Get A New Dallas Apartment

Real Estate | Posted by Marc
Sep 03 2010

We love loft living, and we especially love fantastic, upscale lofts and apartments, and the Kirby Residences on Main fit the bill nicely. Ideally situated in downtown Dallas, the Kirby Residences on Main have been home to the beautiful, 17-story tower that was originally built in 1913. This Gothic-inspired building was renovated into the 157 urban lofts and apartments now known as the Kirby Residences on Main is now the place to be for exceptional urban living in the heart of downtown Dallas.

The residences of the Kirby are loaded with all of the modern conveniences you can come to expect in downtown Dallas apartments. Although the building itself is reminiscence of days gone past, the amenities and services are anything but old fashioned. In fact, some of the modern conveniences you can expect in these downtown Dallas apartments include a Sky Fitness studio, a rooftop, heated swimming pool and spa, an outdoor kitchen with a cabana, climate-controlled storage units, high-speed Internet access, and a coffee/breakfast bar.

Active residents will thoroughly enjoy the rooftop swimming pool and fitness facility, while professionals will appreciate the luxurious spa as a welcome retreat from hectic, city life.

Other building amenities and features of the Kirby include:

• Concierge services
• Clubhouse with ice machine
• Pet-friendly
• On-site management
• Same-day maintenance
• Resident discounts at local restaurants

The interiors of the Kirby Residences on Main are just as exquisite, although the residents also enjoy the beautiful, original features of the building, as well. Upon entering one of the residences of these downtown Dallas apartments, you can expect to find amazing, beautifully restored hardwood flooring, 11-foot ceilings, ceiling fans, and sweeping, city skylines.

Other features of the residences of the Kirby include:

• Electric Kitchens
• Washer/Dryer Connections
• High ceilings
• Concrete floors
• Loft style living

The location of these downtown Dallas apartments can’t be beat, either. Located just a block away from the DART light rail line, the Kirby Residences on Main offer convenient access to downtown Dallas, Northpark, Cityplace and SMU, just to name a few. In addition, the Kirby Residences on Main are within walking distance to such destinations as the West End, Deep Ellum, the American Airlines Center, the Dallas Museum of Art and downtown Dallas. If you want the best excitement and opportunities then the downtown Dallas Kirby Residences are the place to be. A short walk to some of the city’s best locales is just one of the reasons why the Kirby has become such a highly desired residence for everyone from young professionals to empty nesters.

Apartment and loft homes of the Kirby range from $739 for a studio, $1,025 for a one-bedroom apartment, and a two-bedroom apartment from $1,432. If you want the best downtown Dallas apartment living then you owe it to yourself to check out the many benefits of living in the Kirby Residences on Main. The best selection, top-notch amenities and services and unsurpassed views are just a few of the reasons why the Kirby has become one of Dallas’ best apartment buildings.

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Toronto Plumbing Company – Plumbing Tips

Plumber | Posted by Marc
Sep 03 2010

Here are some helpful tips from the Four Seasons Mechanical Toronto plumbing company plumbers for your home and business plumbing concerns. Should you wish to perform your own plumbing maintenance using the information we provide on this website.

we cannot be held responsible for any actions not taken by a trained, qualified and certified FSM plumber.

TORONTO AREA PLUMBING TIP :

Water Saving: A low flow toilet uses twenty per cent less water per flush. Combine that with an efficient shower head that also uses twenty per cent less water, and the utility bill savings are very obvious.

TORONTO AREA PLUMBING TIP :

Flushing your Money Away: Take a look at inspecting your toilet because fixing a leaky toilet can save hundreds of dollars a year on water bills. Preventative maintenance is the safest route. Call the Toronto Mississauga Brampton plumbing experts.

TORONTO AREA PLUMBING TIP :

Drain Gurgling/bubbling: This is a blockage of air in the drain, typically caused by a clog or line block. Removing the clog should fix the problem. Mississauga plumbing, Brampton plumbing, and Toronto plumbing drain repair service.

TORONTO AREA PLUMBING TIP :

Detect a Toilet Leak: Put drops of dark food colouring into your toilet tank. If the colour dye appears in the bowl, you need to replace the valve seal ball “flapper” at the bottom of the tank.Call the Georgetown plumbing experts.

TORONTO AREA PLUMBING TIP :

Emergency Shutoff Valves: Prevent plumbing headaches and even property damage and loss. Ask your FSM expert licensed plumber and learn about emergency shutoff valves and how they can help you.

TORONTO AREA PLUMBING TIP :

Shower Drain Clogs: Most shower clogs can be corrected easily with a minimum of hassle and mess saving you money and time. Avoid human hair going down the drain. Brampton Plumbers are standing by.

TORONTO AREA PLUMBING TIP :

Whistling Noise from Faucet: It could be a broken faucet washer or extremely high water pressure. Mississauga plumbing, Brampton plumbing, and Toronto plumbing water line repair.Mississauga plumbing experts are standing by.

Experiencing siphonage from fixture traps ?

WHAT IS SIPONAGE IN PLUMBING ? HOW DOES IT APPLY ?

A siphon is defined as a pipe or tube shped liked inverted U shape with unequal legs.

The siphon is used to draw liquid over the edge of the vessel and deliever it to a lower level by utiliazing atmospheric pressure.

EXAMPLE :

The operation of a siphon is based on the unequal weights of water in the two legs due to differences in length.

If air should be allowed to enter the siphon at any point in either leg above the water level in the container, the siphon will be broken and water will stop flowing. Sewer gases are a very serious problem and should be fixed immediately.

Plumbing Company in Toronto (416) 805-5289
Plumbers in Toronto (416) 805-5289

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Toronto Plumbing Tips & Plumbing Know-How #3

Plumber | Posted by Marc
Sep 02 2010

Four Seasons Mechanical offers licensed plumbing services to the GTA Toronto and surrounding areas.

Learn about plumbing & plumbing systems free!

courtesy of Four Seasons Mechanical. (416) 805 – 5289

WHAT IS AN AIR BREAK IN PLUMBING ?

The unabstracted vertial distance between the lowest point of an indirectly connected plumbing wase pipe and the flood level rim of the fixture into which it is discharged into.

WHAT IS AN AIR GAP IN PLUMBING ?

The unobstructed vertical distance through the air between the lowest poin of the water supply outlet and the flood level rim of the fixture or plumbig device into which the outlet pipe discharges into.

WHAT IS AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION IN PLUMBING ?

An alternative solution in plumbing is a taking a different approach or a plan other then the acceptable solution.

WHAT IS AUXILLARY WATER SUPPLY IN PLUMBING ?

When applied to a premises, any water supply on or available to the premises other then the primary potable water supply for the premises. Potable water means water acceptable for human consumption.

WHAT IS BACK VENTING IN PLUMBING ?

Back venting in plumbing is a vent pipe installed on the horizontal section of the plumbing fixture drain or the vertical leg of a waste closet (toilet) or any siphonic types plumbing fixtures.

WHAT IS A BATHROOM GROUP IN PLUMBING ?

A bathroom group in plumbing is a group of plumbing fixtures installed in the same room consisting of 1 lavatory basin (sink), 1 water closet (toilet), and 1 bath tube (with or without a shower head).

WHAT IS A BRANCH IN PLUMBING ?

A branch in plumbing is a soil or waste pipe that is conencted at its upstream and the junction for 2 or more soil or waste pipes or to a soil or waste stack that is connected at its downstream end to another branch.

WHAT IS A BRACH VENT IN PLUMBING ?

A vent pipe that connects 2 or more vents and is connected at the upper end to another branch vent of a stack vent, vent header, or that which terminates at open air (outside the building). It is sized and based on the total fixture units and the total developed length between the furthest drain connection and where it stops to a major supplier of open air.

WHAT IS A PLUMBING BUILDING DRAIN ?

A building drain in plumbing is the lowest horizontal piping (including any offsets) that conducts sewage, clean water, grey water, or storm water by gravity to a building sewer. It may be sanitary or storm and always has a minimum pipe size of 4″ (4 inches).

WHAT IS A PLUMBING BUILDING SEWER ?

A building sewer starts 1 meter outside the building at the end of the building drain and terminates either at a public sewer (municipal sewer or septic tank).

More Plumbing Tips & Plumbing Know-How to Follow!

Stay Tuned Plumbing Fans

Licensed Plumbing Company & Plumbers in Toronto
Toronto Licensed Plumbers serving Mississauga, Brampton & GTA West

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Are Your Kids Safe Online?

Internet Security | Posted by Marc
Sep 02 2010

Today’s world is one where protection is one of our biggest concerns. Whether it is through health insurance, car alarms, watch dogs, a safety deposit box – if you are concerned about it – you protect it. One of the things most of us protect is our computer. Often we fear that we haven’t protected it nearly enough. Everyone who has children places a high priority on the importance of their kids’ safety. We provide for their transportation to school and activities. We concern ourselves with their schools’ security. We try to teach them morals so they will prosper. We teach them to avoid strangers and strange cars. But our children use computers a lot. Can we be assured that we have guaranteed their online security? The problems of safeguarding your computer and safeguarding your children are sometimes one in the same.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 1 out of every 7 kids are solicited online for sex. That is an unbelievable statistic. There are many ways through which this happens. One of the tools predators use to reach your children is community websites such as Twitter. Your children very well might be in contact with site members who are complete strangers. Those people may get your kids’ email or chat id’s and none of us want to think about where that might end up. Young kids, or even older kids who are not engaging in anything inappropriate with the online predator, eventually could decide that this person is a confidant. Even more frightening – what if the predator lives close by? If you’ve seen Dateline’s To Catch A Predator then you know that for a criminal, no place is too far to travel to meet with kids.

Parents know that we can’t protect our kids from every possible danger. We can only do the very best we can and hopefully it will be enough. In terms of online safety are we certain that we are doing all we can? You can help yourself be sure that, in your house, your kids are safe. Primarily, you need to make your children aware that their internet time is public time – including their chat with friends. Placing their computer in a family room is essential. You should be aware there are really great tools that can help you out. There are many companies that have come up with a variety of programs and hardware that are designed to aid you in protecting your children online. Don’t allow your child to be a one in seven statistic and don’t feel like internet safety for your kids is a lost cause.

Don’t be caught unaware when dealing with kids’ internet safety. Go to Virus Emergency for some really great programs that will help you to win the fight for your children’s safety online, and make sure to browse around for great tips and information for keeping your computer and your kids safe.

Gain pragmatic recommendations about the topic of my wow account hack – make sure to go through the web site. The times have come when concise info is truly only one click away, use this possibility.

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Twitterers Should Crown – With Knowledge – All Who Seek Them.

ICA | Posted by Marc
Sep 01 2010

I like Twitter, but I see a great unfulfilled potential in it.  Travelling through “Tweeterville” we have all come across the Twitterer, who retweets the same “get rich quick” message over and over again and yet have somehow managed to hold onto 112,876 followers.   

When you click on their too often repeated links, they generally take you to some cheesy print ad or six minute YouTube video extolling the virtues of their – can’t miss – online training course geared to the masses.  I just don’t get it.   

I thought Social Media is supposed to be all about cordially sharing helpful information rather than blatant and repetitive sales pitches.  I can’t imagine why 97% of those following the purveyors of limited value information do not just “unfollow” these people by the third repeat of the same sales pitch.  Am I missing something here?  If so, please fill me in.

I do get it that we are all different people with different reasons for signing on to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other Social Media sites, in the first place.  With the exception of LinkedIn and a few other like-minded suit and tie sites, the majority of Social Media platforms are geared to social rather than business exchange.   They call it “Social” Media.

If I want to discuss Monday Night Football or the last episode of “House,” I probably wouldn’t go looking for Twitter, Facebook or MySpace friends, who prefer to discuss the latest innovations in CRM the entire weekend.  Frankly, I can’t see anyone being interested in connecting with a one-dimensional snake oil salesman, whose only interest is to increase his or her follower count so that all these people can be subjected to the same trite sales pitch seventy-five times per month.  Still, there are many example of this in Twitter, especially under categories like #makemoney and #affiliate-marketing.

My company, RiaEnjolie, Inc. offers professional looking and affordable websites to small businesses of many types.  We could very easily carpet bomb Twitter with a singular sales pitch from us, but we choose not to do this.  

When we are not working at RiaEnjolie, we are also consumers and few of us are impressed by other marketers that bombard us with relentless, one-dimensional sales pitches either.  We also clearly understand what Social Media is all about.  To be a successful business using Social Media it is important to be able to provide more value to others than you expect to receive in return.  

The take-away from our Website business is that we recognize that “content is king.”  In fact,  my college Alma mater’s (Syracuse University) Latin motto is “Suos Cultores Scientia Coronat.”  English translation: “Knowledge crowns all those who seek her.”  This is a good motto to live by and we do so at RiaEnjolie; especially when it comes to our social media presence.  We look for interesting business news and tips to offer those that care to follow us, “like” us and/or connect with us, online.

Do we ever talk about our company on Twitter and in other Social Media forums?  Sure we do.  When we have something important to share, we share it and then we move on.  We try to maintain a ratio of 1 RiaEnjolie Tweet for every 15-20 industry related ones.  What we don’t do is mention ourselves just for the sake of doing so.  Our rationale is quite simple and in line with most Social Media schools of thought.  If you appreciate the value of our posts and Tweets, you may want to consider our services.  

Restraint in sales and especially in Social Media is an admirable strength.  After all, everyone should immediately realize that RiaEnjolie Inc. is a business (the Inc. gives us away).  We also know that all businesses exist to create revenue by meeting the needs of their customers.

We at RiaEnjolie believe that if we offer value to others – without any obligations or strings attached – they’ll at least take a moment or two to visit our website and see what it is we have to offer.  That is all that any business, engaged in Social Media, should expect from others.  As more and more business begin to recognize this, the major Social Media platforms like Twitter and Facebook will increasingly become great disseminators of useful information.  We’ll all be much better off when that happens, because we’ll all be a little better informed as field authorities exchanging knowledge with other field authorities

Marc LeVine is the Director of Social Media at RiaEnjolie, Inc. (www.RiaEnjolie.com), which specializes in professional looking and affordable websites for small businesses of all types. Follow us on Twitter @RiaEnjolie and on Facebook.   You can win a free website.

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Smokers And Life Insurance – Affordable Cover Within Reach

Insurance | Posted by Marc
Sep 01 2010

Life insurance for most people is pretty expensive. But for smokers, it is even more so. The reason for this is pretty obvious. There are a lot of health issues associated with smoking which in turn reduces the lif

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8 Questions Your Bed and Breakfast’s Website Should Answer Correctly

Bed and Breakfasts | Posted by Marc
Aug 31 2010

 

Remember Those“Griswald” Type Family Vacations?

Those of us who have ever gone on vacation with small children remember how we used to be subjected to the abject horrors of packing them all into to a tiny motel room with two queen beds, one bathroom and a single television set.  The kids had a great time, but it wasn’t really a relaxing vacation for us adults.

Fortunately, our children are now grown and living on their own.  We still take family vacations, together and we are now all adults sleeping in separate hotel rooms.  My sons seem to have given up on pillow fighting; tossing water balloons out the windows and pressing all the elevator buttons to frustrate the other hotel/motel guests.  Then again – in separate rooms – we aren’t paying that much attention to their extracurricular activities anymore.

Another nice thing about having grown children is being able to get away more often, as a couple or with friends and stay at nice quiet places that thankfully do not caterer to families and pets.   Bed and Breakfast Inns (B&Bs) sell couples romance, luxury, epicurean delight and relaxation.  That is, of course, if they are marketing themselves as they probably should be doing.    

When “Going Away” Feels More Like “Coming Home”

Friends of ours, Bob and Lynn Griffin own the “Australian Walkabout Inn” in Lampeter, Pennsylvania.  Where is Lampeter, Pennsylvania some will ask?  Quite alright, because we didn’t know such a place even existed before we stumbled upon the “Walkabout Inn” while searching the Web for a romantic getaway place with some old world charm, a cozy fireplace and yes…a hot tub right in our suite. These are all absolute requirements for my wife and me, by the way.   These are things we never had at any Econo Lodge we ever stayed at with the kids.  

The “Australian Walkabout Inn” (aka: Bob and Lynn’s place) is a comfy and cozy B&B right in the heart of the corn field and windmill laden Pennsylvania Dutch Country.  Lampeter is just a couple of miles outside of downtown Lancaster, Pa.  It is a little nondescript town far away enough from the heavily commercial Route 30 where the Amish House and Barn backs up to a Target retail store. Turns out, I set my GPS for Lampeter and there was the Australian Walkabout Inn when we finally arrived in heaven. 

The problem for the owners and their guests is that the “Walkabout” really isn’t in a very obvious location and it gets very little drive by attention. This is actually a good thing for peace and quiet-seeking B&B fans, but it is also a slight impediment to Bob and Lynn’s marketing efforts.  Ironically, they have been able to “turn a positive into a positive” by building a strong following for the Inn on the Web.

 If Your Business Ignores the Web – the Web Will Ignore Your Business

 My wife and I have been visiting the “Walkabout Inn” for nearly ten years and under three different owners.  All were terrific people, but the Griffins seem to be doing the best job of making their B&B well known and respected throughout the region due to BOTH their focused online marketing strategies and aggressive offline activities. 

Lynn and Bob seem to be doing all the right things with their Inn’s website and they are supporting their website very strongly through the use of targeted social media marketing. Unfortunately for my wife and me, it is now becoming rather difficult to get a suite at the “Walkabout” because it is nearly always booked – even in the offseason.  People just love it – not only because of its nice amenities, but mainly because everyone has gotten to know and love Bob and Lynn Griffin.  Lynn has been very successful creating a virtual “Australian Walkabout Inn” on her Facebook and she stays in touch with her regular clientele, daily.  People don’t go away to the “Walkabout.”  They come home to the “Walkabout.” 

Unfortunately, not all B&B owners are as Web marketing savvy as Bob and Lynn Griffin.  In fact, one of the principals at Avatar Business Intelligence recently shared the following online regarding the Social Media and Website shortcomings of many of their Bed and Breakfast marketing clients:

 “I help business owners grow their business and I am amazed at the number of tourism businesses that fail to understand how their customers go looking for a place to stay at. Another point is to make sure that your website is ranked high in all the tourist directories in the country/state of the tourist not just in your own local area. Remember visitors plan accommodation before they leave home most of the time. Without a website you are missing out on over 60% of potential bookings. “

 60% of your potentials bookings (!) is too big a number to yawn at.

 Taking Stock of Your Business Website leads to Rising Stock in your Business Futures

The company I work for, RiaEnjolie, Inc.  specializes in professional looking and affordable Websites for more than 70 small business categories, including Bed and Breakfasts.  Experience has taught us that the Website is the focal point of all Social Media Marketing strategies.  When you are engaged in Social Media and attracting attention for your business, it is a professional looking, content rich Website with a strong call to action that you need your potential customers delivered to.  It is on your website’s homepage where they will form an opinion about your Bed and Breakfast.  It is there where they will decide whether to make a reservation with you or to – instead – move on to another Inn that they find more appealing than yours.

Remember. My wife and I were looking for a charming little B&B with an in-suite fireplace and hot tub in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country.  We never would have found the Australian Walk About Inn had these things not been listed on their website and their website not turned up by location by Google.  Furthermore, had Bob and Lynn not presented us with a very appealing Website loaded with all the wonderful photos of their delightful Inn supported by lots of great selling points, we definitely would have looked elsewhere to stay.

It is a modern day reality that a website is more important to your future customers than it is to you.  Just consider the following perceptions it creates for those coming upon your B&B for the very first time:

Why You Need an Effective Website

  • A website is a measure of viability and stability.  
  • A professional looking website implies both success and longevity.
  • A well designed website makes it easier to be found by the search engines and your future guests using them.
  • An information rich website is an absolute requirement. 
  • A website makes yours a global business. You can interface with future guests looking to come to your B&B from around the nation or around the world.
  • If you do not have a website, many customers will not take you seriously.  A well designed website presents evidence of your business acumen and staying power.
  • If your website was created with advance thought given to understanding and meeting your customer’s needs, those coming to it will view your Inn as a leader in its category and capable of creating a memorable experience for you and your significant other.
  • Your website will help your future guests locate you both on the Web and also at your physical location – even in Lampeter, Pennsylvania.
  • Content is king and having all the right information on your website let’s people weigh your value against their needs.

 

Does Your Website Pass The Test?

1. Is your website’s design aesthetically pleasing?

2. How intuitive is your website to navigate?

3. Does your website have a clear statement of PURPOSE near the top of its homepage?

4. Is your website copy concisely written and richly informative?

5. Do you update your website content REGULARLY?

6.  Does your website have a “call to action” on every page for your future guests to respond to?

7.  Does your website’s index page draw visitors further into its content and to where you display and sell your products and contract your services?

8.  Is your website designed to encourage future visits (i.e. is there a newsletter; a tell-a-friend feature; a blog with an RSS button to subscribe with?)

If you presently have a website, ask yourself all of the above questions about its quality of design and development.

If you are completely satisfied with your own answers to these questions continue on and seek out a seminar or webinar on “Effectiveness of Your Business Web Site” or some similar title.  It’s worth your time and reasonable investment.  Your website needs to work for your Inn as hard as you do.

Marc LeVine is the Director of Social Media for RiaEnjolie, Inc.  a NJ-based web development company specializing in professional looking and affordable websites for small businesses.

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Choosing The Right Flowers For A Funeral

Funeral Industry | Posted by Marc
Aug 26 2010

Purchasing a floral arrangement may seem to be the easiest way to express your condolences to the bereaving family of the deceased but choosing the perfect of most appropriate selection may prove to be harder than it seems. Different arrangements have different meanings and symbolisms to them. It was said that funeral flowers were used to eliminate the smell of the decomposing body before the embalming process was introduced. So you see the act of bringing flowers to a funeral dates back centuries. Today flowers are given to bereaving families as a token and symbol of love and care for either the deceased or the grieving families.

There are various types of funeral flowers to choose from, each of which serve a different purpose and some of the most common among the lot are:-

Wreaths
wreaths are a circular shaped arrangement of flowers generally in either a green or brown color with baby breath and or other petite bursts of color. These are generally kept below and around the casket or photos of the deceased.

Casket Sprays
a rather large floral arrangement that spreads across the top of the casket or coffin during the funeral ceremony. These arrangements are also generally white in color with gentle bursts of other pale colored flowers.

Pillow
Pillows are arrangements that are rectangular or squarish is shape with a base made out of moss or other green foliage with swags of colorful flowers delicately draped off the edges. These are mostly sent by loved ones and close friends.

Baskets
fresh beautiful flowers arranged in a simple weaved basket used to decorate the place around the casket.

Standing Spray
colorful arrangements that are rather large in size, these are generally flowers displayed on top of a type of stand which lie on either side of the casket or behind it.

Inside Pieces
these are little petite arrangements of flowers like roses, carnations or fern and baby breath which are placed inside the coffin. These are generally given for younger individuals like children and youngsters that have passed on.

These arrangements will vary in price, no matter which you select this will still show the grieving family how much you care. If you are thinking of your own funeral, having a comprehensive funeral plan in place will take care of all aspects that go into planning a funeral including purchasing the most perfect and appropriate funeral floral arrangements for you funeral service or memorial ceremonies

When you lose a loved one or someone near and dear to you it is always a sad and morbid time. The last thing you would want to worry about is finance. Why not consider a funeral plan and ease future financial burdens that you or your family do not need.

Bloggers that are looking for information about public relations for small business, then make sure to go to the link that was quoted right in this passage.

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Businesses: Keep Nasty Complaints off the Web by Offering Great Customer Service

ICA | Posted by Marc
Aug 25 2010

 Everyone goes into business with the best intensions in mind.  There isn’t a person with an ounce of integrity, who launches a new business deliberately intending to disappoint his or her customers.  Nor, can any sane business person deny that there will be times when things get a bit out of hand resulting in less than stellar consumer reviews for them and their business.  No matter how hard we try to please everyone; we should still plan on having the kind of days that our “mama(s) said would be like this.”

Years ago, when bad things accidentally happened to good customers the stakes were not as high for business operators.   Back then it was much easier to isolate the problem, calm the customer down and try to make things right before they went ballistic and started a consumer affairs crusade.  In those days, an irate customer would most likely start the ball rolling by filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or the local Office of Community Affairs.  While certainly not a desirable business outcome, the situation was more easily control because the complaint escalation process moved much slower than it does, today  The slower pace allowed for more of a cooling off period; leaving more time for negotiations and settlement of issues long before the entire world was informed of the complaint via the Internet.

With the Internet at their fingertips and with dozens of consumer complaint websites available, an angry customer now has the ability to pour out his liver only moments after he or she feels that they were somehow inconvenienced and ultimately disappointed by a business.  Speed and convenience are certainly not a businessman’s ally when a customer can post during his or her initial temper tantrum.  It’s quick, simple and deadly for the offending business.

This is why any new business operator and his staff should heed this warning and give some thought to the worse case scenarios of customer relations and the proper way to conduct oneself when dealing with unhappy consumers.  Blowing an irate customer off was never really an option before.  With the Internet at their disposal, there is no doubt that they will have the last word and, perhaps, the last laugh.

I know of several cases in which exasperated customers have recorded and broadcast (online) service representative’s nasty reluctance to provide adequate service.   Some years ago, Comcast Cable let go of a technician, who was videotaped (by the customer) fast asleep on their living room couch.  The clip went viral on Youtube, in fact.

“Some people believe that publicly flogging a company or business person on the Web is the best way to get their attention and change their negative behaviors,” said Rich Abernathy, a local consumer advocate. “People are going to be very sensitive to it and –hopefully – will take notice.”

“I think the inherent nature of the Internet brings out the inner complainer in us,” said Ray Collier, another local advocate I recently spoke with, 

Here is some helpful advice to avoid viral customer complaints:

  • An Apology Often Calms a Dissatisfied Customer.

       Try saying the following – and believing it:

“I am very sorry for this situation, Mrs. Jones.  We both want to get this matter resolved quickly. Let me see what I can do to work this out in a satisfactory way.”

  • The Customer Must Always Know That You Care.  Send the customer a brief but heartfelt apology along with something special to acknowledge their patience and understanding.
  • Offer the Irate Customer Choices.  If you love your business, sometimes you have to let a customer – go to a competitor.  If this is a resolution that helps them move on without further hostility towards you and your business, make it happen.
  • NEVER ARGUE. It doesn’t matter what you think about an angry customer or even the validity of their complaint.  Just explain to them what you’re going to do to set things straight.  Fix the problem as soon as possible and courteously.  Things will only get better when there is calm and rational thinking in progress. 

Not all customer complaining takes place in the confines of your store (if you even have a brick and mortar business), so you may not even know of their existence unless you stumble upon them, accidentally.  It very important to monitor the Web and hear what others are saying about you and your business. Fortunately, there are some very good tools available to use.  Most are free.  Here is what is minimally suggested.

  • Set up individual Google Alerts for yourself, your business and your products.  These will come to you daily and you will quickly be able to determine, what if anything needs to be responded to.  Remember, to pick your battles carefully.  Count to ten before deciding whether or not to respond to what you are reading and – if you decide to respond – then, how?
  • Use Google Blogsearch and/or Technorati to see what people are saying about you, your company and its products and services.
  • Set up Twitter Search to Monitor what others may be Tweeting about you on Twitter.

Good customer service is so important and, ironically, there is so little of it encountered these days.  What used to be a given can, today, be considered an edge – if your customer service excels and your customers – who may not always agree with you – at least, realize that you care and were courteous to them at all times.  If you can actually satisfy them and give them what they want – even better.

Author, Marc LeVine is the Director of Social Media for RiaEnjolie, Inc., a web page design company that offers professional looking and affordable websites for small businesses of all types.  Follow them on Twitter @RiaEnjolie and on Facebook.  You can Win a Free Website.

 

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Social Media Marketing: Is Your Business Built for the Present or the Past?

Social Media | Posted by Marc
Aug 19 2010

One of my all-time favorite movies is the original 1960 version of The Time Machine 1960 starring Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux, directed by George Pal. The film is based on an H.G. Wells novel that mirrored the author’s own socialist political views and contempt regarding what he considered to be an undisciplined industrialization of his world.  Well’s writing was also influenced by Ray Lankester’s theories about social degeneration, which becomes very evident in the plot. 

I enjoy the written works of authors like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.  Both men were ahead of their times; often predicting the future with a high degree of accuracy.  In fact, some of their unsettling predictions may come a little too close for comfort these days.

There is a very important scene in “The Time Machine” in which “The Time Traveler,” portrayed by Rod Taylor, tries to make some sense about how and why a futuristic society (A.D.  802,701) of timid and childlike people (the Eloi) seemingly stopped developing both socially and intellectually. It is very apparent that the Eloi had no government, no laws and no interest in learning or self-discovery.  Curious, The Time Traveler asks to see their books, but when he finds them all covered in dust and rotted by mold, he becomes outraged. 

H.G. Wells wrote “The Time Machine” at the turn of the last century; more than one hundred years ago.  Flash forward to August 19, 2010 and this rather sobering Wall Street Journal business headline – “Clearance Sale: Barnes & Noble Didn’t Evolve Enough.”  The sad news for all book lovers reads as such; “The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount.”   The WSJ business obituary reflected on what may be the beginning of the end for this once proud bookselling giant by offering to its readers that “the simple explanation for Barnes & Noble’s decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN – News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn’t have to be the end for B&N, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online.”   In short, Barnes and Nobles did much too little and far too late.  They now finds themselves a victim of missed opportunities.

Thankfully, George Orwell’s “1984” social predictions weren’t on the mark.  Let us all hope that H.G. Wells’s visions of A.D. 802,701 have not already begun to take hold more than 800,000 years earlier than he surmised with the death of physical books.

Unfortunately, The Eloi didn’t have Kindles, nooks or iPads to replace their books.  Fortunately, we do.  They didn’t have Amazon.com to sell them and ship them books, online, cheaper and faster than traditional booksellers.  This is something that Borders and Barnes and Noble have both had to encounter as their competition and both have failed miserably.  Sadly, those two mega-chains apparently couldn’t see the future as well as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.  This is why they have allowed themselves to become modern dinosaurs in the early twenty-first century.

Enter the Class of 2014, just starting college next month. All business people need to begin studying their cultural mindset very carefully, because it makes up the new consumer persona –perhaps – a reason why the once mighty Barnes and Noble is crashing and burning after 93 years in business.  

According to the just released Benoit College (Wis.) Mindset List, most of the incoming freshman class was born in 1992.  According to the list authors; “for these students, Benny Hill, Sam Kinison, Sam Walton, Bert Parks and Tony Perkins have always been dead.”  There is even more unsettling (for many of us) facts to digest:

1. “Few in the class know how to write in cursive.”

2. “Email is just too slow, and they seldom if ever use snail mail.”

3. “Computers have never lacked a CD-ROM disk drive.”

4. “They’ve always been able to blast off with the Sci-Fi (SYFY) Channel.”

5. “Having hundreds of cable channels but nothing to watch has always been routine.”

Our world is rapidly changing and the way we all remember it will only be reflected in the stories we tell our grandchildren. AOL may someday be our grandparent’s horse and buggy. The question that remains for us is will we adapt to the changes or will we continue to live in the past and fall behind?  There is even a greater sense of urgency.  Will our established, brick and mortar businesses meet the needs of the new consumer or will they resist change, wither and die?

For me, this week was the perfect storm for business news, on all possible fronts. Edmund S. Phelps, of the New York Times, wrote that the faltering US “(The) Economy Needs a Bit of Ingenuity.” The Wall Street Journal reported on Barnes and Noble, is soon to be a fallen giant.  The Washington Post released the findings of Beloit College’s annual freshman mindset survey.   And, my local newspaper, the Asbury Park Press (NJ), reported on the death of Silvert’s Furniture and Design Center, a legendary mainstay in my town’s business community (Freehold Borough, NJ) after 81 years in business.     

“We’ve always changed with the times,” said current owner Larry Iserson, grandson-in-law of (Silvert’s Furniture) the original founder, Isadore Silvert. “But there was never a rougher time for us than right now.”

Iserson went on to explain how his business weathered earlier storms in its long and storied history.  “As Freehold changed, so did Silvert’s.”There was an influx of people from outside moving to Freehold, and it changed the business, so we changed the looks with the times,” he said.  

Influx of people from the outside?   Hmmm.   Isn’t that equivalent to what Beloit College is considering to be a new generational culture with different backgrounds, values, ideas, needs wants and methods?  I think so.

These four matrixed news stories need to serve as a wakeup call to all business people, who are resisting change and desperately trying to hold on to their old ways of doing business. Obviously, they are running against the winds of change.

 Larry Iserson reflects on Silvert’s Furniture’s past and laments that “people come in all the time and say, ‘We still have a sofa we bought from you 25 years ago.’  Who keeps a sofa for 25 years, anymore?   At least one that hasn’t already fallen apart?  We live in a disposable world, these days.  That much has changed and significantly altered Silvert’s long standing business strategy – to sell moderately-priced, quality furniture.   This is difficult to do in the ready, set, throw (away) furniture world IKEA, Walmart and Big Lots.

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