How to manage and monitor online reviews

With countless online review platforms, customers are being encouraged to review businesses at every purchase. Making responding to reviews a key aspect of maintaining customer trust and satisfaction. The following proactive steps can help businesses respond and manage complaints while minimizing their effects.

Respond quickly – Reviews can change a customer’s perception of a product and damage a business’s reputation. Responding to both positive and negative reviews quickly can indicate to the customer that their opinion is being acknowledged. For negative reviews respond by letting the customer know that the complaint has been seen and that the issue is being looked into. Quick responses to negative feedback can help calm a customer and reduce the need to complain on multiple platforms.

Tailored solutions – Customizing a review to suit a customer’s complaint can help a customer stay calm until a resolution is reached. It additionally displays to the customer that their problem is being dealt with personally.

Check social media and review websites often – Notifications can help alert, monitor, and manage reviews.

Trained customer service personnel – Trained customer service personnel will know how to speak to customers in a polite, professional manner even when they are spoken to unprofessionally.

Research also indicates that although customers accept small businesses to respond quickly with personal responses, they do not expect large chain businesses to take on a personal approach. Therefore larger businesses can see an added benefit and increased customer satisfaction ratings by focusing on managing their reviews.

Revdex is an online business directory. Revdex’s aim is to improve the connection between consumers and businesses. They provide the customers with an opportunity to browse and post negative complaints and reviews about businesses and they make it easier for their voice to be heard by the companies.

Consumers can report internet scams or file complaint about health products.

How companies effectively handle negative social media complaints

Complaints Key Showing Complaining Or Moaning Online

Article provided by Revdex.com

Negative comments on social media are common for businesses as most customers are active social media users. Handling negative feedback correctly can increase customer trust and strengthen processes.

These simple yet effective strategies can help businesses correctly manage negative social media comments:

Don’t ignore it – Not responding to a negative comment can reflect badly on a company and cause the customer to write further reviews on multiple platforms.

Apologize always – Apologizing to the customer as soon as a negative comment is posted can help calm the situation. Follow your response with an email address or contact number to a customer service representative who will assist.

Avoid immediate promises – Options should be offered to a dissatisfied customer, only after the problem is understood and analyzed.

Be polite and professional – Being polite will not only show the customer that the company is professional, but it can calm the customer and reframe the conversation.

Move the conversation offline – Avoid long conversation threads by offering an apology and a contact person who will help with the complaint.

Keep it personal – Personal messages can make a customer feel special and instill confidence that the situation will be resolved.

Explain yourself – Explain to the customer what caused the problem and how the complaint has changed how policies or procedures are conducted. In some cases, the complaint may have nothing to do with the company but are due to external factors such as bad weather, etc. In these instances, an explanation provides the customer with a complete picture.

Revdex is a new online business directory. Consumers can post a review for any business, even if there is not an existing profile. Businesses can create their own profiles and respond to reviews. Revdex tries to provide a positive experience both for consumers and businesses.

Consumers can post negative business reviews and report online shopping scams.

5 Successful Business Leaders that Meditate

Article written by Zhang Xinyue.

Here are some well-known CEOs who use meditation on a regular basis. Many agree that meditation can help you become a better leader and achieve even higher levels of success:

Ariana Huffington
The CEO of the Huffington Post has been practicing meditation since she was a teenager. She is a very vocal advocate of meditation, even saying that it is has played a massive role in her success.

One of the best quotes about mindfulness comes from the CEO herself: “Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and our feelings.”

Joe Rogan
Despite his tough sports persona as a UFC host and the host of the Joe Rogan Show podcast, Joe Rogan is a very vocal meditation advocate. His platform has allowed him to influence and encourage thousands of people to try meditation. Rogan stated that meditation has had a huge impact on his career, his health, and his success. Rogan says it improves his ability to focus on various projects with a clear-headed approach.

Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio, a billionaire hedge fund manager, said some similar things to how meditation impacts his work productivity, which he believes is crucial to making right investment decisions in financial markets.

Pat Flynn
Pat Flynn, an online entrepreneur, who makes six figures net profit every month. At first, he explained how he was first skeptical of meditation. But he decided to try it out and learned how much it was able to help him manage an overwhelming amount of tasks and responsibilities.

Russell Simmons
Not the most typical CEO, but the co-founder of Def Jam records believes that meditation has been the most critical part of his career. In a recent interview, Simmons spoke up about meditation, “You have to learn to love yourself enough to take care of yourself. Sometimes if you’re lucky, you get a chance to change your life.”

The great Teacher Zhang Xinyue, a well known spiritual leader, was born in China. Her development of the Create Abundance 创造丰盛 system aims to promote a helpful and healthy approach to life’s philosophical problems. By building a unique and highly effective plan for body-mind-spirit cultivation, she has succeeded in helping tens of thousands. Visit Facebook page of Zhang Xinyue.

How to Get Your Small Business Up and Running

Summary: If you want to be a small business owner but are feeling a little lost, continue reading for some tips on what to consider before you get started.

If you have ever considered turning that passion of yours into a small business there are many things you would need to do before taking the leap. Continue reading for some tips on how to get the business ready for launch.

Research the Market

Before investing in a business operation it may be wise to first research the market to get a better understanding of the existing business landscape. Learn about the different businesses and potentially do SWOT analyses to determine what they have in common, what makes some of them unique, and which market segments have room for potential growth and profits. Once you have figured out what kind of business you want to run, the next step is to figure out what steps you will need to provide the product or service, and ultimately open up a merchant processing account for transactions.

It is worth keeping in mind that you should be careful about how much time you spend in the preparation and planning phase. It is true that it is important to research a little and start with some loose plan, but once you start the business plans can easily change. You must be flexible and open-minded to adapt as new challenges arise, because you can run into trouble if you try to stick to your original plan too closely. There is value in trying different things and learning from your setbacks.

Lay Out Business Operations

Once you have gotten a better grasp of what kind of business you would like to run, you will next need to figure out where you should run your operations. Will you want to have a physical store, an online shop, or both? Services like Charge.com can help you handle both in-person and online card transactions. It would make sense for a spa to have a physical location, but if you are only selling spa products, then you may not need one. Consider what kind of layout would make the most sense for your business.

Invest in Hire Car Services When Visiting Jordan

Summary: Driving in a different country, like Jordan, can be daunting if you don’t know the laws or conditions of the roads. Consider car hire services if you are weary of driving yourself while on vacation.

If you are thinking about visiting Jordan and wanting to rent a car to get around, there are a few laws and common dangers you should know about before you get there. Make sure you are well aware of all driving laws and road conditions before you decide to drive in a new place, and remember that there are always alternatives.

Laws For Tourist Drivers

Any tourists who plan to drive while in Jordan must have a valid foreign license and an International Driving Permit. You should get this before you arrive. Visitors may only use their valid foreign licenses to rent cars with green license plates, to make them easier to differentiate.

Note that car seats for children are not required by law, so be careful if you bring your children along for the ride.

Accidents Can Be Costly

Certain tourist destinations in Amman get heavy traffic and have narrow roads. Drivers also need to be careful not to hit any livestock, whether in the urban or rural areas, as collisions between vehicles and livestock are common.

Driving accidents are frequent in Jordan and are the leading cause of injury and death.

Avoid Financial Liability

Thankfully, no one has to drive when they visit Jordan if they do not want to. Though public transportation is not recommended, taxis and other private car hire services are widely available all around. Make sure to arrange pick ups with your hotel and ask the driver not to take any more passengers on the route. If you are not comfortable driving in a new area, these are good alternatives.

Blog submitted by Monte Carlo Rent A Car, LLC: If you’re looking for services from a car hire in the Amman airport, visit Monte Carlo Rent A Car, LLC and they will get you to your destination!

Understanding What a “High-Risk” Merchant Means to a Processor

Summary: A high-risk client means taking on an assortment of different penalties and fees when applying for a new account. Here are some factors you should look at if you’re within this category.

If you’re labeled as a high-risk client for credit card processing, it might sound like it’s the end of the world, but for many cases, it isn’t. Rather, the situation is quite complex and in some cases, the cost of being a high-risk merchant might come a variety of pros and cons.

First off, in order to accept any payment made via credit card, a business must obtain a merchant account with a specified bank. Now, the cost of this service varies drastically and is dependent on a variety of factors – most notably the type of business.

Normally, high-risk candidates face higher fees and a specialized payment processor will likely be required. Processors like to look over these merchants because of perceived risks that could end up costing them money.

Chargebacks and the Effects

One of the various factors that make high-risk merchants a threat in the eyes of a processor is the increased possibility of chargebacks. Now, there are various elements like the type of service of product sold, the average amount of money made for monthly sales, and the countries the merchant sells to which can essentially increase the risk of chargebacks, leaving processors in the heat of millions of potential losses.

Processors work on the fact that high-risk clients will produce more chargebacks, so they create charges right from the get-go. High-risk merchants are liable to an increased initial setup and higher monthly fees – and even double the normal processing fees. For the merchant, this could mean a significant financial hill he or she must face when utilizing this service.

High-risk processors tend to force their clients to have a reserve, which is essentially a non-interest savings account that is utilized by the bank as a sort of insurance. For instance, if a chargeback is filed against the business and the merchant is not able to reimburse the bank from the merchant’s account, the reserve will be utilized to cover the financial loss. This gives the processor more room to work with when dealing with these types of clients.

Now, these reserves will typically hold anywhere from 5 to 10% of their monthly sales for half a year. The money in the reserve account will still belong to the merchant but it cannot be accessed until 180 days have passed – or other circumstances are address. This restricted access obviously poses a threat to the merchant and has the potential to cause massive cash flow issues for the merchant.

Blog submitted by Charge.com: For high risk credit card processing and other credit card services, visit the pros at Charge.com for all your merchant account needs. Give them a call today for more information.

Business Turnaround Services Can Help Your Project and Lower Costs

Summary: When you are struggling to avoid high expenses and make a profit with your business it may be wise to consider looking into a business turnaround service to help get your business back on track.

A good deal of work goes into operating a business. Rough economic times may make it difficult to operate profitably. Companies may have periods that are more profitable than others, but there are other signs that hint  that it is time for the business to undergo a turnaround. Looking at such factors as cash flow, business growth, the state of the industry in which your business operates, and employee turnover rates can provide you with a good understanding of how healthy your business is.

A Clear Roadmap

A business turnaround service is a formal and professional process that can provide some clarity on how to improve the state of your business. Rather than trying to diagnose the problems yourself, it can be beneficial to reach out for the input of an external party. A business turnaround consultant could help outline how to improve operations in three simple steps:

  1. Stabilize the company’s cash flow to help calm the situation down.
  2. Go through a series of inspections and tests to determine the roots of the problems. Next steps will be tailored to fit the specific underlying issues. This typically includes laying out a financial forecast and a roadmap on how to improve the business.
  3. Help the company actually implement the steps they must take to turn the business around.

Experts Know What’s Best

A benefit to using a business turnaround service is that the consultants who will assist you in handling your company’s issues have experience with investigating businesses and diagnosing their problems, accordingly. No two businesses are run the exact same way, but a specialist may be able to use their knowledge on what has worked for other companies, either in the same or a different industry, to make yours profitable again.

Blog submitted by Lyle Charles: Lyle Charles is a construction industry expert that provides construction & turnaround services. Visit him online for more information.

Why More Merchants are Offering Split Payments

Customers who shop online will expect to pay with almost any tender they choose, and that includes split payments. Split payments allow customers to pay from more than one source, such as a digital wallet and credit card. With split payments, you allow customers to pay how they want.

Speed

In order to make split payments as fast and efficient as possible, it may be helpful to let customers save their payment information to your website via an account. This way, at the checkout, customers will be able to select which credit cards and digital wallets they want to use to pay their bill and complete the transaction.

If their account is secured by a password, and you follow proper security protocols, you can substantially reduce the risks that come with hacking.

More Business

Customers might be really motivated to buy something, but their credit card or bank account limit might be standing in their way. Allowing split payments is an alternative to get past this problem. Customers can apply tender using cash they do have on hand. Using more than one card also allows someone to help pay for something they plan to give to someone else (such as parents buying an expensive toy for a child).

Saving Cash

Depending on the payment processor you work with, you’ll end up saving money over time allowing for split payments. This is all thanks to variable rates, which allow for some cards to cost less to process than others. Accepting digital wallets is another method to reduce fees you pay to send and receive money online.

Submitted by Charge.com. Charge.com offers a low cost guarantee and no contract to help businesses acquire payment processing online and in store.

A brief look at billionaire Len Blavatnik businesses

Written by Access Industries

Len Blavatnik is one of the richest people on earth, with a net worth of $16.7 Billion to his name. Blavatnik who is known as a self-made billionaire has investments in chemicals, real estate, and entertainment.

Blavatnik started his journey in Moscow and attended the University of Railway Engineering until his family immigrated to the US in 1978. He then went on to earn his master’s degree in Computer Science from Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Here is a brief look at the billionaire’s businesses.

Access Industries – Founded in 1986, this privately owned company is involved in Russian investments, natural resources, chemicals and recently moved into Blavatnik media, telecommunications, technology, e-commerce, and real estate.

Tory Burch – Blavatnik’s company branched out into fashion by investing in the upscale fashion accessory brand: Tory Burch.

Warner Music – The billionaire worked his way into Hollywood by purchasing Warner Music Group for $3.3 billion. He also acquired Atlantic, Warner Bros. Records, Rhino, and Warner Music Nashville.

Access Entertainment – Blavatnik recently teamed with Hollywood talent manager Sarah Stennett to create a company that focuses on talent, brand development, representation of recording artists and songwriters.

Although Blavatnik is a billionaire, he is also known as a global philanthropist. The Blavatnik Family Foundation supports the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, the Royal Academy of Arts, and Colel Chabad. Apart from these charities, Blavatnik family foundation is also known for the Blavanik awards that help key graduates in science and technology.

____________________________________________________

Len Blavatnik needs no introduction. The Balavatnik billionaire is the man at the top of Access Industries and is a world-renowned philanthropist.

 

White House memo confuses Wall Street on fate of fiduciary rule

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Conflicting signs from the White House have left brokerage firms and lobbyists unsure whether a controversial rule governing retirement advice will ever be put in place, but they are taking no chances and complying anyway. President Donald Trump's Friday memorandum ordered the Labor Department to review the so-called “fiduciary” rule, which requires brokers to put their clients' interests first when advising them about 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Trump's memo did not go as far as White House early guidance to reporters that the memo would ask the department to “defer implementation” of the rule.

Continued here:
White House memo confuses Wall Street on fate of fiduciary rule