Research released recently by the National Retail Federation’s STORES magazine points out that consumers are beginning to crack open their wallets and invest in the small luxuries that they’d previously sacrificed during the economic downturn.

The survey, conducted last December by STORES and BIGresearch, polled 5,015 consumers by asking them what they can and cannot live without. The team found that consumer optimism was creeping back up to the rates seen before the Great Recession.

“Though most American are still quite focused on maintaining a budget, many are once again falling in love with the things they temporarily had to say goodbye to,” according to STORES editor Susan Reda.

To view the complete survey results, visit www.nrf.com.

Good news travels fast but bad news travels even faster. Americans say they tell an average of nine people about good experiences, but nearly twice as many about poor ones. How would your company measure up?

These findings were released recently in the American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, a survey conducted in the U.S. and nine other countries to explore attitudes and preferences toward customer service. It found that the quality of customer service provided directly affects customers’ spending habits.

According to the survey, seven out of 10 Americans are willing to spend an average of 13 percent more with companies they believe provide excellent customer service. Their wallets will go back in their pockets for sub par service: 78 percent of consumers surveyed said they had bailed on a transaction or not made an intended purchase because of a poor service experience.

Another common response to poor service is for customers to get angry. More than half of customers surveyed admit to having lost their temper with a customer service professional. They might have insisted on speaking with a supervisor, hung up the phone or—even worse—threatened to switch to a competitor.

How can you ensure this doesn’t happen with your business? The key is finding the right people for the job. If your company has employees who listen and respond to the needs of your customers, then your company is in good shape.

It may appear that we live in a society obsessed with the latest celebrity tweet or Facebook status update, but according to a recent study, certain forms of social media have yet to win over some business owners.

Small business insurer Hiscox Insurance Company commissioned online interviews in late May with 304 U.S. business owners and managers. Each business had fewer than 250 employees.

The survey found that only 4 percent said they couldn’t do without social media as a marketing tool, compared to 50 percent who said the same about word-of-mouth recommendations.

Of those who do use social media for their business, 28 percent have a company Facebook page, 18 percent have a company LinkedIn page, 6 percent employ a YouTube or video-streaming channel, and only 2 percent have a company Twitter feed.

According to this research, the majority of owners haven’t yet fully embraced social media as a vital part of their businesses. But don’t delete your profiles yet—social media has shown no sign of slowing down.

Let’s face it—using technology in business is unavoidable. Websites, social media and e-mail are mainstays in today’s world; but for those not in the know, it can be overwhelming. SCORE, a nonprofit organization focused on mentoring and educating small business owners, has launched a new website to provide the non-tech savvy with the tools they need to succeed.

Called e-Business Now, the website offers free, on-demand workshops on topics ranging from search engine optimization to cyber security and more than 25 how-to guides covering ways to leverage technology to grow your small business. Best of all, the website will match you with “technology mentors” to address specific challenges. Ready to log on? Go to www.ebusinessnow.org.