Author Archives: Stan

The Broad Impact of State Anti-LGBTQ Legislation

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This year in my state of North Carolina and several other states across the country, state legislatures are introducing and passing laws that target LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) people. These laws have significant business, community and personal impact, and because of intersectionality, ramifications can be felt far beyond the LGBTQ community.

The vast majority of these laws (link to a list of all these laws) target the transgender community, including prohibiting parents from seeking medical care of their trans children, legislating how doctors can treat trans patients, prohibiting trans teens from participating in sports, and even outlawing drag queens!

Impact on People. Transgender and queer people are now being told by their political leaders that there is something wrong, bad or sick about them. Politicians are declaring that these people are not equal Americans, but instead evil people who are a scourge on society and need to be rooted out. Through their actions, these politicians are telling us transgender people and drag queens harm more people than AK45 assault rifles! This kind of horrible messaging can lead to depression, mental illness and suicide, as well as other citizens targeting them for bullying or even assault and murder.

Impact on the LGBTQ community.  When an entire community is targeted for hateful action by political leaders, it damages the community. It can lead to destructive behavior and mental illness instead of empowering a community to contribute their best to society. It sets up neighbors against each other, causing division and strife in the community.

Economic / business impact. People need to remember the $400 million in lost revenue when North Carolina enacted our anti-transgender anti-gay HB2“ bathroom bill” in 2016. The NBA moved their all-star game out of state and several major companies cancelled or curtailed their financial investments in NC. Over the past few months, I have been told by some company managers and even leaders in one branch of our US military that they are not able to recruit employees or get people to move to states that have these hateful laws out of fear for themselves or their families.

What should we do? Individuals need to show empathy and support for their LGBTQ+ friends and family members impacted by these laws. People need to stop voting for any politician who votes for harmful hateful legislation. And companies and organization need to assure they do not give a single penny to these politicians. Companies absolutely cannot claim to be pro-diversity or LGBTQ supportive and then support such political leaders. It is totally duplicitous. (Read my blog from last April “Companies cannot claim to be LGBTQ+ supportive while contributing to anti-LGBTQ+ legislators”)

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Note: On July 25, I am moderating a panel discussion session titled “The Impact of State LGBTQ Legislation – Policy (Panel)” at the 2023 Raleigh Chamber of Commerce DEI Conference.

The importance of customer service to an increasingly diverse marketplace

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The material in this blog was provided by Paula Hernandez, a Porch.com and Floify.com writer who is full of positivity and creativity. She loves to write articles that help others find what they are looking for. Her focus is to provide the best accurate information when it comes to home projects or inspirations. I modified and edited it to be particularly relevant to my consulting area of diversity, equity and inclusion. In today’s fast-paced and competitive marketplace, providing exceptional customer service is more important than ever. With the increasing diversity of customers, businesses need to be able to adapt to meet the needs and expectations of their customers. In this article, we will discuss the importance of customer service and how it can help businesses succeed in an increasingly diverse marketplace. How to build credibility and trust for your marketplace business. Credibility and trust are essential for businesses to succeed in a competitive marketplace. Customers want to do business with companies they can trust. Providing exceptional customer service is one-way businesses can build credibility and trust with their customers. Responding quickly to inquiries, addressing customer concerns, and going above and beyond to solve customer problems are all ways to build trust and strengthen customer relationships. How to deal with an increasingly diverse online marketplace? The increasing diversity of customers presents both opportunities and challenges for businesses. To succeed in an increasingly diverse marketplace, businesses need to be able to adapt to meet the needs of different customer groups. Offering multiple language options and providing culturally sensitive customer service are effective strategies for adapting to a diverse marketplace. It’s also important to be aware of cultural differences in communication styles and customer expectations. Customer service channels.  There are various channels through which customer service can be provided, each with its benefits and drawbacks. It’s important to choose the right channel(s) for your business based on your target audience and the type of inquiries you receive.

It is important for phone center support staff be trained to respectfully communicate with a wide range of diverse clients.

1. Phone: One of the oldest and most traditional customer service channels is the phone. It allows customers to speak directly with a representative and get their questions or concerns addressed in real-time. This is especially helpful for more complex issues requiring a back-and-forth dialogue. 2. Email: Email is a popular customer service channel that allows customers to communicate asynchronously with businesses. It’s ideal for less urgent inquiries and can be more convenient for customers who may not be able to call during business hours. Email also provides a written record of the conversation, making it easier to refer back to. 3. Chat: Chat is a newer customer service channel that has become increasingly popular recently. It allows customers to chat in real-time with a representative through a website or app. This is often more convenient than phone support since customers can multitask while waiting for a response. Chat also provides a written record of the conversation. 4. Social media: Social media has become an important customer service channel, especially for younger audiences. Customers can send messages or comments through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and businesses can respond publicly or privately. This allows businesses to address customer concerns quickly and publicly demonstrate their commitment to customer service. Each of these customer service channels has its own benefits and drawbacks. It’s important to consider which channels will be most effective for your target audience and to provide consistent and high-quality support across all channels. How to use customer service as a marketing strategy. Customer service can also be used as a marketing tool. Businesses that provide exceptional customer service can use customer feedback and testimonials to promote their products or services. Happy customers are more likely to recommend a business to their friends and family, leading to increased word-of-mouth advertising and customer acquisition. Providing exceptional customer service is crucial for businesses looking to succeed in an increasingly diverse marketplace. A well-designed and modern marketplace can help businesses build credibility and trust with their customers, while culturally sensitive customer service can help businesses adapt to the needs of different customers.