Customer Service - The Two Way Street.

Customer Service is important. Very important. BUT there are two sides to this coin.

Supplier to Customer.

Customer to Supplier.

We'll start with what everyone thinks of first when you mention Customer Service. How the business treats its customers - before, during and after a sale.

I'm a big believer of the 'long game' when it comes to business. I like to get to know people, who they are and what their needs are. This helps to create a relationship that not only makes things easier throughout the "business transaction" but also if there is a problem. If you have a relationship with someone then they are likely to see you as a human and any problems can be sorted peacefully and without stress to anyone.

If the business does create a problem for it's customer they should always apologise. This should be the first thing. Even if the customer doesn't expect it. A "sorry" can help a thousand sins. Some times problems arise where the company doesn't have control of whats happened (They sent your product and it never arrived for example). Keeping calm is key. Offer solutions and make sure that you sound like you care FFS! There is nothing that is going to tip an unhappy customer over the edge like an 'I couldn't give a hoot, i've done my part' attitude.

The flip side - How the customer treats it's supplier.
Now i'm a big believer that the customer is NOT always right. Those that have the belief that because they pay for something they are automatically right, are dicks. There, i said it. Because you pay for something doesn't give you the automatic right to treat a business or person with lack of respect. If one of my clients were to treat me like I see retail staff, for example, being treated, I would toe punt them in the fart box.
Shit happens and i'll do my best to help you but you WILL respect me. As I will respect the fact that you may have been inconvenienced and need help. But "Customer is always right" is like leaving your life savings with your toddler. You wouldn't do it. It's old school and it's shit.

A company I bought from recently had PERFECT customer service. I went on their site to buy myself some much needed make up. (The 30,000 make up items I already have are not enough!). Because they were experiencing a busy period they had changed their website to say "we're sorry but all deliveries have been delayed... orders may take up to 2 weeks to reach you". No big deal. I placed my order and went on about my day.

A week later, I received my package of make up goodies. A WEEK earlier than expected. I opened the unusually large package to find a note saying "We're sorry we took so long, please find included in your order some freebies". MAKE UP FREEBIES!!!!! And not those tiny little trial things you get but FULL size, beautiful eyeshadow kits! This was better than xmas. So Thank you TamBeauty.com, You showed us how customer service should be done.

For those that don't know - TAMs products are amazing. (and can be a 10th of the price of some of the big boys. *mentions no names...*)

Next time you come across a problem during a transaction, remember that both parties can be stressed by this situation. Show compassion, show kindness, offer solutions and be flexible. Customer Service is a two way street.

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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Out with the old....

I've missed you guys! Although you've been keeping me busy reading all your mentions on my posts from last year. Thank you :)

At this time of year, like most other business owners, I start to plot and plan whats going to be happening for the year ahead. I sort out my personal / business space, throw away all the rubbish i've stored in THAT drawer. (You all have THAT drawer or cupboard, lets not pretend.) I start to make room for what's important and what really isn't any more. Do I REALLY need the receipt from last February for the pack of tampons? I think not.

Whilst we're all busy de-cluttering our drawers and cupboards we should also add something else to the "clean me" list - Our Friends. Yep, I said it. Sometimes people are much a source of clutter in your life as things are.

Now, I don't recommend disposing of your things and friends in the same way. I'm not sure my dustbin man would have appreciated me putting my friends in to 5 black bin liners and leaving them on the roadside ready for him to squash in to oblivion...

But you DO need to get rid of the neg heads. The ones who take and never put back in to the relationships. These could be people you met in school, the woman who works in the local cafe, a business associate. You need to collect people just as much as you need to collect tampon receipts, or whatever the male equivalent is.

Have you ever opened a cupboard in your kitchen and the next thing you know you're covered in plastic pots with no lids and other bowls and pans?

Life and even social media can be just like that cupboard. We keep filling it up and one day it's all bound to come crashing down on you. You'll have an old friend who, like the pot with no lid, used to close and be useful. You'd spend every lunch time together, you needed each other. Now, well, they're just an empty pot with no lid. The likelihood is, they feel the same about you too.

You've probably had thoughts about them. Thoughts that made you feel heavy and uneasy. You both know the relationship / friendship is over. Every time you see their face pop up on Facebook, you roll your eyes and keep scrolling.

Sometimes you just need to say good bye.

If you keep in contact to be polite, it might be worth having a conversation with them to say you feel you should go separate ways. If you haven't spoken to them in ages, just hit the 'unfriend' button on social media.

I do this a few times throughout the year and believe me, it makes you feel a whole lot lighter. After the initial shock of "OMG What have I just done??" dies away.

Anyway, let me know how you get on...
And remember, It's going to be ok.

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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"Hello, Dee speaking, How can I help you?"

I've been thinking a lot about communication recently.

If we go back through the years, it all started with the grunt of a caveman. Then on to real words, cave markings, paintings, writing, courier pigeon, telephone, fax, internet chat rooms, pagers, text messages, and now social media. *and breathe*

We're a species that have developed our communication skills so much that we're no longer using the basics. Hands up, how many of you have actually picked up the phone this week, dialled a number and SPOKEN to someone? Scary thought isn't it. Especially when it is so much easier to drop a text, or write a DM or email.

We spend hours talking on various social media sites but when we meet face to face the conversation can sometimes be awkward. I found this happens much more with the younger generation. They're so used to interacting through a screen that sometimes they just cannot cope with the face to face interaction. It's quite sad really.

One of the things I love about my other half is the fact he talks. He'd rather pick up the phone and talk to me rather than sending a quick text. He's also a big advocate for penmanship. I love his passion for using pen and paper. I love pen and paper too.

eBooks make me a little sad. You do not need 500 books on a tablet. It's not like you can read them all at once anyway and there is nothing quite like the feel and smell of an actual paper book, in my opinion.

In regards to communication within your business, aren't we lucky? We're part of the instant generation where we no longer have to wait to get news about a contract or to get a project off the ground. It can all be done in a click of a button. The problem with having the ability to do it all, is that we can easily become overwhelmed. So, you have your job, then you have all the back office stuff that needs doing, all the social media accounts that need to be constantly looked after plus any bits and pieces that the day decides to throw at you... you're juggling all your plates perfectly... until the phone rings. Is it just me or does the phone ALWAYS ring at the most inconvenient time?

I've recently come across a fabulous solution. It's not a new idea, it's just perfect for any business that needs to buy a little time. That solution is Apples & Oranges. No, not the fruit, but a super duper call answering service based right here in the UK! PLUS you're not fixed in to a contract so you could just use the service in your busy periods / certain times of the day / When you're on holiday.

I've been in contact with the owners and what they offer and how they can customise their service is amazing! Here is what Dawn Davis had to say....

"Communication is what we're about - 21st century style!

One of the biggest problems when you're in business is ensuring that you NEVER miss a call, therefore never missing an opportunity, so that's where we come in.

Before we started this part of our business we kept being asked "do you have a telephone answering service", after a number of requests we started to think, why don't we have a telephone answering service? We decided to first investigate and then invest!

Every client we have has slightly different requirements, our policy is, the answer is 'YES' now tell us what you want and we'll make it happen for you."

You can get in contact with Dawn and the team via their WEBSITE.

I'd be interested to see how many of you actually look into this for you business so quote 'DAMMIH' when you get in touch. I'll be keeping my eye on you ;). If you'd like to hear what happened When Dawn and I got together for a MMIH Show you can find the Podcast HERE


Until next time.

Much Love

Miss Make It Happen

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The Cost of Kindness.

Last night, whilst I was out hunting Pokemon, a friend and I came across a little old lady on a mobility scooter. the battery had run flat out so we pushed her home. It would have been so easy just to keep walking. A few more steps and we’d have been out of sight and I would have got the PokeStop i’d been walking towards. A few more steps and that lady could have been sitting around for ages. Now i’m not looking for a medal or a standing ovation. I’m just asking that we all think about how truly blessed we are. I’m sure we all have battles to deal with in our daily lives but 10 minutes of kindness doesn’t cost a thing. 

A few years back someone said to me “Be kind, then, you’ll be rich”. I didn’t understand what was meant and, at the time, i wasn’t that bothered. A few years later a friend and I embarked on a little adventure where we were to face adversity. We decided to get a better understanding of homelessness by becoming ‘homeless’ for 24 hours in our home town of London. You can read the full adventure HERE.

One of the main things that sticks out from, what turned out to be one of the hardest 24hours of my life, was that people who have less seem to have more to give and ask for nothing in return but your time. Whilst out, we decided to buy sandwiches and go to meet a few people. We met a man outside a very prestigious hotel and offered him some sandwiches. He accepted but declined a second. This played on my mind. He had no guarantee when his next meal would come along yet he was still thinking about others. I can almost guarantee that I would have taken two. Hell, if you offered me free food in my current comfortable situation I would still take it! 

A little further down the road we met another man and his lovely dog. He was an ex soldier. Just that alone, broke my heart. He explained that Pret A Manger, the popular coffee chain, offer all their end of day food to the homeless and he was waiting for them. 

It turned out this was true and the staff from Pret done their good deed. This man didn’t have a bean but refused our help  knowing full well he was going to get dinner that night and our goods could help someone else. We ended up spending a bit of time with him. Letting him talk. Us listening. Thats all he wanted. He just wanted a companion for a while. That night changed me. I no longer see homeless people as bums. The people we met were some of the nicest people i’d ever met. So humble and kind. 

I vowed that I would try to give back in my life. It didn’t have to be daily, weekly or monthly. Just when I could, when the opportunity arose. I was going to try to be a kinder person. 

Please don’t see this as me judging anyone. As I said, up until I had my experience, I was blind to what was happening in the world. All I ask is that we all try and do something small this week to make a big difference in someone else’s world. 

So ask yourself this - At what point of having everything, did you have nothing to give? 

Until next time.

Much Love

Miss Make It Happen

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Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. It's Where Your Confidence Is Hiding.

If you were to meet me on the street you’d think i’m confident. I’m good, no, i’m GREAT at playing the part. You’d think i’m a social butterfly who has no trouble networking a room, talking in front of strangers or just being myself. The truth is. I find all that ‘stuff’ hard work and somewhat exhausting. 

In todays society, confidence is a must have accessory for every man, woman and child. If you’re not naturally confident you have to pretend you are. If that isn’t hard enough then the same society is telling you you need to eat less, eat more, wear make up, look natural, dress your age, eat this, don’t eat that, speak up, don’t have an opinion, be slim, have curves. Phew! I’m exhausted just thinking about that list.   

I’m an only child so I naturally spent a lot of my time alone growing up. I have grown to love being alone. It’s ME time, it’s quiet and I don’t have to worry about entertaining people or wondering what they think of my ice cream stained PJs as i’m stretched out on the sofa reading a book.   

Over the years my confidence has taken some hefty knocks. People telling me I’m fat, ugly, not good enough. We’ve all been there. This is not a sob story but more of an awakening. I started dating Mike in April. He's literally turned my world upside down. He treats me like an absolute princess and never fails to tell me how beautiful I look, how proud he is of me or just simply that he loves me. Over the last few months my self confidence has changed.  Yes, yes, I know. I shouldn’t let someone else control the way I feel. Blah blah blah. But do you know what. This isn’t about him controlling my emotions but more helping me fix my broken bits. By handing me all the shards and fragments of my previously shattered confidence, he’s given me a platform to rebuild myself from the inside out. A platform I have complete control over. I'm very grateful for that. 

As my confidence grew, I got back in contact with a photographer who has been talking about shooting me for a few years. I took the plunge and agreed to the shoot. We started off with some fun and business like poses and then I became adventurous. Next thing I know, I’ve agreed to a boudoir shoot. My confidence was literally exploding from all the fun and excitement. I wouldn’t have dreamed doing this before and at the same time I hadn’t felt so liberated or beautiful in such a long time. I went from corsets, tutus and heels to butt naked wrapped in a sheet. 

I’ve since named Mikaela Morgan the OFFICIAL photographer for MMIH and we’ve done a really great podcast explaining about how these kinds of shoots can really help people with their self confidence. The woman is an absolute magician with a camera and i’m so happy that I finally stepped outside my comfort zone and let her work her magic. 

I’ve been able to draw a line under the past and i’m looking forward to a future full of Love, Laughter and REAL confidence. 

You should give yourself that opportunity too. What have you got to lose?

Until next time.

Much Love

Miss Make It Happen

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(Pictures owned by M Morgan and D Atkins)

The Only Way Is Up...

... down, left, right, loop the loop.

In life, nothing is straight forward. You'll hardly ever get from A to B in a straight line.

I recently took on one of the hardest challenges of my life. Mount Snowdon. I've written a 2 part blog for Yahoo and HERE is Part 1. The Ascent!

I hope you enjoy reading it :)

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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