Wednesday, June 15, 2011

#QR Codes and Other Tech Tools for Customer Service - NYTimes.com

In Lynn Milos’s previous business endeavors as a caterer and private chef, customer service was old school and face to face — the longstanding marketplace advantage enjoyed by small businesses over big businesses.

Then Ms. Milos founded Culinary Twist in early 2010 with her husband, Eric Martel, to make and sell three exotic sauces called Bora Bora, Baja and Maya Bay. Selling through a distributor and West Coast food stores and specialty stores, Ms. Milos found the sudden disconnection with her customers disconcerting. In-store product tastings helped, but she knew she could not afford them or the personal time commitment on a continuing basis, which is why she was excited to learn of the high-tech offerings of a feedback-management company, OpinionLab.

“My heart was pounding through my shirt,” Ms. Milos said, recalling the briefing she received. OpinionLab’s software is now in the early stages of enabling Culinary Twist, which is based in Foster City, Calif., to interact remotely with smartphone-toting shoppers — even while they are still in the store.

Nothing is old school about this or a wave of other high-tech customer service initiatives being adopted by a vanguard of small businesses.


High-Tech Tools for Customer Service - NYTimes.com

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