3 Tech Upgrades to Empower Your SMB to Compete Like a Big Dog in 2025

Businessman working and Installing update process. Software update or operating system upgrade to keep the device up to date with added functionality in new version and improve security.

As a small or midsized company, you’re always on the lookout for opportunities to compete with larger businesses. The right technology followed by new tech upgrades can be the key to leveling the playing field. In fact, a strong technology infrastructure can serve as a powerful equalizer for small and midsized businesses (SMBs), giving them…

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Understanding How Customer Feedback Helps in Refining Product Strategy

customer feedback,experience,review concept.Hands holding mobile

Product strategy serves as the foundation of any successful business as well as a guide for decisions about what products to create, how to design them, and how to deliver them effectively to your target market. This high-level plan shapes the instructions that your business presents to product design services providers and the standards against…

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Follow These Creative Customer Service Tactics from Small Business Owners

Female customer service representative at work.

Picture this: a frustrated customer transformed into a loyal advocate through an unexpected, creative solution that leaves a lasting impression. In this article, industry leaders—including CEOs and VPs—share seven innovative strategies they’ve used to turn challenges into opportunities. From adding a personal touch to creating troubleshooting videos, these actionable insights are designed to elevate customer…

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The Impact of Tipping and “Tipflation” on Customer Satisfaction (podcast)

Man holding a tablet with tipping screen inside a restaurant

Join customer service expert Shep Hyken as he talks about how tipping and “tipflation” impacts customer satisfaction scores and the need for businesses to improve customer service and experience. Top Takeaways: The frequency of tipping, or “tipflation,” has increased across industries. Businesses should consider tipping practices’ impact on customer satisfaction and carefully evaluate when and how tipping…

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Strategies for Working With Difficult Customers

No matter what industry your business is in, you are bound to encounter difficult customers and clients at some point. Whether you’re working to satisfy the demands of picky homeowners or provide emotionally intelligent advice to clients in difficult financial situations, you need to know how to confidently face complexity. Follow along as we provide…

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Why We Have Trouble Talking to Customers

a business owner talking with customers

As sellers, our job is talking to customers. But apparently we do a very bad job at it. Research report after research report say the same things: The majority of customers prefer a rep-free buying experience. Over 83% (and climbing) prefer to learn about products/solutions without involving a seller. For those that do involve sellers,…

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Your Customers Don’t Know What They Don’t Know

Recently, I was in a discussion with a group of outstanding sales people. They were talking about how to align their selling process with the customer buying process. One of the sales people asked, “How do we learn their buying process?” Some readers may think, “Isn’t this obvious?” After all, classically, we know we have…

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Are You Managing The Process Or Is It Managing You?

Deal review after deal review, I see the same thing. Sales people don’t seem to be managing the process, they are responding to what the customer is doing (or not doing). This is particularly frightening, when one recognizes customers don’t know how to buy, they wander through the buying process, going back and forth, starting…

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6 Personalization Strategies to Supercharge Your Marketing

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” – Dale Carnegie That truth is a cornerstone of Dale Carnegie’s timeless advice in his perennially bestselling book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. It is just as true – and important – today as when Carnegie…

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