Whether you’re just exploring a business idea or ready to register your LLC, we’ve got your back. From planning and legal setup to licenses, branding, and funding – we offer free resources and real-person support to help you launch with clarity and confidence.

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Launch Your Dream With a Clear Business Plan

Starting a business can feel overwhelming – but with the right structure and support, it doesn’t have to be. At Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF), we simplify the process. Our free, founder-friendly tools walk you through each step of the startup journey, from idea validation to your first customer. Everything here is designed to help new business owners avoid costly mistakes, build efficiently, and start strong.

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Key Startup Business Topics

What to Know Before Starting a Business

• Is entrepreneurship right for you?
  
• Understanding risk, resilience, and startup time commitments
  
• Setting smart business goals that match your lifestyle and values
  

How To Start a Legal Business: First Steps

• Choosing a business structure: LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership
  
• Registering your business name
  
• Getting an EIN (Employer Identification Number)
  
• Licenses, permits, and zoning
  

How to Write a Simple Startup Business Plan

• Clarify your value proposition and ideal target market
  
• Plan your budget, startup costs, and revenue projections
  
• Set realistic 6-month and 12-month goals
  

Opening a Business Bank Account & Managing Finances

• Why business and personal finances should be separate
  
• Choosing a business bank account
  
• Basic bookkeeping and tax readiness
  

Building Your Brand & Online Presence

• Picking a business name and securing your domain
  
• Setting up Google Business Profile and business social media pages
  
• Logo, visual identity, and basic marketing plan
  

How To Get Funding For Your Startup

• Different types of Business Loans; Self-funding, microloans, and grants
  
• Business Loan Borrower Checklist
  
• What investors and lenders look for in new businesses

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Real Success Story: Starting a Business with Purpose

How Coolhaus Grew from a Side Hustle to a National Brand

Natasha Case turned a playful idea – combining food and architecture – into Coolhaus, a bold ice cream brand launched during the Great Recession. With no business experience, she and her partner sold architect-themed ice cream sandwiches from a towed truck at Coachella. When traditional lenders wouldn’t help them grow, Accion Opportunity Fund stepped in to finance their fleet. That early support helped Coolhaus expand nationally. Now in 6,000+ stores, Natasha credits AOF for helping her start and scale a purpose-driven business.

Read More Success Stories

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Pro Business Tips from AOF Advisors

AOF Advisor Tip: Don’t wait for everything to be perfect – start with what you have and test fast.

AOF Advisor Tip: Even small side hustles should be set up properly to avoid tax or legal issues later.

AOF Advisor Tip: Set 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year goals to keep your launch focused and measurable.

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Top Startup Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the Legal Setup
Don’t operate without registering. It protects you and makes you eligible for funding.

Not Budgeting for Start-Up Costs
Even a lean business needs capital. Plan ahead to avoid early cash flow problems.

Doing Everything Alone
Find mentors, join support groups, and talk to advisors. Entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be lonely.

Waiting Too Long to Launch
Start small, test your idea, and iterate. Waiting for perfection can kill momentum.

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FAQs About Starting a Business

How much money do I need to start a business?
It depends on your industry, but even small startups should plan for 3–6 months of expenses.

Do I need to write a business plan?
Yes – a simple plan helps clarify your ideas and prepare for funding.

How do I know which business structure is right for me?
Our free quiz and guide can help you decide between LLC, sole proprietorship, and more.

Can I get funding without a business history?
AOF provides funding for early-stage businesses. We also help you build a loan-ready profile.

Where can I get help with my startup plan?
Schedule a free session with an AOF business advisor.

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Ready to Launch Your Business?

Start smart. AOF gives you free tools, expert guidance, and step-by-step support – so you can build with confidence

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What Makes AOF Different from other Startup Business Lenders?

Practical Business Help for Real Entrepreneurs

Starting a business isn’t just about vision – it’s about execution. Our resources are made by people who’ve been in your shoes. You won’t find corporate jargon or gatekept tools here – just practical help that works.

Business Coaching from Real People

Talk to a real person, for free. Our advisors offer guidance on launching, registering, planning, and marketing. You get personalized support – no pressure, no pitch.

100% Free and Transparent Business Resources

All our resources are free. No subscriptions, no paywalls. And if you’re exploring business loan funding, our nonprofit lending model means fair terms and honest advice – always.

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AOF by the Numbers: Trusted by Business Entrepreneurs Nationwide

67% of subprime borrowers become near-prime or better by loan payoff

$1B+ deployed in loans to small businesses

35,000+ entrepreneurs supported with coaching and training

4.5M+ business owners served through our free resource library

100% of tools and templates available for free

107,000+ jobs supported through lending and NMTC

Artificial Intelligence isn’t just for big corporations. This article will introduce you to accessible AI tools to help you grow your business and reach your goals. Learn how to use artificial intelligence in small business and understand how AI for small businesses can streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and provide valuable insights. Demystify AI and integrate it into your business to drive growth and innovation.

Meet the Experts

Jam Anderson

Jam Anderson is the driving force behind Jam AI, dedicated to making AI easy and accessible for everyone. With 20 years of success in traditional marketing, she quickly recognized the power of AI and jumped right in. Now, Jam is all about turning AI complexity into clarity, helping business leaders, entrepreneurs, and marketing pros harness AI without the hassle. Known for her ability to simplify even the most complicated concepts, she’s the expert you need to guide you through the AI landscape, so you can focus on what you love.

Luis Ramos

Luis is the Manager of Credit Advising at Accion Opportunity Fund. Luis has 10+ years of experience mentoring entrepreneurs, building teams, and creating the processes needed to launch successful businesses. He has advised more than 1,000 businesses from ideas to reaching their goals in both Spanish and English. Sign up for a free coaching session with one of AOF’s certified business coaching, including Luis, on our Coaching Hub.

AI for Small Businesses: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Drive Growth

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer only for major corporations. AI is more accessible and affordable everyday, allowing small businesses to benefit from the power of AI tools. When used strategically, AI can transform how small businesses operate, making them more efficient and responsive. By incorporating AI into your daily operations, small business owners can unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation, helping you reach your business goals. Beware: AI is a powerful tool that can help you reach your business goals, but it also has some risks.

How to use AI for Small Business

Artificial Intelligence is defined as the capability of machines or software to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. From intelligently automating routine tasks to analyzing large sets of data in order to identify key insights, AI can do it all. AI has huge potential for small business growth, offering new ways to improve efficiency, enhance customer interactions, and make more informed decisions without the cost of significant upfront investment.

AI can also function as an addition to your existing workforce, taking on repetitive tasks and providing deep insights into your business. For small business owners who are always wearing many hats, AI offers a way to optimize your operations and focus on what truly matters: growing your business and reaching your goals. Whether you need to automate customer support with AI chatbots or are looking to use AI-driven analytics tools to better understand customer behavior or your business finances, AI can help you maximize your time and efforts.

Why AI is Vital for Small Businesses:

• Affordable Solutions: As AI tools become less costly and more accessible, small businesses are able to affordably implemente new AI tools.
• Improved Efficiency: AI can take over repetitive tasks, allowing you and your team to focus on those activities that require a more human touch, like creativity, strategy, and decision-making.
• Informed Decision-Making: By analyzing large amounts of data, AI can quickly provide data-driven insights, allowing you to make better, more informed business decisions.

Streamlining Operations with AI

AI for small businesses offers a powerful way to improve your business operations, making repetitive, daily tasks more efficient and less prone to human error. AI can automate a many different types of activities, like managing inventory and processing invoices, freeing up valuable time and resources.

AI-Powered Automation

Of all the jobs AI can take on for small business owners, automating routine tasks is one of the impactful. For example, AI can handle invoicing and billing, ensuring accuracy and timeliness without the need for manual input. AI can also improve your inventory management processes by using predictive algorithms to monitor stock levels and forecast demand, helping businesses avoid both overstocking items that aren’t selling well and selling out of your most popular items. AI chatbots can answer basic customer question 24/7. Immediate responses to customer inquiries is a simple way to improve customer satisfaction without hiring additional team members.

AI Supported Decision-Making

AI doesn’t just automate tasks; it also supports better decision-making. Predictive analytics tools powered by AI can analyze historical data to forecast future trends, giving businesses a competitive edge. Whether it’s predicting customer demand or analyzing market trends, AI-driven insights can help small businesses make decisions that align with their goals and market conditions.

Improving Customer Experiences

Customer experience is key for long term business success and AI for small businesses allows you to offer new ways for customers to interact with your brand.

Personalized Customer Interactions: Personalization is essential when building strong customer relationships, and AI can help small businesses achieve this at scale. AI marketing tools, which are often integrated with your POS system, can analyze customer behavior to create personalized campaigns. This ensures that the right message reaches the right customer at the right time. Product recommendations are another way AI can increase personalization. AI increased the likelihood of repeat business by suggesting items based on a customer’s previous purchases.

AI in Customer Support: AI chatbots are a practical solution to round-the-clock customer support. AI chatbots can handle common questions, resolve some issues, and guide customers through the buying process. This not only improves the relationship between your brand and your customers, but it also allows your staff to focus on more complex tasks.

Gaining Valuable Insights with AI

One of the most powerful uses of AI for small businesses is its ability to turn data into actionable insights and recommendations. AI can analyze large amounts of information that can reveal patterns and trends that would be difficult to detect manually, allowing you to make smarter decisions.

Data Analysis and Reporting: AI tools can provide real-time analytics, giving business owners like you up-to-date insights. Armed with that data, you can take quick action for the benefit of your business. For example, AI can help you define and understand your customer segments, so you to tailor your marketing and sales strategies to different customer personas. You can stay one step ahead of the competition by using AI-driven data analysis can also identify trends in sales, customer behavior, and market conditions.

Market and Competitor Analysis: In addition to analyzing your own data, AI can monitor market trends and competitor activities. These tools can track changes in the market, so you can adjust your business strategy in response to new opportunities or potential threats. Competitor analysis powered by AI can reveal insights into what other businesses in your industry are doing.

Popular AI Tools for Small Businesses

AI is more accessible to business owners every day. There are a wide range of tools on the market that are specifically designed for small businesses. Here are some of the most popular AI tools for small business today:

Best AI Tools In general

• ChatGPT: An AI chatbot that is capable of engaging in interactive conversations, responding to various inquiries, and assisting with a range of tasks, such as writing, coding, and solving problems.
• Perplexity AI: This search engine, powered by artificial intelligence, is designed to deliver direct responses to questions by merging the capabilities of web searches with natural language understanding.
• Claude: This AI assistant excels at holding detailed conversations, interpreting documents, and supporting various tasks through its advanced conversational abilities.
• PI: A friendly AI chatbot focused on offering more personal and empathetic interactions, PI aims to serve as a supportive and comforting digital companion.
• Gemini: This advanced AI model is adept at processing and generating different types of content, including text and images.

AI Tools for Marketing:

• HubSpot: A popular tool that offers AI-driven marketing automation and CRM solutions, helping small businesses manage their customer relationships and marketing campaigns more efficiently.
• Hootsuite: This tool allows you to manage your social media campaigns with AI-driven analytics and scheduling, ensuring your posts reach the right audience at the right time.
• HeyGen: An AI-driven platform tailored for creating personalized video content. Includes options such as AI-generated avatars and synthetic voices.
• Canva: An AI-enhanced creative platform that provides a suite of tools for editing videos, generating images, and handling other multimedia projects. This is a great tool for creating social media posts.

AI Tools for Operations:

• Xero: Xero’s AI-powered accounting features make managing finances easier for small businesses, from automating transactions to generating reports.
• QuickBooks: Another accounting tool that uses AI to streamline bookkeeping and financial management, allowing business owners to focus on growth rather than numbers.
• Fathom AI: A tool that acts as a virtual assistant for Zoom. Fathom will analyze and transcribe video content, making it particularly useful for businesses and content creators.

AI Tools for Customer Service:

• Zendesk: Integrates AI chatbots and other tools to enhance customer support, providing quicker responses and improving overall service quality.
• Freshdesk: Offers AI-driven solutions for customer service, enabling small businesses to manage customer interactions more effectively.

AI Tools for Data and Analytics:

• Tableau: A powerful tool that uses AI to create data visualizations and dashboards, making it easier to understand and act on business data.
• Google Analytics: Incorporates AI to provide deeper insights into website performance, helping businesses optimize their online presence.

Want to learn more about getting started with or improving your use of AI tools? Check out Jam AI’s courses and resources.

Integrating AI into Your Business

Adopting AI for your small business doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, if done right, integrating AI into your business should make your life easier, not harder. The key is to start small. Focus on areas of your business operations where AI can make the biggest impact and gradually expand its use as you become more comfortable with the technology.

Writing Good Prompts for AI Tools

The key to AI success is crafting effective prompts for your AI tools. A well-written prompt guides the AI to understand what you need from it. This helps you to get precise and useful outputs from the tool. Here are some key principles to consider when writing a prompt for AI:

• Clarity: Clarity is your best friend when writing prompts. Make sure your instructions are easy to understand. Avoid any vague language or ambiguity. The more straightforward your request, the better the AI will be able to fulfill it. For example, instead of saying, “Write a short post,” give the AI tool more information, such as “Write a 200-word blog post on the pros and cons of AI for small businesses.”
• Context: Providing context in your prompt is crucial. AI tools perform best when they have a full picture of what you’re asking for. If you want the AI to generate content, include details about the audience, the tone you want it to use, and any specific points you need to be covered. For example, “Generate a playful and informative 300-word article for LinkedIn for clean beauty consumers on how my product can improve their lives by reducing their exposure to toxic ingredients.”
• Specificity: Being specific in your prompts can significantly improve the quality of the output. This includes specifying the format, length, style, and any key phrases or concepts that must be included. For example, if you’re using an AI tool to create a product description, you might say, “Write a concise, 150-word product description for a new AI-powered accounting software, highlighting its ease of use, real-time analytics, and affordability. Optimize the post for the keyword “AI Accounting Software” and do not use the following words for phrases….”
• Feedback: After the AI generates the output, you should provide feedback to the tool. If the result isn’t quite what you were looking for, adjust your prompt and try again. This iterative process helps refine the AI’s understanding of your needs. For instance, if the first draft of an article is too formal, you might revise your prompt to request a more conversational tone, saying, “Rewrite the article in a friendly, approachable tone while maintaining the same key points.”

By following these principles, you can maximize the effectiveness of AI tools, ensuring that they produce content that meets your specific needs and standards.

Take the First Step

Begin by identifying the areas in your business that would benefit the most from AI. Try thinking about pain points in your business operations, administrative tasks that you spend a lot of time on, or information you are missing or with you had. Once you’ve identified these areas, research AI tools can fill the need and complement your budget. Train your team to use these tools effectively and regularly monitor team and tool performance performance and make adjustments as needed. Make sure you are getting a positive return on investment on any AI tools you add to your business toolbox.

Customer service doesn’t have to be a pain. In this article, busy small business owners will learn simple and effective customer service strategies to improve customer interactions. Finding the right balance of human touch and smart tech can get customer satisfaction at minimal cost and with low time requirements. These simple changes can make a big impact to customer loyalty and happiness.

Meet the Experts

Tasha Harris

Tasha Harris is the co-founder and co-owner of Kobi Co. After nearly two decades in corporate banking and finance, Tasha Harris made the decision to step away from it all in late 2019, seeking respite from burnout and a desire to never be beholden to traditional employment again. When her daughter initiated a venture of crafting and selling candles as a means to escape the pressures of a pandemic-defined teenage existence, Tasha wholeheartedly embraced the endeavor. Having personally experienced the repercussions of neglecting self-care and experiencing burnout, she understood the vital role of bolstering her daughter Kobi during the fledgling stages of entrepreneurship.

Kartisha Henry

Kartisha Henry

is the founder and owner of The Wing Suite. Kartisha is a 10 year U.S. Army Veteran where she mastered all things supply chain. After her tour of service ended she entered into corporate America as a Buyer. She completed a Bachelors Of Science in Business Management and Marketing from Mercer University in 2012.

Kartisha has started several small businesses and in 2018 walked away from her corporate position to open her very first restaurant The Wing Suite. Currently, The Wing Suite has been operating for just over 5 years. And location #2 is scheduled to open August 2024.

Customer Service Strategies

Customer service is the foundation of any business. High quality customer interactions lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and natural word-of-mouth marketing. Here are our top, expert-backed tips for customer service success.

1. Know Your Customer

Understanding your customer’s needs and preferences is the first step to developing customer service strategies. Use surveys, feedback forms, and direct communication to get valuable insights on your customers and their needs. Tailor your services to meet these needs and create a more personalized experience for your customer. Go where your customer is, whether it’s farmers markets or Instagram, meet them where they are at.

2. Use Technology Wisely

Technology can streamline your customer service processes while still being personal. Tools like customer relationship management (CRM) systems, chatbots, and automated email responses can handle the routine stuff, so your team to focus on more pressing issues. Technology should enhance, not replace, the human element in customer interactions.

CRM Systems

• Centralize customer info for easy access
• Track customer interactions and preferences
• Personalize communication based on customer data

Customer Loyalty SystEMs

• Engage customers and keep your business at the front of their mind
• Train your employees on how best to explain your customer loyalty program
• Use online tools to streamline your customer loyalty programs

Chatbots and AI tools

• 24/7 customer support for common questions
• Free up human agents to deal with issues that require a human touch, like in person interactions
• Speed up response times and efficiency

Automated Email Responses

• Acknowledge customer inquiries immediately
• Provide key info and next steps
• Keep them engaged until you can get back to them in more detail

Social Media

•  Allows you to reach your customers where they are at
• Gives customers a peek behind the scenes and how your products are made or your business is run
• Allows you to genuinely interact with your customers, building excitement and setting expectations

Other tools

• Inventory management systems help keep your customer happy by allowing you to accurately fill their order
• POS Systems, which sometimes include other tools like customer loyalty or inventory management, are how your customers will pay for your products or services. A good POS Systems can make the barrier to purchase easier for your customers
• Online reviews are an essential part of customer service. Leading with empathy when responding to online reviews creates a positive, customer-centric culture

3. Train Your Team

Continuous training and development is key to maintaining high customer service standards. Regular workshops, role-plays, and customer service training programs can equip your team with the skills to handle different customer situations. Empower your employees to make decisions that benefit the customer and the business. Ensure your team can discuss all customer facing aspects of your business, from products to value proposition to loyalty programs.

4. Monitor and Measure Performance in Customer Service

Implementing customer service strategies is just the start. Regular monitoring and measurement is key to continuous improvement. Use metrics like customer satisfaction scores, Net Promoter Scores (NPS), and average resolution times to measure your success and find areas to improve.

Customer Satisfaction Scores

• Overall satisfaction with service
• Service strengths and weaknesses
• Improved guidance

Net Promoter Scores (NPS)

• Customer loyalty and likelihood to recommend
• Segment customers into promoters, passives, and detractors
• Convert detractors into promoters

Average Resolution Times

• Issue resolution efficiency
• Bottlenecks and process improvements
• Faster service overall

5. Create a Customer Centric Culture

Having a customer centric culture within your business is key to long-term success. Get every team member, from front-line staff to upper management, to put customer satisfaction at the top of their roles. Recognize and reward employees who go above and beyond to deliver great customer service.

When dealing with an upset customer, ask the right questions to understand what is really going on with the situation. Once you understand the situation, give them options on how they’d like you to solve the problem. For example, “would you like a refund or would you like us to replace the product with this other product.” This helps your customer feel empowered and builds loyalty.

6. Act on Customer Feedback

Listening to your customers and acting on their feedback is a great way to improve your service. Have a systematic approach to collecting, analyzing, and responding to customer feedback. Showing you value and act on customer opinions can build trust and loyalty.

Feedback Collection Methods

• Online surveys and feedback forms
• Direct customer interviews and focus groups
• Social media monitoring and sentiment analysis

Analysis and Action

• Categorize feedback by theme and issue
• Prioritize actionable insights for improvement
• Implement changes and communicate with customers

Building Trust

• Show customers their feedback is valued
• Tell customers how feedback has influenced changes
• Build a feeling of partnership with your customers

Enhancing Customer Service Through Discussion

By following these customer service strategies, you can boost customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customer service is a continuous process os keep at it and you’ll get the benefits.

It’s a tough world out there for small businesses. Consumers have more choices than ever before and are notoriously fickle. One bad experience (or even one just-okay experience) is enough to send a customer elsewhere forever. To be successful, you really have to know your customer and give them exactly what they want.

So how do you know your customer and please them? Some of it is simply plain old common sense: customers want excellent products, top-notch service, and fair prices. More detailed information to help you get to know your customer wants and needs can be ascertained through sales data, social media feedback, and customer surveys.

Here are some factors to help you figure out how to get to know your customer so they will sing your praises and hopefully bring you more business.

1. A Majority of Customers Patronize and Trust Local Business

According to score.org, more than 82 percent of customers use local businesses. More impressive is that in the next year, more than 48 percent plan to patronize local businesses more than they currently do.

According to Score, small business customers report that they appreciate the unique value provided by local businesses. Customers state that small, local businesses offer the following benefits:

• Personalized Service
• Trustworthiness
• Quality Customer Service
• Quality Work
• Reliability
• Professionalism

It’s easy to be intimidated when you’re competing with big national brands, but it turns out that being a local business is actually an advantage. Make sure you let your customers know that you’re local!

2. Customers Want User-Friendly Websites

In today’s small business world, if you’re not online, you might as well not exist. Creating and maintaining an easy-to-use, easy-to-navigate business website is a vital step to recruiting first-time customers and keeping current customers happy.

In addition, in this modern era of on-the-go tech, it’s critical that small businesses have websites that are mobile-friendly. Mobile adaptability ensures that customers can find your business using mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Many of us pull out our phones to shop or search for a product or service rather than sitting down with a computer, so a great mobile site is a must.

For more on small business website tips, visit our resource How to Build a Website on a Budget.

3. Use Direct Customer Surveys

You pour your time, energy, and heart into your small business. So, how do you know if your customers are satisfied with your efforts and hard work? You don’t…until you ask them! While this may seem like a daunting prospect, the only way to really find out what your customers think about your business is to pose that question directly.

According to Entrepreneur, savvy business owners should ask customers for feedback on current products and services. In addition, you should ask what products or services they’d like your company to offer in the future.

Direct customer surveys are a terrific way to get feedback on what your business is doing right, as well as what areas need improvement. One way to accomplish that is via email. Simply request that the customer take a quick online survey. In exchange for their help with the survey, you can offer the customer a discount or a special promotion as thanks for their time. You can do the same in-store by handing out cards or adding notes to the end of receipts with instructions on how to access the online survey.

4. Check Your Online Reviews and Social Media

According to business pros, online and social media reviews provided by customers are considered a valuable “organic promotion.” Customers like to use online and social media reviews to inform their buying habits and make purchasing decisions.

Social media platforms allow customers a real-time way to connect with businesses about their needs and experiences, both good and bad. The key to small business social media success is acknowledging your customers’ feedback. If you receive a glowing review, comment back and perhaps offer a special perk for the positive affirmation. Then take notes and use that information to make your business better.

5. Look for Bad Reviews

Realize that not all reviews and comments about your business will be positive. Just like you should be taking notes about positive reviews and incorporating those practices into your business, you should seek out negative reviews to find areas where you can improve. This is a great opportunity to engage with the reviewer, find out more about their issue, and make it right. That’s also great PR—people love to see a company responding to reviews and addressing customer concerns.

Know Your Customer so You Can Give Them What They Want

Knowing what your small business customers want may not always be intuitive. By taking steps to find out about your customers’ needs, experiences (both good and bad!), and responding to their feedback, your business will be better able to satisfy existing customers and woo new ones.

Modern businesses are rarely cash only

. Accepting a credit card at your home base is one thing you may have all figured out. However, you never know when you might need to take a credit card when you’re away from the store cash register, for example, at a festival or an expo. In this case, having a mobile credit card reader is ideal.

Mobile payment systems allow the business owner to use on-the-go credit card readers. Payment can be run using just the business owner’s smartphone or tablet. This allows small business owners to process customer payments from any location, not just at the store or shop. It also allows you to skip lugging around expensive dedicated card readers or registers.

The recent advent of increasingly sophisticated mobile payment options allows small business owners a highly efficient, streamlined way of conducting business and processing various modes of payments when they’re on the go. Hence the explosion in the number of options nowadays when it comes to choosing the best mobile credit card reader.

There are a number of systems you can put in place to take advantage of the modern consumer’s love of plastic. Here are five of the simplest and most effective mobile credit card readers small business owners should consider.

Square

Square is one of the oldest and most popular mobile payment options. Square is exclusively compatible with mobile phones—both iPhones and Androids. The Square payment device plugs into the audio jack of the Android phone, and Apple iOS products like iPhone or iPad.

Square’s payment processing device and app are both free and do not require business owners to sign a contract for service. However, business owners are charged “per swipe” at a rate of 2.75%. Funds are easy to access, since the Square app deposits the money immediately into the business owners’ account after the sale.

Intuit QuickBooks GoPayment

Intuit’s QuickBooks GoPayment mobile reader gives you a simple way to merge your day-to-day business operations with your own QuickBooks accounting software. GoPayment functions in a similar fashion to Square. GoPayment works with the same devices like the Square reader, with the addition of the BlackBerry.

Intuit GoPayment app is clean and simple to use. The GoPayment app allows you to process credit card payments as well as e-checks (for a small fee). GoPayment also syncs your sales records, receipts, and inventory with your QuickBooks software, so it can assist with accounting records. There is live customer support to help with problems.

GoPayment charges business owners a monthly fee. The monthly fee to use the app is approximately $13, not including additional transaction fees. Note that fees can add up since GoPayment charges added fees for returned checks, disputed bank payments, and credit card chargebacks. There is also an additional fee for a QuickBooks Online Subscription.

PayAnywhere

PayAnywhere is the least costly mobile payment options available for small business owners. PayAnywhere is free for business owners and doesn’t charge a monthly fee or additional service charges.

PayAnywhere can process all of the major credit cards for payment on the go, including MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and Visa. The fee to use PayAnywhere is 2.69% per credit card swipe with no additional costs or fees.

RoamPay

RoamPay is considered to be most secure of the mobile payment options since it requires the customer to enter their PIN user authentication to make a payment. RoamPay is highly compatible and can work with iPhones, Androids, BlackBerry, and some older mobile phones. Fees may vary.

PayPal Here

PayPal Here is the mobile payment system offered by the established online payment system PayPal. PayPal Here can be used by iPhones, other Apple devices, and Androids. Small business owner fees to use PayPal Here vary. PayPal Here offers different packages at different price points, which allows small business owners to pick the best package for their needs.

Just the Swipe of a Card or the Tap of a Phone

Mobile payments are a simple, cost-effective way to process payments from customers using just a smartphone or tablet. Moreover, many customers expect the ability to use their cards rather than carry cash.

Some of these mobile payment systems also provide other features, such as emailed receipts, invoicing, sales tax calculators, and accounting features. When comparing mobile payment options for your small business, look at the fees, mobile payment app features, and your business needs to find the right mobile payment system for you.

No matter what business or industry you’re in, customer service is a vital component to running a successful small business. When you’re able to make your customers happy, they’ll remain loyal and recommend you to others. “Customer service” isn’t rocket science. At its core, excellent customer service is about treating others as you would like to be treated yourself. These 10 simple customer service rules can help keep you on the right track.

1. Be Nice

The first rule is so obvious that we almost feel silly stating it “¦ “Be nice.” No matter what the scenario, being warm, friendly, and engaging will go a long way toward making your customers happy. It’s as simple as offering a smile at the door and asking people how they’re doing or thanking someone for a complimentary online review.

2. Respect Your Customers

Remember that your customers are the reasons why you have a business at all. Treat your customers as valued members of your community. Your customers are humans with feelings, not just credit card numbers. Listen to them when they speak, take the time to read and respond to their feedback online, and treat their concerns seriously.

3. Listen

When customers complain about something that has gone wrong or a product that is not up to their expectations, the initial instinct may be to counter-argue. Let your customer complain, listen to their entire concern, and process it before responding. Simply being heard will make your customers’ experience better. Jumping straight to the defensive makes them feel like you’re calling them a liar – and no one likes that.

4. Be Positive

A Harvard Business school study reported that positive phrasing instead of negative may boost customer satisfaction up to 18.5%. Simply by changing your phrasing from, “I cannot do that” to, “I’ll look into that for you” can put a positive spin on your interactions.

5. Offer Solutions, Not Excuses

Customers are coming to you to complain because they are not happy and want you to fix something. Whatever that “something” is, try your best to give your customer what they are asking for. If something has gone wrong, you should do what you can to make it right.

Do they want a refund? Do they want a discount? Do they want another meal cooked at a different temperature? Only the customer knows what will make them satisfied. To make sure you’re addressing their needs, ask outright what you can do to fix the situation. It can be a little painful to take that hit, but it’s the right thing to do and it’s good for business. Sometimes, it may be worth taking the hit even if the customer is wrong or being somewhat unreasonable – a little goodwill goes a long way.

6. Be Honest

One of the hardest parts of customer service (and life in general) is owning up to mistakes that you, your staff, or your company has made. If a customer paid for overnight shipping for a bouquet of Mother’s Day flowers and someone missed that on the order form or failed to put it in the computer, admit that your team made a mistake and then do what you can to make it right. People appreciate honesty and know when you’re making excuses.

7. Go the Extra Mile

If you can find a way to elevate your business above all others, then do it. One way to do this is to go the extra mile when it comes to customer service.

Think about what you can do to take that extra step to keep your customers happy and coming back. It is a hand-written note in an Etsy order? Is it free, stunning gift wrap? It is a promotional bottle of wine on birthdays? There are tons of little ways to set your business apart as one who goes above and beyond to delight their customers.

8. Apologize

Customer service is a relationship between your business and those who patronize your business. As with any relationship, there are times with a meaningful apology goes a long way. When your business has done something wrong, own up to the error, and say you’re sorry. It will go a long way toward making your customers feel validated.

9. Ask for Feedback

Part of running a successful business is finding out what customers think and responding to complaints and criticisms. Fine-tuning what’s working and what isn’t can take your products or services from just ok to exceptional.

It’s important to follow up with your customers so you can use their opinions to better your business. Asking your customers for feedback shows you value their thoughts and that you care about their experiences. Social media makes it easier than ever to get real-time, concrete feedback.

10. Say “Thank You”

Customers in today’s retail and service environment have thousands of options to choose from. It is a compliment to your company that your customers seek you out and do business with you. Without buying customers, your business would not exist. Let your customers know that you appreciate their business with a simple “thank you.”

Treat Your Customers Well and They’ll Return the Favor

At the core, excellent customer service is about civility, maintaining relationships, and good manners. Be good to your customers, and they’ll be good to you.

 

Thank you to Fifth Third Bank for supporting Accion in expanding economic opportunity for small business owners.

 

It’s pretty obvious that everyone wants to make their business better. One easy way to improve your brand, boost sales, and better your company is by gathering and responding to customer feedback. Gathering feedback from current customers can help you tailor your products or services to their needs, as well as look to the future for newer, better products, services, or business methods.

Customer feedback can help improve your business model and relationship with your customers; you can also use it to sharpen your business marketing tactics. Check out our top 5 tips for collecting and using customer feedback to boost your business!

1. Collect Email Addresses

Email is one of the most simple, direct ways to gather direct customer feedback. Email marketing is a low-cost, rapid, direct response tactic used by both small and large businesses. Collect email addresses through your website, app, or in-store and send out the occasional survey asking, “How can we do better?” Make sure you ask for both positive and negative feedback – you want to keep the things you’re doing right and look for areas you can improve.

2. Social Media & Social Listening

Social media platforms

are an excellent way for small businesses to collect customer feedback in real-time. “Social listening” is when businesses track what is being said about their company online. By monitoring the “buzz” on social media platforms, businesses can adapt their products, improve their business, and reply to customers’ concerns.

According to Social Media Today, “22% of the world’s population use Facebook, and 76% of those users logged in every day in 2016 “on any given day Snapchat reaches 41% of 18-34 year olds in the US and 81% of Millennials check Twitter at least once a day.” It’s clear that the vast majority of consumers are using social media to stay informed, pursue trends, and make purchases.

Tools that can help you use social listening to improve your customer feedback include Google Alerts, Mention, Social Mention, Brand Watch, or Who’s Talkin. Each of these tools is user-friendly, so even low-tech entrepreneurs can learn how they work. They’ll let you know when users are talking about your brand so you know how they feel about you – as a bonus, you get an opportunity to engage with them!

3. Onsite Analytics

Monitoring customers’ onsite activity by using analytics shows you exactly how your customers are interacting with your website and with your products. Onsite analytics can help small businesses compile, process, and analyze data gathered from customers’ online interactions with their website or social media. Businesses can then use the gathered data to tailor their online marketing. The best news is that these online analytics can be surprisingly cost-effective.

You’ll be able to tell what pages and products your customers view, the path they take through your website to the checkout, and what kinds of customers are buying and what aren’t. That tells you how your website is working and how you may be able to improve it.

For more online analytics and small business, visit Business News Daily’s 8 Big Data Solutions for Small Business.

4. Feedback Surveys

Customer feedback surveys gather direct information from your customers. The idea is to reach out using a brief survey, sent to your mailing list or posted on your social media pages. You can also ask customers to answer a quick survey right in your store. Customers love to know that you care about their opinions, so they’re fairly likely to participate. Make sure to keep it fairly short – customers will be a lot more likely to answer 5 questions than 50.

For practical tips on how to write and implement useful business surveys, visit 10 Essential Tactics for Creating Valuable Customer Surveys.

5. Talk to Them!

One of the benefits of running a small business is that you have the unique chance to build relationships with each of your customers. One of the easiest – and most impactful – ways to get direct feedback from your customers is to ask them for their opinion.

The example which comes to mind is the diner owner who walks around the restaurant checking on the patrons during the dinner rush. Other small businesses could use this one-on-one relationship to inquire about services, what could be improved, and other issues of customer satisfaction. Building this kind of personal relationship can even lead to customers coming directly to you without you asking to let you know what they’re loving and what needs work.

The Customer Is Always Right

Your business depends on your customers. That means you need your customers to be happy. And that means getting their feedback. It’s simple! It’s also cost-effective – all of these tools are free or very low-cost. So get out there and make your customers happy!

Whether you’re running a brick-and-mortar or an e-commerce site, there will be customers who would like to return or exchange what they bought at your store. That’s just part of life! As a small business owner, you have to make sure you have a sensible refunds and returns policy in place.

What Does a Refunds and Returns Policy Do For You?

Why should you allow refunds or returns at all? Won’t that hurt your bottom line? The answer to that question is not as obvious as it may seem. Sure, you’re going to have to give money back to your customer. But in the long run, that’s going to help establish your business as a fair and respectable establishment that really cares about customer service. It shows that you believe in your products and services and stand by them – you’re not trying to sell at all costs and leave unhappy customers in the lurch.

Experts say that small businesses should look at returns and refunds as a crucial part of the customer service experience. You can lose a customer over a bad return experience or you can set them up as a loyal buyer for life. Anything you can do to make shopping with you an overall positive situation will help you garner trust and loyalty for your brand.

A refund/return policy offers rewards beyond happy customers – it can give you valuable information about what products are working and where you can do better. If you notice that a large number of people are returning the same product, it’s time to take a look at that product and see how you can make it better.

What Are the Options for a Store Refund Policy?

To be effective, your refunds and returns policy needs to cover three main issues: a time limit, a type of return/exchange/refund, and the circumstances under which a return/exchange/refund is allowed.

A time limit is typically fairly easy to decide. You want to make sure your customers have enough time to bring the product back, but you also don’t want to worry about returns coming in 3 years down the line. The right amount of time will depend on what you’re selling. For services, that time limit will often be shorter – your customer is going to know they’re unhappy with their new haircut within a few days, if not on the spot. For products, most experts agree that a 30-day period to return should be the bare minimum. E-commerce sites may offer even longer periods to allow for plenty of shipping time. Some prominent brands such as LL Bean and North Face even offer “lifetime guarantees” on all products, though most retailers do not offer such latitude and those types of guarantees can be complicated on the legal side.

In addition to a time limit, you’ll need to decide how to handle returns, exchanges, and refunds. You may give people their money back, plain and simple, or you may offer store credit. You can also combine these options in a way that works for you. For example, many stores offer to refund your money with a receipt but only give store credit if you don’t have a receipt. Or you may offer store credit only for returns after a certain amount of time. Some stores also offer store credit for the full value of the product or a discounted amount if you want a refund in cash. If you run an e-commerce site, certain shipping etools exist to help expedite the return process – that will help you avoid refunding a customer’s money without actually getting the product back.

Finally, you’ll need to decide on the reasons a customer can return or exchange a product or ask for a refund. That’s going to depend on what kind of business you’re in. If you run a salon and a customer is unhappy with their haircut, you may decide to give them a discount on the spot, not charge them at all, or offer them a free fix. If they call you a month later claiming to be unhappy, that’s probably too far out to reasonably request a refund or a fix. If you run a restaurant, you may offer to exchange your customer’s meal if they try it and don’t like it or if it’s an incorrect order – but not if they eat most of the plate and then decide they don’t like it. You’ll need to think about what will work best for your business and your customers.

Note that whatever your general policy, you should always make it right if a product is defective or damaged in transit. That may mean offering a refund, shipping a new product (usually expedited), or both. You may also want to consider offering a discount on a future purchase as thanks for their patience and to encourage them to come back.

And before you set a firm policy, have your attorney go over it to ensure that you’re in line with industry standards and any applicable regulations.

Letting Your Customers Know

The most carefully-crafted return and refund policy in the world won’t do your business any good unless your customers know about it. They need to understand how to go about getting a refund or return and they’ll appreciate knowing that they have that protection in case they’re not satisfied with their purchase.

If you’re running a brick-and-mortar retail shop, then it’s important to share your return policy at the point of sale location. This means that you should have a clearly visible copy of the return policy prominently displayed at each cash register. It’s also important to include your return policy on the hard copies of receipts you give to your customers.

If your store is an e-commerce site, then you can share the return policy on your website. In addition, enclose a hard copy of the return policy with the packing materials so your customer is notified of the return policies when they receive your product in the mail. The simple act of making sure your customers know about your return policy when they buy your product can save both of you headaches down the road.

And of course, the policy needs to be understandable and cover all the bases. It should:

• Use clear, concise language (no legal jargon)
• Explain whether customers will get cash or store credit back (or whether they’ll have a choice)
• Describe the reasons a customer may request a return/exchange/refund (defects, incorrect orders, dissatisfaction, etc.)
• Make sure to include any limitations, like requiring that the tags are still attached or that an item has never been used
• Set out time restrictions (such as 30 or 90 days from the sale date)

For clear and concise language, look at how Target explains its return policy. Of course, you’ll want to draft your own return policy as applies to your store, but you can use major retailers’ templates to get a sense of what to include. For more major retailers’ return policies, visit The Good Stuff’s 23 Must-Know Holiday Return Policies.

Don’t Forget Your Employees

You have your return policy set and your customers know about it, but you’re still missing part of the equation – your employees! They’re the ones that will have to handle these customer service issues, so make sure they’re clear on your policy.

Take the time to sit down with your employees and let them know that the policy goes beyond the simple letter of the policy. Extenuating circumstances may put your customers outside the normal policy. So, make sure your employees know that there can be leeway if that’s necessary to give your customers fair treatment. At the very least, make sure they know they can send cases to you if they don’t feel like the standard policy is good for a particular customer.

Do It For The Customers

You’re running a small business, and every sale counts. But as we mentioned before, that doesn’t mean you should be trying to trap customers into keeping products they’re not happy with or settling for services that didn’t meet their expectations. Real success is a long-term affair. That means building a community of customers, which can only happen if they know that you really care about their satisfaction. So take those refunds and returns as an opportunity!

When you’re running a small business, attracting and retaining each and every customer or client is important to the long-term success of your business. In other words, stellar customer service should be a top priority. Especially in today’s digital world, real-time poor reviews can spread like wildfire and impact your customer traffic and sales. Likewise, real-time excellent reviews can lead to more customers, increased business, and a greater number of sales.

Certain common-sense basics of customer service are simple and free. For example, friendly employees, a well-laid out store, and responding quickly and appropriately to complaints online cost nothing and are easy to implement. In contrast, other customer service musts may cost money but will pay off over the long-term. Refunding money, employee training programs, and not cutting corners to make the best quality products may not be free, but these steps can vastly improve your overall customer service.

We need to think of customer service not as one thing, but rather as a long-range aggregate of goals. Excellent customer service is not just about those few minutes a potential customer spends in your store or on your site but about their long-range long-term perception of your business as a positive place to shop, dine, or otherwise spend their hard-earned money.

So, what goes into a well-rounded customer service policy?

Start With a Great Product or Service

Customer service is, at its core, simply about ways you can strive to make your customers happy. It seems obvious, but we should state it: if you have a great product or service, your customers will be happier. Trying your best to make sure your customers are pleased means that they should rarely deal with product defects or quality issues.

This also means you should listen when customers offer feedback or complaints – those are opportunities to make your products or services better.

Don’t Underestimate Common Courtesy

It should come as no surprise that friendliness is a key component of excellent customer service. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, your employees’ attitudes go a long way toward influencing your customers’ experience in your store. You want your customers to have a positive association each and every time they visit. We’ve all walked into stores and been faced with surly, unhelpful employees – and we never want to go back.

The positive experience should begin as soon your customer enters your store. The simple act of training your employees to greet each customer (and always with a smile) will help boost your customers’ positive experience with your shop.

In fact, research shows that the first minutes a customer spends with a shop can color how the customer will later recount their entire experience there. Psychological data on human memory suggests that a negative first impression can tank the whole interaction, whereas getting off to a positive start can cause a rose-colored glasses effect.

This “first impression” also applies to online business. Make sure that your online shoppers are greeted with a friendly, well-laid-out website to set the tone for an overall positive experience.

Ambience

Just as the friendliness of your store employees sets a positive tone for your shoppers, the ambiance of your shop can boost your customers’ shopping pleasure. A well-organized, clean, and pleasantly-scented store will help show off your products and entice buyers.

You may not have a million-dollar budget to renovate your shop, but you don’t need it! A few simple changes can have a big impact. Strive to declutter so that your products are easy to see and to touch. Provide warm lighting and inviting scents so your customer wants to linger and shop. Keep things clean and well-maintained – you don’t want the overall impression to be shabby.

Great Employees

“Time is money!” That credo is especially important when you’re dealing with customer service. There are few things more frustrating than waiting on somebody to complete a simple task when you’re in a rush. Wasting your customers’ valuable time is a surefire way to ruin their shopping experience.

A simple way to show that you respect your customers’ time is by making sure all of your employees are competent and well-trained, so each one can assist customers in their unique needs. This is a great way to streamline the shopping and transaction process for your shoppers.

At a minimum, you should make sure all of your employees know the products or services offered, that they can process payments, and that they know the return or exchange policies. If you have a new hire, having them shadow a seasoned employee can help them learn the ropes quickly.

Remember that ongoing training is key! Customer service is a skill that takes regular practice. It’s easy to fall into bad habits, especially for employees that have to deal with difficult customers. It’s also important to keep employees updated on your latest products, services, and policies so they always have the information a customer needs.

Take Advantage of Complaints

The adage “The Customer is Always Right” should be your mantra for excellent customer service. While it’s true that you cannot please each and every person, you can take steps to rectify problems and make up for any perceived wrongs. Your goal to achieve top-notch customer service is to fix any experiences that aren’t satisfactory for your customer – whether you agree with them or not.

As the owner, you have free rein to get creative on making your customers happy when a problem arises. That may mean removing an improperly cooked item from a restaurant tab, offering a discount coupon for future use, or amending your return policy to deal with a problem after the designated return period has lapsed.

Sometimes, simply listening to the customer’s complaint will be enough to make them feel validated. It may benefit you to ask the customer, “What can I do to fix this for you?” Then do it!

There’s another benefit to paying close attention to complaints – they give you opportunities to make your products better. If you hear more than one customer complaining about similar issues, that may be a signal that there’s a problem with your product or service. Make adjustments and reach out to customers to see if that makes their experience better. They get a better experience and the sense that you really care about their satisfaction.

The Internet Is King

Everyone is online these days, so you should be, too. It used to be that customer reviews spread via word-of-mouth. Now, online review sites mean that customers can share a negative experience and have it go viral within minutes. And unfortunately, people are often more likely to share negative experiences than positive ones. It’s easy to bang out a bad review in anger but if you’re happy, you’re probably not that motivated to get online and talk about it.

Long story short, you can’t afford to ignore online review sites. Check them frequently and interact with your customers regularly. When you get good reviews, thank the customers for their feedback. When you get bad ones, promptly reach out to them to offer to make it right (and show them and everyone else that you respond quickly to complaints). Customers like to know they’re being heard and that’s a great (and free!) way to show it.

Remember The Long Term

Sometimes, great customer service isn’t free. Consider Apple, for example. If you bring in a defective product, they’ll often simply replace it on the spot. That’s not cheap, but it makes their customers really happy and really loyal. Everlane, the online clothing store, is another example of a company that goes above and beyond to make customers happy – they often give customers both a refund and a replacement for products that are damaged, defective, or that didn’t arrive.

Of course, these larger companies have deeper pockets and it may not be feasible to offer your customers free replacements. But remember that your immediate bottom line is not your only concern – taking a small hit now with a coupon or a free product can pay off in the long term in customer loyalty.

The Customer Always Comes First

Without customers, your company will fail. That seems obvious, but many companies forget that simple truth (have you tried your cable provider’s customer service lately?). So whatever you do, keep your customer front and center in your mind. Designing a new product? Design it around them. Creating a store experience? It’s all about the customer. Training your employees? Their training should focus on making customers happy.

The most important thing you can do is listen to your customers – take information straight from the source! Keep in touch both in person (where possible) and via surveys and reviews to learn what’s working for your customers and what you can do better. And when you make improvements, let the world know! Your customers (and potential customers) want to know that you’re putting them first.

Learn More

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