The first goal is to keep learning
My first goal as a college senior was to have the kind of job where I would never have to wear a tie. Achievement unlocked. But that didn’t really get to the core of the issue. I was really trying to…
How do community managers build community?
Talking to customers. Understanding their needs. Brokering disputes. Learning what’s best for the community as stated by the members of the community. And communicating that to others. These are some of the things that the best community managers do (online…
Small Companies Care More About Customers
Quick, name the last time you dealt with a big company and had a great experience. For most of us, it’s hard to think of a time when that happened. Now, think of a neighborhood business or a shop or…
Whodunnit? A Customer Service Detective Story
Once upon a time, you had a problem with customer service and you mentioned the problem to your server, the front desk, or the person who interacted with you directly. You may have also called a toll-free number or a front…
How to Hire an Awesome Community Manager for your Startup
photo by Who will be successful as a community manager? I love coming across new community managers who say, “I guess I’ve been doing this my whole life.” It’s a light bulb that goes off in them and they’re excited…
Great Service Starts When the Customer Walks In
(image courtesy of Moleskine) THE SCENE: Your Average Neighborhood Art Store THE PROTAGONIST: Your Average Customer THE CUSTOMER’S RESULT: “Wow, I don’t think I’ll ever go there again.” How often have you walked into a store, found something on sale with a “can’t…
Imagining the machine
Photo by zigazou76 You’ve probably been there: a meeting where there’s a great idea to make a new feature. “Wouldn’t be great if…” is often the trigger to a neat, as yet unproven idea. So how can you get more…
The customer is mostly right
Understanding what it takes to provide great service starts with the famous adage about customers: that they are always right. The next step is to acknowledge that the adage must not always be true when you learn about the customer’s…
Why I wish Jelly were more like whiteboarding
You may have heard of the new app Jelly – it’s a simple idea, really – that people would rather share questions with each other through pictures and then use those pictures to elicit discussion. Find answer to important things, the…
