a budget-friendly pickup truck.
Learn the Basic Terminology Related to Car Financing
If you’re not a car enthusiast, it’s easy to get confused with all the industry jargon. But there are a few things you will need to get familiar with. The first thing to note is the interest rate itself, or the actual cost of financing the car. This will be the monthly charge for taking the car loan.
Just as important is the repayment term of your loan. This is the number of months it will take to repay the entire loan. In general, higher car loans will result in more interest rates.
You may also be required to submit a downpayment to purchase the price. This is the initial cash you will be putting towards the car purchase. The downpayment is a small percentage of the total price. After that, your monthly interest premiums will be calculated based on the price of the car minus the down payment.
Research All Your Financing Options
There are dozens of car financers vying for your business. Different vendors will offer different interest rates, financing terms, and incentives.
Individuals with good credit scores may be able to secure great financing rates directly with the dealership. Just make sure to do your research before signing on the dotted line.
If you don’t have a good credit score, it may be even more important to do your research. Online lenders offer great deals, but you can also try various banks. Try to get as many quotes from different lenders as possible and compare the numbers.
Compare Your Financial Options
Don’t just go for the cheapest option. Look at other factors of the loan, such as interest rates that you will be paying over the life of the auto loan, the repayment term of the loan, and any processing fees associated with the loan.
A lower interest may not be such a good financial decision if you’ll be making payments on it for a longer term.
Pro tip: It is advisable to make a high down payment to reduce the term of the loan for maximum savings. This will help you save more money in the long run.
Apply for Financing
Once you have found the ideal lender, you can apply for pre-approval. This can be done by visiting the websites of online vendors or going to the actual bank itself.
Note that applying for various lenders runs the risk of lowering your score. Whenever a lender runs a hard query against your account, it will slightly lower your credit score. Some credit bureaus may count all of those hard inquiries as a single inquiry. But it’s better to be safe than sorry and only apply for a loan when you’ve found the most suitable option.
You will have to provide some essential information to these vendors, including your name and address, as well as answer a few questions related to your employment history and financing. Applications for online loans are easier to process compared to bank loans. In some cases, you may have to visit the bank in person to apply.
Pro tip: Learn about any prepayment penalties that may apply if you try paying off your loan early. Many lenders have an incentive to keep you locked into your loan for the entire term and may charge extremely high prepayment penalties. Do not go through with a lender if they are charging beyond what is reasonable.
Go to the Car Dealership
Once you’ve done your homework and have a pre-approval with you, go to the car dealer and pick your favourite vehicle. The car dealer may try to offer other options, make sure you try to find one that is more affordable.
If you can’t find a better deal, then go ahead with the purchase of your current car since you’ve done all your research about how much you’ll be paying.
Recommended: Set Up Automatic Payments
Once you have secured the finances for your car, it is important to stay current with your account and make all your payments on time. Set up automatic payments so you won’t forget missing a payment. Timely payments are important in order to maintain and improve your credit score.
Everyone knows that the professional landscape is always evolving and shifting, adapting and relining with the way that the world around it is functioning and thriving at any given time. We have seen an incredible amount of attention to detail and overall emphasis that is focused primarily not just on what works for the industries at any given time but also what is going to be most effective for the moving forward. There is a lot to be said about the fact that while there is significant interest and investment in powering for the current era in this particular field, there are always ways to enhance and improve. And now that we are moving into a modern age that is all about embracing modernisation like never before, this is truer than ever.
How the digital age impacts businesses
In the digital age, there is genuinely so much to be said about the fact that it has truly impacted and entirely revolutionised every aspect of life as we know it every corresponding industry in their own ways. For businesses of all natures, shapes, and sizes around the globe, there is quite a lot to be said about understanding not only how businesses are able to navigate their way through the beginning stages but also how they are able to do so on an active and ongoing basis moving forward from here on out. What has always worked so well for businesses is perhaps no longer as relevant and so the digital age is impacting businesses of all natures, shapes, and sizes by inspiring them to embrace modernisation and work towards finding better ways to move forward, onward, and upward.
Adequately managing your business’ finances in the digital age
Each and every aspect of how business functions and thrives today has been and continues to be impacted. This of course includes the business’ finances. Adequately managing your business’ finances is all about understanding that while there have been significantly successful innovations in the past, the best way to embrace they are moving forward is to figure out how they can be impactful in the future. Business finances today can be made more convenient and efficient by being streamlined online. For your business expenses, you can pay bill online for faster transactions and easy tracking of payments.As a result, adequately managing business finances in the digital era is all about embracing the digital landscape and utilising it to your distinct advantage in a way that allows you to come and pursue the longevity and success of your company.
Why this is always going to be of the utmost important
Without a doubt, the finances of a business is one of the most important meeting pieces. The corporate account of a business ultimately says a lot about how the business operates and functions on a daily basis as well as how it is able to withstand change overtime. And this is always going to be incredibly important to understand. Regardless of how the nature of business is going to evolve over the years, the importance of being able to manage professional finances for the business and surrounding the business is always going to have a significant role to play.
