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Articles by Craig Harrison

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By Craig HarrisonJul 26, 20061 topic

Turning Customer Service Inside Out! How Poor Internal Customer Service Affects External Customers

While companies focus thousands of dollars on external customer service in hopes of wooing and retaining customers, little attention is being paid to the effect poor internal customer service has on overall customer satisfaction. It all starts within your organization! Sooner or later the ripple effect reaches your external customers. To really walk your service talk, your commitment to internal customer service must match your company's external focus on customer care.nnWhen

Primary topic: Sales Training

3,415 views

By Craig HarrisonFeb 18, 20071 topic

The Characters of a Meeting: Which One are You?

In the Star Wars movie's famous bar scene you knew, by appearance, what zany character was sitting beside you. Each character had a distinctive look. Yet in meetings you may have no idea the constellation of characters that you're meeting with. That's because their normal outward appearances belie often troublesome behavior. Use this article as your guide to the crazy cast of characters you're likely to encounter in your meetings. Whether or not you're armed with a light sabe

Primary topic: Management Skills

Management Skills

2,380 views

By Craig HarrisonAug 21, 20061 topic

Are You a Customer Service Ace? Take The Quiz and See!

Test your customer service knowledge and learn how to be a service ace by picking the correct answer to each of these 10 questions.nn 1. A complaining customer is: nA. Always rightnB. Almost rightnC. Often lyingnD. Always the customernn 2. Customers who complain: nA. Had unhappy childhoodsnB. Are genetically predisposed to be sourpussesnC. Have trouble in their primary relationshipsnD. Are doing you a service in identifying what isnât working in your business or organizatio

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,701 views

By Craig HarrisonApr 21, 20071 topic

How Inquisitive Are You?

Three teen girls entered the subway in mid-conversation: "Is he in our school? " "Yes." "In our grade?" "Yes." "In our calculus class?" "Yes.â âIs he fine? "Yes!" "Steve? " "Noooo. " "Seth? " "Phillip? " "Itâs Jeremy!" Indeed it was!!! n nThese girls were playing the game 20-Questions. They were playing to win. They were asking closed-ended questions to qualify/disqualify the field. They were expert at cutting to the chase. n nKids in fact are excellent question-masters

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,352 views

By Craig HarrisonNov 20, 20061 topic

Jest Practices: Best Practices for Humor in the Workplace

Most agree that humor in the workplace can have beneficial effects. Yet not all humor is good humor. The challenge: how to interject appropriate humor and fun into our serious jobs without hurting others or seriously undermining the company. When used appropriately, humor can work for you.nn Humor that Uploads Also Uplifts nnHumor has the power to make people feel special. When you include people in fun it simultaneously improves morale, reduces stress and facilitates team bu

Primary topic: Humor, Fun and Games

Humor, Fun and Games

1,288 views

By Craig HarrisonSep 21, 20061 topic

Become a Credible Communicator: Make Honesty Your Policy!

When you speak, do people listen? You don't have to be E.F. Hutton to command attention and respect in the workplace. But you do have to be credible.nnCredibility in the workplace means believability. Simply put, do people believe what you say? Is your reputation based on a track record of telling the truth? Are your estimates accurate, your forecasts realistic and your word solid? Or are you a big talker, a storyteller or a spin doctor? Strive to be a credible communicator.n

Primary topic: Communication Skills and Training

Communication Skills and Training

1,259 views

By Craig HarrisonNov 20, 20061 topic

Laugh and the Work World Laughs With You

Many of today's work environments are rife with moody bosses and co-workers, repetitive tasks and unpredictable market pressures. Stress abounds. Managers often tell me they canât afford the time or cost for my humor workshops; how can they afford not to address workplace stress.nnWe know clinically that laughter and play have medicinal qualities, offering physical, psychological and physiological benefits as well. In the workplace, humor and fun can increase productivity,

Primary topic: Humor, Fun and Games

Humor, Fun and Games

1,246 views

By Craig HarrisonJul 26, 20061 topic

How to Avoid "A failure to Communicate"

You've seen it in every classified ad and most job descriptions: must have excellent communication skills. Even worse, once hired, it reappears annually each review period: Improve communication skills. What's a person to do? Communication skills don't require a graduate degree, just common sense, a bit of homework and a better understanding of the role communication plays â in everything: nn Listen. You don't have to speak like John F. Kennedy or orate like Dr. Martin Luth

Primary topic: Communication Skills and Training

Communication Skills and Training

1,142 views

By Craig HarrisonJul 9, 20071 topic

Tag Lines Tell A Tale of One's Occupations

"What do you do?"n nIn our society this is the first question weâre asked, after "What is your name?" The real question is: âHow do you answer this question?ân nDo you tell people your title: clerk, programmer, driver, teacher, sales rep or receptionist â or do you answer more descriptively?n nToo many people respond to this question with a bland, unimaginative job title or standard industry classification (SIC) code. B-O-R-I-N-G! To set yourself apart from the crowd,

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,127 views

By Craig HarrisonJul 2, 20061 topic

Getting Past Gatekeepers: Don't Get Left At the Gate When Calling on Decision Makers

DOES IT SOMETIMES SEEM AS THOUGH DECISION MAKERS are residing in a gated community? Learn how to bypass gatekeepers (GK) â those professionals who âguardâ the decision makers and often run interference for them â to get in front of decision makers (DM).n nTraditionally a secretary, administrative assistant or switchboard operator blocked entry. Now there are electronic nemeses as well: voice mailboxes and blind e-mail addresses. Yet gatekeepers can be your adversaries

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,096 views

By Craig HarrisonJul 2, 20061 topic

The Voice of Customer Service

Customer relationship management tools abound, yet let's hear it for old technology. Your voice is the most multifaceted customer service tool in your toolkit. Your voice can convey concern, care and compassion. It can alternately convey boredom, neglect or contempt. Your challenge: to insure your voice reinforces the service you strive to deliver through your actual words and action.n nCustomer service is about more than mouthing the words customers want to hear. You have to

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,089 views

By Craig HarrisonMay 14, 20071 topic

Play the Brain Game for Gain

Our workgroup was in the middle of a spirited brainstorming session â a free form session where creativity is encouraged, judgment is suspended, and the best ideas often come after ten or more minutes. The ideas were flying fast and furious, as they should, when the group gets momentum. The energy was intoxicating. And, in a fit of inspiration, I one employee suggested, "Why don't we reverse the order of the deliverables!?"n nWhile nine other people energetically accepted t

Primary topic: Brain Enhancement

Brain Enhancement

1,085 views

By Craig HarrisonNov 24, 20071 topic

From Told To Sold! Leverage Your Stories to Resonate With Prospects And Customers

Have you ever heard a story that could have been about you?nnEver heard a story that reminded you of another one?nnWhat about a story that sounded vaguely familiar?nnWelcome to the power of story.nnnnUnlike facts and figures, that often leave us cold, stories connect! And they connect deeply, often stirring us emotionally at a heart level. That's what makes them memorable, and powerful as a sales tool. nnnn The Prevalence of Stories nnWe're wired for stories! And since birth

Primary topic: Customer Service

Customer Service

1,082 views

By Craig HarrisonApr 6, 20071 topic

What's Your Communication Quotient? Workpace Communication â Your Key to Success

Forget GQ! These days it's your CQ that matters...your Communication Quotient. Degrees and awards are fine, your bilingualism and knowledge of the latest programming languages are nice, but how good a communicator are you? In English? With co-workers and customers? n nEvery job description emphasizes it: must have excellent communication skills. In performance reviews many get marked down for it. And as entrepreneurs who wear many hats, speaking with many voices is also a req

Primary topic: Business Coach and Business Coaching

Business Coach and Business Coaching

1,078 views

By Craig HarrisonAug 21, 20061 topic

Sales Through Storytelling: Story Tell, Story Sell!

Nothing succeeds like success! And in sales nothing succeeds quite like success stories. Are you sharing yours? Why not? The secret is in how you share your successes.nnLearn to tell thirty-second "success stories." During sales calls a quick-hitting story can make or reinforce a point in memorable fashion. Success stories may be told in response to a question, to serve as a testimonial, or even as an aside. Did you know you had a storied past?nnStories work for several reaso

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,045 views

By Craig HarrisonMay 14, 20071 topic

Being Present is a Gift to All: The Real Meaning of Real Time

They say wherever you go, there you are. Yet how present are you at any given time and place you find yourself? Many professionals appear in body but little else. Don't get marked as missing in action. n nIn the last week I encountered the following professionals missing in action:n n Out of Tune: My local mail carrier arrived each day, wearing her iPod and delivering my neighbors' mail to me. She's in her own world. She dumps the apartment's mail in a pile each day. In addit

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,036 views

By Craig HarrisonSep 24, 20071 topic

SIGNS of Service: Master "Sign Language" to Communicate with your Customers

I was visiting a client for the first time, the Union Sanitary District, 40 miles from my office in the San Francisco Bay Area, in an industrial part of Union City, bounded by swampland and factories. But I was far from lost.n n- As I exited the freeway onto a major thoroughfare, a giant sign announced we were headed the right direction to this site.n n- Another sign signaled a turn onto a side street.n n- A third sign, a half-mile later, signaled I was to continue straight o

Primary topic: Communication Skills and Training

Communication Skills and Training

1,030 views

By Craig HarrisonDec 14, 20061 topic

I'll Never Forget What's-Her-Name!- Winning the Name Game

My name is Craig. But I'll answer to Greg. Most Gregs I know answer to Craig. Of course we are not alone: there's Eva and Ava, Bill and Bob, Jeff and John, and many more. I can't complain. I often confuse and occasionally mangle others' names. Names are not my strong suit. nnMy purpose is not to engage in anthroponymy, the study of personal names. It's simply to remind you that learning, remembering and properly pronouncing other peoplesâ names is more than just good manner

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,010 views

By Craig HarrisonSep 21, 20061 topic

Saluting the Squawkers: Complaints Often Key to Improving Sales, Retention and Loyalty

It's said nobody likes a complainer. I beg to differ. In customer service a complainer is doing you a favor. They are the extension of your research, testing and quality assurance departments. Although essentially unpaid, they're providing you with invaluable, often real-time feedback on what isn't working in your business or your relationship with them. Try to put a price tag on that!nnWe know from surveys that most unhappy customers voice their displeasure with their feet Ã

Primary topic: Sales Training

1,009 views

By Craig HarrisonAug 16, 20071 topic

Free for the Giving: The best things in service situations are often free

You may think customer service requires a huge capital outlay: expensive training, high-falutin' CRM software, and thousands of dollar in expenditures Nonsense! The most important parts of customer service are free.n nHere's my baker's dozen list of customer service components that are free:n n1. Smiling.n2. Saying "I'm sorry", "We're sorry," or "I apologize" n3. Saying "thank you for your business."n4. Saying "thank you for bringing this problem to my attention"n5. Thanking

Primary topic: Marketing Strategy

Marketing Strategy

978 views

By Craig HarrisonOct 13, 20061 topic

How To Make "The Ask" - Effectively Recruiting Your Team

Many times in your life you will make requests of others: to join a group, committee or team, to perform a task or to assist with a project. This month's question: How do you make the ask? Often the key to getting to "Yes" involves how you make your request. nnWhether you are:nn* Building a board of directorsn* Forming a committeen* Enrolling others in your team or workgroupn* Seeking volunteers for a projectnnFollow these ten tips to hear those magic words: "YES, I'd be glad

Primary topic: Communication Skills and Training

Communication Skills and Training

966 views

By Craig HarrisonJun 26, 20071 topic

Improve Customer Rapport with Improv!

As we look for ways to improve our rapport with customers, clients and prospects letâs cast our gaze to improv â improvisational behavior popularized by those whacky folks seen in drama classes, theatre troupes, on the entertaining television show Whose Line Is It Anyway? n nIt might surprise you to learn that even in something as spontaneous as Improvisation there are rules at play. Three in particular have direct relevance to our customer and client interactions.n n Mak

Primary topic: Sales Training

964 views

By Craig HarrisonAug 16, 20071 topic

Who's In Charge of Your Meeting?

Do any of these things happen at your meetings?n n* People arrive laten* people leave earlyn* someone yells BINGO in mid-meetingn* People are unpreparedn* A key person is absentn* Someone asks for a pencil or penn* People mysteriously get paged midway through and leave in drovesn nBefore you blame others it's entirely possible the fault resides with you, the caller of the meeting. As the facilitator, leader or organizer of the meeting you are ultimately responsible for everyt

Primary topic: Management Skills

Management Skills

960 views

By Craig HarrisonOct 13, 20061 topic

A "Bias to Action" Results In Stellar Service

What do Olympians and Hall of Fame athletes all have in common? "Peak performers and high achievers have a bias to action." So says Bill Cole, MS, MA, known as America's Mental Game Coach. According to Cole, who coaches Davis Cup Tennis Players, Olympians and executive achievers: "high achievers can't wait to get started, they want to take action now, have a can-do attitude, and a 'good as done' vision of success that drives them."nnCole knows! He has coached professional ten

Primary topic: Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities

949 views

By Craig HarrisonNov 24, 20071 topic

Stop Slingin' Slang! Prospects And Clients Leary Of Loose Language

Despite attention to four-color brochures, meticulous grooming and letter-perfect newsletters, consultants constantly undermine their hire-ability and employees hurt their promotability through sloppy language skills and inappropriate word choices in their communication. What point is shined shoes and polished purses if you're constantly shooting yourself in the foot with your own words?nnnn Slang is sloppyâ¦precision preferred nnProfessionalism counts in the work world. Pro

Primary topic: Communication Skills and Training

Communication Skills and Training

949 views

By Craig HarrisonSep 24, 20071 topic

Forget the Fockersâ¦Meet Your Customers!

How much do you know about your customers? Do you know what makes them happy? Mad? Restless? Let's face itâ¦you should! Businesses often operate in ignorance of what their customers like or dislike, ignore and abhor. To ensure retention, pay attention!n n The Basics: What Customers Love n- When you know them, remember them by name and remember their preferences.n- To be treated with respectn- To feel specialn- To know you're accountable when problems arisen- The ability to r

Primary topic: Sales Training

933 views

By Craig HarrisonJul 9, 20071 topic

Orchestrating Your Leadership

Recently I had the opportunity to lead an orchestra. Itâs an experience I recommend to all. Admittedly, I had my doubts. With no formal training I wondered:n n- Would I lead correctly?n- Would others respond, and if so, how?n- Would I look foolish?n n Follow My Lead n nI did look foolish â but somewhat by design. My orchestra was a conference audience whom I was training to step into their own leadership. And follow my amusing lead each guest conductor didâ¦magnificently

Primary topic: Leadership

905 views

By Craig HarrisonJan 15, 20071 topic

Teaming With Success

We're surrounded by examples of great, and not-so-great, teamwork. Recently I flew to Los Angeles, visited relatives, took in a parade with floats, bands and street performers, saw a football game and attended an opera. Countless teams made it all possible, whether on stage or back stage, seen or unseen. You too are a part of a variety of teams. How well you work together tells me how successful you are. Are you teaming with success?nnTrue teamwork takes time and a willingnes

Primary topic: Leadership

858 views

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