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Are You a Life Coach or Baby Sitter?

December 9, 2010 by

I attended a webinar for Bob Proctor’s Life Consultant program. I think Bob puts his money where his mouth is and I’m considering his program. Bob made an interesting point about life coaches — he said they’re baby sitters. I was taken aback by his comment but in a way, he could be right. He said the life coaches have conversations with their clients either face-to-face or over the phone. He went onto to explain the process which is the coach meets with client, they discuss what the client can do to move his/her life forward, the coach assigns “homework” to the client, and they agree to meet again where the coach will find out if the client did the homework assignment. Bob said this isn’t coaching it is babysitting!

Is life coaching like babysitting? What do you think? Share your thoughts.

Rebecca

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Employers Conduct Sloppy Interviews

December 9, 2010 by

I expect the best that’s just how it is. I won’t apologize for expecting the best customer service, the best companies and people to work with, or the best places to live. I know who I am which probably scares most people because they don’t know who they are.

Recently, I had an interview and it was a disaster. It was snowing, and I was stuck on the highway. I’m still amazed that Ohioans “freak out” even though most of them have lived in Ohio all of their lives. Snow happens in Ohio — get over it. I had a “gut feeling” that this opportunity wasn’t right for me, and I was right.

Since I was crawling on the highway, I did the right thing and called the person who was supposed to be interviewing me and left a message. Traffic started moving for whatever reason (there wasn’t an accident), and I continued on my way into Downtown Cleveland. My phone rang, and I thought it was the person who was supposed to interview me. Wrong! It was the receptionist (not very personable or upbeat) telling me the person I was meeting was out on medical leave. What? Then the receptionist proceeded to tell me I’d be interviewing with two other people. What? I didn’t know I was interviewing with two other people. You’d think the person interviewing me would have had the courtesy to email or leave me a voice message telling me she wouldn’t there. You’d think I would have been informed that I would be interviewing with a total of three people. To me, this is sloppy business and communication. No matter what you circumstance is you hand the ball over to someone else so it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Employers expect “the best of the best” to work for them but they may want to reevaluate their current staff because they may not be the best. When you interview people, make sure you’ll be there for the interview. If not, send a quick email or phone call and explain that someone else is conducting the interview. This way the candidate won’t be surprised when they arrive at your office.

Sloppy communications is one of my pet peeves but that’s just me. Even if I was in the hospital or half way around the world, I would make sure that systems were in place to handle business. My employees would be the best of the best and they’d make sure day-to-day operations ran like clockwork — this includes a simple task such as interviewing. There are no excuses for sloppy interviews. Get your act together or the person you’re supposed to interview could become your competition and “lure” your clients away from you. I bet you didn’t think about that!

Rebecca

P.S.

People have lost their jobs and are looking for employment. You may need to earn a living but please don’t be desperate and take the first offer that comes along. Chances are you’re probably smarter than the people who are interviewing you. You may consider opening your own business before working for someone else again.

Have you ever experienced a sloppy interview? Share.

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The Impersonal Automated Phone System

December 21, 2009 by

Once upon a time, when you called a company a real person answered the phone. If you had a complaint, your call was forwarded to a customer service representative. Ah, the good ol’ days. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could go back to the time when “customer service” existed? A woman can dream can’t she!

Companies used automated phone systems because they cut costs and save time. Do they really save time and for whom? What about saving the company money? If you lose customers because they’re tired of your automated phone system, how is that saving your company money?

I’m tired of pressing 1 for English or 2 for Spanish. This is America, we speak English. Before you know it, you’ll be asked to press 3 for Mandarin Chinese, 4 for Japanese, 5 for French, 6 for Portuguese, 7 for Swahili, 8 for Latin, and 9 for Hungarian! Once you select your language, you’ll be asked to press 1 for this department, press 2 for that department, or press 3 for another department. You could travel to China faster than you can reach a customer service representative.

Automated phone systems never give you the option to press 0 for the operator. You can try to press 0 and hope to be transferred to customer service or redial and try again. How does this save the customer time? If an operator would be pickup straightaway, you could be connected to the right department in no time.

In my opinion, automated phone systems are the most irritating invention. I’d prefer to hire someone to answer phone calls from customers and have them directed to the correct people. Some may argue this cannot be done because we are global society. Others will argue that scaling back on automated phone systems will hurt corporations. Sigh…

All I want is to speak to a human being and not waste time pressing buttons on a phone. If I want to waste time pressing buttons, I’ll play a video game! It would be more fun than pressing buttons trying to reach the right department and person who can help me!

Rebecca

What bugs you the most about automated phone systems?

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Where are the First Class MLMs?

December 14, 2009 by

“Network marketing is a great source for passive income,” says financial gurus. I wouldn’t dispute that, it’s the people who are involved in network marketing companies that are the problem; they are not first class MLMs. Most have leadership and communication skills that are less than stellar. This is one reason why I have shied away from network marketing opportunities. The other reason is I haven’t found a network marketing company or product that I believe in enough to sell. If I’m not passionate about it, I won’t sell it. I’m an honest person; you’ll be able to read my facial expressions if I tried to sell you a company and its products that I don’t believe in that much.

First class MLMs seem to be in short supply. Network or multi-level marketing companies allow anyone to sell their products, services, and company. The fastest way to damage your reputation is through word-of-mouth because it’s still a viable means of marketing. By allowing anyone, anywhere to sell your products and company, you run the risk of leaving a bad taste in the mouth of potential customers and distributors.

Recently, I received an email which I interpreted as a “ha-ha” email. The writer of the email wrote, “…I guess you’re nixing the idea of joining the company.” She went on to write, “…it’s all right that you are nixing the opportunity because I have a lot of distributors who are keeping me busy (Whew!) and who are on their way to making $20,000 in January 2010.” I had to chuckle when I read the email. I wish the team the best in 2010. I wonder if I could get a print out of the new distributors. I’d like to see how many of them make $20,000 by January 31, 2010. I thought the email was uncouth. Whenever I write an email, I stop and think how the “receiver” of information will perceive it. I understand writing techniques such as style and tone. Of course, I cannot be responsible for how a person responds, but I can make damn well sure the email is well written before I send it.

First class MLMs are few and far between. The only network marketing opportunity I’d consider would be something from T. Harv Eker’s Millionaire Mind Intensive from Peak Potentials. It’s something that I believe in and it helped me to make a shift in my life. I believe I can reach my goals and see all my dreams, especially my financial dreams to fruition.

The next time you’re approached about a network marketing opportunity, question whether or not it’s a first class MLM. What kind of leadership is there at the company and team level? How do people carry themselves? What’s the communication style? Asking questions will save you time and money in the long run. Good Luck!

Rebecca

What has your experience been with the people involved in network marketing?

Filed Under: Professional Development

The Rise and Fall of Customer Service in America

November 11, 2009 by

America needs a reality check. If you own a small business, you don’t exist without customers. That’s business in its simplest terms. The formula goes something like this: small business – customers = out of business. It’s pretty simple; you don’t have to be Plato or Socrates to understand the formula.

Unfortunately, employees of small businesses don’t understand the formula. Without customers the business will fold which means employees are out of jobs. Again, it’s a pretty simple concept to understand. So, why don’t small business owners and employees get it?

Providing horrible customer service is a guarantee way to send business to your competitors. People will not stand for rude or poor customer service. They’ll just drive a few miles to your competition and spend money for goods and services.

Perhaps customer service has taken a nose dive because of the economy, Americans values, or employees being fed up with working hard and long hours and not receiving the pay or recognition they deserve. If small business owners don’t appreciate their employees, why would employees appreciate customers?

Customer service can make or break your business. Word-of-mouth travels fast and is still a viable means of advertising. Don’t treat your customers right will result in the phone not ringing and your website sitting idle in cyberspace!

Without customers you business will shrivel up and disappear. If employees are disgruntled find out why. Your receptionist (if you have one) is the first point of contact with customers. She sets the tone for your small business. If your receptionist answers the phone with a “frosty” tone, you’ll hear about it from customers. Take the time to find out why your receptionist is not friendly. Perhaps she’s going through a rough time at home or found at that a loved one is sick. This is not an excuse, but it will give you insight and you’ll be able to address the situation in a professional manner.

Many people will pay for customer service. For example, a woman working at a local McDonald’s provided excellent customer service that it landed her on the 5 o’clock news. People were driving miles to this particular McDonald’s because of the customer service. These people had a McDonald’s around the corner from them but they chose to drive a few miles just to be greeted by this particular employee. That’s the power of exceptional customer service.

If your small business isn’t flourishing as you’d like it to, you may want to look at your employees and assess their customer service skills. You may want to send them to seminars and conferences on customer service. The sooner you “nip this is in the bud” the better for you, your business, and customers.

Rebecca

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Set Up Employees for Success

November 11, 2009 by

Employers can set employees up for failure or success. Choosing to do the latter will motivate employees to do their best and go above and beyond the call of duty. When you don’t set employees up for success, you hurt the bottom line. The company’s profitability could plummet because employees will not be motivated to make sales calls or contribute to the company.

Setting employees up for success can help your company improve the bottom line. Happy employees add positive energy to the office. They’ll make extra sales calls, take on extra work, and have a positive attitude which can spread throughout the office. Successful employees will add value to your business in more way than you can imagine.

Employees like to hear, “…thank you” now and again. They also enjoy receiving pay increases and bonuses. However, it’s been proven that employees put a higher value on being appreciated. On a scale of 1 to 10, money came in at number 9 while being valued and appreciated ranked higher. Employees like to express their ideas in an open and safe environment and see their ideas implemented.

How can employers create successful employees

Employers can create successful employees by allowing them to take on challenging work. Give them a chance to resolve a problem within the department. You may be surprised to find out that your employees could have been saving you money. This is what happens when you don’t trust that your employees can handle the job.

Don’t micromanage employees because it doesn’t work. The majority of employees do not require “hand holding” on the job. You hired these people to do a job, why would you want to stand over their shoulders? Give employees room to breathe and grow. They may not do the job how you would, but it doesn’t matter if they complete the work in a timely and efficient manner.

How employees can be successful at work

Perform your job well and don’t worry about jealous co-workers. Voice your ideas when asked or suggest them at the monthly meeting. Don’t get caught up in office politics or gossip. Keep your eyes and ears open, but don’t get involved in your co-workers antics. Most of them are probably miserable in their lives and flock to those who are the same as them. Take the high road and wait for an official announcement from the company. This way you won’t be stressed out at work worrying that the company’s being sold. It’s not worth it.

Before you arrive at work intend to have a great, productive day. Give thanks that you have a job because many people lost theirs and they’re not coming back. Intend to do the best you can and do it. When you’re ready to move on from your current employer, the energy you put into your current job will be clean and energized so your next position will be better than the last

Employees can be successful at work with the help of employers. Show your appreciation by saying “great job, thank you, and we couldn’t have done it without you.” Employees can and will add to the value of a company if you let them. When you set up employees for success, the bottom line will increase year after year and so will your employees morale!

Rebecca

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Bank of America Causes Consumers to Revolt

October 28, 2009 by

I’d like to share my story about my credit card company. I’m with Bank of America and they sent me a notice on October 27, 2009 that my credit card limits were reduced. Receiving this notification was like receiving a sucker punch to the gut. Never in my life did I ever dream that I would be in this situation. How the hell did I create this for my life? Mark my words…this is my first and will be my only time to deal with this situation. Here’s my story…

I always enjoyed a very high credit limit and was able to pay my bills with ease when I worked as a Property Analyst for a real estate and development company in Cleveland, OH. Accounting wasn’t my passion, but I made a great living. When my father died, I decided to pursue my love of art and went back to school for a graphic design certification. I quit my accounting job, sold my townhouse, moved in with my mom, and landed a job as a graphic designer. I still was miserable. I managed to create the same situations in my life just with different people. Something had to change because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I graduated in May 2007 with a Master of Science, Management degree. I researched some states and decided I would move to Arizona. I sent out resume after resume without receiving any responses. I went to the UK in August 2007 and when I got back, I finally spoke with someone about moving to Arizona. I was told that Arizona employers like to see Arizona residency BEFORE they will hire a person. So…In September 2007, I drove from Ohio to Arizona. It was my first “real” road trip and first time I drove cross country — no one was with me. When I arrived in Arizona, I decided to move there. I found an apartment, parked my car in the garage, flew back home, packed up, and flew back out. I was confident that I would find full-time or part-time employment utilizing my accounting degrees along with my Master of Science, Management degree. I was wrong!

Steps I took to finding employment

  • Sent out a ton of resumes before and after my move to Arizona in September 2007.
  • Started networking to make connections — hoping to gain referrals.
  • Contacted and met with several different representatives from employment agencies none of which helped me find employment.
  • Put ads on Craigslist.
  • Put resumes on Craigslist.
  • Put resumes on Jobing.com and CareerBuilder.
  • Informed people that I was a writer looking for work, but would be interested in accounting work as well.
  • Signed up with Guru.com and bid on jobs.
  • Tried my hand at Google AdSense and spent more than I earned.
  • Obtained not 1, not 2, but 3 degrees, including a Master of Science.
  • Received a graphic design certification.
  • Started reading books like Think and Grow Rich, The Secret, The Science of Getting Rich, Quantum Success, and other books to change my thoughts around abundance, money, and wealth.

Fast forward to October 28, 2009, and I am living, correction, surviving in Arizona by the skin of my teeth! According to all of the “spiritual gurus” out there, you can do what you love (writing for me) and make money from it. I’m grateful for my writing job and the writing jobs I had, but it’s not enough to live on. Let’s face it, we need and use money, that’s how it is. Anyone that says they don’t like money is lying!

I hope all of the CEOs of the credit card companies can sleep at night. I’m glad as an American taxpayer that I was able to help bail out the banks and credit card companies when they needed it. I sleep better at night knowing that employees and CEOs receive their BIG bonuses on time and enjoy spa days. I couldn’t live with myself if they missed a bonus check!

BONUS

CLICK HERE to read the letter I sent to Bank of America.

Rebecca

How have you been screwed over by a credit card company?

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What’s Blocking You as a Writer?

October 4, 2009 by

Many writers often complain about writer’s block. When they sit down to write, the words will not appear on the screen or paper because they’re stuck in their head. Writers become frustrated and usually want to give up on writing. What if the problem isn’t writer’s block? What if it’s all in your head? What if it’s something else? These are questions you may want to consider before you blame writer’s block for your lack of enthusiasm for writing.

Writer’s block may be in a writer’s head. There could be something deeper going on within the psyche that’s blocking the flow of words. Maybe you’re secretly afraid that no one will approve of your creative project. Think back to a time when you showed someone your work. What was their reaction? How did it make you feel? Rejection could be the cause of your writer’s block.

You can overcome writer’s block once you pinpoint the reason for it. Writers dream of success. You could be secretly afraid of success because of the added pressures it could bring. You’ll be expected to promote your book in bookstores. You could end up traveling internationally and nationally. Perhaps you’ve never left your state or country before and that “freaks” you out. Your writer’s block is actually a cover-up your fear of success.

Reasons for writer’s block

  • Fear of failure.
  • Not passionate about a writing project.
  • Fear of success.
  • You’re a perfectionist.
  • Stressed and burned out from writing.
  • You feel pressured to finish your project by the deadline.
  • Do not enjoy the writing process.

When you don’t write, the ideas you have sit in your head and collect dust! Think about all of the people who will not read your poetry, hear your songs, or watch your movies because you allowed writer’s block to control your life. Giving up your power to someone or something is never a good idea. Take your power back today so you can write tomorrow.

You don’t have to be plagued by writer’s block. Choose to give up the excuse of not being able to write because of “this or that.” Get to the root of why you can’t write once and for all. You may have difficulty facing yourself in the mirror, but once you do things will get better.

Most writers feel passionately about what they’re writing. When you feel like you’re getting stuck, step away from your writing for some time. Go away for the weekend and do something fun and get your mind off of your project. Sometimes when you’re so focused you become blocked. Walking away can give you a fresh perspective and rejuvenate your creativity. Remember…all writing and no play makes for a dull writer!

Rebecca

What’s the “root” cause of your writer’s block? Share you thoughts.

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How to Lose a Real Estate Client in Under One Minute

September 6, 2009 by

I was contemplating moving from Chandler, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ so I was apartment hunting. Ugh! I’m not sure what Arizona real estate developers were thinking back in the 1980s and early 1990s. I must say that the Mark Taylor apartment complex on Rural Road (Ray and Rural Road) was one of the best. It felt more like a condo which reminded me that I wanted to rent a condo or town home. I began my search for renting a condo or town home.

Wow! I thought real estate agents would know that you must “stage” a property before you show it. Even though I was only thinking about renting a condo or town home, I could have been open to purchasing one. As my law professor would say, “…too bad, so sad.”

If you’ve been paying attention to the news then you know Arizona is a state that has been hit hard by the real estate debacle. Why wouldn’t you make sure a property is “clean” before you show it? I met this one agent from a supposedly “classy” agency (think Biltmore) and the property was filthy! I was looking to rent it, but as I said I would have considered purchasing. The agent was not personable and the property was very dirty. The wallpaper looked like it was from the 1970s. Plus, the electricity was turned off! The agent used the light from his cell phone to show me the bathrooms and bedrooms. I stood there and thought, “…you can’t be serious.” Needless to say I did not rent that property and was not interested in any other ones he wanted to show me. This was a real estate turn-off!

When you show a property, make sure it’s clean and the lights are on so people can see what the bathroom and bedrooms look like. If you’ve been in real estate for a long time you should already know this. It’s like real estate 101.

I learned a lot from traveling around Arizona. First, I can be a real estate agent. I’m personable, and I have common sense not to show a dirty property. Second, I’m not into high-pressure sales tactics. This is a fast way to lose a potential client. Finally, I’d make sure the electricity worked and the property was clean. I would not show a dirty property!

If you’re a real estate agent and are not making the sales ask yourself “why?” What’s the condition of the properties you show? How personable are you? What’s your energy like? Upbeat? Desperate? Take a good look at yourself and answer the question, “…how did I lose a real estate client in less than one minute?”

Rebecca

How clean were the properties that you visited? How friendly was the real estate person? Share your experience.

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Selective Hiring or Discrimination at New York and Company

August 22, 2009 by

I recently met someone at a Meetup who applied for a job with New York and Company at the Tempe Marketplace in Tempe, AZ. They blatantly told her that she would fit in better at the Chandler Fashion Mall on Chandler Blvd. in Chandler, AZ. Was this selective hiring or discrimination? Whoever told her this wasn’t too bright because I’m writing a blog about it. I wonder what the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) would say about this.

How does New York and Company know that she wouldn’t fit in? Believe me; the people in Arizona don’t dress like the people from New York, London, Chicago, Boston, or any other trendy place. They wear khakis, tank tops, flip flops, shorts, T-shirts, and any other casual wear all year long. This hardly constitutes as New York fashion even though fashion designers will feature these items, they’re not the same in AZ.

It’s interesting that they judged her because New York and Company does offer some “preppy” looks. It’s not like shopping at Prada or a boutique in New York. It’s Tempe, AZ and a Marketplace that’s minutes away from ASU — you get the picture. Since when do college kids really care about how they look? Most of them roll out of bed and are good to go.

I felt compelled to write this blog because it’s interesting how we “judge” others. What they don’t know about this woman is that she’s in marketing and could have helped New York and Company market their brand at the store level. They’ll never know how many extra sales she would have brought into the store. They’ll never know how much she could have helped increased the bottom line which is important in business and retail sales. As my law professor would say, “….too bad, so sad.” Just some food for though.

Rebecca

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