Jim No Comments

Hour of Power

Hour Of Power

What is ONE THING….

… You can do to improve your productivity?

More and more, I hear my clients say they are finding it harder to make time to do actual work!

They are looking for ways to be more productive and are convinced that they must be doing something wrong. There is no secret “one-size-fits-all” system to address this dilemma, but rather there are many approaches from which to choose. I suggest experimenting and trying various systems and methods to find what fits and works for you and your business. Read more

Jim 1 Comment

Are You Leveraging Your Assets?

Do you take advantage of your greatest opportunities for growth? Most business owners and entrepreneurs do not recognize or take advantage of the assets they already have in their businesses. These resources offer the biggest opening for growth. And, leveraging these assets requires the least investment of both time and money.

The biggest of these “hidden” assets is your customer list, and it should be the most obvious place to begin leveraging. Let’s take a look at what leveraging really means. This word is used commonly in business settings, and I’ve come to realize that many small business owners don’t really know what it means for them. Read more

Jim No Comments

Customer Service Week

Customer ServiceThis is 2015 National Customer Service week. Initiated in 1992 with a Congressional proclamation, Customer Service week has been a recognized event during the first week in October. It is now celebrated in over 60 countries. Read more

Jim No Comments

Every Thing Matters!

4 Everything_Matters1

When you are in business, every thing matters. Every thing is important. The things that matter are how you interact with your customers or clients, how you follow up to requests, how you market yourself and your business, what systems you employ to run your business, how you pay your vendors. It ALL matters! Read more

Jim No Comments

What Are You Tolerating?

6 tolerate2

When I read the statement “Tolerate Nothing” in Thomas Leonard’s article: The Models of the Attraction, I thought how could it be possible to tolerate nothing – no thing. To tolerate nothing seemed to be a tall order. The tolerations referred to by Thomas are those things that you are enduring, not paying attention to or allowing to sap your energy in a non-productive way. Read more

Jim No Comments

I = Integrity

Whenever there is a discussion about Values, Integrity comes up as a fundamental necessity upon which to build a business and the relationships that are so necessary. The meaning of Integrity is described as Honesty, Trust, Keeping Your Word. Read more

Jim No Comments

Customer Service….Bah Humbug?

Yes, it’s confirmed. We are still in a recession although recovering. There’s no avoiding that reality. And, if you read recent news features, you will see gloom and doom articles warning us of a bigger recession on its way by the end of 2013! Those who encourage business owners to get “back to basics” are loudly shouting that attention to the delivery of excellent customer service will help to keep you in business. There’s been a recent flood of articles relating to customer service in the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Inc., and too many books to list. The torrent of words to raise service awareness promises increased sales, customer loyalty, increased productivity and greater job satisfaction. This information is not new! When has customer service not mattered? Don’t we all know that without loyal customers, businesses will find themselves with no business? Read more

Jim 1 Comment

Is Your Small Business Thriving?

Why do some businesses thrive and others never make it?

This is a question that has haunted me for over 15 years as I’ve coached many business owners from Florida to California.

My theory is that thriving  businesses are constantly and consistently engaged with their customers and clients and are on the look-out for new customers. They never stop prospecting. So, if there is this simple answer, why do business owners stop engaging with their current customers and stop looking for new customers? Read more

Jim No Comments

When in Rome…

rome

In Ancient Rome, after he built an arch, the engineer in charge was expected to stand beneath it as the scaffolding was removed. If the arch did not hold, he was the first to know! A great example of keeping ownership where it belongs!

In today’s business environment, when business owners keep lifting the weight off the shoulders of their staff, the staff never learns to build their own muscle. Here’s what I’m talking about. When your customers need attention, make sure your employees know how to take care of them. If your employees do not do this well, you are losing market share because customer care and customer service are your only sustainable competitive advantage. If your customers feel the love, they will stay with you. If they don’t, usually they will leave without telling you why. Read more