The 9 Qualities Found in Super Customer Service Teams
Have you ever noticed how some organizations tend to be consistent in providing a great customer service experience? What exactly do these companies have that makes them so much better than their competition? Their service team always has a way of positively exceeding the expectations of their customers.
If we examine these organizations more closely, we will find one single factor that separates them from the rest. This factor is simply the employees who make up the service team. I call them the super service teams who genuinely understand the importance of the customer. These special teams are different because they clearly see that business is first and foremost about serving their customers.
The super teams of customer service look at every business transaction as an opportunity to win customers by the service being provided. Super teams understand that anyone can closely match the product and price that they are presenting to the customer. But what sets them apart is their strong belief that no one will match their service.
Let’s now look closer at the nine traits that separate these super customer service teams from the rest:
1. A super team is there to assist each other
The first noticable trait in these super service teams is how willing they are to help each other. The excellent service that is provided to the customer reflects their willingness to first serve each other.
2. A super team maintains a positive attitude
The next quality found in a super customer service team is the positive atmosphere that is consistently maintained. They understand that a friendly environment for the customer can only occur when each team member maintains an optimistic attitude.
3. A super team supports each other
These super teams also are very supportive toward each other and ready to lend a hand when needed. The team also tends to be at their best on a consistent basis because of the consistent encouraging words that are freely given out.
4. A super team enjoys their profession
Have you ever known someone who truly enjoyed his or her job? More than likely it was due to the environment in which they worked. I have found that most people who enjoy going to work do so because of the people that they work with. Everyone tends to work toward a common cause and the feeling of harmony permeates throughout the whole organization.
5. A super team respects each other
Since the atmosphere is supportive and encouraging, we will naturally find a high level of respect among those who offer excellent customer service. Remember that the respect given to each customer is simply a result of the respect felt among each team member.
6. A super team make service training a priority
Super customer service teams have another quality that sets them apart from others. This is their continual desire to learn. These teams are motivated to educate themselves through various avenues. This is one of the reasons that they are continually motivated and fresh with new ideals.
7. A super team is made up of experts
The super teams of customer service also show a high level of expertise in their respected professional. They are recognized as specialist in the services that they perform. Customers quickly recognize that they are experts and have discovered that they can be trusted with the service being offered.
8. A super team shows grace
Another quality found in super teams is their ability to overlook when mistakes are made. By allowing room for human errors that will occur from time to time, it gives everyone on the team the freedom from always feeling under pressure.
9. A super team continually maintains its mission
The final quality found in teams that consistently produce outstanding service is the belief in their ultimate mission. They never forget that serving others is why they exist.
Because of their strong commitment to customer service, the super teams are consistently reminded to first and foremost take care of the customer. This alone makes all the difference in why these organizations deliver five-star service time and again.
Simple Steps To Living Frugally
A bank account with a low balance combined with past due bills can make even the calmest individual quite anxious. Financial stress often pushes marriages to the breaking point. If you can learn to live thrifty now, you will be able to essentially prevent such problems and secure your financial future.
By making frugal living choices, you will have more opportunities in the future. It is important to train yourself to limit your expenses and save as much as possible. Such choices can enable you to start your own home business, or just live off savings by retiring earlier than normal.
Retirement means life without a paycheck, not just the end of work. If you continue to live thrifty after having retired, you simply will not require a monthly paycheck to cover expenses. Although this lifestyle can work for well disciplined spenders, it certainly is not for everyone.
Thriftiness also means a bigger savings account, perhaps one large enough to let you start a business that you have been thinking about for years on end.
Being in a position where you don’t have to rely on your income will make it easier for you to find success on the path that you desire. The stress to make money will be replaced by a simple desire to succeed.
Living frugally and saving all excess money at the end of the month will leave you with quite the savings in a short time. That could finance an unforgettable trip around the country or even the world. Or you could use it to live off while you go back to school to study something you’re passionate about. Whatever it is that you would love to do with your life, accumulating a large amount of savings by leaving thrifty can let you make it a reality.
Freedom is the final goal of a frugal lifestyle. Resisting the temptation to spend money at the moment will make your determination stronger. It could one day mean having money when you really want to so that you are able to spend it on something meaningful.
As you cut your budget and save the difference, you protect yourself from unexpected events. Building a nest egg today will give you choices and security for tomorrow.
Online Counseling Has Advantages Over Face-To-Face
It is said that nearly one in twenty adults in the United States of America have some or the other degree of mental health issues. While for most of us it could range from common phobias and fears, others could have more serious problems. But not everybody will readily admit that they need professional counseling to help them deal with their issues.
Many individuals don’t realize they need help until a loved one points it out to them. Others are simply embarrassed to admit they need online counseling. It is interesting to note that a majority of clients who seek online counseling enter into their first counseling experience. Online counseling can take the form exchanging email, IM chats or phone counseling. Video conferencing interestingly isn’t requested very often. It seems people really enjoy the anonymity of online counseling.
There are advantages and some drawbacks to online counseling that you should be aware of in making your choice. Online counseling offers great anonymity, flexibility to do sessions by phone any place or time you’d like and is a cost-effective way to get help.
Online counseling is especially useful if you are easily embarrassed or maybe you live too far for it to be convenient to travel to appointments. You can literally do online counseling while sitting outside your office enjoying lunch.
Online counseling also allows you to access the resources of professionals and experts who are not based in your home town. Sitting in say Baltimore, you could access the services of a professional counselor based in say Finland. This way, geography and financial burdens are not a restriction on getting the best and most suitable services.
To balance things out, you need to know that online counseling has its drawbacks as well. Much of communication is non-verbal and therefore the counselor may be at a disadvantage when they cannot follow your body language. Other times, when the need of the client grows stronger than what an online counselor can deal with, a therapist may not be familiar with local resources to refer you to.
Even reputed online counseling professionals, who are otherwise good, might indulge in underhand practices. Like providing multiple online counseling sessions to several people while charging each of them exclusive rates. And finally, the nature of the internet, and especially of information transmitted over it, could prove to be a threat to your online counseling experience. Care must be taken to ensure that your personal information does not fall into untrustworthy hands.
There are a lot of considerations, but that should not stop you from seeking online counseling. If you were to seek local counseling, face-to-face, you’d do some of the same things recommended in this article to ensure proper fit and correct professional training, right?
The Real Secret To Quickly Changing Your Attitude About Money
A person’s spending habits are usually set by the attitude they have towards money. And in this world, there are people who save, there are people who spend, and everything in between. Changing your spending habits will also mean changing your overall attitude towards money.
Starting very early on in life, people begin to develop attitudes about money, mostly based off of what they observe their parents and other adults doing. Often times, a child’s attitude towards money and spending habits will be related to the amount of money that there family was accustomed to earning. Larger family incomes tend to produce children that spend money easily.
Whatever your environment, your money views were probably shaped by the people around you. Unhealthy views of money begin here. If money was a bone of contention in your home, you will likely make every effort to avoid confrontation when it comes to money. That could lead to overspending becoming a hush-hush topic in the home.
If money flowed freely, then you could become a free spender as an adult. Even if your means are more limited than your parents’, you may continue to spend as if you had a million dollars. This type of money attitude can lead to a debt burden too big for you to carry.
Environmental factors during childhood regarding financial matters can create lots of different attitudes. Take Ebenezer Scrooge as an example. His obsession with money came from his penniless childhood. His life, void of all pleasure accept money, is surely not what you want for yourself.
Change your attitude towards money. Having the desire to do so is the first step. It is not an easy process, but if you are determined to learn how to do it, you have a fighting chance.
You should also get in touch with a financial advisor. Discussing the positive and negative aspects of your financial situation will help them decide how to form a portfolio for you that will contain investment suggestions. If you tell them your financial goals, they will do their best to help you reach them.
Financial advisors also offer assistance in making a budget. An individual who has difficulty spending money on themselves because of obsessive saving can be aided to enjoy their money more. By following a budget, such a person will learn to lighten up about money.
On the other end of the spectrum, people who find it difficult to save any money can use a budget to help limit their spending, learning to do so in a more reasonable manner. They will also come to comprehend how saving allows to them stay comfortable financially.
If you are concerned about your attitude towards money, speaking with a professional financial advisor will help you to develop a healthy attitude that will make your life better.
Managing your Stress Effectively
There are various approaches for coping with both the emotional and the physical root causes of stress, as well as the consequences of stress. Relief from chronic stress is possible, both for symptom relief in the short term, and for longer-term resolution. However, many of the approaches people resort to are problematic. You can go wrong a multitude of ways, and these are the most common mistakes.
Some people will unknowingly hurt themselves while they try to deal with the unhappiness that comes with stress.
Stress can fray a person’s temper and lead to lashing out inappropriately at people who are dear to you. This drives some people to drink too much alcohol or coffee, and this is compounded as the coffee’s high caffeine intake further increasing stress. At its worst, it can result in violence or other inappropriate aggression.
When people feel tense and worried, they very often suffer from insomnia. It is hard to let go and make yourself relaxed enough to fall asleep if you have some kind of a problem nagging at you. Even if you are able to get to sleep, you will rarely sleep the whole night through, and you will be easily disturbed.
While taking a medication to help with sleep can be helpful for a short term fix, in the long run it can cause dependence and be self defeating. Try easy to use meditation techniques to help you relax and ease your mind.
For some people, it will be in their nature to strive to fix their problems. Becoming too consumed in even difficult problems is self-defeating. Look at the issue as though you were in someone else’s shoes. You would feel worried, obviously, but it is easier to remain objective when the problem is someone else’s and not our own.
Sometimes people deal with their stress by throwing themselves into work or other projects, and away from the problem at hand. While they might be doing the right thing, when it is for the wrong reason, it wont help. Staying away from the problem might make you feel a little bit better, but that good feeling won’t last.
Some issues disappear by themselves, so not paying attention to them can actually work. The conditions surrounding chronic stress will not simply disappear because we aren’t thinking about them. It is beneficial to take some time out to think about the big picture and control your feelings. Avoiding one’s issues by ignoring them is not advisable, however.
All of these flawed and useless methods can basically be traced back to the same source. Unfortunately reality doesn’t go away just because some parts of it are inconvenient or unpleasant to deal with. We will always run into the proverbial roadblocks on our way to accomplishing anything. These hurdles and our basic need to over come them, along with the doubts about our abilities to do that, all lead to stress.
Credit Card Debt Management – Can It Really Help?
Sometimes, debt management counseling is the best first step towards a path of achieving financial freedom. It is a process that can help you with your credit card debt, protect you from losing your house, and keep you from filing bankruptcy. With so many reputable companies out there offering this service, you simply need to choose the one that appears to best serve your needs.
Most debt management counselors will meet with you and then will contact creditors on your behalf to establish a fair repayment plan. Once this plan has been negotiated agreed upon, you will only be required to write one check each month to your debt management company. They will then take the funds and pay a portion of it to each creditor.
Credit card debt management counseling is one of the best options for individuals who have gotten deeply into debt, and it can serve as a much better way of repaying debt than filing bankruptcy, remortgaging a house, taking out a second mortgage, or acquiring more debt to deal with the current debt.
The thing that most people fail to realize is that often times monthly payments will have a higher interest rate and therefore put more stress on the debtor. They will complete payment of their small debts and still have the two mortgages that will have to be paid on time in order for them to keep their home. This is the reason why credit card debt management counseling is so valuable. You will be told flat out not to involve your home in the procedure.
Counselors for credit card debts should have very good reputations; they should be very experienced, versed in the complete practice of debt management, and have a proven history of meeting their professional goals. Be sure you do not fall for a fast talking, dishonest debt management counselor. If you do, you may see yourself out of even more amounts of money with no benefit to you.
The Real Difference Between Credit Unions And Banks
Credit unions certainly have fewer locations and are less common than banks. That doesn’t mean that they offer services of a lower quality, though. Consider the advantages offered by credit unions to understand what differences there are between them and traditional banks.
1. Who owns a credit union? A group of investors are the owners of a bank, and as such they are responsible for decisions regarding business policies and administration. These same choices affect the ability of the investors to make money from the investments they have made in the bank. Conversely, credit unions are owned by their members and the decision making board members are volunteers that give of their time on behalf of other members. Still, each member of the credit union can vote on the policy that is to be followed since it will affect their money.
2. Do they keep your money safe? Any money being stored in a bank is guaranteed to be there by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and this guarantee is displayed at each and every bank. Credit Unions follow a similar process and are 100% secure, but the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is the organization backing them up.
3. Who can become members? A financial institution like a bank or credit union can offer their services to anyone who meets the criteria they set for perspective members. Banks do whatever they can to get as many people as possible highly interested in doing their banking with them. This process helps banks build an ever growing customer base, but the people who sign up for accounts do not always decide to stay with the bank.
Credit unions, however, cannot be joined without first meeting some sort of prerequisite for becoming a customer. These can include factors like religion, workplace, geography, and civic affiliation. By keeping the total number of members low, credit unions can provide better, more personalized customer service.
4. Are they friendly? Banks do what they can to attract new customers, but their real loyalty belongs to the investors in charge of the bank’s care. This is why their customer service often waxes at the time you open new account but wanes quickly.
Credit unions work to keep customers happy. After all, the customers are the shareholders. Credit unions are not for profit, so any funds that do not go to operating and other financial costs are funneled back into offering lower interest rates on loans and higher yields on CDs and money market accounts.
Banks don’t like credit unions because they offer something that they don’t: consistent customer service and better interest rates. On the other hand, banks have incentives that credit unions can’t match because they don’t have as much money to use on them. The choice is up to each customer to decide what is most important to them in an institution.
Credit Score Basics
Your credit score gets checked whenever you try to apply for a credit card, apply for a loan, or make any kind of credited purchase. Your credit score is basically a number that represents how trustworthy the business world believes you to be as far as making your payments is concerned, a higher number indicating more confidence in your ability to pay. Your credit score is derived from information found in a credit report.
All the financial activity you have engaged in over the past seven years is recorded in your credit report. If you have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy or closed an account that had been in good standing, this will continue to appear in your credit report for ten years.
Your three digit credit score is calculated based on a formula developed by credit report companies. They go over information connected to your credit history to determine your score. California established a law in 2000 that allows anyone applying for credit to have access to their credit score. Now federal law permits you access to information that the credit card companies used to keep secret, like how your credit score is determined.
The breakdown of your credit score is fairly easy. The number ranges from 300 to 900 with approximately 35% of that number being based on payment history, 30% on outstanding debt, 15% on the length of time you have had credit (the longer the better), 10% on the number of inquires on your report, and 10% on the types of credit that you currently have. The companies then compare this to credit performances of other consumers with similar histories and profiles to reach your magic credit score.
Some tips to help your credit score:
– Keep your rotating credit to 25% of your limit.
– Don’t be late paying. Making payments earlier than necessary does not incur any penalty.
– When trying to get a loan, shop around for one during a period of thirty days so that all requests made to check your credit score are considered to be one total request.
– Check your credit history at least three times a year. You can access a free credit report through annualcreditreport.com. This helps you keep an eye on the activity and ensure that anything out of the ordinary is dealt with before it becomes a problem.
The Real Secret To Getting Your Kids To Save Money
When your child’s piggy bank or other money collecting device gets full, it may be time to open an account at the bank. A bank account allows children to keep track of money they have saved more easily. Here are some types of savings accounts that parents may want to consider.
Opening a savings account is not difficult. Just choose a day when you and your child can go to the bank together. As long as your son or daughter has some money to put into it, you will be able to talk to a bank employee about starting up a savings account.
You and your child can open a statement savings account. This account gives both of you a monthly report of all account activity. It includes all of the deposits that your child has made into the account and all of the money that they have taken out of the account.
Read over the statement carefully with your child. Explain the various parts of the statement to them. Show them how much money they had and what they ended up with after interest payments and other account activity. Most statements list withdrawals and the date but not a detailed description of the transaction. You can write on the statement what each transaction was for so that the children get an idea of how they are spending their money.
Another type of savings account, passbook savings accounts use a small book to record the account balance. This book is passed through a machine that records deposits, transactions, and the current funds available. Many kids like having a passbook savings account because, whenever they want to, they are able to check on their account.
In addition to banks, credit unions of which you are a member will also allow you to open a savings account for your son or daughter. Some credit unions feature special savings accounts that have been designed just for kids of a certain age block. Such accounts often come along with free gifts and ATM cards with the child’s photo on it.
If your child receives a debit card along with their savings account, it can be used as if it were cash. Parents can put a child’s allowance money directly into their savings account and then show their child how to keep track of their funds by saving receipts from purchases and comparing these with the monthly statement they receive.
If a child is under eighteen, some states will issue custodial savings accounts. These accounts list the parent’s name as the account holder and the child’s name underneath. The account ownership can be transferred to the child when they turn eighteen.
Savings accounts are a great tool for teaching money management skills. Kids can keep track of their money easily and even use an ATM/debit card to make purchases or withdraw cash.
Six Secrets in Creating a Perfect Customer Service Environment
Winning at customer service happens when we consistently provide an outstanding experience for our customers. It is being passionate about offering great service. Each company either has it or they don’t. There is no middle ground. Customers either walk away feeling that the service was excellent, or they walk away with the mindset to never return. The decision ultimately is decided by the service that was provided. The smart teams understand this and believe that the key to ultimate success lies in making the customer their top priority.
Listed below are six ideas for creating an perfect environment that will enhance great customer service:
1. The perfect environment must focus on a solid purpose
The first key in creating a perfect environment for better customer service is to focus on promoting a clear mission statement. In other words, what is the purpose of our existence? By doing this we are offering each team member a positive vision that will only enhance our customer service. Remember that success is a result of every person focusing on this overall mission.
2. The perfect environment uses empathy
Having a certain amount of empathy with our customers will go a long way in consistently providing an outstanding service experience. The perfect environment for excellent service to thrive is simply being able to put ourselves in the customer’s shoes when we are serving them. By doing this, we will not only understand our customers on a more personal level, but we will also begin to treat them in a way that we would like to be treated if we were the customer.
3. The perfect environment is efficient
If we are to create a perfect environment where excellent service can grow, we must continue to make our service transactions highly efficient. This is to say that our service must show itself to function in a highly professional manner. By having a high level of efficiency, we will not only exceed the vast majority of our customers’ original expectations, but we will be perceived as professionals in our field.
4. The perfect environment sees serving as enjoyable
A fourth feature for great service to florish is when we have a group of individuals who genuinely take pleasure in serving their customers. The perfect environment will always include a team who enjoy the act of assisting others. Customers cannot help but give our service higher ratings when they have felt that the person serving them actually enjoyed meeting their needs.
5. The perfect environment will be consistent
Creating the perfect environment for excellent service must always reflect consistency. When our customers trust that we will give them the same excellent service every time, they will not hesitate to tell others about our organization. It is only by being consistent that we will gain the trust of our customers. Remember that winning the customer has everything to do with being trustworthy. Be consistent and you will accomplish this.
6. The perfect environment is a team effort
When a team works towards the goal of creating an excellent experience for the customer, we will soon find our service improving dramatically. This perfect environment is simply a result of everyone striving toward a common goal. By creating a clear mission statement on the importance of customer service, we will soon find everyone encouraging each other toward providing our customers with an memorable service experience.
Remember these six tips and you will not only find your work environment improving for the better, but your customers will soon become your best advertisers in telling others about their exceptional service experience!