Archive for Business
A day in the life
Posted by: | CommentsWe love “day in the life” stories. It’s a great way to gain good insight into a company and see what you could potentially be doing in a position with your dream organization.
One of our summer interns with our Business Outcomes division did just that and reflected on some of his tasks while on the team. Read his post on the Washington and Lee University website and learn a bit more about our Business Outcomes team.
The first business trip
Posted by: | CommentsToday’s guest post is by Catharine Cody, current Peppercom intern and lover of London.
A few weeks ago I had the unique opportunity to work at Peppercom’s strategic partner in London, Flagship Consulting. One of Peppercom’s newest offerings is Comedy Experience, where we teach clients, prospective clients, and even our newest staff members the benefits of performing stand-up comedy. Since I received comedy training a few weeks prior to the trip, I was asked to help train Flagship Consulting.
However, not all of my time was spent working inside the office extolling the benefits of laugher. We also went out to dinner every night and got to know each other very well. The people were amazing. Not only did the entire staff make sure I had everything I needed, but they became my friends. Even though we work together and have exchanged numerous emails in the past, seeing them in person solidified our bond. We realized that, although we work thousands of miles away from each other, our general attitudes and dispositions are the same.
Once back in the states, I realized that the bonds I formed while in London carried over to my work in New York. I am constantly emailing with the staff about the Olympics and Kate Middleton. (Yes, those are my two London vices and I refuse to defend them.) I’ve also become friends with them on Facebook and follow them all on Twitter.
If I can only give one piece of advice to my fellow junior workers it would be to travel as much as possible for business. Not only does it broaden one’s perspective, but it allows you to see that, although we may talk, dress and act differently, people are people no matter where you go. If you are a great worker, it will be evident on any continent. Travelling expands one’s horizons and allows you to meet people you might never have the chance to otherwise. As we know, networking is one of the most important tools one can utilize in their careers. Why not network with someone from a different country? This blogger certainly will be doing so from now on.
Rule #1 of Business: Honor your Promise
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Sin Yee Ng, Peppercom intern.
The rule above sounds simple, and it should be. But as we have seen time and time again, companies often fail to honor promises. And not only do companies lose customers, but the bad publicity often prevents new customers from trusting them. My experience came in the form of a simple task- booking a flight and hotel for my colleague. I thought generating business was hard enough, who knew giving business could be such a challenging task as well.
When I was given the task, naturally, I turned to the easiest way to book it- the internet. We’ve come a long way since sifting through brochures and dealing with travel agents and airline companies. The efficiency and cheaper operations cost are some of the main reasons why businesses shift their sales online while customers such as myself enjoy shopping online for the ability to compare prices, get the best deals and to do it at our convenience.
After multiple attempts at booking online and getting errors, I knew it was time for some personal communication with an agent. However, the agents I spoke to were not helpful and made the problem worse. So much for the reservation.
After my first bad experience, my colleague and I went back online to another website, this time hoping it would be a more pleasant experience. Nevertheless, the transaction online failed to go through.
When a company advertises themselves to have the “Best Rate Guaranteed” and “Satisfaction Guaranteed”, is it too much to expect that they uphold minimum standards? Walk the walk. Keeping a customer is not only cheaper; it is easier than generating a new one.
I hope companies learn from dealing with unsatisfied customers and make those necessary changes. For example, listen to those recordings they make when people call in and determine what issues they are having. Offering the “best deal” is no use if you cannot deliver on it.
Anyone else like to share their stories of good or horrible online shopping experience?
