by Alan | Jan 5, 2007 | Customer Service, Efficiency
Maybe it’s just me. But I’m sick of hearing that phrase from customer service when they have no intention (or ability) of doing it.Tonite it’s the cell phone. First, the phone I bought is NOT as it was advertised (understand I have little cell...
by Alan | Jan 1, 2007 | Customer Service, Efficiency
Just sat down to pay my property taxes, which is seldom a pleasant experience. As I filled in the little form, wrote the check, and stuffed it all back into the envelope with the little window, I noted that the three-fold sheet they sent me was folded in a size such...
by Alan | Dec 26, 2006 | Efficiency, Leadership
I shared my Christmas dinner and most of the day with a fascinating person. Demographics and logic would say our paths would never cross.She is a 94-year-old black woman, widowed for the last few years, now recovering from a broken hip. While her body is weakening,...
by Alan | Dec 11, 2006 | Communication skills, Delivery, Leadership, public speaking
“I want this to be informal.” That statement was near the end of the stated logistics of a manager to about 200 troops in a meeting. The forum was a large auditorium, and the manager was on an elevated stage, with a backdrop of a two-story A/V screen...
by Alan | Nov 20, 2006 | Communication skills, Leadership, public speaking
Talking with a friend the other day about the importance of an audience liking the presenter. In many cases, there is no context for whether to like the presenter or not (they may not know him until he comes up to speak, for instance). But in so many cases, there is...
by Alan | Nov 7, 2006 | Communication skills, Content, Customer Service, Delivery, Efficiency, public speaking
I’ve witnessed a lot of seminars/presentations/classes/shows lately. Suffice it to say I have plenty of material for coming weeks.Watched an instructor roll out a course. He was capable, competent, credible, and well spoken. But the materials were marginal at...