As a business owner, I am a staunch believer that customer service is THE key ingredient to a successful business.

For me, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics is a superb example of customer support at it’s finest.

It’s only taken me 20 years to figure out how make-up works, in terms what is appropriate my own color palette and application.

But honestly, if you spend time on a cosmetics site…sometimes you just shut the computer off because all of the choices can be overwhelming.

But what Bobbi Brown has on her site is unique: an on-line cosmetic consultant! You write in what your question is and a “live” person writes back to you (albeit with some company jargon).

But for the most part that person will stay on line with you providing suggestions that suit your personal coloring, age and usage. She (or he) will continue the disussion for as long as you need.

I have to say, because of Carol, my on-line cosmetic consultant, I will probably return to Bobbi Brown to purchase several of the products that she suggested.

The genius part of this is that knowing what kind of shopper I am, I will stay on the site and continue to shop.

Check out Bobbi’s “Looks and Tips”. Mine is “Ageless”.

Post from: Blisstree

Bobbi Brown Provides Premier Customer Service

Hmmm. I wish Ceasar would come to my house and teach those principles to me, not in terms of my relationship with my dog (although I do not understand why Trotter still barks at the UPS guy) but in terms of my entrepreneur state of being.

I would say that right now, I am unbalanced. January has been a slow month for The Pet Set, the bills keep coming, I can’t get my production people to see what I see in terms of new products, and Super Bowl Sunday is coming up, and hubby is going away for the weekend to celebrate with his friends, leaving me in this precarious state.

See? I’m living in the future, not the present.

Seriously, though — wouldn’t it be great if someone like Ceasar could come to your house, watch the way you work and behave…and then if you do or say something nutty, the Small Business psychologist could make that “shhhhsst” sound that Ceasar makes.

If I could learn to “live in the present”…I would be able to look at life (not just my business) from a more stable and healthy place — rather than in my current state of anxiety and depression.

So, please Ceasar, if you’re out there come and help me to become more “calm, assertive and peaceful” and certainly less anti-social…I’m driving my “pack” a little insane.

Post from: Blisstree

The Small Business Whisperer

However, it would probably depress me…because, I think most of us in this category don’t eat as well as we should.

I know I don’t — which is weird because I’m kind of a self-proclaimed foodie.

I’m hoping in the year ahead, I change several of my bad habits — in the mean time, I thought I would give you a glimpse of how this small business owner  deals with meals during the working week:

• Breakfast: Tea
• Morning snack: Handful of Juju Bees (the thinking woman’s candy).
• Mid-morning snack: Handful of Wheat Thins
• Lunch: Several pieces of cheddar cheese.
• Afternoon snack: Couple of olives.
• Pre-dinner snack: Stand at counter, scarf down left-over take out food.
• Dinner: Tomato salad, beer?
• Post dinner snack: Doritos
• Post, post dinner snack, while preparing the morning’s plans: Twizzler’s.

I don’t know how many calories that is, but I know it’s not enough…and I’m sure JuJu Bees are not a food group.

Like many challenges that face the small business owner, taking good care of themselves is high on the list.

So in 2007, I’m going to at least try to schedule health-oriented mealtimes…at the table!

Post from: Blisstree

Eating Well In The New Year.