Issa Asad Gives 3 Tips to Keep Loyal Customers

Regardless of whether you own a family boutique or a software consulting firm around the world, customer loyalty is exceptionally important to you. Issa Asad Florida Entrepreneur “Customer loyalty can basically be defined as the predisposition of a particular customer to buy your products ...Read More

Issa Asad Reveals 3 Ways to Source Ecommerce Products

To start the journey of becoming a successful e-commerce entrepreneur, you must do your homework to figure out what product ideas and target markets potentially represent great e-commerce opportunities. Issa Asad Florida Entrepreneur However, such ideas will rarely be sourced from random places. You ...Read More

How to Fix Public Opinion Problems: 4 Steps to Correct Misunderstandings

Studies show that customer retention strategies are the most popular way for small businesses to drive revenue growth, followed by investing in new customer acquisition activities and methods, according to this Small Business Report.

But what if a business is facing an even greater growth challenge: correcting a marketplace misconception about their products or services, or worse, differentiating itself in an industry that’s taken some serious reputation hits?

It’s hard to retain existing customers or acquire new ones if your company’s reputation has taken an unfair hit or misinformation is circulating about your products or services.

Mistakes happen. But as Chipotle’s continued brand strength in the face of some pretty epic food safety issues demonstrates, you can (generally) always find a way to recover.

Related Article: Reputation Management 101: How to Ensure People Love Your Business

Managing misinformation can be tricky, however.

If your company has made an honest mistake in a product or service, owning up to the error and taking immediate steps to correct the problem is essential.

Here’s where things get a bit trickier: the public perceives there’s an issue with your brand or product when in reality that issue doesn’t even exist.

Yikes! A business’s reputation often dictates its sales. In an economy where an estimated 70 to 80 percent of a business’s market value comes from hard-to-assess intangible assets like brand equity and good will, a blow to a company’s reputation can have a devastating effect.

First, the bad news: even if you’re not committing an egregious error like dumping toxic waste in the oceans, if the public thinks that you are, that’s all the matters.

Now, the good news: you can bounce back. To recover, you’ll need to identify the cause of your reputation problems and get to work correcting it.

Take heart: Harvard Business Review says that most companies do an inadequate job of managing their reputations in general.

You’re not alone if you’re struggling with a public perception problem.

Follow this four-point plan to get the recovery started:

Identify the Problem

Don’t wait for a dip in sales to alert you to a reputation issue.

All businesses should keep close tabs on their online reputation via review sites like Yelp as well as social media monitoring.

I’m a fan of Brand24 for monitoring social media chatter since it allows you to set alerts for online mentions and specific keywords related.

Determine the Gap Between Reality and Perception

If your business is unfairly taking a reputation hit, there’s got to be a reason why. You just may not know it, yet.

In some cases, an unfair reputation hit could be spurred by a social media story that went viral or a media report that simply got the facts wrong.

When this happens, it’s important to get out in front of the story as quickly as possible.

If you feel you’ve been treated unfairly in a local news report, for example, contact the station and offer an exclusive on your side of the story.

Related Article: Reputation Management: The Missing Ingredient in Your Marketing Strategy

Educate the Public

While most of us are pretty smart, as a whole, we can act sometimes like a pack of lemmings running off the side of the cliff.

We’re bombarded with so much information each day it can be hard to keep all the facts straight. In this case, it’s up to your business to get the correct side of your story out there.

For example, the public perception around Q Link Wireless’s participation in the Federal Lifeline Assistance Program was lukewarm at best.

That’s because most people had never heard of the program, which offers free or discounted phone service to low-income Americans, including the elderly.

Studies show that customer retention strategies are the most popular way for small businesses to drive revenue growth, followed by investing in new customer acquisition activities and methods, according to this Small Business Report.

Phones and service discounts are provided directly through participating phone companies, like Q Link Wireless.

Disliking a company that participates in the program is a bit like criticizing a clothing store for donating surplus coats to the needy or a soup kitchen for distributing food.

But since the public didn’t understand how the program worked, chaos ensued.

“The Lifeline Assistance Program is incredibly valuable to individuals in need,” says Q Link Wireless CEO, Issa Asad.

“We realized that we simply needed to educate the public about the program’s benefits. We worked with a local CBS television news station to help get the word out about Lifeline. The public perception shift has been tremendous.”

Focus on the Customer

Remember, the customer is always king. Once you’ve taken steps to get out in front of a perception problem (and get folks back in your store), be sure that your customer service carries through.

Overcoming a public perception issue requires you to give full attention to your customer.

Invite customers to participate in a customer service survey after every transaction so you can monitor any issues and respond immediately.

Related Article: From Zero to Five Stars: Online Reputation Management 101

Bottom Line

Your business’s reputation is its lifeline. When it takes an unfair hit, it can feel as if your livelihood is on the line.

By taking immediate steps to identify the problem source and educate the public, you can stop further reputation damage and begin building back customer trust.

Remember this mantra: listen, educate, act and monitor.

Issa Asad, Q Link Wireless CEO, Advocates for Like2Buy Advertisements on Instagram

DANIA, Fla., Dec. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Issa Asad, CEO of Q Link Wireless, LLC, and social media guru with over 15 years of telecom experience, has recently advocated for the use and effectiveness of Like2Buy, a marketing platform for Instagram users, specifically business owners and marketing professionals.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141219/165668 http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141219/165669

Like2Buy, a program from Curalate, is designed to convert followers into customers through the simple click of a button. Optimized for all devices, the tool provides an in-depth analytics system that may help businesses track the behavior of mobile shoppers and increase revenue.

Asad is also the CEO of Quadrant Holdings, LLC, and is known for his multiple books on best practices for social media strategy, including profitable use of Snapchat, Vine and Alibaba. Instant Profits with Instagram: Build Your Brand, Explode Your Business is Asad's first published book. Within the book, Asad stresses the importance of using Instagram to visually develop a brand and market to followers.

"Optimizing your Instagram profile is essential to visitors being able to find your site," said Asad, whose support of Like2Buy correlates to his strong belief in the power of Instagram. "Businesses need to know how to relate to their followers at a personal level and keep them interested in their brand."

Like2Buy has been hailed by major brands, including 2014 Internet Retailer Top 500 brand Charlotte Russe, which experienced a higher shopping conversion rate using Like2Buy compared to other social media platforms. In six weeks the retailer reported 13,000 clicks, and was able to analyze the click data to learn about consumer behavior.

Using Like2Buy, when followers click on an Instagram picture, the item goes to a product page, rather than directly to the site. Followers can also save their favorite items to purchase later. Curalate charges a monthly fee for the use of the platform.

According to Asad, as social media use and brand engagement continue to evolve, Like2Buy could be a "major untapped social media marketing effort for small-to-medium businesses to international brands."

Asad believes Instagram is a frontrunner in the new wave of marketing, and marketing products such as Like2Buy offer retailers and businesses alike to reach new audiences, while developing the brand with a gallery of images.

About Issa Asad

Issa Asad is a social media expert, entrepreneur and author of several books including Instant Profits with Instagram, Instant Profits with Alibaba, Instant Profits with Snapchat and Instant Profits with Vine. He also owns a variety of social media and e-commerce marketing blogs. Asad has over 15 years of experience in the telecom industry as a sales executive and telecommunications pioneer. He is currently the CEO of Q Link Wireless, LLC, a subsidiary of Quadrant Holdings, LLC, both located in Dania, Florida. Asad can be reached via Facebook or his LinkedIn profile.

Media Contact:

Andrew Perez
954-691-3932

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/issa-asad-q-link-wireless-ceo-advocates-for-like2buy-advertisements-on-instagram-300012820.html

SOURCE Issa Asad

Q Link CEO Issa Asad Featured On Major Business Website

DANIA, Fla., April 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Misunderstandings about a business are one of the most common causes of public opinion problems affecting customer retention. This claim was the crux of an article by Brian Hughes on Business.com in March 2016. Cell service provider Q Link was used as an example and CEO, Issa Asad, weighed in on this topic.

"When customers don't fully know certain aspects of a company or industry, there can be some misunderstandings in the marketplace. It is a struggle that many businesses, large and small, face every day," says Asad.

Q Link Wireless has worked proactively to inform and educate consumers about the importance of the Federal Lifeline Assistance Program. While the program aids low-income individuals and families as well as the elderly in obtaining a free or discounted cell phone service, the public's failure to adequately understand the program was in need.

Asad understood that education was the solution to help the public understand the benefits of the program, to see how it (and Q Link Wireless) benefitted the community and helped people stay connected. He partnered with local CBS television news stations and began a campaign to increase understanding of the Lifeline program. This outreach assisted with the public's understanding with how the program helps people and families in need,

"Much of the public had never really been exposed to Lifeline so people were left to fill in the blanks and make up their own minds about just what it is, without knowing the facts," says Asad. "By implementing campaigns focused on education, people began to understand the enormous benefits to society. Not only are we seen as a great cellular service provider, but we also became a leader in our community known for helping others who are less fortunate. Everybody wins."

Issa Asad is a Florida based entrepreneur and CEO of Quadrant Holdings LLC and Q Link Wireless. Asad has more than 18 years in the telecom industry. It is that experience, combined with natural business intuition, which has allowed him to make Q Link what it is today.

Q Link Wireless is one of the nation's fastest growing providers of the Federal Lifeline Assistance program and offers affordable prepaid wireless service to consumers across the country. Q Link helps low-income families stay connected through the Lifeline Assistance program by providing free cell phones with free monthly service to qualified consumers. Visit www.qlinkwireless.com to sign up today.



Media Contact:
Andrew Perez
954-691-3932


Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352106
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352107

SOURCE Q Link Wireless
Related Links

www.qlinkwireless.com

Issa Asad Explains The Future Of The Lifeline Program: 30 Years And Counting

Issa Asad, the CEO of Dania, Florida’s Q Link Wireless, is one of the many advocates for the Federal Lifeline Assistance Program. “Lifeline has been assisting low-income households for the past 30 years, and it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future,” said Asad. Q Link Wireless is one United States’ leading Lifeline service providers.

Asad, along with many other advocates for the Lifeline program, believes that the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 2012 Reform Order will help ensure that the program stays active for years to come. While the basic purpose of the Lifeline program has remained the same, it is expected to undergo some changes under the FCC 2012 Reform Order. Some of these changes could end up providing low-income individuals in need with even more assistance.

The changes outlined the FCC 2012 Reform Order, and other information about the future of the Lifeline program will be covered in this final segment.

Broadband Pilot Program

The FCC has talked about adding broadband services to the Lifeline program in the future. In fact, making broadband available to all eligible low-income Americans is one of the goals listed on the 2012 Reform Order. With access to the Internet being crucial for those looking for jobs or for those pursuing an education, having affordable broadband service to rely on would be a considerable benefit for low-income households.

In order to determine the best way to handle this, the FCC set up the Broadband Pilot Program. This program will collect high-quality information to help the FCC come up with effective ways to encourage more low-income individuals to adopt broadband services and retain them.

Bundled Services

One of the modernization goals listed in the 2012 Reform Order is support for bundled service plans through Lifeline. These service plans would include voice and broadband packages, as well as additional calling features. Consumers are able to save a considerable amount of money on bundled services through non-Lifeline cellular service providers, and the FCC is interested in extending these additional savings opportunities to low-income households who are enrolled in Lifeline. This would allow those who are enrolled in Lifeline to have affordable access to phone service, broadband service and additional calling features.

Program Cost Savings

Criticism of the Lifeline program in the past few years has focused on the costs of providing wireless service discounts. The FCC included several goals for reducing the money spent on Lifeline in the 2012 Reform Order. These goals aim to eliminate excess spending, leading to more savings on the overall amount spent on Lifeline. Some of the goals include:

  • Ensuring only one Lifeline benefit service is allowed per household, at one time
  • Creating an automated eligibility database to ensure only qualified applicants are receiving Lifeline benefits
  • Establishing a national Lifeline subscriber database to reduce duplicate benefits

 

“In order to continue helping those who rely on Lifeline and those who need the program’s help in the future, we must make sure the Lifeline program stays,” said Asad. “This is why the 2012 reforms are so important.” The Q Link Wireless CEO has high hopes for the program’s future, especially with the potential addition of broadband service and bundled services.

While the addition of broadband service discounts is still expected to take a while, it could open up several new doors for Lifeline subscribers. It’s one example of how beneficial the program continues to be for low-income households. Even after 30 years, Lifeline is still going strong and ensuring that those in need have an affordable means to stay connected, whether they need to chat with family members or friends, speak with their children’s teachers, seek emergency help, talk to potential employers or call their doctor’s office. Especially with the recent reforms, the program will stay up and running well into the future.

Above content provided by Issa Asad for Q Link Wireless, a subsidiary of Dania, Florida’s Quadrant Holdings.