Ask a Manager

NOVEMBER 22, 2021

I am the owner of a very small company, around 15 people total. We are a niche online retailer. We do the vast majority of our sales through a popular online marketplace, but also have a company webstore where customers can order our products. You could solve this by just posting your no-cancellation policy on your website.

Customer Service 67

Customer Service Problem-Solving Small Business Retail 67

Ruby

NOVEMBER 23, 2021

Despite appeals from retailers big and small for customers to get their shopping done early this year, the National Retail Federation is projecting that holiday sales from November to December will grow by 8–10% from last year. The challenges aren’t just affecting retailers. Triple bummer. Practice empathy.

Retail 52

Retail Supplies Sales Customer Service 52

Ruby

JULY 15, 2020

We’re a sweepstakes and promotions agency for retailers. Leslie Allison: And I’m his wife, Leslie, and we’ve been doing this business for 14 years now. Mostly to restaurant chains, but we have other retailers. So we’ve had to be agile and shift on the fly, but we’re a small agency say four people fast. Greg Seei: Hi.

Retail 52

Retail Promotion Small Business Sales 52

Vantage Circle

JANUARY 2, 2025

Labor Cost Forecasting: Use historical data and sales forecasts to predict labor costs, helping you strategically plan budgets and adjust staffing levels. Buddy Punch : A simple and user-friendly platform for small businesses, combining scheduling and time tracking.

Software 52

Software Payroll Small Business Reporting 52

Ruby

AUGUST 16, 2021

Today, we’d like to shout out some of the other businesses that have built their brands by elevating their customers’ experiences and wowing the people they serve. Nordstrom Nordstrom is well-known in the retail world for its generous return policy and world-class customer service. Here are a few takeaways: 1.

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Purchasing Problem-Solving Small Business 52

Ruby

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

Today, small business websites have replaced the need for consumers to flip through physical directories. As a home services business, you may think that website chat is for larger companies like banks or retail outlets. Here are just a few ways that 24/7 live chat specialists can help your business reach new heights.

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Retail Banking Communication 52

Ruby

MAY 11, 2022

How do we turn that energy into the kinetic kind—where the customer leaves and then transforms the energy of their interaction into more new business, and we the stakeholders feel energized? As a general manager for a small retail business, I spent a lot of hours one-on-one with customers. That’s a super small number!

Sales 52

Sales Customer Service Purchasing Retail 52

Ruby

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

As a small business owner considering outsourcing to an answering service, likely one of the first considerations that comes to mind is “How much does an answering service cost?” Call centers are large operations that specialize in sales, marketing, and customer support over the phone. Ruby: the #1 business answering service.

Automotive 52

Automotive Real Estate Sales Small Business 52

Ruby

SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Call centers are large operations that specialize in sales, marketing, and customer support over the phone. They’re used by businesses that need to handle a high volume of low-complexity calls at once—as quickly as possible. An answering service can help your business save money.

Real Estate 52

Real Estate Customer Service Automotive Sales 52

Ruby

AUGUST 3, 2020

Marketing and sales efforts frequently focus on generating new business rather than converting people who have lapsed or lost interest. Alice + Olivia Why it works: We’re moving past emails here and into the realm of more foundational business practices. I hope so, because that’s what this blog post is all about.

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Retail Security Mailing 52

Ruby

DECEMBER 10, 2019

It means business opportunity. Any business looking to grow should consider using a live chat service. In fact, live chat might be the most important sales and customer service channel today. Overcome sales objections. Sales and marketing teams use live chat to generate interest and turn prospects into customers.

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Sales Banking Communication 52

Vantage Circle

SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

It makes sense for not only small businesses but also medium-sized businesses to cash in niche markets. Diet coke contributes to only 4% of Coca-Cola's total sales volume and it is considered to be a niche product for a segmented audience since it targets a specific group. Anyway, it makes sense right? Health freaks.

Advertising 40

Advertising Retail Salary Catering 40

Ruby

MARCH 23, 2022

That said, affiliate marketing isn’t just for retailers—it can also be a great strategy for many service-oriented businesses, such as IT firms, marketing agencies, or (in our case) customer communication solution providers. Payment terms: Businesses hire influencers upfront, and the parties typically agree to a lump sum.

Advertising 52

Advertising Influencing Promotion Networking 52

Ruby

JANUARY 24, 2022

They want your business to demonstrate awareness of your social and environmental impact, as well as your commitment to making the world a better place. You can show what your brand stands for in different ways, depending on the nature of your business. Every business thrives on sales. Provide stellar customer support.

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Sales Problem-Solving Manufacturing 52

Ask a Manager

JUNE 3, 2015

A reader writes: I am interviewing for a management position where I would be overseeing the retail operations of an historic site, a fairly significant source of income for them. I used to work there as a volunteer, so I have a (positive) history with the organization and am familiar with a lot of their policies, etc.

Interviewing 35

Interviewing Planning Retail Sales 35

Ask a Manager

NOVEMBER 23, 2022

This small business was owned by a married couple who were also landlords, so they were pretty wealthy and had a huge house. “We are a retail chain. The VP of Sales locked eyes with the CEO and they began to fully run toward each other, each clearly assuming the other would catch him. The car was never the same.”

Retail 45

Retail Sales Food Catering 45

Ruby

APRIL 25, 2021

The pressure is on for organizations (like your business) and professionals (like yourself) to answer questions, offer information, and address customer concerns online in a quick, accurate, and personal manner. A chat service can close the gap between customers reaching out for information and making a sale. Chat fulfills these needs.

Purchasing 52

Purchasing Automotive Customer Service Healthcare 52

Ruby

MARCH 25, 2021

The customer notices a buy-one, get-one sale on the product, but they have to sign up for a rewards program to get the BOGO price. In the background, technologies seamlessly updated their cart with the sale price, making it easier for the customer to complete a purchase. The same holds true for your business.

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Purchasing Technology Sales 52

Ask a Manager

SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

Several years ago I was working in a retail job that involved services for customers (a jewelry counter that also offered watch battery replacement and band changes/resizing). And my first job not involving sales). Are small business more toxic than larger ones? Dealing with a Pedantic Co-worker. No, you’re fine.

Interviewing 38

Interviewing Salary Problem-Solving Sales 38

Work Life

OCTOBER 30, 2023

Even as a small business owner, he’s helped some team members move into managerial positions or move from the retail side to quality assurance positions with overseas travel. “People need to see where they’re going in the organization,” he says.

Consulting 113

Consulting Flexibility Flexibility Reporting 113

Ask a Manager

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

She is a college student who works for a couple who owns a small business. and have no expertise in social media marketing, which their business relies heavily on. My cousin has expanded the business so much that they now make sales in all 50 states, Canada, and Australia.

Sales 42

Sales Retail Planning Consulting 42

Success

FEBRUARY 15, 2022

In 2021 their local team of over 30 real estate agents sold over 550 homes for over $160,000,000 in sales volume, making them one of the top producing real estate teams in Canada, and the #1 eXp Realty team in Alberta. . The team has sold over $1 billion in 2021 in real estate sales. Sports executive, sales leader, speaker.

Real Estate 124

Real Estate Coaching Mentoring Sales 124

Success

MAY 18, 2022

Small businesses can leverage a partnership to compete with a big competitor. Blue Moon Fair Trade partners with three other fair-trade retailers to combine trans-Pacific shipments, saving all of them up to 40% in shipping and paperwork expenses. Results: As of 2018, there were 11 retailers within Minnehaha Mile proper.

Retail 105

Retail Insurance Manufacturing Security 105

Work Life

JANUARY 16, 2024

Searching for ways to increase her online sales, she landed a contract with subscriber-based retailer, Stitch Fix, and used a government pandemic relief loan to fulfill the order. It also has incorporated its DEI goals into annual performance reviews for directors and company-wide incentive calculation.

Legal 81

Legal Retail Pharmaceutical Transportation 81

Work Life

NOVEMBER 10, 2024

This can be seen via decreased sales in industries such as auto repair—car owners pinching pennies by making simple fixes themselves—and decreased loan performance in American borrowers. Many indicators, such as small business retail sales appearing up 2.1%

Influencing 51

Influencing Healthcare Banking Government 51