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This blog is based off of April 2010′s Quest Article which outlines new trends in customer service.

Something is changing our society and our businesses, no matter how we feel about it. Whether we embrace it with open arms, or deny it, Social Networking sites like Yelp.com, Twitter.com and Facebook.com, (just to name a few) are changing the way we live our lives and, unavoidably, are changing some of the ways we run our businesses.

Before the Internet explosion, customer service rants and raves (but, let’s face it, mostly rants) were passed on through word of mouth, to a handful of the customer’s friends via phone conversations or in-person gatherings. Sometimes the company heard about the rants and raves through a letter or a phone call through which the customer had to press several different buttons to speak to the right person. Many disgruntled customers simply gave up and the company remained clueless.

Today, because of the Internet and the popularity of Social Networking sites, customer reviews can be sent to hundreds of people almost instantly. This should give organizations something to think about, because, most likely, customers’ experiences with your organization can be read about by hundreds of people including current and potential customers. Suddenly, the power has shifted from the hands of a few high level executives to the fingertips of blog owners, and Social Networking site users. This is why great customer service is paramount, especially today. With sites such as Yelp, Twitter and Facebook and even Google Maps, customers can immediately share their experiences, good and bad, with hundreds of people.

Online customer reviews can be wonderful, but they can also be startling. If you approach the situation correctly, you can get Social Networking on your side.

As a way to communicate with their customers, many companies have even created their own profile on popular Social Networking sites. If your company plans on doing so as well, here are a few things to keep in mind about Social Networking in relation to customer service:

Continue reading “Tips for Creating your Company’s Social Networking Presence” »

As leaders, we are responsible for making decisions daily. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), we don’t make our decisions alone. Over time, most of us have learned that the best decisions involve input from others. We’ve also learned that getting others involved takes more time than making the decision on our own. And, time is something none of us has in excess. So, gaining confidence and skills in the art of leading a group to consensus will ultimately save time, plus enhance your reputation as an effective decision maker.

Our experience has proven that the best way to reach a collective decision is by leading the group to consensus. When consensus isn’t used and management dictates the decision without employee input, people feel “talked at” rather than “talked to” and may even feel manipulated. If we involve people to a point, but ultimately vote to determine our course of action, we’ll end up with winners and losers. The losers will find it difficult to get excited about an action they did not vote for. Consensus, however, allows us to ultimately end up with a decision that can be supported by the entire group. While participants may conclude that the final decision is not their personal favorite, they agree that they can support the decision for the good of the organization.

Following these seven tips can help you effectively lead a diverse group of participants to consensus:

Continue reading “Leading a Group to Consensus” »

Peter tells a humorous story about a woman in the TSA security check point line whose actions are clearly not in line with her goal.

Continue reading “Are Your Actions in Alignment with Your Goal?” »

Recently we came across several quotes that were taken from actual Performance Evaluations. For those of you who have struggled writing evaluations, we thought you would enjoy a little humor in your day.

Quotes taken from actual evaluations:

“Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.”

“His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity.”

“This associate is not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won’t be.”

“Works well under supervision. Especially when cornered like a rat in a trap.”

“When she opens her mouth, it seems that this is only to change whatever foot was previously in there.”

“He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.”

“This young lady has delusions of adequacy.”

“He sets low personal standards and consistently fails to meet them.”

“This employee should go far! The sooner he starts, the better.”

“This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an Idiot.”

Continue reading “Humorous Performance Evaluations” »

Focusing for Better Productivity

Now that you have read about how to plan your time efficiently, you are now faced with the challenge of focusing effectively and getting the most out of the time you’ve allotted for your tasks. Below are 10 tips to help you reap the benefits of your organization and prioritization.

Continue reading “Time Management Part 2” »

Organization and Prioritization

It seems that the whole world is asking us to do a lot more with a lot less (money, time, etc.). Many people are hoping that when the economy fully rebounds, we can go back to the good old days of having enough resources to get the job done without feeling perpetually stressed. I believe that the good old days are gone forever and we are about to enter a new, and maybe even better, reality. A new reality that is forcing us to figure out innovative ways to get things done. A new reality where time is more precious than money. What we are really saying about the new reality is… when the whole world changes, we also have to change, and change quickly.

The first step to improved productivity is organization: this includes the organization of your time and your supplies. Below are 10 tips to help you become more organized and get the most out of your time.

Continue reading “Time Management Part 1” »

Strategies for Uniting Cross-Departmental Teams

The stress of the economy has had a negative impact on organizations and has hampered the ability of employees to work cross-departmentally or divisionally as one team. In many cases, employees are working harder, faster and having just enough time to focus on their own survival. They don’t have the time to make communication with other team members a priority.

Recently, we have worked with several clients that are struggling with cross-departmental teamwork. We like to describe this phenomenon as misidentifying the enemy. The cross-departmental teams get into turf wars and start battling each other instead of working together to achieve shared objectives liked increased revenue, or improved customer service.

Continue reading “Build Strong, Cross-Departmental Teamwork” »

Tips for getting the most out of your home life and your professional life

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”
- Michael Altshuler

Just 25 years ago, business basically stopped at 5:00 pm. The receptionist went home and the office phones were turned off. If your need was urgent, you may have left a message on a machine to have your call returned the next business day. Very few people had mobile phones. If they did, the phone was permanently mounted in their car. The internet was in its infancy. And, there was no email streaming 24 hours a day. Back in the good ol’ days, the boundaries between your work life and personal life were clear. Today, for many of us, the overlap between work and personal life is unavoidable.

Continue reading “Managing Work-Life Balance” »

11 Tips for a More Empowered Workforce

Empowerment is one of the most valuable tools a manager has in achieving positive results and maintaining a motivated workforce. Experiment with these ten tips to discover their effectiveness with your employees.

1. Discover where your employees’ interests and passions lie. Look for ways to allow them to further their skills in these areas while benefiting the company.

2. Trust people. The tap root of empowerment is trust. If you do not trust employees, it is impossible to empower them. Demonstrate confidence in people’s abilities and watch them rise to meet your expectations.

Continue reading “Motivate your Employees Through Empowerment” »