Customer Service

How important is customer service? Really!

Before owning my business, I had years of practice with customer service by dealing with the public on a daily basis. I attended college for Retail Merchandising and Marketing. I interned at The Limited (back then it was all the rage), and because I was so fabulous (wink), I was hired. That started my journey in managing retail stores. As I look back on that journey I realize that I have always given excellent customer service. Secret shoppers would come into the stores posing as desperate turn difficult turn disgruntle customers. I would always handle each situation with grace, listened to their concerns, and did what I could to make them happy. Those Secret Shoppers could never get me, so I would end up with $100 cash in hand!! Boy, I could use a Secret Shopper right now.

All the useful information that I gathered within those years, has spilled over into what I do today. It is very important for me to have happy, satisfied customers now and in the years to come. The bottom line is that customers just want to be heard, they want superb product, and they want excellent service.

The larger the company, the better the customer service. Right?
Here's an insightful article that I read this morning on MSN

Have you experience negative customer service lately? Speak on it.

What do you expect from a business? Speak on it.

Do you think you should receive outstanding customer service if you are a "bad" customer? Speak on it.

Changing. Growing. Success. Manifestation. Maintaining.

Five years ago I would not have thought that I would wake up at 7 am to process orders. Five years ago I would not have thought that my inbox would overflow with orders daily. Five years ago I would not have thought that my products would be in the homes of people from all walks of life. Yes, only five short (seemed far away back then) years ago, I desired to have more for my business, I knew the growth would come, but did not know exactly when. In April, Smell Goods celebrated its 10th year of being in business. With the doors being opened from The Most High, my will, my dedication, my love for creating, my know how, my loyal customers, with consumers willing to give the product a try, and my family, Smell Goods has gotten to this successful place.

Change is inevitable. Change can be a wonderful thing when balanced, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Change cannot be forced. All one can do is what is humanly possible, to maintain a positive journey, to work hard and smart, to think positive, to pick themselves up when they have fallen, and to enjoy the process as change is taking place. Personally, at times those things were a struggle for me. I wanted business to always be consistent. I wanted support from those that I supported, I found myself comparing what I was doing with others, I was not enjoying the process! Then one day back then, I made a decision, with my husband's help, to enjoy the process. Once I did that everything within me became stronger and more secure. I became more personable and more of an encourager to other women that had the same roles as I. This positive change started to overflow into my business, and believe it or not that is when the success and growth escalated. All the things positive that I knew could happen were coming into manifestation.

With change, growth, and success, comes a shift in the matrix. Maintaining a solid family foundation and excellent health are two things that I have not wavered from. There is no use in building a business to its fullest potential, if one allows their family and health to fall by the wayside. I have found that eating properly, getting in weekly workouts, taking supplements (including immune boosters), having a set time to start and stop working (you can feel when your brain is shutting down), playing daily with my children, dating my husband, visiting all of my doctors annually, sharing time with others, and having get-a-ways, gives me that necessary stamina and confidence to move forward.

Myla's Bags-Indie Designer

Handbag Designer, Michaela, recently gave kudos to Smell Goods for the wonderful goodies she received. See what Michaela of Myla's Bags had to say.

I love handbags designed by indie designers. Isn't this a lovely feminine pattern?

Visit Myla's Bags for beautifully created handbags!

Enhance Her INSIDE Beauty-Stay Sweet

On the road to womanhood, baggage collected during the teenage years can make the transition challenging. Once forgiveness of self is obtained and there is growth from the experiences, it is imperative to help the next generation of young females. During the teenage years, young females from all walks of life need the support of the village. With the demands of fitting in, and the lack of support from home and the community, the majority of young females start to go down the path that will diminish their self-worth.

Smell Goods ‘98™ is using their business as a positive tool to uplift and empower this generation of young females. Purveyors of bath and body products, they have created Stay Sweet Sugar Whips, to enhance the INSIDE, outside beauty of preteens to young females. Each Stay Sweet Sugar Whip has a pink card attached inscribed with a powerful, positive affirmation! The owners of Smell Goods ‘98™ are advocates for organizations that cater to the needs of young females and teen mothers. Therefore, Stay Sweet Sugar Whips are used to support such organizations, through fundraising, product donations, and charitable donations.




Positive affirmations can make a world of difference in a young female’s life. Positive affirmations can uplift her spirit. Positive affirmations assures her of that familiar strength that is deep in her soul. Positive affirmations help to remind her of what she will, and what she will NOT accept into her life. Positive acceptance of self is fundamental in a young female’s life, from preteen to a young beautiful woman. In a stage of vulnerability, confusion, and unstableness;In a stage that poses the question, "Where do I fit in?" Positive affirmations can empower young females to make a smoother transition into adulthood.


Author: Itiel McVay is a wife, home-schooling mom, and the owner of Smell Goods ‘98™

www.smellgoodspa.com
info@smellgoodspa.com

Featured On:
Gather.com
cre8buzz.com
Barbara Howard Blog.com

la vie est aromatique (life is sweet): Sixteen at WAR

la vie est aromatique (life is sweet): Sixteen at WAR

Web Designing & Web Hosting Women

A few days ago I met a customer online who has a Web Designing business. Today I met another person online who has a Web Hosting and Domain Registration business. Both women! More and more women are making their own way in these fields. It is very much needed and understood, the majority of online businesses are owned and operated by women. So women helping women is a great thing! Creating an online presence can be challenging, confusing, and possibly frustrating. If you do not have the know-how or the patience to learn the ins and outs, using a professional service could benefit you.

My husband takes care of Smell Goods' template implementation, web-hosting, and domain registration. If it wasn't for his patience, I would of handed everything over to a web designer. But, I am glad we stuck it out. Over the years our website has gone from right brain overloaded (too many images/graphics), to site-builders, to sleek and e-commerce friendly. It did not come easy or overnight. He continued to learn all he could through forums and troubleshooting(ugh), he even taught himself some Flash (now that was pulling hair). I took a SEO class, learned html coding, learned how to setup modules, etc. It was hard, but looking back I would not trade what it took to gain this knowledge for nothing. And guess what? I am still learning, because there is always something new to learn when it comes to an online presence on the WWW.


So if FTP, SSL, SEO, autoresponder, domain name, web hosting, upload, modules, shopping cart, html code, css, flash, are words that make you say, "huh", contact:

Kreation Domains
Web-salon.com

From Hollywood to SMELL GOODS

What does Hollywood and Smell Goods have in common?








That's right, a Green Room! My husband, the media guy, decided to take up space in our garage to make Smell Goods a green room. So next time you see me, I maybe in Africa rubbing a lion's mane in the Savannah. Or having a mojito in Cuba. Who knows, the possibilities are endless.

Changes

Greetings Blogger Friends and Visitors,

I have made a change to my blog. "Mmmm, you Smell Good!" will be all about the business of Smell Goods. I will share tips here, new product info., media, community/charity involvement, creative inspiration, and more here. La vie est aromatique (life is sweet) will continue. I will continue to share about home-schooling, my life, family, and ups and downs there. La vie est aromatique can be reached by clicking on the link to the top left or the link in the description.

I hope that we can be "friends" on both.

Chat soon,
~i.