Modern Office Methods has been recognized as a Ricoh Circle of Excellence Award Winner

Modern Office Methods (MOM) is the recipient of the 2017 RFG Circle of Excellence award from Ricoh for our commitment to customer service. The MOM service team, under the direction of Ken Staubitz, Vice President of Service, has worked hard to perfect their skills and we are thrilled that this extra effort has paid off. 

Ricoh recognizes that it has partnered with the best Dealer Network in the industry and they reward the “Best of the Best”. MOM has been recognized as a 2017 RFG Circle of Excellence authorized service dealership. This program is designed to recognize dealers who provide outstanding service and support in accordance with Ricoh's guidelines.

MOM has met or exceeded the requirements of the RFG Circle of Excellence Program in the following areas:

Phase 1 - Service Engineer Skills Assessment (Prestige)
Phase 2 - Service Operations Assessment which includes the following:
   • Use of Genuine Ricoh Parts and Supplies
   • Hardware & Solutions Training
   • Relevant Industry Certifications
   • Service Organization Structure
   • Field Staff & Help Desk Productivity & Efficiency Measures
   • Customer Satisfaction Measurement Process & System
   • Effective Utilization of Ricoh Resources
   • Business Plan Management & Process Improvement

Outstanding Service: Award-Winning Legacy
Excellent client support has always been a tradition at MOM and our efforts have been rewarded many times in the past. We are a 2-Time imageSource Magazine's Perfect Image Award Winner for Outstanding Service Program. Out of 3,743 independent dealers across the nation, MOM has been recognized multiple times for our commitment to service excellence.

| About Ricoh | 

Ricoh is a global technology company that has been transforming the way people work for more than 80 years. Under its corporate tagline – imagine. change. – Ricoh continues to empower companies and individuals with services and technologies that inspire innovation, enhance sustainability and boost business growth. These include document management systems, IT services, production print solutions, visual communications systems, digital cameras, and industrial systems. 

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2016, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,209 billion yen (approx. 19.6 billion USD). 

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com.

Brand Gaffes are More Visible in a Social World

Your social marketing strategy and brand reputation

Online marketing strategies vary in application and delivery. When it comes to social outreach, visibility is highest and most influential, which is where most mistakes make their biggest impression. Every brand has their own approach to their particular audience, but it is ultimately how they appear on the social scene that will determine the outcome of their present situation.

What are some lessons from brands like Progressive and Flo when using social? 

Always keep in mind that social never sleeps. An audience is always listening and interacting with each other, and utilizing word of mouth marketing strategies. What this means is that a brand has little control over how an audience will react to an incident. What they do have control over is how they react to it. 

Transparency is perhaps the most important lesson to be learned here. A Brand must build trust by being trustworthy and open. The more you try to hide bad publicity, the more social will spread the word. Admit mistakes and don’t try to hide them. Everyone makes mistakes, but bad publicity depends on the response to the mistake.

The best place to start is to establish your values publicly. Employ strategic clarity so that your audience understands what your brand proposes to deliver. You must be able to present a good image that matches what you stand for. 

What would you ask before launching an ad campaign like Mentos? 

These controversial ads are a very different approach than previously established, and the change in pace can sometimes be cause for discussion more than the message itself. 

It comes down to ad context then. Brand imagery should present what it intends to achieve, but in these controversial cases, we get a different effect from the ad’s context. If a brand was to do this, consider that there is an “edge factor” it is trying to achieve. The ad was controversial, but it worked for its particular audience. This means that a brand must also target particular demographics and place marketing strategies within an atmosphere they would be accepted in. Controversy can be effective at creating discussion as well, but keep in mind how to respond to negative or controversial feedback on your social sites.

It’s also good to remember that while your campaign may target your target audience, in today’s 24/7 social world campaigns can be taken out of context and can create “interesting” conversation just like what happened with Mentos ad which was targeted for Maxim readers.

This brings attention to the next situation. Is Chapstick good or bad for women based on their ad and how they approached their social strategies? 

In most cases, it could be stated that the ad was misinterpreted, but confusion can also be bad. What is your ad trying to achieve? It would actually appear that Chapstick is working to motivate the audience to buy more because they are losing it all the time. It could also be designed to start conversation, which it has. A lot of people do lose their Chapstick, so it appealed well there. 

The bad part was when Chapstick deleted comments from their social sites. The ad was possibly taken out of perspective, and resulted in a large amount of people feeling offended and sharing that through social outlets. The lesson learned is that wishing a problem away doesn’t mean it’s gone. Rather than deleting negative comments, it is the best practice to approach them and solve the problem. Explain the present stance and clarify the message. Don’t try to hide the problem because it will only get bigger.

Then we have the Southwest Airlines multiple charge fiasco- did it hurt their brand or will it remain unchanged? 

Initially, customers were very upset to find they were being charged multiple times. While Southwest will take a hit for the technical glitches, it does present the opportunity to solve a mistake. How they handle it will ultimately decide if it is damaging to their brand. 

This only enforces the lesson of being honest and upfront about the mistake. A brand should focus on fixing, apologizing, and compensating for any situation rather than trying to sweep it under the rug. Through effective customer service practices, a brand can turn a bad situation into good publicity. Though Southwest had to issue refunds and likely compensate extra, the public view is that the brand is willing to work to fix their mess and make sure their audience is happy. A bad situation was turned to good. 

A brand’s image is viewed through the eyes of social. Updates, virality, and otherwise word of mouth strategies make social a marketing tool that never sleeps. But, it is a double-edged sword that can hurt a brand if used the wrong way. Learn a lesson from brands that have been in that situation and apply it to how your brand employs the strategy of social marketing.

Word of Mouth is Ignited by Knowing What a Customer Really Wants

Ignite word of mouth marketing by giving your customers what they want

Knowing exactly what your customer wants is very important. Many businesses collapse due to their inability to come up with products that are relevant to the needs of their clients. In business, customer satisfaction is always key to a thriving business, therefore being able to come up with products that cater to the needs of your clientele is of utmost importance.

The disparities that exist between what customers want and what most businesses think they need is very evident. Many businesses are oblivious of what their customers want and therefore end up introducing products that do not match the expectations of their clients. A study commissioned by Pivot to find out the disparities between what customers want and what businesses think they want came up with some great insights.

Pivot Findings

Referring to the findings commissioned by Pivot, most businesses feel that they have a strong knowledge of what their clients want and yet none of them has ever gone out of their way to ask their clients what they really want. In fact, out of 76% of the marketers who asserted that they had a strong knowledge of what their customers wanted, only a paltry 34% confessed to asking their clients what they really wanted.

According to the Research of Pivot, many customers look for deals whenever they buy anything. What is strange is that 6% of consumers suggested that they like to be offered deals while a mere 53% of businesses that were interviewed think deals are important to consumers.

Most importantly, the studies done by Pivot showed that more than 59% of consumers take feedback very seriously. They consider feedback as a way of expressing their satisfaction or lack of it to the business. On the contrary, the study suggests that only a paltry 37% of business think that consumers take feedback seriously.

It is these disparities between what consumers want and what businesses think they want that has resulted in the gap growing considerably over the years. As a business owner, there are some questions you ought to ask yourself in order to bridge this gap and ensure that your products are exactly what your customer want. Some of the pertinent questions include:

Where are the Gaps?

According to the Pivot research, there are a lot of things that contribute to this gap. It is of utmost importance for businesses to find out the reasons for this gap and try to eliminate them. According to Pivot, the gaps lie mostly in carrying out research on customer wants. Being able to interpret information from such results is also pivotal in ensuring that the business is well informed about the wants of their clients.

The study also suggests that the gap lies in not using feedback effectively to ensure that customer satisfaction is met.

How do you Bridge the Gap?

One of the greatest tools in bridging the gap between what your consumers want and what you think they want is feedback. Any business that utilizes feedback tends to know exactly what their consumers need and hence the gap is considerably reduced.

How do yo know what Your Customers Really Want?

One of the best ways to know exactly what your customers really want is to encourage word of mouth marketing. Every business should learn to listen to exactly what their consumers want. Instead of trying to come up with products that you think will appeal to your consumers, why not try asking them what they really want. Word of mouth marketing does help bridge the gap ensuring that businesses are in touch with the wants of their clients.

As a rule of thumb, businesses should strive to find out exactly what their consumers want. Businesses should no longer have the idea that customers do not know what they really want but should embrace a word of mouth marketing approach. The gap between what your consumers want and what you think they want can really hurt the progression of a business. Therefore, as a way of eliminating this gap and coming up with products that satisfy the wants of your customers, it is necessary to do research. Not only does research give you insights into what your consumers want but it also helps to improve the quality of your product, making it more competitive.

Reporters and Customer Service Folks Excel in Social

Social marketing from reporters and customer service folks

What does it take to make your social networking succeed? As social networking grows with the addition of new sites and applications, we strive to keep up with them all and handle them effectively. To do this, we must master a certain skill-set that encourages more than calculations, it encourages communication.

There are several key elements to creating a successful social network, and there are some particular professions that already host such needed elements. Have you ever considered what a reporter does? They constantly interact with people and deliver the answers that people seek. Often, they are renowned for asking the right questions to encourage future interaction with their audience. 

Then there are those of the customer service profession. These people understand what it means to interact with an individual and their specific needs. Though they provide answers and facts, they do so in a manner that is specific to the person. The ability to be good with people plays an essential role in how your business appears to your audience. 

Basically, those with customer service or even a reporter’s background can influence your abilities as a good social media manager. While these professions may not have been specifically engaged in, these techniques and practices are essential to social networking success.

Serving your customers

Social sites have become one of the primary sources for customer service. Not only do they provide facts and information, they are a direct window to your audience. Here, you can discuss and communicate with an individual directly. This should be seen as your chance to befriend your audience in a social way. To do this, you must understand that social media isn’t just about speaking, it is about listening as well.

This is something that is often overlooked by social networkers because while you may be speaking to a wide audience, you must also be able to converse with an individual person. This means that you can’t limit yourself to disclosing just the facts, you have to understand how to handle an individual and address their specific needs. You must speak to them in the right language, so you don’t want to indulge in jargon or otherwise lose their attention. Above all, you never want to sound like a pre-recorded message.

This often leads to the simple question: Can you tell your story? It’s not just about disclosing your history; it’s about being able to communicate with someone else. Social networking is more than calculations, it’s about being able to engage the audience properly and respond to individuals and specific needs by relating to them on a personal level. It’s all about being able to listen AND respond effectively so that both you and your customer can develop your own story together. 

What does it take to stimulate conversation?

This brings us to the abilities of a reporter. This particular profession not only focuses on being able to find information, but present it in a manner that will appeal to their audience in more ways than one. Every business provides facts about themselves, but there are facts in general which are appealing. Reporters find the scoop, they find ways to relate “hot topics” with the message they want to deliver. 

So ask yourself if you can serve your social networking needs in an engaging style. Those in customer service can appeal to the needs of individuals, while the reporter can create conversation amongst individuals. A reporter is able to stimulate personal word of mouth marketing strategies through their methods because they create discussion. 

Then there is the fact that being a reporter can help understand what leads to pursue. Reporters target “hot” leads and evade cold trails. This is very effective when you must focus on what is truly important. Time is always precious, which means that readers and listeners will only give their attention to that which is important to them. A reporter understands what is important and presents it to their audience. 

For those within the social world, being able to write and create quality content that will appeal to your audience is crucial to success. A social networker should see themselves as a reporter whose job is to provide what the audience desires to create debate and conversation. 

The characteristics of these two professions are essential to a social marketing strategy. While not everyone has been a reporter or in charge of customer service, the elements of these professions are something that every social marketing manager must apply and practice to properly engage their audience and ensure their social networking succeeds.

Using Social to Find Products

Benefits of social marketing

Most businesses are missing out when it comes to potential impressions, sales and interactions because they are yet to leverage the social media power on the sites of their businesses. Websites and the channels for social media have a seamless working relationship which has seen many succeed in promoting their online brand. 

To be able to successfully integrate social media to your business website, then the following points should be considered: 

• Do you have visible buttons for social media included in your website? 
• Do the locations of these buttons make sense for effectively integrating social media?
• Make sure your social buttons are updated, i.e., be on the-know as to which social site is "calling the shots" at the moment.
• Make sure that you include a button to "share". This will enable your clients to share information about your services and products to their social media contacts.
• Use analytics so that you will be able to know how many people use the buttons you’ve placed for social media. If you find that the result is underwhelming, then chances are your buttons are not conveniently located.

Why use social media?

Now that you have had your business and social media sites integrated, you are off to a great start. The next step is to know how you can use social to find products for your business. These sites are a great source of information. You can get to create a blog on your site where various topics will be discussed especially on the products and services you provide. Such a blog will allow you to know which products are favored by your customers and potential customers; as well as know which ones are not. 

The great thing about social sites is that you can have a sneak peak of what gives your competitors a cutting edge without their knowledge. This will enable you to up (or even better) the products and services provided by them, which may lead their customers to re-locate from their businesses to yours. 

Social media sites also allow you to engage in online conversations with various people so that you get to know what they think of your business and the services provided. This will give you better insight as to what needs changing and what does not. 

Social media also gives you a wide selection option when it comes to the products and services your business offers. Thanks to the wide connections created by social media, you can now get products from various parts of the world and all by just the click of a button. And by doing so, you are able to provide a variety of products and services to your customers…keeping you always at the forefront.

Monitor the Need You are Satisfying: Essential Tips You Should Know

Listening to your customers and providing solutions give value to your personal brand

Many companies may have the tendency to devote so much of their time to sell a product or service, and then fail to check whether they have satisfied their customers' needs or not. Any business owner wants to make more money; however, they can achieve this goal when they understand their customers and try to meet their expectations. The best way to do this is by listening to what customers have to say, as any information divulged can be vital to any company's success.

The Need for Listening to Customer Feedback

When your customers contact you for technical support or concerns about the product, they expect to obtain prompt attention. They want you to listen to them and they want to receive your full attention. You should convey your commitment to serve them and help them find the ideal solution. In addition, you should also listen and monitor how your business satisfies the needs of your customers. When you know that you are on the right track, you can develop better products geared towards your customers' expectations.

Customer feedback is one of the most critical components of a customer service program. Most businesses succeed because they work closely with their customers and integrate any feedback that will improve their services or products. As a business owner, you should be proactive about providing outstanding customer service. You can find out if you are satisfying your customers' needs by asking several questions that you’d undoubtedly need to answer as well.

1. What do your customers say their needs are?

2. How do your customers talk about the products they are using? What features work or do not work for them, and what are their reasons for saying so?

3. What are their personal or professional goals, and have you met these? If not, how can you help them attain their objectives?

How to Identify Consumer Needs and Provide the Best Solutions

When you operate an online business, the basic rules remain the same as when you manage a land-based retail store. You still have an actual business, and you deal with real customers. While you may not meet these individuals personally, they have genuine needs, problems, and desires that you should meet.

After you have determined who your target customers are, you are not in the best position to define the problems they may be encountering. You can provide the right answers through the products you develop, various posts on social media, or blogs that you publish in article directories. Now, all you need to do is to know how you can identify and monitor their needs, so you can provide solutions. The following tips can help you check your customers' needs.

1. Determine your customers' pain points

Listen to your customers' pain points or problems, then identify ways to solve their concerns. When you understand what they need, you can devise the ideal product that will exceed their expectations. Word of mouth marketing is a powerful tool that can make or break your chances for success, so you should aim to receive more positive feedbacks from your customers. Monitor what they say online, and keep these details in mind when you formulate answers to these issues.

2. Find out where your clients are hanging out

Online forums and social media where your target customers hang out provide excellent sources for discovering how well you have met your customers' expectations. Through these locations, you can provide answers based on their concerns, and you can determine how well you are able to satisfy them.

3. Participate in social media groups, so you can connect with your customers

Try to join several relevant social media groups, and know the questions they are asking. Afterwards, participate in discussions so that you can give your answers. If you feel that more details are necessary, you may create a free report that offers an extensive explanation or answers to their problems. Based on the feedback that you receive, you can determine ways to please your customers. Do your best to be consistent in monitoring the level of satisfaction that you deliver through your products and services.

Bottom Line

It is essential for you to listen to what your customers expect and need so you can deliver solutions or products that will meet their standards. Moreover, this will solidify your outstanding reputation and become a driving force for long-term success. You can ensure retention in the business when you know how to pay attention to your customers.

Using Your Facebook Dashboard to Succeed

Facebook as a social marketing tool

Every person on Facebook has a dashboard they use to keep track of friends and apps. They can monitor who and what they see. This is also possible for businesses that use Facebook. You can use your dashboard to keep track of likes, dislikes and see what people are saying about your company. This will give you an opportunity to reach out and engage with your customers whether they are happy or unhappy with you.

Why Your Business Needs to be on Facebook

It’s all about location, location, location.  Whether it’s an online location or share of mind location, you must have the prime area and Facebook has over 900 million users making it at the top of places to locate your business. 

Using your dashboard, you can see who is engaging your updates and sharing them. You’ll see who of your clients are also active online, who they’re connected with and which topics and specials are of most interest to them. There’s a wealth of customer intelligence in your Facebook dashboard and insights.

Monitoring Traffic

Did you know that you can see who on Facebook is going to your site and/or blog? Get some real insights on customer flow, their interest in topics and how well your website is doing in continuing the conversation that you start in your social networks. 

It’s also a great place to monitor conversations and have an active customer service arm that reaches into the mobile devices that most people access Facebook with.

Tracking Engaged Users

It is possible to track every customer and see how they are engaging with their friends. Their posts become public so you will be able to see what they are saying about you and your business. 

Are they talking about your business? You can greet and thank them or try to resolve issues which draw dislikes.

Who Can Be Reached?

There are many ways you can target your message and promotions. Once you get their attention, then get personal with your contacts on Facebook. You want them to see you as approachable, a resource and someone they can access here that they could never reach through another channel. 

Whatever you’re doing remember to keep delivering them value so they will listen and stay engaged. 

Review the posts and updates and find out:

1. What are they most interested in?
2. What are they sharing the most?
3. What do they like most about you?
4. What are their burning question and/or issues?

Small Brands Up Against Big Brands

Social media marketing for your small business

As a small business owner, you’re probably happy about where you currently are. You’re chugging along like a slow train, targeting mostly your family and friends and the local community, and you’re happy with the small amount of success your brand is getting. You don’t really want to make it big. You just want to relax and enjoy having a small business…

Or maybe not. As a small business owner, you probably dream about making it big. You want to be able to compete with the big brands, to become as well known as they are. Perhaps you want to become a big brand as well…

But you’re disheartened. How can you compete with the big corporations? How can your small business brand compare with these giants? They have unlimited capital, unlimited resources, and unlimited manpower. You’re practically a one-man (or woman) show, with maybe one or two employees. You’re up to the neck in debt since you borrowed money to start your small business.  Do you even have a chance of competing against these big brands?

The fact is, no matter what you do, you simply can’t compete with these big corporations on the same terms. As a small business brand, you aren’t capable of doing that because you just don’t have the means. But don’t lose hope, because there are other ways you can compete with them – it’s all about planning and strategy.

Here are some tips to help go up against the big brands:

     1. Offer value

Honestly, you can’t compete with the big guns in terms of price. You’ll just end up burying yourself, since people may think that the products and services you offer are not up to par with the big brands. Instead, always offer value – sure, your products and services may be a bit more expensive, but it’s because you’re offering something unique, worthwhile, and valuable to the consumers.

     2. Focus on what you do best

Maybe it’s customer service, maybe it’s storytelling, maybe it’s social media… but as a small business brand, you need to focus on what you do best in order to shine and be noticed. Don’t just copy what other businesses are doing. Focus on what makes you unique and the things you can best offer to people.

Providing excellent customer service is one of the best ways to reach consumers effectively. As a small business brand, you can ensure that someone always checks your email and answers your telephone line in order to address any customer’s concerns.

Storytelling on social media sites is another way you can stand out and be noticed. People love rooting for the underdog, and if you’re going up against a big brand, then you’re definitely one—so tell them the stories that will give them cause to sympathize or cheer. In short, tell them whatever will help them identify with you and wish for your success.

     3. Be more personable

As a small business owner, you can really represent your brand in a personal way that big corporations cannot. Show off your personality, put a face behind the name, go the extra mile for your customers. This really makes your small business brand stand out. Remember that people enjoy connecting and engaging with real people, not businesses. They want to know you, and become friends with you. They want to like and trust you.

People don’t just buy from anybody anymore. They’re a lot more vigilant when it comes to evaluating businesses, and they either love a brand or they hate it. When you become personable and likeable as a small business owner, you can really connect with your customers – they will definitely prefer talking to you over a big brand. After all when they contact a big brand, they usually just talk to a random, faceless,  nameless person.

     4. Utilize social media wisely

Social media is a great equalizer – it’s really changed the way people connect with brands, which is why both small and big business brands seem to have an equal chance in this regard. Sure, big brands may have the big bucks, but most social media platforms allow you to engage with your fans and followers for free – all you need to do is devote time and effort to your page.

Maintain a blog, create a Facebook and Twitter account, and don’t forget to update them regularly and interact with your audience using these platforms. Social media marketing is an excellent way to promote your small business brand, since a single update can spread like wildfire through these sites if it’s interesting enough.

Concluding Thoughts 

As you consider how to get ahead as a small business, don’t even try to compete with big corporations on their own turf… Without their money and resources, you can never win. Instead, offer value on the products and services that you sell, focus on what you do best, be more personable, and remember to use social media wisely. These are the simple ways small business brands can compete with the big guns.

How to Handle Customer Complaints

by Brad Campbell

You start a business and you juggle the life between kids a spouse and everything else which gets heaped on your plate. The only thing you want to hear in regards to all of the hard work you have put into everything is accolades. The problem is this is hardly ever the case. When people are happy with what you are doing, they are silent. It is only when there is a problem you hear about it.


The important thing to do when there are customer complaints is to stay organized in the way it is handled. There should be an organized response to the complaints you encounter no matter what form the complaint comes in. If the complaint comes in the form of a letter, it needs to immediately uploaded into the computer and organized through your document management software. If the complaint is in the form of a phone call, make sure it is written down or recorded to be transcribed. By having all information on one easily accessible spot, it makes it easier to reference it later.


Owning Responsibility

Once the complaint is logged in the document software, it is important to get out in front of the response. Assure the client their complaint has been received and it is receiving your full attention. By making sure they will not have to wait, you will be able to save face. Many expect their complaints will be ignored. When they get an immediate response about the matter being looking into, it empowers them and makes them willing to trust in you.

Look into the Problem

Rather than paying lip service to the client just to quiet them down, look into why the complaint occurred. Too often companies can improve if only they pay attention to the complaints they receive. You may discover there is a serious flaw in the way products are being processed or the manner in which service is being rendered. By ignoring the problem, you run the risk of losing more clients. Fixing the problem will allow your company to grow.


Fix the Problem

If there is anything which can be done, take steps or make plans to fix the problem. Not all fixes are easy or immediate, but getting started will make all of the difference in the world. It will show not just those who have complained, but all of your current and potential clients you are always in the process of providing better products or services.


Follow up with Your Client

Once a situation has been handled, it is important to check back with the client to make sure they are satisfied. Give an appropriate amount of time for the client to evaluate the changes or the plans to fix the problem mentioned in the complaint. By doing so, you will get an understanding of how effective your methods of handling complaints are.

Remember your clients are willing to give you feedback on your products or services. It is your job to listen to your clients and to ask them how you can improve your company to make them happier.


Resource Nation provides free tools, tips, and purchasing advice for business owners and entrepreneurs in over 100 business categories ranging from phone systems to credit card processing.  Whether it's connecting businesses with local and national pre-screened vendors, or offering easy service comparisons on VoIP service, Resource Nation empowers business decision makers by providing the information they need to make smart choices.