Category: CoWork / Collaboration

My co-work location offers many  amenities.  We have telephone rooms, an outdoor patio, separate seating areas and lounges, for meetings, and conference rooms you can pay hourly for.  There are booths that can be used for eating or meeting space as well. Yet in spite of all these options there are people who will congregate in the open seating area and hold loud live conferences with team mates.  The fact that you are sitting there trying to concentrate and figure something out is meaningless to them. Apparently they believe that whatever you are doing pales in comparison to their highly important meeting. One has to wonder are they unaware of the many amenities available to them just for these types of meetings?  Do they actually believe that you cannot possibly be doing anything important?

Even if your co-work location does not offer all the amenities of mine you can go outside to have animated phone conversations.  If your meeting is this important then rent a conference room and split the cost with your coworkers. Should you see someone actually turn and hunker down in their chair while on a phone call take a hint you are being disruptive and loud!  I am paying a premium in order to have the amenities I mentioned. I use one of the phone rooms when I am doing webinars. When I have guests visit we go to one of the lounges or seating areas.  Co-work only works if everyone is courteous. Unless you are involved in matters of national security you are not doing anything more important than everyone else in the room. If you are involved in national security why are you in a co work environment?

Co-work is a great option for anyone who has a home based or small business or who does not need a full time office. It is economical and even if you have a home office, I do, it allows you to be in a professional environment and not isolated at home. For me it is important because I do not get distracted by household issues and  friends.  It is my office.  It is where I go to work.  So whether you co-work to save money on a full time office or because you need to be in a professional work environment please be courteous. You really are not the most important person in the room.

 

Partnering with your clients

By: Marian LaSalle

A true business to client partnership is caring and sharing the profits and risks. You both have to work as a team if you want to be successful. If you don’t, you’ll both work harder, each task will stretch out longer and add complications. A true professional cares about the people side of their job too. And if you take the time to set this partnership up right, it will actually make your job easier.

When you want to truly partner with your clients a great way to show them you are serious is to take a sincere interest in their business. Go beyond what your product or service has to offer. You can research what is happening within your client’s industry and provide information you’ve learned about their competitors and their industry market trends. Helping your client to be more informed, more efficient and better at what they do, will demonstrate your commitment to truly partnering with them. Continue reading “Partnering With Your Client”

By Errol Allen

This week’s article is by my long time friend and customer service guru Errol Allen.  Customer Service is the key to retain those hard gained customers. More about Errol:

Internationally known speaker, author and customer service expert Errol Allen provides practical advice and solutions garnered from over 25 years of hands – on experience. He possesses a multi-faceted perspective of organizations through the various positions held during his corporate tenure with companies such as ADT Security Systems, TCI Cablevision, The Houston Post, Excel Communications, e-talk and GEICO Insurance. From the phone to the field, Errol has serviced customers himself and  understands that a “systems” orientation is crucial to providing excellent customer service.

Continue reading “4 Steps To Increasing Customer Retention”

 

 

By Marla Regan

Todays post is by Marla Regan. Organization is my biggest productivity struggle!
Marla Regan CCP, owner of Organized Time is a Productivity Specialist and Certified Family Manager ® Coach specializing in helping clients with their productivity in their home and office.
Do you have present productivity? When you are at work, do you take mental trips home or to school wondering if your child has everything they need for this day?  When you are at home, do you have your mind on work projects?  If your answer to either one of these questions is ‘yes, sometimes…well, most of the time’ then you do NOT have present productivity. Present productivity is when you can honestly be present on the project in front of you and not take a mental trip to ‘Elsewhere Land’. To avoid the distraction of the mental side trips we make, we need to consider the details of our day and that will include anyone we are responsible for including children, parents, friends, pets., etc.

Continue reading “Do You Have Present Productivity?”