An Ignoble Experiment: Helping Small Business help themselves - SolutionsArePower�

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These days customer service has become one primary way a company can truly differentiate itself. Going beyond features or functions of products and services, customer service is an intangible yet powerful factor in maintaining customer loyalty and being a draw to customers comparing them to the competition. Network Solutions has recently put together a program called "Voice of the Customer" or VOC. The overall goal is to improve Network Solutions® products, services and Web site.

In charge of the program is Mariam Burmwalla, Director of Business Intelligence and Reporting. Recently, I was able to spend some time with her and discuss VOC and its impact on Network Solutions. Here is a transcript of our interview:

Steve: What is the "Voice of the Customer" (VOC) program?
Mariam: VOC is a program designed to collect and collate feedback from customers and employees regarding their experience in using our products and services and interacting with us through various channels, be it via the website, phone or e-mail communications.

Steve: What is the process after you receive something from a customer?
Mariam: All feedback submitted by customer or employees is reviewed by the key stakeholders who not only respond back to the customers directly (if necessary); but also take action against it. This has tremendously helped us in a very short period to improve our product quality; improve customer experience and also make changes within our call center.

Steve: How do you let people know they are being listened to?
Mariam: There will be a regular e-mail communication coming out to those who have submitted feedback so people will be up to date on their issue but also the general status of everything else.

Steve: What is your philosophy on building customer loyalty?
Mariam: I don't directly communicate with the customers but since I am a data driven person I look at the details. It is very important to listen to the customer and gather data that comes in through the VOC. It is also critical to report to management and to communicate with those individuals that need to resolve an issue and be accountable.

Steve: What was the motivation to create the VOC?
Mariam: One day during a product meeting it was discussed that we needed to get better feedback from customers. Management thought we were collecting customer feedback but most product groups got very limited views if any timely feedback so it was decided to put a program in place to close this loop and have the product team get feedback so they could improve service.

Steve: Where do you see the VOC 12 months from now?
Mariam: When we started off we wanted to get customer complaints to service and reduce issues. We want to move to gathering ideas so that Network Solutions can integrate customers feedback and ideas into our product development lifecycle.

Steve: How can someone engage with Network Solutions and participate in "Voice of the Customer"?
Mariam: Customers can click on the link below from our storefront or from other Network Solution properties to submit their feedback.
http://bpmforms.networksolutions.com/customer-feedback.html

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Network Solutions provides Resources for Hurricane Gustav

Three years ago Hurricane Katrina personally affected my family. A couple of days after landfall found us sending my husband to support the law enforcement efforts. The photos that he brought back told the story of the devastation & the plight of so many abandoned animals. So on Saturday when I saw the early stages of organizing resources for Hurricane Gustav I joined the discussion.

Wiki needed for Information

Andy Carvin of NPR had set up Gustav Info Center. Someone had set up a pbwiki. But each user would need to be validated in advance which wasn’t practical. A suggestion was made to use the Katrina wiki, My concern was that that should be archived & saved for historical purposes. It was decided that the same software be used for the Gustav Wiki so that the structure & info be ported over. MediaWiki is the same opensource solution that Wikipedia runs on.

Network Solutions offers Hosting

It was easy to connect Shashi Bellamkonda to Andy because they already knew each other! They’re both into the social media scene in the DC area. Shashi set up www.GustavWiki.com with a VPS (virtual private server) hosting package that would be used for businesses.

Growth of a Resource Wiki

Deanna Zandt is the person with the tech capabilities & organized the efforts to rework the information that had been previously created after Hurricane Katrina & update it with current information. She periodically notified us that the wiki was growing so quickly that it was needing more resources. In less than 48 hours the wiki was created & had over 17,000 visitors.

Here is a quick overview of the resources that we provided it with:

- Initial VPS hosting (Pro plan)

- A link on an article on Slashdot spiked traffic

- Resources were multiplied by 10 & fine tuned settings to allow for more connections and visitors to the site.

- On Sunday evening the server resources were increased by 8 times. (Andy asked if the wiki was getting a lot of traffic. I saw people twittering links to it. And many had 3-4000 followers so that probably contributed.)

- More Power! At 1 am Monday morning the wiki was migrated to new hardware. The wiki now has plenty of power to keep it running thru every storm! The team has decided to use it for the impending hurricanes & through the season.

GustavWiki will serve many purposes: As a resource for those affected by the hurricanes; An example of a group of volunteers coming together to help out those in need; And finally to serve as an example to learn from for future disaster relief efforts. *update* The site will continue to grow as the hurricane season progresses. If you would like to volunteer with those efforts there is information here on how to so.

These are the volunteers that have helped build the hurricane resource site. Thank you to all of you for your generous donation of time & energy!

We at Network Solutions are proud to have been able to provide our services & resources on this scale & in a timely fashion. We hope that the wiki will provide people with information & support as they begin to put their lives back together after the storms.

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Network Solutions to Host Progam on Trademarks

If you are a Developer, Designer or Web Professional then you can’t afford to miss out on this event!

Join us for

Trademark 101

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 from 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM (ET)

with Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP

Your trademark is what makes your business unique. Your business will depend on your protecting that identifying factor from competitors. Once you build up your brand then your customers will want that specific one. You need to make sure that your investment is protected.

You will have the opportunity to meet CEO, Roy Dunbar, and talk to intellectual property experts from Ballard Spahr about tips and best practices for names, brands and trademarks for your products and services.

Refreshments will be served - Admission is FREE.