Live Positively Daily

Live Positively daily utilizing customer service.  Having just returned from a conference and listening to a presentation on customer service I wanted to share my thoughts.  We have all gone to a store, restaurant, or made one of those dreaded calls where you hit more numbers than talk to a human being, and I am sure there are memories of a time that you had horrible customer service.  I am also hoping that there were times you had exceptional customer service.  This training started out with the presenter stating “I am so glad you are here” That at the first might not stick in the memory by but the end of the presentation it made complete sense.  The focus was learning to live positively every day and to always put your smile on and be thankful that you have customers.  Here are some of the topics the presenter went over.

1. Live positively.  The presenter discussed how the mindset and the way we think has a lot to do with either being positive or negative.  Positive thinkers will look to the future, find possible snags in life and be able to handle them. The presenter discussed having lost his son 4 years ago around Christmas and how the family tradition of cutting the Christmas tree had been interrupted.  His positive thinking kicked in and instead of sitting in grief and anger he decided along with his family to celebrate the years he was able to have with his son.  See, his point was we are never guaranteed another day.  If a person keeps one foot in the past, and tries to get one into the future surely they will split themselves in half.
2. Celebrate who you are.  This notion was really interesting because not many people are o.k. with who they are, how they look, or what skills they have.  You are the only you, and that should be celebrated.  If you are an optimist then enjoy your optimism, if you are a pessimist, then revel in your pessimism, If you are a realist, then be real.  No matter how you look, how much you weigh, what you drive, or where you live celebrate who you are, be who you are and love who you are.
3. Giving the best customer service starts with you.  This part was interesting because when customers call or come in, even when they are angry you can begin to connect with them and let them know they are important.  The presenter discussed that when he receives a call he will actually give them a time period for the answer. In Example the presenter discussed that he received a call from a customer, the customer needed some information, the presenter discussed that it would take 30 seconds to walk over, grab the chart and provide the information.  The presenter went to the filing cabinet, opened the drawer and not being the best file clerk was hearing the 30 seconds tick by.  The presenter knew it would take 8 seconds to return to the desk, so he called to a co-worker asked them to pick up line 2 and explain that he is not the best file clerk, he has the chart, but would be an additional 10 seconds to be at his desk.  The person on the line started laughing and agreed to another short hold time.  The presenter returns to the desk, picks up line 2 and the individual is still laughing because of the picture in her head about the antics in the room.
4. Verbal Vs. Non Verbal communication.  Do you realize how much information you present to a person even when you do not know they are looking?  70% of our communication happens without saying a word, 10% is what we are saying, and the other 20% comes from the tone we use to say it.  Have you ever been frustrated at work, dreading that next phone call?  How do you answer the phone, see people can tell your emotional state without even seeing you, if you are frustrated at work, then take another call frustrated, do you not think that you will sound frustrated to the caller and their customer service has gone out the window.
5. Can you listen to the silence?  That was an interesting question to be presented.  What kind of listener are you? People Oriented, Action Oriented, Content Oriented, or Time Oriented?  There are many tests on the internet that will tell you how you listen to people, I suggest finding one and seeing where you fit in.  Listening to the silence is about clearing your thoughts just to focus on the other person because many people are already plotting their next reply that they miss the true meaning of what the other person is saying.
6. I am the enhancer of employee’s personal passion for their job.  This was the one branding piece I developed for myself.  I think that no matter what the day starts like, it does not have to end the same way.  If you smile on the phone that comes across, if you frown on the phone that also comes across.  Motivation on the job means you have one and want to keep it.

Rising to be the best at what you do means including who you are and gaining strength and perspective from others around you.  To be the best at something you have to know who you are and what the best looks like.  Take time daily to live positively in a negative world.

Conference

Going to a conference today, There will be a new article next week. Thanks to all who are readers of my blog.

Importance of Self Care

Over the years many people have always discussed self care especially when it comes to employment. Think about where or who you learned your work ethic from. Maybe you had a parent that was a “Type A Personality”.  The one who rarely if at all missed work, the one who might not take time off just for a mental health day, Maybe the one who would go to work sick.  In the past employees were more dedicated to their employers due to employers being more dedicated to their employees.  There is a going trend in the world of employment today that an employer does not have to be dedicated to their employees because there is always someone else in the world that will take a position.  I personally find it hard to miss work, but just a week ago I had to take a day off due to a fever.  I had to learn that self care is important and did not look bad on the employee who needed to take a day off as to not get others at work sick.  There are some very important concepts to look over in your own life to make sure you succeed on the job.

1. Stress management is the number one area to look over.  Are you always at work, thinking about work, planning the next day at work in your mind even when you are at home?  These are some unhealthy attributes for an individual to have.  There needs to be a separation of work and personal life.  The personal life is a way for an individual to deal with the stress at work by taking a walk, playing with their children, or just catching up on a favorite television show.  Work will still be there in the morning.
2. Physical health can begin to become effected by to much stress.  Constantly individuals will rush to get to work, rush through their lunch, if they eat at all, or run through a drive through and eat their lunch at their desk while working through lunch.  Allergy season is upon us and often times if you do not take care of your physical health those sniffles can turn into something more like an upper respiratory infection.  The body has a way of letting you know that you are stressing it to much, individuals just need to learn to listen to their bodies.
3. Stress and sickness have a way of coming from being mentally exhausted due to many long hours, numerous meetings that take up hours a day, or from not sleeping well at night. Do you toss and turn running your calendar through your mind, stressing about this deadline or this important meeting.  When is the last time you took a mental health day as a day off?  A Day where you planned nothing and did something fun.  Maybe you did something with your spouse or children, you know them right? Maybe you worked in the garden. 
4. What activities do you do at work to help yourself provide self care?  Do you walk away from your desk from time to time just to change the scenery?  Do you have a co-worker that you can chat with just to break the monotony?   Often times all it takes is a short breather to provide you with positive energy.  Take time daily to do some self care and you will be a better employee and your company will be better for it also.

Self care comes in many different packages and in many different ways. Look to see what works for you, strive to find that inner Zen with your job and life and most of all take time out of your day for you, because with out you in your day, you might lose the focus of your enjoyment at your place of employment.