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Yabba Dabba Doo! It’s the Weekend! (Or wanderings of a mind on a Friday afternoon)

Yabba Dabba Doo! It’s the Weekend! (Or wanderings of a mind on a Friday afternoon)

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The scribblings of a wandering mind. You know, I was just thinking about the fact that even though we live in an ever-changing, rotating at the speed-of-light, complex world -- some facets do not change.

Like -- of all things to come to mind -- The Flintstones and “Yabba Dabba Doo!” Gotta laugh at myself, but really, everyone knows The Flintstones whether they’re young, old, or somewhere in between. And it’s amazing because The Flintstones are from the Stone Age in more ways than one; yet we all know the characters by name and smile when we think about them: Fred and Barney, Wilma and Betty, Pebbles and Bam! Bam! Dino and… oh yeah, Hoppy. You know, that silly kangasomething… half-dinosaur and half kangaroo. Yes, that’s it. And when Cary Granite and Ann-Margrock showed up? I can’t recall if they were on the same episode or not. But I do know this: I loved every one of them. Hmm. I’m smiling just thinking about it.

If you’re smiling, then you too appreciate how some things do indeed stand the test of time. That’s proven by the fact that we can still enjoy them to this day. Surely it has something to do with how it made us feel back then and how reminiscing about it now still brings forth a smile.

Remember being with your parents at a restaurant and the owner would come over to your table? He’d graciously greet your father and remark how lovely your mother was dressed. He’d smile and nod at you kids and then ruffle your brother’s hair with his hand.  Everybody liked the owner. Your parents would talk about how great he was. The owner knew the value of that personal touch.

Everyone who’s been in business for any length of time knows that quality customer care is imperative to continued success. We all know what it’s like to experience sub-par service – we simply don’t return. Therefore, it stands to reason that if longevity is desired in any business, then paying attention to quality customer service is tantamount.

Customer care is also necessary with regard to social media, websites, and other digital venues. Oftentimes, businesses get, well… busy, then eventually drop the ball and forget about the need for their customers to stay updated and in touch with what they have to offer. In this day and age, the digital space of a business is often a potential client’s initial way of getting a feel for its business savvy.

Which brings me to an important question: Is your image on the internet giving your customers that welcoming and appreciative feeling that all business owners want to project?

Think about it. If it’s been more than a month since you made any comment at all on your social media accounts, then you’re Fred Flintstone. Wait, Barney Rubble has less sense – so you’re Barney Rubble. You know what that means. You’ve dropped the rock at the quarry and didn’t pick it back up. You’ve just been fired by Mr. Slate. You no longer are employed at the Bedrock Quarry.

Okay, maybe it’s not quite that bad.

Or maybe it is. Perhaps some don’t grasp the importance of using their digital footprint to the fullest for their business because they’re much like Fred Flintstone -- stuck back in 1 B.C. racing with happy feet to the Brontosaurus BBQ Drive-In.

Just remember that the business clientele you’ve earned through hard work and a loyal following still has to be cultivated via your website and/or other social media venues. Being seen as a presence all over the internet is a good thing – but not paying enough attention to that presence is showing a lack of understanding of what customer service means outside of Bedrock.

What you don’t want is a cold, uninviting presence. You definitely don’t want Barney Rubble at the front desk and he’s yet again fallen asleep on the job.

The potential customer that just walked in… did a U-turn and just walked out.

That, my friends, is a Yabba Dabba Don’t.

So... what are you doo-ing to optimize your digital footprint for your business? (See what happens when you can’t get something out of your head? It’s like a jingle that keeps playing over and over!).  The point is if you’re not sowing the seeds that can carry you to success, then you have no right to complain when business is less than good.

Nurture those seeds and keep material on social sites updated and fresh! It’s never too late to clean up your act and get back in touch with your customers. Let them know why you remain the best at what you do and what’s new for them to explore. Reinforce your appreciation for their patronage. In other words, make full use of that ever-standing-the-test-of-time quality customer care that every consumer loves to receive.

Keep your digital presence relevant and honest. Be yourself. Project your business online as you do in your place of business. In today’s world, it’s pretty much one and the same -- all will thrive when quality customer care is made a top priority.

Getting out of the Stone Age and into the 21st century takes a bit of doing. If you lack the time, there are a plethora of businesses waiting to assist you in that endeavor.

However, be sure to choose one that has moved out of Bedrock.

Yabba Dabba Doo!

Have a great weekend!

Charmaine Smith Ladd
Director of Brand Development
HPR Marketing Group

[email protected]
 
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