Article: Small businesses often have very different customer service expectations than mega big-box stores. Understanding why people choose your store or business will help you assist your customers in getting exactly what they want out of their interaction with you.  If you are a large company, customers will likely expect a wide selection of goods or services, low prices, and quick “in and out” shopping experiences. If you are a small business, personal interaction, knowledge ability, and problem-solving are very important aspects to focus on. You probably cannot offer prices as low as a mega business, but your friendly expertise will make up for it. One study suggests that 70% of customers are willing to pay higher prices if they get excellent, personalized customer service. 81% of customers believe that small businesses provide better customer service overall than big businesses. Having a clear vision statement for your customer service mission is crucial. You will incorporate this vision statement into employee training and will likely also share it with customers. Your vision statement communicates your business’s core values, what you’re all about.  Consider examples from very successful businesses. ACE Hardware, a very successful chain of independently-owned hardware stores, has been repeatedly recognized with awards as being a top customer service provider. Their customer service vision boils down to a very simple statement: “100% helpful.” This emphasis on helpfulness, not just friendliness, has helped them compete with big-box stores such as Home Depot and Lowe’s.  Another example is from Amazon, whose customer service vision is: “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.” By using a metaphor (invited guests to a party), this vision statement clearly expresses Amazon’s goals: to make customers feel welcomed and appreciated, and create a fun and enjoyable experience shopping there. Your employees are one aspect of your business’s public “face,” which customers interact with every day. Other representations of your business’s mission include your handling of customer service calls and interactions, your location (brick-and-mortar and/or online), and your approachability.  This article will cover how to ensure your employees’ customer service skills in-depth a little later. In general, consider that they represent the face of your company, so make sure that they are trained to be respectful, friendly, and knowledgeable. How do customers interact with you? Can they get a “live person” to speak to right away, or do they have to go through automated systems? Studies suggest that customers overwhelmingly prefer to speak to a person rather than navigate an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. If you have social media presences, how quickly do you respond to questions or comments on those accounts? What does your business location look like? Is it laid out well, easy to access, and clearly organized? This applies to brick-and-mortar locations and your online presences. Do your employees and your company structure give the impression that customers are free and welcome to approach you with issues? For example, is your contact information clearly located on your website, and do customers in your physical location know who to ask or where to go with questions? New hires and experienced workers should all know what “quality service” means to you and your business. This definition may be made up of larger ideas, like “consistency, communication, and connection”, or more specific ideas that involve specific actions or attitudes.  For example, if you own a retail business that sells clothing, your definition of “quality service” may include specifics like “always greet the customer when she walks into the store” or “offer to start a fitting room for a customer if she is holding one or more items in her hand.” The definition of “good” customer service is highly dependent on your industry and your customer base. For example, a friendly, talkative salesperson might be desired in a retail setting, but customers might not want their massage therapist to be chatty. Similarly, if your customers are older, they are more likely to appreciate in-person service, whereas younger customers may be more appreciative of easy answers over social media.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Consider your business type. Create a clear vision statement. Examine the public “face” of your business. Make sure your employees know what “quality service” means to your business.
Article: To do so, double-click on the blue app icon that contains the letters "Ps," click on File in the menu bar at the top of the screen, click on Open... and select the image. Original images with higher contrasts allow for a cleaner line drawing effect.  You can give your new layer a different name otherwise it will be called "[Name of your first layer] copy." If you don't see a padlock icon next to the original, Background layer in the Layers window in the lower-right part of the screen, click on the layer. Then, click the padlock button at the top of the Layers window.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Open an image in Photoshop. Click on Layers in the menu bar. Click on Duplicate Layer… in the drop-down and click on OK.
Article: Even a 10 minute walk every day can improve your health. If you've been sedentary or overweight for a while, you may have to start slowly. Set small goals for yourself and build on them, such as, “I will take a 15 minute walk every day this week,” and, “I will increase my activity to 30 minutes, 5 days per week starting by the end of the month.” Once you start to consistently get exercise it will become a habit, making it easier to accomplish. In order to lose weight when you're obese, you need to partake in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. Try to create a workout schedule that gets you moving for 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. It's okay to start smaller and gradually work up to this goal.  For more extreme results, aim for 300 minutes per week of exercise.  What counts as a “moderate-intensity aerobic workout” varies and can be quite creative: Walk briskly (fast enough to break a sweat), bike, swim, play tennis, dance, do workout videos at home – anything that gets your heart rate and breathing rate up and makes you sweat.  Consult your healthcare professional about an appropriate exercise regime, especially if you have medical conditions or are over age 40 (for women) or 50 (for men). Other than setting aside specific time to exercise, there are easy ways to burn calories throughout your day. Walk somewhere instead of driving, park far away from your destination, work in the garden, take your dog or a neighbor's dog for frequent walks, play music and get energetic when you're cleaning the house, or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Turn off the TV! People who watch fewer than 2 hours of TV a day tend to gain less weight than those who watch more. Take a walk outside after dinner instead of sitting in front of the TV. If you can't miss your favorite program, do light to moderate exercises while you watch such as squats, crunches, or jogging in place.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Start slowly. Strive to get at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. Keep moving to burn extra calories.