Social Networking sites are growing by double digits every year. As many new people join these sites, they offer a great opportunity for Helpers to let their friends, family, and customers know about the technical services they provide. CrossLoop has made available an easy way for Helpers to share their most recent success stories with their online community. After sessions, Helpers and customers can easily send their experiences out to their favorite community.
For a more detailed explanation you can read our online documentation that explains the process, click here.Let us how you use CrossLoop in your social networks and what networks you use.
As you aware we were running our Helpathon contest.
It gives me immense pleasure to celebrate and congratulate our winners:
Kenny S for wins the grand prize of a Dell Netbook
You can contact Kenny for computer help on his profile here Notice here how his customers are raving about his service on Twitter- and Yes, Kenny is on Twitter.
[Note: If you are not on Twitter, I highly recommend it. You can follow me here so that I can promote you and here are some suggested posts on our blog that will help you get started - here and here]
The other prize winners are:
Nick Lockard with the iPod Touch. Contact Nick on his profile here
Frank Zabroski with a Logitech Headset Contact Frank on his profile here
So again - a HUGE Congratulations from all of us to the three above!
Our next Helpathon will launch in April and if you want to participate, follow these two steps:
As many of you probably know by now that I am very active on Twitter and believe in that medium personally a lot.
As one of my objectives is to bring best practices to make all our Helpers successful with and through the best marketing channels, I requested Nik, a resident of England and whom I 'met' on Twitter a while ago and follow closely, to share his thoughts and best practices with all our Helpers on how he leverages social media as a Helper with a focus on Twitter since I was impressed by his use of it.
MD - Tell us a little about your self and your expertise with technology and what you help with.
NB: I have been involved in IT support and System administration since 1990 where I worked as the HelpDesk support guy at Lloyds Bank Insurance Services. Back then it was supporting DOS on IBM PC XTs and ATs and wordprocessors were Samba printing to dot matrix printers. My Career has covered Application Development of Enterprise systems for a Large highsteet Retailer in the UK and over 9 years ago I went self employed to promote an awareness of Open Source Software. More recently my commentaries on the use of Social Networks and Social Media in business have lead me into a more Marketing and Web strategy role for a variety of marketing, civil engineering and sustainability clients.
In short if you need a developer, a system administrator, an analyst a consultant or just an Answer I have become known as the goto guy to get more than a solution from.
MD: I know you are a big fan of CrossLoop. What makes CrossLoop so attractive to you?
NB: What CrossLoop lets me do is provide a clear indication of the quality of service I can provide. Unlike other packages providing remote support I can use CrossLoop to advertise my services and to demonstrate my 'credibility'. For a prospective client this means they can rate my reliability, my feedback and my response before making a buying decision. Being able to take the CrossLoop badge into other social networks is,in my opinion, a big tick in the 'credibility' box beyond the mere listing of Certifications and exams passed. I like to think of the CrossLoop badge as a certificate of credibility assuring clients that I have consistently delivered Answers.
Everytime I do a support call with a client and I use CrossLoop I communicate clearly at the beginning and at the end of the call that I want them to answer the Questionnaire at the end of the session since it will adds to my value.
A note here for the CrossLoop guys it would be an excellent incentive to offer a percentage off the bill if the client answers the questionnaire.
MD: Our Helpers would really like to know about some of your best practices in building your brand in social media. Can you share some of them?
NB: Consistency is key, having the same name on every site certainly makes it easier for people to recognise you when they encounter your content be it on Facebook, Twitter, Phreadz or 12 seconds. Your Blog is going to be important as a communication tool but dont forget the reason for your outward communication is to build inward relationships. I have constantly found that work comes to me faster when other people on those networks are singing your praises.
Again the CrossLoop service which allows people to rate my delivery adds to that value.
Here is Nik's 12seconds from July 24, 2008 (and No - I did not tell him to do this :)
MD: Any other insights or observations that you might want to share with our Helpers?
NB: Dont forget that to make use of Skype whilst on the support call after all its going to keep your communication costs lower than being on a phone. I have found I have been able to handle a crossloop session along side a Skype conversation over a 1/2Mbit ADSL Service and experienced no latency issues.
One aspect of Crossloop so far undersold has been the benefit of training. Using screen capture software (I use Camstudio) whilst working on a problem allows you to go back and annotate the issues and explain the answers you can then repost this to your client if they need a gentle nudge.
MD: Finally and very importantly, tell us about Twitter and how you use it along with CrossLoop
Twitter provides the broadcast medium that allows me to listen to trends and influences as well as communicate ideas and answers. Where a Blog post will go into detail or highlight an issue the Twitter format allows me to simulate that over the desk in the office conversation of talking to others. Its an instant idea drop into the ocean of awareness that lets me connect with many, many people who know how to respond.
For me it is an improvement on Forums and IRC ( Internet Relay Chat ) because I can choose whom I follow and listen to and in turn individuals can tune in or out to my own content. Theres no over ruling entity dictating the themes or topics and everyone is free to apply the rule of two feet [1] to the networks.
Through Twitter I have provided a connection to provide support via Crossloop (and other tools) to people connected to me. In turn their praise and comments on twitter create new followers and attract more attention to my content, my blog and my twitter stream. There is something about that moment you see someone say "Ask @loudmouthman He is bound to help" that lends itself to wanting to do more.
Twitters search feature (search.twitter.com) provides an additional tool with which I can identify people who might be seeking support. Just enter some of these keywords to find people asking for help "Help php", "Help Windows", "Wordpress problem" you can grab these results as a RSS Feed and keep an ear to the crowd listening for that one cry of help. [See my prior post SOS: Twitter Users Need CrossLoop Helpers]
Whilst I am just a guy sitting in a shed in the middle of Sussex in the UK. The Internet, via Twitter and Crossloop and Skype has enabled me to reachacross continents and oceans and into strangers Computers to answer their questions and earn their appreciation and their positive comments.
I cant think of a better collection of tools for any enterprising freelancer today.
1] The Rule of Two feet stipulates that if you are neither contributing or learning then you are free to use your own two feet and go elsewhere
Finally - If you read this interview and want to engage my services I am offering a 10% discount if you quote CL-Interview when completing the online questionnaire. Contact me on my CrossLoop profile here
A big thank you from all of us at CrossLoop for sharing this with everyone and the initiative to help others make the most of their expertise.
Good Afternoon, Good Luck and if you want to follow me on Twitter, click here.
PS - Keep an eye on Neil Connors on Twitter who seems to be doing all the right things as a CrossLoop Helper (including using his CrossLoop URL on his profile there). Follow Neil on Twitter here or contact him on his CrossLoop Profile here.
If you are doing some neat things as a CrossLoop Helper on Twitter, or know of one, and want to share it here on our blog, contact me on Twitter, on CrossLoop or via email - mrinal at crossloop dot com
[Apologies to email subscribers who are seeing this 'again' - the earlier one was a draft 'published now' due to my trigger happy fingers. This one is complete with pictures and a proper introduction]
One of the things we have done from the day we launched CrossLoop was listen and learn to all our users, to people who know us, our Advisors or anyone who could share some 'best practices'.
With that same core value, we thought it would be very powerful to have CrossLoop Helpers share their best practices with others.
I am personally a big fan of the two questions Will Smith asks in the movie (when he is desperately seeking employment and sees a guy park his Ferrari) The Pursuit of Happyness, especially the second one - 1) What do you do and 2) How do you do it?
There will be a series of CrossLoop Helper Interviews on this blog and I couldn't think of a better person to start with - Marcus Clarke's (pictured with his son Connor here), currently #1 Helper on the CrossLoop Marketplace. Here is his response to "How Do You Do It'.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself
Marcus: I am
first and foremost the proud father of my soon-to-be three year old boy named
Connor Clarke.I am the lead support
technician for Storage Commander, a popular self-storage management program
developed by Empower Software.I also
created and currently maintain their web site.
Q: What are some of the things you do, to get new customers?
Marcus: I mainly
advertise through word-of-mouth.My wife
is a great help by posting my CrossLoop Badge on all of the message boards she
visits and through her MySpace bulletins and comments.She also has a big voice with Mommy-groups
and playgroups throughout our area and the people she meets through social
groups and the Internet.You would be
surprised how many people are looking for someone who knows what they are
talking about when it comes to computers, and will not charge you an arm and a
leg to get answers.
Q: What do you do to get repeat customers?
Marcus:Repeat customers return if they like your
work, your personality, and how you speak to them about the problem they are
having.Being courteous, respectful,
patient, and knowledgeable about what you are talking about are the most
important factors in obtaining regular customers.
Q: Do you always give free estimates?
Marcus:I will always give a free estimate to
someone who requests it.I do clarify
that an estimate is just that, an estimate, and that it may not be the actual
full price, depending on the amount of time spent on a job. [His Rate card pic below]
Q: What are some of your best practices to get the business after the
free estimate or a lead comes in?
Marcus:Response time is key.It is difficult to address computer issues outside
of work, being that I work full-time.However, the new built-in feature that notifies you when a customer has
sent you a message is extremely helpful in dealing with this.
Q: How have you built your brand with CrossLoop?
Marcus:I keep myself logged in whenever I am
connected to the internet.I advertise
myself as an experienced remote technician who can quickly connect to your
computer and fix problems that you are experiencing.CrossLoop allows for a quick connection, but
it more importantly opens up remote technical support to those with less
knowledge on how to use computers.
Q: What are your favorite marketing tools that CrossLoop provides and
you use frequently?
Marcus:CrossLoop is the first company that enables
me to quantify my skills through my CrossLoop sessions. The CrossLoop badge is
the best marketing tool provided by CrossLoop, as it shows the metrics: number
of connections, your rating, and your picture; it also links the customer to
your profile for more information.You
can attach it to e-mails, message boards, and pretty much anything Internet
related.It is an effective personal
banner to advertise your abilities and experience which translates to a
‘portable reputation’. This enables the Customer to make the best decision.
Q: What are some tips that you would share to get the highest customer
satisfaction?
Marcus: Respect
your customers, even when they are difficult, and use your patience to wade
through communication problems on either end of the conversation.Fix a problem so that the customer does not
have to come back to you soon to fix the same problem, so that when another
problem arises, you will be the person that they call.
Q: Like adding a personal photo, do you have any recommendations for
one's CrossLoop profile?
Marcus:Fill it out completely.Add a picture of yourself!That is one of the best features of
CrossLoop, as it creates a quick talking point, and it causes the customer to
become more interested in who you are, which starts a connection between
you.Otherwise, fill out your pricing,
and add a thoughtful description to your profile. [Snapshot of his profile]
Q: Do you ask you customers to create an account and leave testimonials
after a session? Why?
Marcus:Depending on the level of experience of the
customer, I may or may not ask them to create an account.Many people who need help with computers do
not have an e-mail address, or are uncomfortable signing up for an account. I leave it up to the customer to leave a
comment after the session; however, it is greatly appreciated. [His Customer testimonials on his profile below]
Q: What are the top two frequent problems you solve for customers?
Marcus: The most
frequent problem I encounter is that the customer’s computer is running too
slow, normally due to too many programs running. The other frequent problem I
run into is spyware infections.
Congratulations to Marcus for a remarkable achievement - if you need help with your computer, contact Marcus Clarke through his profile here.
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