Dear Friends:

We all know the famous quote, “the customer is king." It is becoming increasingly evident how true this is today. In this economy, companies are discovering that customers are not only demanding more value, but extraordinary customer service. I'm seeing more and more signs that customer loyalty — and the tactics companies use to keep it — is more important now than ever. Our feature article delves a bit deeper into new-found efforts to build customer loyalty, with anecdotes from some of our clients to illustrate how they're taking customer service to a new level.

I hope you enjoy this issue! Here's to dreaming of some early summer vacations.

Warm regards,

Peter

Customer Loyalty More Important Than Ever

No matter the business, impeccable customer service should be a top priority in today's environment. A snapshot of present customer behavior looks very different than a snapshot taken six months ago. Impacted by macroeconomic trends and cultural factors, customers in the marketplace are demanding more from vendors and carefully evaluating each dollar they spend. The March 2, 2009 issue of BusinessWeek brings this point to light, reporting that “just as companies are dealing with plummeting sales and sinking employee morale, skittish customers want more attention, better quality, and greater value for their money.” 

Today's demanding environment has customers seeking value, delivery, and choice. At the same time, companies are looking for ways to simultaneously reduce costs and secure revenues. A win-win relationship is emerging between savvy companies and their high-value customers – in which the company provides great value and service and, in turn, customers remain loyal. This symbiotic arrangement is indicative of today’s business environment.

For example, the BusinessWeek article reports in its annual ranking of Customer Service Champs that top performers are treating their best customers better than ever. Even those that are cutting expenses are attempting to do so without sacrificing the customer service experience. Unwilling to risk the loyalty of their customers, they have taken steps to improve service. More than half of the top 25 brands identified in this ranking showed improved customer service scores over last year.

So how can companies mesh the seemingly diametrically opposed objectives of controlling costs and improving customer service? To provide some ideas, Carabiner polled its clients to see how they are taking customer service to a new level.

Applied Software
Giving More Face Time

“Outside sales reps now spend more time in face-to-face selling situations.”
Ellen Valentine
Vice President of Marketing

One of the largest Autodesk resellers in the Southeast region, Applied Software reorganized its sales team to better serve its customers. Because the company had a large number of smaller transactions, it made sense to form an inside sales team for handling the smaller requests. This not only freed up time for the outside reps to have more face-to-face time with strategic accounts in a reduced number of territories, it resulted in higher response rates to inbound customer calls, thanks to the inside reps.

LeadLife Solutions
Blending Marketing Expertise with Customer Service

“For our customers, it’s about learning marketing best practices.”
Lisa J. Cramer
President

LeadLife Solutions, a provider of lead management software solutions, has taken a different customer service route than other companies. It has hired front line customer service representatives who are also experienced marketers, enabling them to advise customers on writing email copy, designing drip marketing campaigns and teaching lead scoring techniques. Customers learn marketing best practices when they work with LeadLife.

PointClear
Focusing on Quality, not Quantity

“Now more than ever, we’re helping companies answer the critical question of why their sales opportunities are stalling – and why generating more leads isn’t the answer.”
Dan McDade
President

PointClear is the leading prospect development company, helping B2B companies fill their forecasts with qualified revenue opportunities. Many companies are currently experiencing less activity in their sales pipeline. And, as PointClear advises its customers, crowding the pipeline with more leads is not the answer. Instead, the company works with clients to create fewer, yet higher-quality leads that actually result in increased sales performance – even in today’s tighter markets. PointClear’s methods help close the gap between marketing and sales—nurturing leads, engaging contacts and developing prospects until they’re ready to buy. With this approach, clients enjoy predictable forecasts and significantly higher revenue.

Wren Solutions
Enabling Self-Reliance

“What we're doing has not changed, but it works well in this economy.”
Amelia Fusaro
VP Marketing

Wren, a provider of video surveillance cameras and software solutions, has learned a valuable lesson selling to schools: train them to be self-reliant. The company’s direct selling approach, which includes installation and training services, gives their customers the power to maintain and expand their surveillance systems. Customers appreciate this sense of partnership and also the option provided by the company to achieve self-sufficiency and, ultimately, cost savings with their products.

Who We’re Working with Now

eSecuritel
A management team that melds smart technologies, careful business management and outstanding service to deliver “high tech and high touch” handset protection services and replacement programs.

Liaison
A solid management team of Georgia-Pacific veterans providing integration and data management services to more than 400 customers in over 35 countries.

Psydex
Computer science and semantics experts whose instant news analysis and alerting services reveal statistical patterns and trends in social networks, human behavior and financial markets. 

yourSABBATICAL
A mother-daughter team of sabbatical thought leaders, bloggers and authors.

New Partner

StartupLounge.com
Carabiner has partnered with StartupLounge.com, an Atlanta-based grassroots community that supports emerging high-growth companies in Georgia and the southeastern United States. We’ll be sponsoring networking events for early-stage entrepreneurs and investors from around the country. For a schedule of events, visit www.startuplounge.com.

Client Buzz

Ask for a Sabbatical Now?
Absolutely, says yourSABBATICAL!

For anyone who thinks now is not the time to ask for time off, think again! According to Elizabeth Pagano, co-founder of yourSABBATICAL, “Smart companies are looking to keep those high performers who are left. They may not be able to give more money, but time is the new currency.”

SmartTrust Acquired by Giesecke & Devrient (G&D)

Giesecke & Devrient (G&D), one of the world's largest suppliers of banknotes and smart card solutions, is acquiring SmartTrust AB (Stockholm), a globally leading provider of server solutions for managing applications on SIM cards and mobile phones.

Digital Element’s IP Intelligence Helps Detect Earthquakes

A technology mainly used for targeting online ads and content, is now being used to help the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) accurately identify affected locations in less than 10 minutes.

Wren’s Cash Donation to School Makes Local NY News

Channel 9 interviews school resource officer Rob Reyngoudt, who completed an e-mail survey from Wren about school security on a whim, and a result, won $1,000 for his school.

Psydex Launches Real-time News Portal

Newly funded Psydex uses $3.5 million investment to launch Psyng, a real-time news portal that provides instant analysis and alerting on global news events—as they happen.

What We’ve Been Up To

Just Published:

Download our new white paper and learn how your company can use social media tools to communicate ideas, build brands, generate site traffic, establish authority and influence purchases.

Just Produced:

Our new media team wrote, directed and produced a web video to support a new product launch for nuBridges. The video debuted at Infosecurity Europe 2009 and has been virally distributed via online postings, social networking, news releases and email marketing to nuBridges’ key customers, prospects and industry influencers.

Carabiner Promotes Atlanta-based Organization that Teaches Kids Life Skills through Soccer

The DeKalb-based Soccer in the Streets helps teach underprivileged children life skills through a worldwide love — soccer. The organization has been helping boys and girls of all ages nationwide for the past 20 years, teaching the importance of education, positive values and personal responsibility. Carabiner supports the organization by providing publicity and event promotion to further its educational mission for young people. In February, Carabiner promoted the inaugural “President’s Day Street-Cup Soccer Game,” which was covered in the DeKalb Neighbor newspaper. Read the story here.

Viral Media Strategy Carries ThePort Network’s Nonprofit Survey to 30,000+ Targeted Twitter Followers

As part of a viral media strategy to publicize ThePort Network’s story “New Survey is First to Examine Nonprofit Industry's Use of Social Networking,” Carabiner pitched the news to nonprofit trades and to the social media industry’s top 100 bloggers. The result? The story was covered in tier-1 nonprofit trade publications in addition to reaching over 30,000 Twitter followers of social media and nonprofit influencers who “tweeted” the news. More information on the survey, co-sponsored by NTEN and Common Knowledge, which polled 978 nonprofit professionals about their organizations' use of commercial social networking sites, as well as their own hosted social networking communities, can be found online here.

Carabiner Spotlights

Erin Jones, Account Director with Carabiner since 2007

If you’re looking for a philosophical view on the cat species, look no further than Erin’s take on her two cats. She believes they’re actually the superior beings – bossing around their human slave (aka owner) to feed them, change their box and comb their fur so they can sleep all day. It does sound luxurious. This multi-talented account director honed her multitasking skills at her first job in a pizza parlor – she not only took your order for how many toppings – she also cooked the pizza. Erin’s unique view of the world doesn’t end with her family’s motor home. Her family takes theirs every weekend to racetracks where 14-year-old son Devin races Legend Cars. Her idea of a great vacation? Anywhere she can go without the motor home. Find out why Erin thinks a luxury hotel sounds nice and why she’s not afraid to give her opinion about the B-52s here.

Justin Rubner, Messaging Strategist, Writer with Carabiner since 2009

Whether you’re a lift-ticket violator on a ski slope, or an author of badly written copy… watch out… Justin Rubner, aka “Rub”, “J-Rub” or “Ruby Tuesday” will hunt you down. While the former responsibility was part of his first job, the latter is the focal point of his blog “Copycation,” where he documents his epiphanies on media, communications and copywriting. You may also see a winterized theme between some of his favorites. Forget the tropics – this snowbird is all about vacation where you can find fresh powder or salt air. And, first music album he ever bought? “Freeze Frame” by J. Giles Band. To play “guess that hometown” or discover which vegetable has an evil spirit, check out his fun bio here.

Malou Statt, Media & Analyst Relations Strategist, Writer with Carabiner since 2007

What has two handles and holds hot liquids one drinks with a spoon? Today Malou would answer “a soup bowl.” But on her first day on the job serving guests at the Wesleyan University president’s house, this Carabiner accidentally served a judge his coffee in a soup bowl. While her first set of wheels was a Toyota Landcruiser, many of her co-workers would disagree with what “Moo” claims she drives now… which is “People crazy.” Do you enjoy movies that blur the lines between reality or fantasy? If so, you’ll find a fellow fan of the movie Pan’s Labyrinth in Malou. Check out her favorite “away” place surrounded by water (that isn’t an island) and why she enjoys the telecommuting nature of the agency’s work policy here.