Brian Framson

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Don’t let these blunders ruin your customer relationships. Poor customer service can have a big effect on a business’s ability to succeed. And while a smile and a helpful attitude can go a long way toward creating a positive experience for a customer, they aren’t the only aspects of customer service that need to be focused on. Whether it’s slow response times or even relying too heavily on customer self-help tools, there may be some practices you don’t even realize are hurting your relationships with your customers.  Pinpointing your company’s bad practices is essential if you want to improve your customer service efforts and, as a result, the overall happiness of your customers. To get started, consider this list of bad practices that could be derailing your company's customer service efforts, courtesy of Rolling Stone Culture Council business leaders.

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Experimenting with a new product or service shouldn’t come at the expense of your core business. It can be said that all businesses are in the business of making money. Regardless of what product they sell or what service they provide, all businesses need to make money in order to survive and, hopefully, thrive. But there’s another component businesses need in order to thrive, at least in the long term: innovation. If businesses don’t innovate or improve upon their current offerings, they may not ever grow or reach their true potential. However, innovation can be risky, as not all ideas will be profitable or accepted by customers. To find that balance between making money in order to survive and making room for innovation, business leaders should consider the following eight tips from the experts of Rolling Stone Culture Council. Here, they discuss the key to balancing innovation with the financial need to stick with what works, ensuring business leaders can still pay the bills.

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Resolve customer problems any time of year with these expert-recommended tips. The holidays can be a busy, stressful time for companies and customers alike. An influx of orders, too few staff and emotions running high can mean an increase in mistakes and dissatisfied customers. But these situations aren’t unique to the holiday season, and now that the new year is in full swing, businesses can step back and reflect on customer service lessons they can take with them throughout the rest of the year.  Below, the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council discuss some of their top customer service lessons and the practices businesses can keep in mind when trying to find the best way to deal with an unhappy customer, no matter the season.

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Prime you and your business for a successful 2024 by taking these critical steps. The start of a new year can be the perfect time for business leaders to start fresh. Whether it’s reevaluating their processes, trying something new or finding ways to reengage their staff, employers can use this time to learn from any mistakes or successes of the previous year and set themselves up for a better year ahead. But to do so, they may want to consider the following advice from the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council first. Here, they each discuss one business goal they have for the new year and explain why other businesses might want to work toward the same goal if they want their business to succeed in 2024.

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Brands are challenged by fragmentation, but there's still opportunities to be had.

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If you want your business to go viral, then apply these tips to go the extra mile. Whether it’s “going viral” or becoming “the talk of the town,” generating buzz around your business is essential if you want to grow your audience and, consequently, your bottom line. General marketing efforts are a good start; however, you'll need to do more to make a big name for your business. According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, the following 10 strategies can give your brand the boost it needs to really take off. Consider adopting one or more of these tactics to build buzz around your business, get your product in front of more consumers and increase your sales as well as your odds of success.

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Unleash the power of simple SEO tactics. A strong online presence is paramount for small businesses seeking to thrive and stay competitive. While navigating the intricacies of search engine optimization (SEO) might seem daunting, implementing some simple yet highly effective tactics can significantly improve a small business's website visibility and search ranking. Here, Rolling Stone Culture Council members explore a handful of easy actions small businesses can take to enhance their website's SEO and attract more organic traffic. By understanding the importance of these strategies and how they positively impact search engine algorithms, small-business owners can strategically position themselves for success in the virtual realm.

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From being patient to keeping a positive mindset, here are the tips that will help you start a successful business. Starting a business can be an overwhelming experience, and before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey, it's often helpful to receive advice and guidance from those who have been through it before. Below, 12 Rolling Stone Culture Council members share the advice they received when starting out that still resonates with them today. By learning from the experiences of others, new business owners can gain valuable insights and inspiration to help them navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship.

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To be a trendsetter, you have to put in the work upfront. With trends always coming and going, it can seem like businesses are always just trying to catch up with the next big thing. But to be a true innovator, you’ll need to get ahead of the trends and maybe even set a few for yourself. In order for your business to be the first to capitalize on upcoming trends in your industry — and earn the respect and consumer attention that follows — consider these strategies recommended by the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council. Implementing even one could give you a major head start with the competition.

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When your usual outlets aren't available to you, it's important to find alternate coping mechanisms. It’s no question that the last year has been challenging for everyone. Even with the hope of "normalcy" on the horizon, people are finding it difficult to cope with the ongoing pandemic on top of the challenging social and political climate. With many outlets and resources inaccessible at this time, it’s even harder to find ways to de-stress. To help, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members shared activities and methods that can aid in coping with burnout during multiple crises. Follow their advice to find healthy ways to deal with the stress of the modern world.

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As consumer trust in corporations wanes, it's up to culture businesses to lead the way in authenticity and transparency. The internet has provided consumers with an incredible amount of information. All this knowledge evens the playing field for consumers and pulls back the curtain on certain corporate processes and people. As a result, consumers are becoming more aware and less trusting of corporations in general. To help companies rebuild that trust, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members shared their insights. Below they discussed nine ways businesses in the culture space can be more authentic and transparent with their consumers and what effect that has overall.

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It’s not just about taste — it’s about the experience.

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The future of marketing is video, so jump on board now. It’s no surprise that video content has dominated marketing across various industries. Apps like TikTok and Instagram’s IGTV and Reels features allow you to better engage consumers with short clips about a given product or service. However, every business has their own unique approach to video marketing. So, to offer some tips on how to leverage video for your particular business, eight members of Rolling Stone Culture Council explained their tried-and-true strategies and how you can replicate them for your own success.

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Striving to retain existing customers can drive overall performance improvements and lead to exciting product innovations.