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Jason "Need more business?" Sanders - Business Networking Specialist

iPhone for Business Use

The iPhoneIt all started a couple of months ago. My wife lost her phone and we had to get her a new one. She had been sitting on a $100.00 gift card from the Apple Store for a couple of years (We're PC Folk), and she had this idea that she should use it to get a new iPhone. Whether she really lost it or this was just a ploy, I'll probably never know. Bottom line, 15 minutes after we walked into the Apple Store, we walked out with her brand new iPhone.

I've long been resistant to the iPhone and all the hype surrounding it. Considering myself a "businessy type" I never really considered it as an option. I dismissed it by thinking of it as a whimsical gaming/entertainment device. "It's only for the kids." I thought. But now, having my wife's iphone in the house gave me a real opportunity to give it an honest look.

It's true, there are endless games for the iPhone, but beyond all the gagetry, I found it to be intuitive to use and highly adaptable and functional. One of the key things I appreciated was an unlimited data plan for only $30.00 a month, which was half of what AT&T charged me for unlimited internet on my other device. I don't think I really have to review the iPhone here. That's already been done a million times by people much more qualified than myself. Suffice it to say, I was won over.

I think my wife knew that I was smitten a bit. Often she would find her phone, after an extended search in my hands as I checked the market, my email, my blog comments etc. My glassy eyes and wide smile more than likely gave me away. I'd like to think it was her generosity that moved her to buy me a new iPhone for our anniversary (Awwww, isn't she nice?), but it could have been that she just wanted her phone back.

Here's your chance to be on TVPG Radio's Get More Business Show!So I'm now a week into my iPhone adventure and it seems like the potential business uses for this device are endless. When I did google searches on the topic, it seemed most of what was available were only dry reviews of iPhone applications. Those reviews didn't really give me much practical information about the capacity of the application and it's practical everyday use. I think it would be great to create an indepth resource for iPhone users who are interested in business applications. It struck me as a good idea to make it a topic for an upcoming broadcast of TVPG Radio's Get More Business Show on BlogTalkRadio. So if you are an iPhone user and you want to share a unique or interesting way that you're using the device in your everyday business (and get some exposure for your business in the process) contact me and we'll talk about you being on the show!

Jason Sanders @ValuePagesGroup
Business Networking Specialist

www.TheValuePagesGroup.com

The One Click

The Hypersensitive Customer - Problem or Opportunity?

Marilyn Suttle & Lori Jo Vest, Customer Service Experts appear on the Get More Business Show!

As businesses continue to struggle through this current tough economy, more bad news - a recent study out of the U.K. reveals the emergence of “hypersensitive customers,” consumers with less money, more info and zero tolerance for poor customer service. This study, by a UK business consulting and accounting firm by the name of BDO Stoy Hayward, it was found that in the last year and a half, customers have become less loyal, as they realize how their business is a privilege and as they look for retailers who recognize that fact. Incredibly, 48% of consumers admitted to increasing their expectations over the past 24 months.

It's too easy for customers to access detailed technical information, consumer reviews,  and anything else that would impact their purchasing decision.  They're shopping and comparing from the comfort of their own homes and offices before they ever set foot into a store.  Budgets are tighter.  Consumers are more discerning in both what they buy and the service they expect. 74% of respondents in the study said they would abandon a buying opportunity, store, or brand if they encountered poor customer service.

Have you ever had a hypersensitive customer? If not, are you prepared to handle one?  Seize this opportunity to examine your customer service practices and culture to make sure they're not out of line with the needs of today’s consumer.

I recently did an interview on customer service with Authors Marilyn Suttle and Lori Jo Vest.  There's a lot of good information there.  I encourage you to listen to it, but it's only a teaser to the amount of detail that they've provided in their new book, "Who's Your Gladys?"  Marilyn and Lori Jo are doing a major national launch of that book today in major book stores and online resellers.  They're already up to #5 on the "Movers and Shakers" list on Amazon.com today! Marilyn and Lori Jo are really really generous, so when you order “Who’s Your Gladys?” today, you get a special package of 40+ electronic bonus gifts in customer service, sales, marketing and professional development. Buy your copy today at www.whosyourgladys.com Watch the WYG book trailer here: www.youtube.com/whosyourgladys

I love giving value to my readers! In the interest of full disclosure, I'm not getting paid or compensated in any way for recommending this book. I just think it's a crucial thing for us all to focus on and I love the approach of "Who's Your Gladys?"



Jason Sanders @ValuePagesGroup
Business Networking Specialist

www.TheValuePagesGroup.com

The One Click

What's the real story with foreclosures and this economy?

I keep hearing a lot of positive spin coming from the media about the state of the economy, the real estate market, consumer confidence, etc. Call me jaded, but I'm not convinced.

It seems to me that there's a lot of play in the system and engineered flaws in the way the information is presented to us, the public. What I mean is that I think the government is smart enough to be able to manipulate our impression of a system most of us don't understand (gasp!).

Although real estate indicators have been positive recently, there's still a lot of negative fundamentals. Foreclosures continue to be a huge problem and they're not slowing down. Unemployment continues to threaten to extend this problem. Commercial market defaults are on the horizon.

From what I read from Realtors' blogs here on ActiveRain, banks are not exactly being cooperative when it comes to negotiating short sales and acting on offers that actually make sense. One explanation for this is that if a lender agrees to a short sale, they actually have to report a mark down on that asset. They have to admit that the home isn't as valuable as they have it marked on their books. All banks are massively leveraged. Most have borrowed 25 to 30 times their actual net worth. Many are leveraged even higher. If these banks were forced to admit the real value of their assets according to market conditions on a massive scale, they might very well reveal themselves to be insolvent.

As an example lets run some dummy numbers. XYZ bank has liquid assets of 10 million dollars. XYZ has borrowed 250 million dollars against their liquid assets thereby leveraging themselves 25 to 1. Let's say XYZ bank took only 50% of the money they borrowed against their liquid assets and lent it out in the form of mortgages or more accurately invested in mortgage backed securities (that would be 125 million dollars worth of mortgages). For the sake of simplicity, if the value of that 125 million dropped by 10%, that would be a reduction of 12.5 million. That would leave XYZ bank in the red to the tune of 2.5 million dollars and XYZ would be shuttered by the FDIC.

Nationally how much has real estate declined? More than 10%. How much capacity does the FDIC have to protect depositors?

I figured I would share this video and see what you guys think of the market. Have we hit a bottom of fundamentals or a false bottom? I'm interested to see what your perspective is.



Jason Sanders @ValuePagesGroup
Business Networking Specialist

www.TheValuePagesGroup.com

The One Click

Who's Your Gladys?

A lot of people want to know, "Who is Gladys?"  Is Gladys real?  Why should you care who Gladys is?  Believe it or not, you may already know Gladys!  In fact Gladys may be singing your praises right now, or she may be wrecking your reputation.  Still can't remember who Gladys is?  Check out the video!

 

 

Don't forget to tune into the Get More Business Show tomorrow, Wednesday Sept. 2, 2009 from 11:30a.m - 12:30 pm Eastern Time as I speak with the Authors of "Who's Your Gladys?"  You'll learn a lot about customer service and what to do to win over difficult customers.  For more info on the upcoming show and to set a reminder, check out the show page. I'll look forward to seeing everyone there!

 

Jason Sanders @ValuePagesGroup
Business Networking Specialist

www.TheValuePagesGroup.com

The One Click

My Interview With Customer Service and Emotion Management Experts Marilyn Suttle & Lori Jo Vest

This Week's Guests: Marilyn Suttle & Lori Jo Vest


Marilyn Suttle & Lori Jo Vest, Customer Service Experts appear on the Get More Business Show!


Authors of: "Who's Your Gladys?"



TVPG Radio InformationMy guests this week are Marilyn Suttle and Lori Jo Vest on the Get More Business show! Please join me at 11:30pm Eastern on Wednesday Sept 2, 2009 at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/Get-More-Business. You can listen live over the internet or over the phone by calling in at: (646) 595-4184. (Don't forget to visit the site and set a reminder for the show!)

Marilyn and Lori Jo interviewed 9 companies from a wide variety of industries and were able to get them to open up about their approach to customer service and share their inside secrets to retaining customers. They are passionate about turning your most difficult customer into your biggest fan!

Marilyn, Lori Jo and I will be talking about customer service and how it might be the ball you're not watching. If customer service has always been key to a business's success, it is even more important now as American consumers find themselves with less money and more obligations. In an economy of limited growth, it is more important than ever to keep your existing client base and develop strong relationships with them. Does your customer service bond you to your clients or drive them away from you? When it comes to your customers, how good are you at managing your emotions? With decades of combined experience in customer service, sales, and training Marilyn and Lori Jo have tons of information to share with us on these topics. This is going to be an outstanding show!

We will also be taking your calls! So if you need advice on customer service issues, or would like input from these customer service experts, don't miss this show!

You can pick up your copy of "Who's Your Gladys" from The Value Pages Group's Success Store.

Feel free to spread the word about this weeks guest and invite your friends to listen as well! If you have questions for Marilyn, Lori Jo or for me, have them ready and I'll make sure I get you an answer. (You can email them to me, pose them in the chat room during the show, or buzz in on the call line and ask them live over the phone.)

(If you miss the live show, you can always listen to the recorded podcast later by clicking on the link above or by using the player below.)

Jason Sanders @ValuePagesGroup
Business Networking Specialist

www.TheValuePagesGroup.com

The One Click