Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

Customer service has traditionally been focused on the resolution of complaints , primarily after a transaction. My recommendations always include adopting a customer mindset, as well as the following steps: Accept today’s definition of relevant customer support. Treat every customer exceptionally before they complain.

Competition 109

Competition Services Customer Custom 109

TechEmpower

MARCH 4, 2024

Key Functions with High Impact Generative AI is revolutionizing sales by enabling dynamic pricing and personalized customer interactions, boosting conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Post-sale, AI analyzes customer data to improve service and loyalty, making it a cornerstone of modern sales methodologies.

Generative AI 295

Generative AI TechEmpower CTO Hire Outsource Development 295

Berkonomics

JUNE 22, 2023

Test yourself as to whether you can identify the size of your market niche, and whether you can overcome the many barriers to access customers within your niche. A strategic relationship with one or more of the largest customers? Can you translate an idea into a compelling product? Where in industry life cycle?

Patents 286

Patents Pricing Ideas Marketing 286

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2022

Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.” Great startups manage to continually improve the relationship through outstanding follow-on support and service.

Customer 146

Customer Custom Startup Course 146

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2019

Is your marketing focus product-centric or customer-centric ? If you only sell products, it’s time to realize that times have changed. With a wealth of products now available, customers look for the most memorable experience , not just the best product. Status factors are more important than demographics.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Product Metrics 85

TechCrunch LA

MAY 3, 2022

Upgrade’s e-commerce marketplace has two sides: one that enables consumers to choose a vetted stylist and have their wig colored or customized based on their desired look. However, although they are providing such significant value, a lot of them operate with limited funding and resources, which ultimately affects the customer experience.

Tool 179

Tool Customer Custom Marketing 179

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

Yet, as a business consultant, I often find minimal focus on improving employee engagement and assessing their customer-facing performance. For example, I commonly see metrics to keep track of revenue per employee, overtime, and absenteeism, but I don’t often see measures of overall customer satisfaction with individual employees.

Customer 147

Customer Custom Technical Review Metrics 147

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Woodland Hills-based ReachLocal said today that it has launched three, brand new services today, including a new website focused on the booking of home services. According to ReachLocal, it has launched three new products, ReachSite , ReachConvert , and ReachCommerce. READ MORE>>.

ReachLocal 178

ReachLocal Woodland Hills Search Engine Optimization Services 178

socalTECH

JULY 27, 2018

Los Angeles-based Evite said this week that it has launched a new set of premium product offerings for its online invitations service. Pricing on the new annual pass was not announced. READ MORE>>.

Evite 100

Evite Product Pricing Los Angeles 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 16, 2020

Los Angeles-based location data provider Factual rolled out a new product, Data Enrichment , which the company said allows businesses to "enrich first-party customer data" with its own, real-world visitation data. Pricing on the new product was not announced. Pricing on the new product was not announced.

Product 100

Product Customer Custom Examples 100

TechCrunch LA

JULY 19, 2022

The process for retailers and brands to liquidate excess inventory hasn’t changed very much, if at all, and while some retailers were able to build operational infrastructure to service the off-price channels, it continues to be a constant pain point. That’s our vision.”.

Product 191

Product Funding Technical Review Equity 191

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2013

One of the toughest decisions for a startup is how to price their product or service. The alternatives range from giving it away for free, to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). It’s great for customers, but not for startups, unless you have deep pockets.

Pricing 116

Pricing Product Customer Custom 116

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Los Angeles-based online advertising technology provider DataPop , the startup led by Jason Lehmbeck, announced this morning that it has launched a new semantic advertising product specifically aimed at Google Product Listing Ads (PLA). Pricing on the new platform were not announced by the company. READ MORE>>.

Advertising 217

Advertising Product Google Pricing 217

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2017

Not so long ago, every business assumed that the keys to success were the highest quality product, the best value for the buck, and the best customer service. Now all we hear about is providing the best “customer experience.” You have to hear your customer’s dreams, goals, passions, and aspirations.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Product Marketing 85

socalTECH

DECEMBER 7, 2022

Irvine-based Ecotrak announced this morning that it has launched a new mobile application, which it says connects service technicians with business customers. The company said its new Techtrak software enables field service technicians to manage work orders, assets, create proposals, communicate with customers and send invoices.

Software 113

Software Mobile Pricing Customer 113

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Software as a service (SaaS) is a popular business model because it facilitates the delivery of incremental value to customers, while allowing the vendor to adjust their prices over time. However, such price increases generally occur after new utility has been provided to the customers. Focus on Existing Customers.

SaaS 215

SaaS Pricing Sales Customer 215

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 7, 2014

I spend a lot of time with startups and thus hear many companies talk about their approach to sales and their interactions with customers. From these meetings you can really tell the leaders that care deeply about their customers and those the look down on them. You’d be very wrong. Contrast that with a VC conversation I had.

Customer 341

Customer Custom Venture Capital Software Review 341

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.” Great startups manage to continually improve the relationship through outstanding follow-on support and service.

Customer 124

Customer Custom Startup Course 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

The world keeps changing, and visible business strategies that worked well in the past, including being the premium brand or low price producer, simply don’t get the customer loyalty they once did. Today, customers are looking for real relationships, a memorable shopping experience, and satisfaction of a higher purpose.

Customer 133

Customer Custom Satisfaction Examples 133

Berkonomics

JULY 23, 2011

They are: Price. Companies that compete on price rarely compete against others who emphasize service or quality. Internet resellers have a better chance to combine price and quality than those with much more fixed overhead occupying a bricks-and-mortar physical presence in the community. Innovation.

Pricing 197

Pricing Examples Class Course 197

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2019

Too many business owners still think of “ customer support ” as an after-sale process to rectify customer problems with completed transactions. With the advent of instant communication and social media, customer service starts at the first hint of interest by you, and never ends for repeat customers.

Customer 84

Customer Custom Company Companies 84

InfoChachkie

APRIL 13, 2015

Avoid a simple pricing mistake which could sink your startup. Vendors often respond by discounting their prices at the 11th hour, in the hopes a lower price will spur a purchase. However, if you never offer price discounts to anyone, you can resist all such requests by deferring to your company “policy.”

Pricing 100

Pricing Startup Sales SaaS 100

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2013

I recently wrote a blog post in which I pointed out that many investors & advisors discourage enterprise startups from having a professional services (PS) business and I think this is a big mistake. I think it’s important for enterprise startups to layer in professional services into your revenue stream.

Software Review 321

Software Review Software Services Company 321

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Netflix as a service has always prided itself on movie recommendations that are tailored specifically to you plus user ratings on the quality of films. The big price increase : 5 out of 5 stars. Some customer segments value the DVD business and these may be more price sensitive. Not a freakin’ blog post.

Netflix 287

Netflix Customer Custom Pricing 287

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2010

One of the toughest decisions for a startup is how to price their product or service. The alternatives range from giving it away for free (like Twitter), to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). It’s great for customers, but not for startups, unless you have deep pockets.

Pricing 98

Pricing Product Startup Competition 98

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2023

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. Start with a service you know and love. Don’t let your service be viewed as a commodity.

Startup 111

Startup Training Services Writing 111

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience continues to decline. You have to start with hiring only people who are willing and able to make serious customer service happen.

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Marketing is a science devised to help drive customers to your door. There are lots of ways to define how to market well, including the four P’s of marketing (1): product, price, promotion and place. Find a way to position the company and the product to be wanted so much that it moves into the needs column for the consumer.

Marketing 156

Marketing Demand Class Pricing 156

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2017

Have you ever noticed that some of your business owner friends get all the bad customers, and yours all seem fairly reasonable? I’m always amazed that, in my role as a business advisor, bad customers somehow seem to gang up on certain businesses. Unwilling or too cheap to spend for good service. Or is it the other way around?

Customer 89

Customer Custom Demand Pricing 89

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2022

The price of entry can be less than $10,000, so the competition is huge and growing rapidly. Here are some ways we both recommend to beat the odds and thrive in today’s app ecosystem: Sell a digital service through your app. You provide the free app in the App Store that gives subscribers mobile access to your service.

Develop 138

Develop Development Platform Mobile 138

socalTECH

JULY 22, 2014

San Diego-based OneRoof Energy , the solar energy services financing and solar installation company led by David Field, said today that it has tied with "digital services" company Elevate. Accor ding to OneRoof Energy, the move will help extend OneRoof to a "substantial" customer base. READ MORE>>.

Services 147

Services Company Companies San Diego 147

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2021

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience has not improved. You have to start with hiring only people who are willing and able to make serious customer service happen.

Startup 154

Startup Training Customer Custom 154

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 28, 2020

And despite the collapse in fossil fuel energy prices, Shao said that Amply’s value proposition still makes sense. “Raw electric energy is half the price on average as fossil fuels,” Shao said. The lowest price of extracting a barrel of oil right now is $20… and then you need to add processing and distilling.”

Funding 267

Funding Pricing Los Angeles Customer 267

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

Laguna Beach-based Edgemesh says it has upgraded its product Edgemesh Server product line to specifically help e-commerce customers before the holiday rush. The company said its product now offers up a new image optimization feature, which helps decrease image download sizes by 39%.

Commerce 113

Commerce Sites Pricing Product 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2023

Based on traditional research, getting new customers is five to ten times harder than getting additional revenue from existing customers. Thus the subscription model (low fixed monthly payments), has become the norm for new products and services. Private club model. Front-of-the-line model. Surprise box model.

Startup 117

Startup Pricing Customer Custom 117

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2012

Los Angeles-based Ebyline , the online marketplace which connects publishers with freelance journalists, has rolled out a new offering today, which it says can help publishers produce their own, custom news feeds. The service, called Ebyline News Desk, allows publishers to create their own, custom feeds of original content.

Services 147

Services News Hollywood Entertainment 147

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. Start with a service you know and love. Don’t let your service be viewed as a commodity.

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174