Keeping the business Flexible for Customer Satisfaction - Getting out of the comfort zone

A key element for customer retention is customer satisfaction. Our clients have shown in feedback that they really value our flexibility and it is this that ensures great levels of satisfaction. This idea was tested this week when one of my largest clients called first thing in the morning and asked to move an agreed deadline forward from a weeks time to 2 hours time(!).

In this situation I think the key is to be as proactive as possible but always managing the clients expectations. The work that needed doing was a video job, we had already produced the final edit but didn't have the DVD menu system designed and our video editor was away for the week. With no previous experience on the software I had to go through a steep learning curve using blogs and online resources to deliver for the client. In doing so we have ensured that our flexibility can be relied upon. Small firms have a flexibility that just isn't present in larger entities, it also means that those involved in managing and working are constantly stretched, accelerating their personal and professional development, which in turn motivates the team. I think if it's a challenge and it's possible then why not go for it.

If you are interested, here's what I learned: A Step-by-step guide to making a autoplay DVD on DVD Studio Pro on a Mac:

1. Export file from final cut:
Export Quicktime File - DV PAL 48 Khz, Anamporphic.
2. Open DVD Studio Pro and Click Import Asset (top left) - import your .mov file
3. Delete the blue 'menu' box
4. Highlight both the video and audio files and drag into center of the Green 'track' box.
5. Set properties of track - click on the Green 'track' box and bottom right box of screen will turn to 'track'
- Set Display mode as 16:9 Pan-Scan & Letterbox
- Rename file if necessary
- Select end jump, from drop down select 'tracks and stories' then select your file and chapter 1.
6. Set properties of disc - click off the Green 'track' button and onto the gray and bottom right box of screen will turn to 'disc'
- DVD Standard - SD DVD
- Video Standard - PAL
- First Play - Drop Down - 'tracks and stories' then select your file and chapter 1.
- Rename if necessary.
7. Test - click simulate on top panel
8. Burn your disc - Select File - Advanced Burn - Build and Format - Check Name is Correct - Select a file for the current build - Don't touch output device - Select Build and Burn.
9. Check the disc on a PC and Mac (please not that when playing you may need to turn on deinterlacing if you see any lines come up from rapid movement on screen, although most DVD playing software and all DVD players should do this automatically).