Healthcare without an employer
Dear Karen: How can I find the best health insurance plans for self-employed people?
Answer: It is often difficult for self-employed individuals to find health insurance, especially as they get older and may have existing medical conditions, said David E. Edman, of Risk Management Partners in Wayne, Pa.
“This is perhaps the most egregious failing of our healthcare system and something likely to be corrected by Obama’s healthcare reform,” he said.
Consider joining an industry association or trade organization that offers health coverage at a group rate. If there’s none available to you, do a good deal of comparison shopping among the available health insurance products in your area, either online or with a broker.
“I recommend high-deductible health plans with a health savings account. This is a more efficient and lower-cost way to buy health insurance,” Edman said.
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Find tenants via social networking
Dear Karen: I own a 40-unit apartment complex in Atlanta. I have 10 vacancies and need some marketing ideas.
Answer: Online marketing is probably your best choice, because it’s an out-of-state property and many people go apartment hunting online these days, said Courtney Gladney, communications manager at Personal Services Plus in Pasadena.
“Of course, there is the conventional method of posting the listings to Apartments.com and other real estate sites. Craigslist is also a good resource in a pinch, as it targets very specific areas,” she said.
She also suggested that you think outside conventional venues and target potential tenants through social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. If you have a lot of connections on these sites, your network may be larger than you think.
“That’s the beauty of social networking -- you make your net work for you,” she said.
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Bad reviews are an opportunity
Dear Karen: An unhappy customer posted a negative review of my restaurant on a website. Is there anything I can do?
Answer: You can certainly apologize for the poor experience, either publicly or privately and offer a meal on the house if the customer will give you another chance.
But don’t spend too much time worrying about bad reviews or trying to put out the fire when they appear, said Neal Creighton, a customer feedback specialist and chief executive of RatePoint, a website that helps companies collect and react to customer responses.
Entrepreneurs get more traction by interacting with customers rather than reacting to online reviews or comments.
“Solicit feedback from customers at every opportunity and in a timely manner while the experience is still fresh. The majority of feedback that is proactively solicited is positive,” Creighton said.
Don’t fear negative feedback.
“Failing to recognize and fix negative customer experiences can harm a company, its reputation and its future sales,” he said. “A negative experience is an opportunity to display superb customer service and personify a brand as being in touch with its customer base.”
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