Here’s a typical example. Let’s say there are 3 plans: Free, Standard, and Professional. The support levels are then structured in a typical way.

Some companies limit customer support to only the higher paid levels and, even then, it may only be email support. To be able to get somebody on the phone and actually talk to them is reserved for only the highest plans, if at all.

There are 2 reasons I can think of that every customer should have access to top-tier support.

1) Don’t give your customers the chance to get frustrated.

Be accessible. If they have a question or are confused about something, you want to make sure they get it straightened out as quickly as possible.

It’s frustrating when stuff doesn’t work. We’ve all experienced it, especially with software. When your customer gets frustrated with your product, it’s only a short time before they get frustrated and angry with you.

2) Jump at the chance to build a positive relationship with them.

Treat customer service as a marketing expense. Every interaction you have with your customer should be seen as an opportunity to build a better relationship. Even if they call to ask a simple, routine question that you get all the time, take advantage of the opportunity.

When the customer emails or calls you, they’ve already expressed an interest in your offering. You have their full attention. Don’t waste it.

Further reading:

• Adding a phone number to LessAccounting increased our paid user base - Allan Branch, Less Accounting
• ZenDesk gets +40% sales call volume by putting a phone number on home page, not contact page - Patrick McKenzie, at the Twilio conference

“It’s a tool for real-estate agents to create their web pages for their own individual property,” Fitzgerald says. “It allows them to stand out with their online presence.”

via Ignite Pages start-up aims to become Facebook for real-estate listings.

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.” – Leonardo da Vinci

The real art is knowing when you can stop. At a certain point, the benefits to each brush and key stroke start to taper off. The question becomes, “When is it good enough?”

I think that’s why “lean startup” and “minimum viable product” are such popular terms in the tech space now. They are the acceptance that you’ll never truly finish. When you think of all the things that could go into the website, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But when you keep things simple and instead focus on just a few of the main features, things become much more manageable.

Unlike a painting that gets hung on the wall, a website doesn’t have to be left alone once it’s out there for everyone to see. So don’t abandon it, either. It’s allowed to adapt and change over time.

Once I realized that I might never truly finish a website or be totally satisfied with its current state, I started to enjoy the process again. Just don’t give up along the way.

Check out the video to watch my pitch. I take the stage at 35:35.

My sincere thanks to everyone for the feedback and kind words.

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via Press Tags: An ingenious plugin to discover trending topics among WordPress blogs.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that there’s something strikingly similar among them. And it’s not just the shawarma on the menu.

Take a look at these logos. Notice any common elements?

These are all from local establishments within 20 miles or so of Royal Oak (except La Shish is now closed).