I'm having to buy a new pc BOOOHOOO

This is just a quick post to gripe about machines and their ability to stop working just as they become totally essential to your life! The pc's hard drive started reporting errors; just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, it turns out that the motherboard is unusable as well!

If I had known this 10 days ago, I would have ordered a new one then and it would be up and running by now .... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh!

Never mind. By Tuesday, I hope to have the new one and will be back to normality!

I hope this isn't a forlorn dream.

Margaret

They are so annoying.

Are you competitive? I don't take part in competitive sport (ok, I'm not a fitness fanatic either.) I do like playing scrabble, though - and I have been known to spend the odd £1 or two in the UK's national lottery. I don't gamble much (ok, it's limited to the lottery and an annual flutter on a big race - the Derby.) But I got hooked on online competitions.

Nothing wrong in that, you might say! My hubby probably disagrees when he thinks of the time I spend on them, but that's another story. Here's where I am having a problem with them now.

I have been entering competitions at myoffers.co.uk - and think that, on the whole, their site is great. Recently, the myoffers site has been running competitions which require me to complete a survey on what type of gambling site I would like to visit. I don't want to visit any of these, and there is no way to enter the competition without completing the questionnaire and becoming involved with the gaming web site. Now, my perception (and it could be wrong) of gambling sites is that they're full of pop-ups, adverts, sneaky ways of keeping me from escaping their clutches. If I'm wrong, I apologise. I always thought that competitions had to be run in such a way that an entry could be completed with no purchase necessary.



... not very happy with this one at all.

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Putting the "Service" back into "Customer Service"

By Sean Cohen
The future of customer service is here. Technology has made seeking out support faster and easier than ever. But, has your digital age company sacrificed true service in the name of automation?

Today, finding customer support is as simple as writing an e-mail or picking up the phone. But, even though you're not face-to-face with your customers, you still leave a lasting impression. Do you come across as caring and competent, or menacing and mechanical?

Offering stand-out service on the Internet isn't as hard as it is rare. Take these simple steps towards old-style service in the digital age:

Give Each Customer a Personal Response

Be Clear, But Sincere

Offer Live Customer Support

Make Sure Your Support Reps Have All the Answers

Give Each Customer a Personal Response

When a customer sits down to e-mail your company, it's because he needs help. He chooses e-mail because it's quick, but his request still warrants a satisfying and personal response!

Companies eager to save time and money often take automation too far in their customer support. Each customer has a unique question, and deserves a unique answer. Even if you save time by copying and pasting stock replies, change the opening and closing to make the message sound less robotic.

Be Clear, But Sincere

When responding to customers' e-mail, be sincere and to the point. Before sending a message, try turning the tables. Ask yourself, "Would this answer satisfy me if I were the customer?"

Take that extra moment to give your customer the help he deserves. It might mean the difference between a satisfied customer and a credit card chargeback!

Offer Live Customer Support

E-mail has become an acceptable form of communication. But, live customer support is still necessary. The plethora of information available online can be overwhelming to customers, especially those new to the Internet!

Single your company out from the crowd by providing customers with a real person to talk to. Live phone support is an invaluable way to foster trust. When your customer has reached the end of his Internet rope, and just needs help, your toll free number is the answer he's looking for.

Make Sure Your Support Reps Have All The Answers

The presence of phone support will do no good if your staff doesn't know your product! Customer support reps should be warm and friendly, and willing to help with any aspect of your product.

What a good feeling it is to talk to someone who feels confident in his product. It's even better if he's knowledgeable enough to solve your problem without transferring you all around the company!

Provide Stand-Out Service; Gain Lifelong Customers

Too many e-businesses skimp on customer service, hiding behind web sites and message boards. Customer support is an integral part of every company, even those operating solely online. Be one of the few to offer stellar service, and gain customers for life!

Customer Service is becoming a lost art, but Sean Cohen wants to make sure that never happens at AWeber Communications!

Find out what service is meant to be.

Coupons and Special Offers

Hi, folks - from time to time I get told about special offers and coupons. I can't think why, but it took me until tonight to realise that you might be interested in hearing about them - DUH - how slow can I be?????

Anyway, here are a couple of offers to get you going from LastMinuteTravel.com

No Booking Fees on Flights for a limited time only!

No Booking Fees on Flights for a limited time only!


Book Now and Save 70% on New York Hotels at LastMinuteTravel.com!

Book Now and Save 70% on New York Hotels at LastMinuteTravel.com!

... WOW - these offers are great - I hope you manage to use them.

Margaret

ps - a quick comment. It is possible for YOU to earn money from your web site. There are many great options for you to promote affiliate products which tie in with your web site's subject matter.

LinkShare is an e-commerce business solution for over 3.5 million online relationships. 
Become an affiliate of the LinkShare Network for FREE
and earn revenue by linking to over 500 premier online merchants

This is one programme that I really recommend.

M

PPS - just for fun - and in case you need some entertainment, I'm adding a link to a special offer from The Disney Movie Club :)

Get 3 Free Disney Movies when you join! Plus shipping and processing.

Webthyme.com - help needed

I occasionally buy expired domain names; I try and develop relevant web sites, hoping to benefit from what small amount of traffic there is coming to the old site.

This time I struck it lucky - I bought the domain name WebThyme and put a contact form on it while I struggled round for an appropriately themed web site. Imagine my amazement when I got this email:

"I am in the Bay area frequently, and have always seen your sign from 101. I am the california rep for ...... I am constantly meeting with many ILEC's , CLEC's, Isp's etc in the bay area, and was hoping I could get 20 minutes on your calender during the first 2 weeks in June. I look forward to hearing from you."

Wow - did I buy a domain name that still has a physical advertising sign visible from a busy highway??? - has anyone seen it???

Jeepers, creepers, I'd better get some sneakers on and get a proper web site up. Question is - how would you use the domain name when you don't know what the advertising sign says???

I look forward to your comments.

Paintballing - anyone?

I must have been slightly deranged when I bought the domain name http://www.paintballware.com - but I was trying to put together a little hotsheet for someone about buying a domain name through 000domains.com. I happen to like the 000domains service - and regularly buy domain names there. However, I needed to see how the service worked as I wrote my hotsheet - and I knew that the paintballware.com domain name was available.

When I started on the internet, like a lot of newbies, I found it extremely difficult to understand some of the basic concepts; f'rinstance, why was hosting different from a domain name? It took me quite some time to understand that the domain name is like a specific reference point on a map (eg your home address) and the web hosting is the space which your domain name occupies on a computer "web server". To make sure that your web site can be found, you need a domain name which can be reached by computers users all around the world and this is done for you by the registrar when you buy the domain name.

Anyway, to get back to paintballware.com, it's not as if I know anything about paintballing; nor indeed am I fit enough to struggle through boggy, rough terrain playing hide and seek. The idea does appeal, though, and I can see the attraction it would have in team-building exercises!

If you're interested in acquiring the domain name, please check it out at our online auction at Sell My Domain

If you would like a copy of the hotsheet which I put together on acquiring domain names at 000domains.com, then you can download it from here.

Buy a domain through 000domains.com

This is a pdf file which can be opened by PC/MAC users using Adobe's free PDF reader.