OwnerListens Supports Small Business Saturday

OwnerListens supports Small Business Saturday!

Ever notice how the big retail stores tend to get all of the attention on Black Friday? People climbing over each other to grab a door-buster deal on this year’s hottest tech product or children’s toy? Well, we here at OwnerListens are much more excited about Small Business Saturday (SBS), an initiative launched by American Express in 2010 to encourage consumers to support small businesses during the biggest shopping weekend of the year. Over 100 million American consumers participated last year, and it’s safe to say that this Saturday, November 24^th, will have the largest turnout yet.

OwnerListens wants to remind all of the participating small businesses that increased traffic can also sometimes lead to increased frustration, sometimes for reasons out of your control. If you’re not prepared, frustration can turn into complaints or even negative reviews that have a lasting effect on your business. Here’s how you can stay ahead of the game, and make sure that you keep your business strong:

• Social Media – If you update your hours, inventory, or promotions, keep your customers in-the-know by updating your Facebook, Twitter, and other social feeds. Customers who know what to expect when they hit your store will be happier and have a better experience than those who are surprised.
• Prepare Your Employees – Let your employees know what to expect in advance. Make sure they’re ready for the rush and that they can answer all the tough questions about your new products. Customers will appreciate the detailed knowledge and personal touch that only small businesses can provide.
• Listen! – One of our favorite parts about small businesses is how much they appreciate their customers. Let your customers know that you’re listening to them by signing up for OwnerListens and using the service to get their feedback. It takes less than 30 seconds to sign up for this free service, but we think you’ll appreciate the ability to communicate directly with your customers. Don’t make them talk about you behind your back by posting their frustration on Yelp!

And consumers – don’t think that we forgot about you! Download OwnerListens on your iOS or Android device and let it be your trusted companion during this holiday shopping season. Shop at stores that use OwnerListens to receive your feedback and know that you’re spending your time and money in a business that’s taking an extra step to ensure that you leave satisfied (Check out our map of active locations). And, if you need an extra incentive, remember that every time you send feedback with OwnerListens, you are automatically entered in the drawing for our Weekly $500 Feedback Sweepstakes!

So this Saturday, we want to see all of you go out and shop, be kind to each other, and support your local small businesses. As a small business ourselves, we’re looking forward to hearing from all of you too, so if you have a great story about how OwnerListens improved your shopping experience, let us know here in the comments!