Comments on: The story of a remarkable business turnaround http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/ News, opinion, and fresh thinking for web developers and designers. The official podcast of sitepoint.com. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:06:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: 3PointRoss http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-22427 3PointRoss Wed, 10 May 2006 01:15:16 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-22427 I agree completely, It is very important to look at your customers as more than just customers. Many times when I am having a bad day, I constantly remind myself to make sure I am cheery and interested when ever talking to a customer. I want them to have no problem calling and chatting with me, not worrying that I might be grumpy on a specific day. I agree completely,

It is very important to look at your customers as more than just customers. Many times when I am having a bad day, I constantly remind myself to make sure I am cheery and interested when ever talking to a customer. I want them to have no problem calling and chatting with me, not worrying that I might be grumpy on a specific day.

]]> By: hdsol http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21954 hdsol Fri, 05 May 2006 11:10:07 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21954 One more thing that goes well with the items mentioned here is to educate the customer in a positive friendly way. Do this even if you may not get the sale right away. I once had a jeweler spend over an hour teaching me about diamonds. He did this even though I was "just looking" and his store was packed with other customers. When I went to other stores to look for engagment rings, I used my new learned knowledge. I ended up buying from this first store because he was friendly and invested his time and efforts in to me. His price was a little higher but he delivered my a great product. Over ten years and 2 wives later, I still use him. I also use this same sales technique in my business. You can eliminate a lot of your lowball compitition when you educate people about value and the various ways that some scammers degrade our business. BTW: I am still married to #2 with 4 kids. One more thing that goes well with the items mentioned here is to educate the customer in a positive friendly way. Do this even if you may not get the sale right away. I once had a jeweler spend over an hour teaching me about diamonds. He did this even though I was “just looking” and his store was packed with other customers. When I went to other stores to look for engagment rings, I used my new learned knowledge. I ended up buying from this first store because he was friendly and invested his time and efforts in to me. His price was a little higher but he delivered my a great product. Over ten years and 2 wives later, I still use him. I also use this same sales technique in my business. You can eliminate a lot of your lowball compitition when you educate people about value and the various ways that some scammers degrade our business.

BTW: I am still married to #2 with 4 kids.

]]> By: WarpNacelle http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21754 WarpNacelle Wed, 03 May 2006 18:57:22 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21754 It's not really rocket science is it. :) Value your customer and they will value you. It’s not really rocket science is it. :)
Value your customer and they will value you.

]]> By: aneitlich http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21740 aneitlich Wed, 03 May 2006 15:41:22 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21740 Gator99: His only experience with the Internet right now is online dating. He just moved here, and needs some company besides me, my wife, and our two kids! Gator99: His only experience with the Internet right now is online dating. He just moved here, and needs some company besides me, my wife, and our two kids!

]]> By: Gator99 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21723 Gator99 Wed, 03 May 2006 13:19:39 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21723 Does Bill know anything about web design? Does Bill know anything about web design?

]]> By: willoworks http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21714 willoworks Wed, 03 May 2006 12:23:30 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21714 Andrew, Also very glad to see you back on the scene. I am going to print this entry for my boss. I think that may be him! Andrew,
Also very glad to see you back on the scene. I am going to print this entry for my boss. I think that may be him!

]]> By: Siyaxoxa.com » Blog Archive » On Business Behaviour http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21681 Siyaxoxa.com » Blog Archive » On Business Behaviour Wed, 03 May 2006 07:38:27 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21681 [...] along the same lines I ran into this blog entry by Andrew Neitlich which covers similar topics. What he says is very true and I’ve seen the same sort of turn around and growth happen in my fathers business. However I don’t think its only applicable to people running their own business. [...] […] along the same lines I ran into this blog entry by Andrew Neitlich which covers similar topics. What he says is very true and I’ve seen the same sort of turn around and growth happen in my fathers business. However I don’t think its only applicable to people running their own business. […]

]]> By: vworld http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21676 vworld Wed, 03 May 2006 06:42:00 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21676 Great article, its so important to charge a fair rate, i.e., to make a profit for your services. And ikeo, I agree with you a 100%, I've recently done the same things and it does make a difference because you get a different type of client. :) Great article, its so important to charge a fair rate, i.e., to make a profit for your services. And ikeo, I agree with you a 100%, I’ve recently done the same things and it does make a difference because you get a different type of client. :)

]]> By: old_expat http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21642 old_expat Wed, 03 May 2006 02:41:01 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21642 <blockquote>It’s not hard, and yet we all know plenty of professionals who are grumpy, think about themselves first, are not very approachable, and can’t speak in common language or step in the other person’s shoes to explain the benefits of a product/service.</blockquote> I see a lot of this attitude in forum discussions among designers .. and shudder to think about what doing business with them might be like.

It’s not hard, and yet we all know plenty of professionals who are grumpy, think about themselves first, are not very approachable, and can’t speak in common language or step in the other person’s shoes to explain the benefits of a product/service.

I see a lot of this attitude in forum discussions among designers .. and shudder to think about what doing business with them might be like.

]]> By: ikeo http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21634 ikeo Wed, 03 May 2006 01:08:23 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/05/03/the-story-of-a-remarkable-business-turnaround/#comment-21634 I've got to agree ... and I have to say that I used to find myself acting the ex-manager guy from time to time ... I'd get irritated over having to do re-do a layout or adding some small detail that wasn't in the original application spec and it would come across in my conversation with clients (very bad). My solution ... raise my rates and find better clients. I find that when I'm charging properly for my time then I am more giving of it and generally more personable. I don't mind hanging on the phone that extra 15 minutes just chatting with the client about the days events etc Weirdly enough, I've found that that good clients/folks with money just don't sweat the small stuff ... they usually just say ... "Bill me". I’ve got to agree … and I have to say that I used to find myself acting the ex-manager guy from time to time …

I’d get irritated over having to do re-do a layout or adding some small detail that wasn’t in the original application spec and it would come across in my conversation with clients (very bad).

My solution … raise my rates and find better clients. I find that when I’m charging properly for my time then I am more giving of it and generally more personable. I don’t mind hanging on the phone that extra 15 minutes just chatting with the client about the days events etc

Weirdly enough, I’ve found that that good clients/folks with money just don’t sweat the small stuff … they usually just say … “Bill me”.

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