AS RECESSION LOOMS YATES & ASSOCIATES SAYS LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMER TO STAY IN BUSINESS!

www.YatesPro.com

MEDIA RELEASE

For Additional Information:

Sam Yates

(772) 225-1292

For Immediate Release

AS RECESSION LOOMS

YATES & ASSOCIATES SAYS

LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMER TO STAY IN BUSINESS!

JENSEN BEACH, Florida/January 22, 2008 – As there are increasing signs our economy may be headed towards a recession, Yates & Associates, Public Relations & Marketing, says the best way to avoid losing business is to listen to your customers.

“At Yates & Associates, we are often asked to evaluate a client’s customer service,” said Sam Yates, President, Yates & Associates, Public Relations & Marketing. “We find that clients who have strong customer service throughout their organization generally can survive any market – even the recessionary market we are now facing,” Yates added.

Strong customer service is a valuable asset, especially in today's hightech-oriented, increasingly impersonal business world. Therefore, if you are aware of common customer service mistakes and avoid them, you may strengthen your position in a competitive market.

Here are what we consider the Top 10 Customer Service Mistakes most companies make. Incidentally, these mistakes are often made at all levels of a company – not just those who we normally think of as being in customer service.

See if your company is guilty of any of these mistakes. If the answer is Yes, contact Yates & Associates today so we can help you turn your company around.

1. Untrained staff. It does not matter whether you have two or 200 employees, you must train everyone in the art of customer service. Customers and clients will not tolerate rudeness, incorrect information, or apathy on the part of your staff. Not training the staff — and this should include everyone — is a major mistake made by too many businesses.

2. Trying to win the argument. It is worth remembering that it takes five times more effort and cost to gain one new customer as it takes to maintain one current customer. Therefore, to win an argument and lose a customer, you are punishing your business.

3. Inaccessibility. If you want to see repeat business, you need to be accessible to your customers.

4. Standing by your policy. While the receptionist who is scared that he or she may lose their job can say "That's our policy," customer service representatives and managers should be able to find ways to bend policies (within legal guidelines) to build customer relationships. The phrase "If I do that for you, I'll have to do it for everyone," is one of the fastest ways to lose customers.

5. Unfulfilled promises. If you promise a customer that something would be ready by a certain time, then it should be there by that certain time. When you cannot make this happen, do not make excuses. The only words you need to remember are "We're sorry," backed up by an extra effort to make the customer happy.

6. Poor record keeping. If you keep referring to Mrs. Johnson of Jackson Avenue as Mrs. Jackson of Johnson Avenue, you can be sure that she will not continue to be a customer. While any business can make a mistake, constantly misspelled names and similar foul-ups do not encourage regular customers to return. Make sure you treat each patient as if they are your most important customer.

7. The runaround. When someone calls for customer service or assistance on a matter, they expect the person with the answer to be the first or second person to whom they speak, following a receptionist perhaps. People do not like being passed from one person to another or sent from one department to another. Passing the buck is akin to passing the customer on to your competitor.

8. Email/online cop outs. Since email is impersonal, many businesses send a form letter or a programmed response that answers 10 common FAQs, none of which may apply to a particular customer. Other businesses simply ignore customer complaints hoping that the customer will simply forget the issue. These are email cop outs, or excuses for not providing adequate customer service. It is very simple for a customer representative to respond to each inquiry in a timely fashion.

9. Failure to listen. Customer service representatives routinely do not listen closely to customers. Typically they respond with an answer that does not match the problem because they were not paying attention. Customer relation representatives need to be trained, particularly in the art of listening and even taking notes.

10. Forgetting the basics. "Please," "thank you," "we're sorry about the inconvenience," and so on are simple phrases that cost nothing, take little effort, and win big points.

Yates, a more than 30 year public relations and marketing guru, says its easy for owners and managers of a company to lose sight of good customer service as everyone watches the bottom line during hard economic times. “Unfortunately, if no one is watching out for changes in customer service, the first indication that something has gone drastically wrong will be a major decline in that bottom line,” Yates added.

If you would like information about improving your customer service and bottom line during these changing economic times, contact Yates & Associates at 772-225-1292, or visit their web site at www.YatesPRO.com .

Yates & Associates is award-winning, full-service public relations, advertising, and marketing firm headquartered in Jensen Beach, with offices in Miami and Orlando, Florida.

For more information about Yates & Associates other services, including website design, optimization, and hosting, contact Yates & Associates’ Regional Vice President Dorothy Kamm at (772) 225-1292, or visit their website www.YatesPRO.com.

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Wow…what a difference a year makes.

Wow…what a difference a year makes. It seems like only yesterday that Yates & Associates was helping Physicians Immediate Care launch their newest office location in western Port St. Lucie. It was a major milestone for the emergency walk in clinic.

In the last year, Yates has also helped maintain and grow the visibility of Physicians Immediate Care in Port St. Lucie. One of the more innovative ways was to create a direct mail campaign. In one particular campaign, more than 80,000 postcards were sent to Treasure Coast residents and a new star was discovered.

Shane Kenna, the Port St. Lucie youth who has been featured in the massive direct mail campaign to residents throughout the Treasure Coast, will put in a special guest appearance on Saturday, January 19 to mark the first anniversary of the Physicians Immediate Care Parr Center office. Shane, son of Jason and Colleen Kenna, is the “star” of the nearly 80,000 piece direct mail campaign featuring the benefits of Physicians Immediate Care.

According to Sam Yates, President, Yates & Associates, Public Relations & Marketing, “Shane will be there to sign autographs and share his thoughts on becoming a local celebrity. His parents have received lots of calls from friends, neighbors, and even strangers who have recognized Shane.”

Shane was selected for the campaign because he had the “little boy next door” appearance. “Everyone who has seen the post card has said ‘What a cute kid.’ While at the same time, they can see the adventurous look in his eye that every parent knows too well may lead to a trip to an urgent care center,” added Yates.

“We received fantastic response from the campaign featuring Shane,” said Kenneth Palestrant, M.D., founder of Physicians Immediate Care. “We plan to use Shane in upcoming campaigns whenever the little boy next door is featured,” added Dr. Palestrant.

The direct mail campaign features Shane leaping from a wall attempting to fly like a superhero. “Shane is about to discover he can’t fly” is a phrase on the direct mail piece that every parent and grandparent can understand. While Shane is seen attempting to fly, the stunt was accomplished through digital photography. At no time was the youth in danger. You can see the postcard in the samples of work displayed here on the Yates & Associates web site.

“Future direct mail campaigns will focus attention on a variety of things we all do every day such as cooking, cleaning house, or enjoying outdoor activities,” said Yates. “We have been contacted by quite a few regular, everyday people who want to become a star in those campaigns as well,” he concluded.

Yates & Associates is award-winning, full-service public relations, advertising, and marketing firm headquartered in Jensen Beach, with offices in Miami and Orlando, Florida.

For more information about Yates & Associates, contact Yates & Associates’ Regional Vice President, Dorothy Kamm at (772) 225-1292 or visit their website www.YatesPRO.com

Yates & Assosiates Says "Fire that client"

MEDIA RELEASE

For Additional Information:

Sam Yates

(772) 225-1292

For Immediate Release

YATES OFFERS 2008 ADVICE:

FIRE THAT CLIENT…

TO GENERATE MORE PROFITABLE BUSINESS!

JENSEN BEACH, Florida/January 7, 2008 – Yates & Associates, Public Relations & Marketing offers some startling public relations and marketing advice for 2008: fire that client!

“Many times, as public relations and marketing professionals, we find ourselves immersed in a single track of thinking. That is, ‘How can we better serve our client?’ While that is admirable and shows good stewardship of the client’s marketing and public relations budget, it sometimes is not reality,” said Sam Yates, President, Yates & Associates. “Sometimes, the reality is the client is a train wreck that sucks out all of an agency’s productivity while offering nothing back in return. Unless there is a win-win scenario for client and agency, it is time to consider firing the client,” added Yates.

While that line of thinking may sound counter to growing a business, Yates cites the example of a diva client who attempted to monopolize his company’s business.

“This particular client would call a dozen times a day. Instead of allowing a project to be completed and presented for review, the change process was continuous. And, each change sent the project in a new direction rather than agreed upon marketing and public relations objectives,” said Yates.

Yates, a more than 30 year public relations and marketing guru says ideal clients are those who recognize their shortcomings in the PR/marketing field. “Our most successful clients are those who realize we have the skills they do not or can not provide if their core business is to grow.”

In fact, Yates says the “fire your client” approach can work for any business. “If your client is not helping grow your business with referrals, testimonials, and sharing business leads to help you – that may be a client you consider firing. Add to that list a client who wants to tell you how to do your business or who takes up productive time you could be using to serve other clients and you have a client that needs to be fire,” said Yates.

Does the “fire your client” approach work?

“In the case of the only client Yates & Associates has had to fire, we found we had more productive time to serve other clients. In fact, the time we spent serving one unruly client was turned into an opportunity to bring three additional larger clients on board,” Yates answered.

Yates offers the following tips should you decide to “fire your client”:

• Seek input from your staff on the client on the number of excessive hours the client requires. If that client is taking time away from other clients, they are a candidate to be fired.

• Invite the client to a quiet lunch to conduct the firing. Be prepared that the client may become indignant.

• Be calm but succinct when letting the client know its time to find another agency or vendor. Remember, the client will likely be in shock at your announcement.
• Be prepared that the client may attempt to talk badly about your business after the firing.
• Remember your reputation as an agency, or as a vendor, will far outweigh any negative comments from a fired client.
• Finally, remember…you can’t fire all annoying clients. Luckily, you will be blessed with good clients in 2008 that value your services and want to help you grow as much as you want to grow the client’s business.

“Firing a client is not for everyone. However, if you want to grow your business, difficult decisions sometimes need to be made. Just as we sometimes have to fire a difficult employee to protect the integrity of our business, we need to periodically review the clients we serve to see if the marriage is still worth the effort,” Yates concluded.

Yates & Associates is award-winning, full-service public relations, advertising, and marketing firm headquartered in Jensen Beach, with offices in Miami and Orlando, Florida.

For more information about Yates & Associates, contact Yates & Associates’ Regional Vice President, Dorothy Kamm at (772) 225-1292, or visit their website www.YatesPRO.com.

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