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Inc. Technology Blog has an Article Posted on ways to montior when your company is mentioned online:

Listen Up! Tracking software and services can alert you to what customers are saying about your business on social networks, blogs, and other social media. These tracking techniques offer steps beyond Google Alerts to keep you informed.

A few weeks ago, a Twitter user tweeted that she was planning to try Zitune, a restaurant in Los Altos, Calif. David Auerbach, the restaurant’s co-owner got an e-mail alert from a Web-based service Trackle, calling his attention to the tweet. As he often does, he sent a response thanking her for visiting Zitune and asking how she’d liked it. Soon, they had a dialogue going. Then she asked if Zitune’s chef (and Auerbach’s brother-in-law) would like to be interviewed for her video blog.

As social networking sites grow in popularity it is becoming more and more crucial to monitor any online mentions of your brand. You can use these methods to take advantage of opportunities to connect with satisfied clients who can become advocates for your services and products (as in the above example). You can also connect with clients who are dissatisfied before negative publicity grows and damages the public’s perception of your brand. An excellent example of why this can be valuable is the massive amount of bad buzz and negative publicity caused by United Airline’s handling of one angry customer’s request for replacement of a broken guitar (story HERE).

The method you choose to monitor mentions of your company is less important than having a system in place that ensures you are aware of it when your company is being discussed online.

The E-Myth Business Blog has a great Article Posted on the benefits of maintaining a proper operations manual:

If you’re like most of us, you probably have a folder filed away at home that’s full of all the manuals for the various electronic devices in your household. When you need to know how to work your microwave or your television breaks, the first place you go for help is that folder. In your business, your operations manual acts in the same way. It serves as the single-point reference for all important company information. And when used properly, it’s not just a place to go to look for “fixes,” rather it’s the first thing employees familiarize themselves with so they know how things work, right from the start.

At MyNewCompany.com we have found our operations manual to be one of our most useful tools for obtaining consistent superior results from our business processes. By clearly defining the daily/ monthly/ quarterly and/or yearly tasks that must be carried out for the business as well as the areas of responsibility for various positions you can make sure that processes are carried out the same way every time. A properly written and updated operations manual is also an invaluable resource when bringing someone new into the company. If all processes are already documented and easily accessible the transition period for new hires is both smoother and shorter!

Building and maintaining your operations manual is a key component of Small Business Management. More information is also available on our page on Automating Your Business.

This type of high-quality advice is why The E-Myth tops our list of Recommended Business Books and Software.

E-Commerce Times has an Article Posted on keeping your employees in the loop regarding customer feedback:

Giving customers opportunities to comment on their experiences is just one component of a top-notch customer service operation. If you fail to close the feedback loop by delivering that information back to your employees, then you’ll miss a critical step toward improving customer service and nurturing loyalty.

By sharing the results of customer feedback with all staff members that interact with your customers you can improve the level of service provided to your clients and can also show concrete proof to your employees when they do well!

The article lists several ways to measure customer experience. One method that is not mentioned that is gaining in popularity is measurement of a company’s Net Promoter Score. Regardless of which method you choose, the most important thing is to be tracking your customer’s feedback in a measurable way.

At MyNewCompany.com we give all clients an opportunity to participate in a follow-up survey 1 month after they receive their completed orders. Comments generated by the survey help us in two ways:

1.) Client suggestions show us ways that we can improve our services for a heightened customer experience.

2.) Positive survey responses and comments show us which processes are working best so that we can focus on continually providing the best possible service!

Measuring customer responses is just one part of the process of growing a successful company. For more useful tips just visit our page on Small Business Management.