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Home Based Jobs - How to Respond to Shipment Delays

When a shipment delay occurs, it is important to handle this situation effectively. If it is not handled correctly, a dispute could be not far away in the near future. Shipping delays are a common reason for disputes for several businesses.

Reasons for Shipment Delays

The following are possible reasons for shipment delays, especially when the goods are being shipped from overseas.

Complexity of Global Sourcing
Lack of Experience with Modern Processes
Port Congestion due to High Volumes
Increased Security Measures
Sharing of Different Technical Standards
Difficulty of Understanding Written Explanations
Undesirable Weather
Labor Disputes
Low-quality Research and Development. Although it is improving, it is still not at the level of the Western standards.
Lack of International Trade and Export Experience
Differences in Culture
Difference in Time Zone

How to Avoid Shipment Delays

To avoid shipment delays and dissatisfied customers, a business could assure the following measures are in place to encourage a smoother flow of operations.

Carry a larger stock and inventory of merchandise.
Be certain to have a backup source, even if the source may be more expensive. If it is faster, it may be more profitable in the long run.
Aim for expedited shipping with faster transportation modes.

How to Deal With Shipment Delays

Build effective sourcing relationships with the potential suppliers on your list.

Advise your customers of important shipment delays. This will establish your trust and loyalty with your customers. When there is a delay in shipment, it is a must to notify the customer as quickly as possible, as disputes can arise when there is a difference in delivery time than what was initially indicated. This gives the option for the customer to continue to wait for the delivery or to cancel the order. Usually, if the time frame and expected shipment date has little variance, the customer will not mind waiting, and will appreciate being notified in advance of a delay.

Always show your gratitude and appreciation for your customer's business and loyalty, regardless of the decision.

The following is a letter sample for advising the customer of an unexpected delay of shipment.

Dear __________,

Thank you for your purchase. This letter is to advise you that due to an unexpected shipment delay from our suppliers overseas, we are unable to make the delivery on the date indicated on your purchase order.

We do expect to have the order shipped by ___________, and will hold the order for the arrival of the merchandise. The products will be delivered promptly to you, as soon as the goods are received.

We thank you for your patience in this matter, and continue to value you as a loyal customer.

Sincerely,

Previously worked as a nurse and human resources manager. Now is a self-employed consultant and writer. Louanne welcomes you to find extremely helpful work from home advice and work from home jobs at http://workingfromhometalk.com WorkingFromHomeTalk.com, Work From Home. Remember to check out http://customerserviceagents.ca CustomerServiceAgents.ca for customer service agents tips and call centre work.

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Poor Internet Customer Follow-Through? 6 Reasons Your Website Traction May Be Low

If you have a high visitor bounce rate, or you find visitors aren't taking action, your are experiencing the signs that your website has low traction. There are some things you can do to increase the type of internet customer follow-through you desire. It begins by taking an objective look at your website.

1) Did your content deliver on the search keywords?

This is something you learn by analyzing your site analytics. You'll discover what leads customers to each page and where they leave your site. If they are leaving on the landing page that could suggest you aren't delivering the content expected. If they are leaving your site elsewhere, you'll need to dig further. You must identify why your site isn't keeping website visitors.

2) Did you include a call to action on the landing page?

You can't assume your visitor is going to do what you want him/her to do. What action do you want your visitor to take? Do you want him/her to opt-in for a free white paper or eBook? Then that call to action should be near the top of the page. In fact, the upper right side of the page is one of the best spots.

There are two things you can never assume. First, never assume your visitor is going to stay on the page long enough to scroll down the page. Second, never assume your visitor is going to know what to do if you don't tell him/her.

3) Do you have a customer friendly ordering process?

If you see a tendency to leave your site at the shopping cart, you may want to figure out what caused the customer to turn away. Look at possible scenarios.

Could it be that you require credit card information before you supply shipping rates? Or did the customer go ahead and supply the credit card info, only to cancel the transaction after the shipping costs were revealed? This may suggest that the reason the customer didn't complete the transaction was connected with the cost of shipping.

4) Do you have a merchant account or PayPal?

Could it be that you don't offer PayPal? Some customers don't want to go looking for their credit card so a site that doesn't have PayPal could lose traction unless the pricing is too good to pass up.

Could it be that you only use PayPal to process credit card transactions? You could be losing traction with the segment of the population that won't use PayPal because of the perceived risks in doing so. Having a merchant account can prevent this type of customer loss.

5) Is your sign-up process frightening?

People are afraid to give away private information. In most cases, if you are building a list, all you need is an email and name. Asking for more than this may frighten potential customers away. Only make essential information mandatory.

6) Is your content engaging and informative?

Finally, don't create pages on your website that sound like they came out of an encyclopedia. And avoid content that is artificial and stilted because you are trying to work in keywords. Any keywords you use should be used as naturally as possible.

Learn what your potential customers are looking for and focus your website on meeting that need. This should improve the traction of your website. Just remember that a 2% conversion rate is good. If you are getting higher than that, your traction rate is exceeding the norm.

Denise Rutledge writes website content from a marketing perspective as part of her ghostwriting, SEO article, [http://writingasaghost.com/webcontent.html]SEO website content, eBook and resume services at [http://writingasaghost.com]http://writingasaghost.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Poor-Internet-Customer-Follow-Through?-6-Reasons-Your-Website-Traction-May-Be-Low&id=6168904] Poor Internet Customer Follow-Through? 6 Reasons Your Website Traction May Be Low

How To Build A Customer-Centric Web 2.0 Brand Using Live Chat As a Tool

Do you sell products that need after-sales service or are you a service provider who renders technical support services to your clients from time to time?

Running an unintegrated online business is enough to make a frustrated customer give up on you and click over to one of your competitors. Today's customers are irritated calling your ever busy customer care numbers and the risk of interminable waits amid canned music. The novelty of hearing repeated automatic assurances that "your call is very important to us" probably wore off about five minutes after it was first launched.

Moreover, assuming, you stand, lost and indecisive, in the middle of a shopping mall. Nine times out of ten you will be approached by a friendly store assistant who has noticed your obvious quandary, and who offers help in the hope of closing a sale. This customer experience can be transferred online, too, using live chat tools.

Business by nature itself is competitive and the battle to offer better customer service never ends. Companies strive hard to differentiate themselves from other in many ways like offering discount, better quality or better service. And best is to concentrate on customer service option which is financially sound and sensible. Installing live chat software can be the best option to gain competitive benefits. The ultimate aim of live chat system is usually to help retain customers and improve sales; both are beneficial to the company. Following are few reasons how website gain competitive benefits using live chat software.

Online Businesses have had several advantages with selling on the Web, however one disadvantage that constrained online merchants was their inability to approach customers as they're shopping and pitch them on the spot. With Live Chat solutions, that scenario has changed considerably as they not just provide chatting functions; they also include new surveillance capabilities that allow retailers to track (in real time) what pages a customer is visiting and what links they're clicking on. This facility is nearly a godsend to sellers that monitor potential clients with such ease now; it would put the FBI wiretap agents to shame.

Sellers can monitor buyer activity, duration on the pages, particular areas of interest etc, in such a way that it becomes obvious who is serious and who's not. Customers' confidence in purchasing online is growing by the day and the added advantage of Live Chat in reassuring the customer that they're dealing with another person is huge in closing more business. It would make intuitive sense: customers can ask questions before buying the same way they could in a brick and mortar store. No phone calls, no automated systems, no echoing silence from across the Internet.

On Time Service - Convenience is the keyword for customer shopping online and companies needs to be prepared to offer such comfort. Any person doing online purchase will look for help anytime he wants, that is like 27X7 service for the company. Individual person will have different kind of query which could be related to information or sale, and not every question your FAQ section will have an answer. Here, Live Chat is the only option that offers customer on time service 27*7.

Easy and Free - Live chat offers high level of convenience with quick service which other forms of communication do not offer. Today users do not have time to bother or reply about the email sent or reach the operator via a telephone, which keeps you in queue for longer time. Of course the process should be much easier, that is where a live help can be a savior. It offers service at a click of button and even the operator has a chance to offer proactive chat to the website visitors. On the other hand, live chat option is free for customer, which can just be the best when compared phone or message.

Quick Selling - Time is the major factor for a person shopping online. He will not wait long time typing and sending mails or submission an inquiry form regarding all his doubts. If you are ready to serve the customer on time with live chat you will see gigantic change in the number of sale. Once the customer is clear about his query he will shop instantly and that leads to quick selling for the company, which might not be possible for companies having telephone, email and forms as the way of communication with customers.

This is the best and most important factor to be considered if you are doing business online. When the customer has happy shopping experience online, he/she will definitely recommend your site to others. At the same time, you can get instant feedback over live chat about how was the experience shopping with your site. Even if the feedback is poor, you have a chance to improve on recommended particular area of the website. You cannot gain this competitive advantage if you don't have live chat software installed. Live chat system gives a feeling to visitors that your company is dedicated to customer service and business both simultaneously.

Danny Brooks Technologies as a foremost Live Chat service provider in Nigeria and throughout the African continent, seamlessly integrates into your existing website a custom designed, non-branded Live Chat button and Live Chat windows through which, your website visitors can enjoy consultative interactions with your customer care team while we also help them in saving their hard earned money from being wasted on long phone calls while trying to lodge their agonizing
complaints about your service delivery.

Our E-CRM comes powered with every tool you need to increase your customer-to-sales conversion rate. Backed with years of industry experience and comprehensive research, our live chat solution has been designed to provide scalability and ease of use. Using our application, businesses or contact centers can now provide multilingual services to any number of websites from any number of locations around the world.

Daniel Akintola is the Managing Director, Dannybrooks Technologies; a foremost online brand perception management company with a niche in Live Customer Support Chat Solution, Email Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation, Website Development, Mobile Marketing (sms & voice call) etc. Our office is situated at

36a, Toyin Street,

3rd Floor Stanbic IBTC Building,

Opposite White House Hotel,

Ikeja Lagos,Nigeria

E-MAIL: [mailto:ceo@dannybrookstechnologies.com]ceo@dannybrookstechnologies.com

URL: http://www.dannybrookstechnologies.com

PHONE NUMBER: +2348029819078

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Website Benefits

Do you have a business? How would you like to have local and worldwide exposure for your business for very small investment? If today's people have an idea, they want answers now, not in a week's time. You will have a silent salesperson employed 24 hours a day, seven days a week forever if you choose. Your product on your website will be special to you. Now you can let the world know, from your relatives on the other side of the world, to a company that is trying to muscle in on your local territory. Websites are instant and informative. They provide brand recognition for your business especially if you have a professional website. Build a customer database of people who are interested in your products and look after them well. It is easy to send a reminder on how your product or service can help them either as individuals or companies. The subsequent rise in your business enquiries will be evidence of this.

Customer service is a hot topic today; with your own website you are able to provide great customer service. A website can give you the ability via emails to sort out issues or problems that need attention. This means you can help people, without resorting to abusive phone calls, in doing so making a customer feel you are running a great business. Fast responses to customer queries are likely to establish credibility and trust of you and your website. A wider range of clients ensues from word of mouth approval by satisfied customers.

Your new website is available to educate your customers about your business. They may check everyday if you promote specials, or sales or even personal updates. Personal happenings make people feel included in your life and business. We all know everyone tries to look after family!

Maman is a sixty plus liberated woman despite having a husband and four children.

She trained as a nurse and remains interested in health issues. Spent many years farming achieving farm management qualifications and a real insight into animal husbandry. The next career change included a Diploma in Real Estate and business management, covering buildings and their construction.

Growing older then included some time in the hospitality industry and business. http://onyourown.co.nz

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Website-Benefits&id=6142906] Website Benefits

Get Paid to Shop! Learn How to Become a Successful Mystery Shopper

Franchises and businesses with multiple locations want to see their business from the customer point of view. To do this, they hire a company that specializes in customer service evaluations. These companies, in turn, contract people to go into an establishment and evaluate the service. The contractors are known as mystery shoppers or secret shoppers. They are not employees of the mystery shopping company; they are hired to perform a specific job. For most shops, they act no different from any other customer and their identity is not revealed. The difference is that the mystery shopper is paid to provide feedback to company by completing a questionnaire after the shop.

Since you are going to business and retail locations, you should live in or close to a city or suburban area. If you live miles away from the closest city, mystery shopping is probably not for you. You will not make enough money to make it worthwhile because of the distance to the businesses, the time spent traveling, and the fuel cost.

You will not get rich by being a mystery shopper. Shoppers are generally paid between $8 and $25 per shop, depending on the job requirements. In addition, you may be reimbursed for a meal, or purchased item or service. The more successful shoppers are those who work for several companies and who use their time and fuel efficiently by doing several shops the same day in the same area.

To find companies that hire mystery shoppers, you can search for "mystery shopper jobs" or "mystery shopping companies" in a search engine such as Google or Bing. DO NOT PAY FOR INFORMATION! Look for the actual mystery companies and NOT sites that charge you and at best provide the same information you can get for free. If the company is accepting mystery shoppers, you will be asked to sign up at their site. When shops become available, they will notify you, usually by email.

To be successful shopper, you should have the following:

1. A reliable computer and access to the Internet. Although it is best if you have your own computer, you may be able to use a public computer to enter shops and check your email.

Many public libraries have computers available for public use, but you should be aware that libraries are only open certain hours and sometimes impose strict time limits. If you are using a public computer, make sure that the computer is available when you need to submit the information.

2. A scanner or good quality digital camera so that you can take a picture of a receipt and store it as a file. You can then submit it electronically by either uploading the file from a link provided on their website or sending it as an attachment to an email.

3. An email address that you can check frequently. Many mystery shopping companies send you an email when shops are available. The quicker you respond, the better your chances of getting the shop. You should know how to send and receive email. You should also be able to view an attachment and attach a file since you may be asked to submit documentation electronically.

4. Basic computer skills, including the ability to spell check, copy and paste, and upload files. You should be familiar with accessing websites, registering at websites, and sending and receiving email.

5. Ability to write clearly and concisely in English. Bad grammar, misspellings, and incorrect punctuation reduce your changes of getting future work.

6. Good observation skills and an eye for detail. For example, you might be asked to comment on the cleanliness of an establishment, recall the greeting stated by the employee, or provide the length of time it took to be served.

7. Finally, you need to have reliable transportation. It's important that you are able to reach the location and perform the shop on time.

Happy Shopping!

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Get-Paid-to-Shop!-Learn-How-to-Become-a-Successful-Mystery-Shopper&id=6134679] Get Paid to Shop! Learn How to Become a Successful Mystery Shopper

The Client Contract - Unwritten But Essential

Those of you who have read other articles I have written on customer service will know that I believe that the customer is always right. Even when they are wrong, they are always right. A cleaning business is a place of strong relationships and trust, and as part of this the customer is always right.

There is no point in making someone wrong and even proving it with all the facts at your fingertips. It makes them feel like they have made a mistake and often they will blame you for making them feel that way because you have shown them the errors they have made. It is not a good thing to do because they are likely to go somewhere else for their services instead of coming back to you again.

There are however at least two situations where you may need to show the customer they are not correct.

The first one is where there is a major discrepancy in the accounting. If you believe they have not paid you for your goods or services, then you have the right to make your case and prove to the customer that they have missed payment. After all you are in business to earn a living and make money, so I believe you have the right to state your case clearly.

Don't use this approach over a few dollars however. It is not in your best interests to make a case over a simple error that will not make much difference to your bottom line. Just make sure it does not happen to you again. You might let one instance of a small amount go through, but I hope you would be more wary, especially if it happens more than that. That is a coincidence you don't want to repeat. If it happens a third time it becomes a pattern.

The second situation where it is relevant to stand up for yourself is in the unfortunate case where there is abuse. If there is a matter at issue that needs to be resolved keep the customer on side. Do not get angry or take offense as far as possible.

But when the customer starts to make it personal and becomes abusive it is time to change tack and retreat. It is at this point that the contract between customer and you is at an end or at least suspended. They have crossed the line.

There is an unwritten contract between client and service provider that is about being mutually respectful. By not making them wrong you are upholding that contract. When there is a dispute that deteriorates into abuse that contract is broken and the rules are gone.

In this situation it is important for your reputation that you do not indulge yourself and take part in a slanging match. If you do, it will be all over town by morning. You need to walk away from the situation, and never go back. If you have to leave behind the money for the service, do it. Any client who starts to abuse you is not worth the money. If the client contacts you again and apologies, asking you to return (is that likely?) then you need to make a judgment call as to whether you want to go back there again, and whether the situation might recur or not. You are in my opinion perfectly entitled never to go back if you have the least doubt. As I always say, you are not desperate.

It really is a relationship between yourself and the customer.

This breaking of the rules has other forms as well. Any form of sexual approach that is unwelcome is an example. Treating you with disdain while pretending to be civil is a borderline call.

We once had a client whose husband clearly resented our being in the house. He would come home from work when we were there, and once he left our money in the peanut jar! (He thought he was being clever, and being dumb cleaners we wouldn't get the point.) In the end we had no choice but to leave. It seems the only person who was going to clean his house was the wife.

These examples are just some of the situations that can arise and start to break the contract between you both. If you are starting to feel like you are not being respected, honour the feeling, and find what is happening to break the trust. If you find you have not been living up to the contract yourself you will need to take steps to rectify the problem, and quickly, starting with an apology.

But if the break-down is coming from the other side you have the right to walk away. Do it with dignity and your reputation will not be hurt. The contract has been broken.

Luke Dearlove operated his own cleaning business in regional Australia for over five years.

In the new eBook Build Your Own Cleaning Business he shows you everything you want to know about setting yourself up in business with next to no capital, and to get you cleaning and earning like a professional.

With industry knowledge, insider's secrets and videos to show you how there is nothing to stop you getting out there and becoming your own boss, and building an asset for yourself. There is even advice on selling your business when you decide you want to move on.

Visit http://www.buildacleaningbusiness.com to get updates and free advice on how to make your new business going and growing.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Client-Contract---Unwritten-But-Essential&id=61...] The Client Contract - Unwritten But Essential

How To Identify Customers And Effectively Market In Your Business Niche

What will work and more likely allow you to reap better results is casting or luring in a smaller area of the ocean. The emphasis is more direct and specific to a unique and tighter sector as opposed to a wider audience in a huge industry. What ends up happening is that the haphazard casino style approach for finding the "right" customer is dismissed or eliminated all together. In turn a smarter, research oriented and focused strategy is the focus. It identifies the places where likely consumers visit and which lead the business owner in locating the right customer base who has a greater interest in the product or service offered.

The beauty in this approach is that if you are able to identify a niche area in your industry, it will save you time, effort, and a whole lot of headaches. Ultimately, it will be easier to research if you identify specific spots where people who have a need for your product or service hang out. However, before you start staking the sweet spots where your customers tend to hangout, take a moment to think about and actually record on paper the specific attributes of these people. Who are the customers that you want to engage in a business transaction?

Jot down every aspect of their personality, their likes, dislikes, anything and everything that paints a crystal clear picture of your customer. What they think and belief will, to a great extent, highlight what they like to do. Usually in their 'doing,' we can see the places of interest and the places they choose to identify which also brings to light more of their interests. So, is she a tea lover or more so a coffee connoisseur? Does he grab his coffee or tea (or both) to go? Does he prefer to sit and sip it? Does your customer buy it at Dunkin' Donuts or prefers Starbucks? It is important that you take the time to answer these types of questions. (And no I don't mean what's their favorite beverage). It may sound silly and a bit mundane yet the clearer is your TARGET base and their attributes, then the more direct and satisfying will be your interaction with them.

Find out more about Miriam at: http://www.MiriamBuhr.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Identify-Customers-And-Effectively-Market-In...] How To Identify Customers And Effectively Market In Your Business Niche

The Customer Advantage Review - Is There Really An Advantage?

Although the profit sharing isn't very common, the compensation plan is. It is currently free to sign up this opportunity but all those wishing to join must do so through a referral. This is a good thing for people that are not able to join opportunities because of high start-up cost. When reps enroll a new team member they receive 2% commission for all sales processed by there new member. All other commissions are based on a 5% override for five levels.

The Customer Advantage business opportunity is not a program that will pay high commissions out of the gate. But over time members have the ability to build multiple six figure incomes and higher. Member's income will be based on their team size and sales volume. With the popularity of daily coupons it would not be a surprise to see distributor become top earners in a matter of months.

It is also important to note that along with a great product, opportunities need great leaders and marketing training. Many distributors downfall end up being a lack of marketing knowledge. What good is a great product if you are unable to sell it.

RanDale Harvey is an expert online marketer, trainer, and coach.

Visit http://HarveysNetwork.info Receive your FREE 7 Day Video Training, How To Generate 102+ Leads A Day, Starting From Scratch In The Next 15 Days.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Customer-Advantage-Review---Is-There-Really-An-...?&id=5936898] The Customer Advantage Review - Is There Really An Advantage?

Drop Shipping Wholesalers And Starting A Business

"Drop shipping" is so-called because the person who sells the item orders it from the wholesaler who in turn ships it to the buyer. Thus it is dropped on the doorstep of the person who bought it. It may sound a little confusing, but what happens is that a person goes to a wholesaler site and decides on a particular item. This item is then placed for bids, and hopefully eventually sells. When it does, the original person uses the funds generated to purchase the item and sends it to the person who won the bid.

Drop shipping wholesalers are set up so that a person can do this easily and efficiently. The person sets up a membership with the wholesaler as well as at least one site that sells items, both of which take only a few minutes. Once this is done, the person is able to look at the wholesaler's inventory and decide on which items to use for the selling site.

The only major limitation is that some sites do not like dropshippers, and others limit sellers to what they physically have in their possession; allowing for these restrictions, a number of sites do allow dropshippers. Once the system has been set up, the person is then able to sell the items from the wholesaler site and then drop ship the item once sold to the paying customer.

Obviously this requires a certain amount of organization to ensure that customers and products remain matched. However, proper use of a database can help keep track of what has been sold and is on the way to a customer, so it ensures that the proper item has been sent to the proper customer.

As long as a seller's items are reasonably unique, a person can make a reasonable sum through the use of drop shipping wholesalers in their business. It is just a matter of making the right choices and then making sure that the items are marketed the right way; once that has been done, the business just takes regular maintenance to be profitable.

Are you looking for [http://www.wholesalesourcing.org/what-is-wholesale-sourcing]wholesale sourcing for your business? Be sure to visit my site to learn more about finding wholesale sources and to read my review of [http://www.wholesalesourcing.org/auction-profit-streams]Auction Profit Streams.

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How to Get People to Sign Up to Your Website

When someone signs up to a site, they may not issue out all the accurate personal information yet its key for cases of setting up market strategies. Complete data about an individual has to be acquired by the site owner to smooth the process and to also assist them in relevant recommendations.

Clients are always helped when they are issued with your background information as well as history of practice in your activity or profession. That is the importance of introducing yourself to the customers.

There is always a line between private matters and business issues and one has to ensure that. They however need to issue out detailed information in some cases for example when it comes to selling their ideas and products to the customer and given prior business experience, it would be a bonus to them.

In issuing out information, you need not give all the details but rather only that which is relevant to your field of activity.

When you are seeking for trust from your potential customers, you have to work for it and this can be done through recommendation the right products and ensuring that these services or products are of high quality.

It is key for sales to grow and this largely depends on what service or product has been offered to the customer. If they are satisfied or pleased with these, they become loyal customers.

A targeted message to a customer about a preferred product is a wise idea because it saves both parties a lot of precious time. They don't have to search for their desired product for long. When high quality and sincerity can't be earned, failure emerges. [http://carpetprices.org]Carpet prices and [http://runner-rugs.net]runner rugs prices are usually in the same range.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Get-People-to-Sign-Up-to-Your-Website&id=596...] How to Get People to Sign Up to Your Website