Some also have a habit of keeping you in a state of “psychological emergency.” This makes them feel important by continually keeping you in a scrambling mode.

You are constantly walking on eggshells around them and they love it.  This is one of the worst forms of bullying.

Here are some other tactic bullies at work use:

1. Condescending or demeaning language
2. Flaunt their authority
3. Talk about others behind their back
4. Use the “silent” treatment
5. Yell, shout or insult
6. Dirty looks or negative eye contact  -  rolling their eyes
7. Belittle someone’s opinion - such as, ”What a stupid idea.”
8. Purposely choosing not to respond to emails or calls

What can you do about bullying at work?

First of all, you must stop being silent. This is tough on many levels but you must speak up or this unacceptable bully behavior will continue.  Confront that person on neutral ground. Restrict to basic behavior and don’t try to analyze.  During this conversation, specify what behavior change you want from that person. Something like,  “you not only embarrassed me but you also embarrassed yourself.” If there are any specific issues that need to be addressed, state that you would appreciate the respect of talking about them privately.

In addition, don’t give your personal power away. Regardless of the setting, stop listening to their lies and insults and walk away.  This actually is very powerful because it defuses the bully and he/she does not know what to do.

For additional support, you may want to recruit some allies.  Check with co-workers and ask if they are experiencing the same thing you are.  Talk openly and stand together.  Listen to others, but trust yourself.  If you have an option, you may want to move to a different area or department.

Something else you must do is document each and every incident. Keep your opinion out of it.  Document the date, time, witnesses and the facts.  Hold on to this information in the event you need it for further action.  You can also email this information to your boss and/or talk to someone in HR.

You may also prefer to talk to a counselor or someone objective.  If the bully happens to be your boss, you may have to make a tougher decision.

Remember . . . People cannot bully you if you don’t allow it!

The convenience of making or receiving a call at any time, any place (well, almost), far outweighs the negatives about cell phones and smart phones.

So how can a cell phone possibly be troublesome in the workplace? What exactly is the growing concern?

Perhaps this inexcusable scenario may sound familiar to you:

A senior executive walks into a staff meeting unexpectedly.  She wants to use this time while everyone is gathered around, to express sincere appreciation for the hard work and team effort accomplished in the department.  Definitely a welcome interruption!

About 5 minutes into praising everyone, her cell phone rings or sings.  She actually stops what she is saying and takes a moment to look at the display, sets the phone back down and says, “OK let’s see, where was I?”  This ritual is then repeated a few more times.  Her short presentation now turns into 20 minutes.  Sadly, this executive’s action spoke much louder than any praise she attempted to give.

The employees start rolling their eyes and start whispering to each other about their displeasure.  No doubt they are experiencing frustration and stunned disbelief that this executive could behave so rudely.  Respect?  It sure didn’t happen in this meeting.  In fact, her efforts were deflated because she clearly sent a strong message to her employees that none of them were as important as her cell phone calls.  With good reason, employees start  to say to each other, “why did she even bother?”

The University of Michigan did a survey to over 750 adults and found that 6 in 10 cell phone users say that using a cell phone in public can be “a major irritation.” Not only is it irritating, it can be down right rude and inconsiderate in the workplace.  Interesting statistics coming from the users.

Let’s Get Bold Here

Let’s get bold here.  Employees are paid to work, not take personal calls.  The busier an employee is, the less likely he/she will take time to make or receive personal calls.

On the flip side, employees with time on their hands will fill that gap with personal calls.

Statistics show that 50% of businesses experience annoyance or irritation among employees because there are no guidelines in place.

Do some of these situations sound familiar?

• Phones ringing at an unoccupied desk - Do you feel like answering it and saying “nobody is home!”
• Annoying ring tones - not everyone likes to hear the cutesy recordings from your children.
• Employees who take a call in the middle of a meeting – Disruptive and disrespectful.
• A meeting presenter that interrupts his/her speech to take a call – Hmmm, sound familiar?
• Non-emergency personal calls that everyone overhears like, “what’s for dinner, honey?” This is really annoying especially if co-workers are doing their work and yours too! This also leads to animosity among co-workers.
• An employee who puts a customer on hold to answer a personal call from their cell phone. Don’t even get us going on this one!

If cell phone use and abuse are occurring in your place of business, it is time to implement some etiquette guidelines.   If you are not in a position to implement rules or guidelines, you may want to check with your HR department or your supervisor and get something in the works.

Here is a starting point:

• Limit personal cell phone use to lunch and breaks.
• Do not allow ring tones of any kind.
• Company issued cell phones are the property of the company.  This means the company can prohibit personable use.
• Personal cell phones should be turned off during work hours.  Check messages on your break or lunch hour.
• If you work in an area that does not have a company land line, personal cell phones should be permissible for emergencies only.

All of us have many stories about cell phone abuse.  How irritating is it to be in a store and the sales clerk assisting you is simultaneously talking on the phone with her sister about a new cheesecake recipe?  Makes you feel pretty insignificant, doesn’t it.  You start to question whether or not they really want your business.  Certainly not a good way to build customer loyalty!

First and foremost, always think about the impact your actions have on your customers when you do not give them your full attention.   They deserve it.

In the meantime, common courtesy is the best.

What cell phone stories do you have?  Share with us, we would love to hear from you!

It’s played in grocery stores, restaurants, elevators, doctors’ offices, nail salons, car dealerships, gas stations (yes, while you are pumping gas), business offices and even the parking lots!

Is music appropriate in the workplace? You bet it is.

Does music boost employee morale? Yes to that one too.

Music plays a positive role in most of our lives personally and professionally.

Music acts as an important component in building a customer service culture in the workplace.

• It improves alertness
• Creates team interaction
• Increases employee morale – break out in song once in a while and see what happens!
• Stimulates productivity
• Music makes us happy! (We love happy)
• and the beat goes on

Your favorite music automatically puts you in a good mood. And most importantly, an employee’s good mood means a happy customer!

Back in the corporate days on my way to work, I would pop in a CD and listen to, ”We Are the Champions”  by Queen for quick motivation.  Don’t know why this song had the impact it did, but it helped me motivate my team for sales contests at work. (Really, crank it up and see!)

If you know you have a tough day ahead, try listening to some of your favorite songs before you get to work or right before an event. Seriously, this works.

We recently attended a workshop and observed our speaker putting on a headset just prior to starting the event.  Watching as she moved to an unpopulated area, we instantly knew she was listening to a song(s) that moved her mind and soul into the motivation and energy she needed for a long day ahead.  Wow, the impact and power of music. By the way, it was by far one of the most informative workshops we have ever attended.

We are big believers that starting off your day with music can set the tone for the entire day.  We would be remiss if we didn’t make a comment of how it has its place at home too.  Being Motown gals, Aretha and Smokey continue to be our constant motivator for some serious house cleaning!

• If employees are seated in an open area, no music at their desks. This is about as popular as gum snapping.
• Music in the office needs to come from a single source with the speaker(s) set on low volume.
• Music needs to be appropriate for the type of business you work in.
• If employees or customers are complaining about the music in any way, listen to them.

Satellite radio provides great variety in music, so no longer do you have to provide elevator music in the workplace, thank goodness!

However, before we go any further, soft and soothing sounds do have a place in certain businesses. Heavy Metal would not be welcome while undergoing a root canal or cataract removal.

Music is perfectly acceptable in the workplace BUT it must be relevant to your place of business and your customers.

Scenario #1 – Background Music

We recently went to a local restaurant for a late business lunch.   The restaurant we chose served many different types of hamburgers and the decor centered around the beach scene. We were seated immediately and after perusing the menu for a couple of minutes, we both chimed in with “what is going on with that music?”

Our customer service background kicked in and we confronted the waiter. We stated that as customers we found the music to be inappropriate and too loud and would he mind changing the CD?  He said, ”I agree, but it’s satellite radio and that’s the station that is always on.”  What? Can’t someone change the station?

Getting nowhere and wanting to rescue fellow customers from having to endure and digest this music, we asked for the manager.  The word apparently got to the radio general and the station soon changed.  The Beach Boys would have been appropriate with their setting but Huey Lewis won out.  Before we left, someone did come by our table to see if everything was OK.  Good Job!

Bottom Line: If you are going to invest in background music in your place of business, cater to your customers, not your employee’s specific taste.

Scenario #2 – Music on Hold

You are calling a company to complain about a faulty widget you just purchased. Immediately you are placed on hold and no doubt nestled in the holding pattern queue.  Your current mood is in total conflict with the ding dong music box tunes you are forced to listen to.

After several minutes of what you consider bad noise, a “live” person finally takes your call.   I would venture to say that your next few words will not be exactly indicative of putting your best foot forward.  Beware:  Most angry customers placed on hold will not appreciate music of any variety.

On the other hand, I am sure you have experienced being put on hold only to hear an oldie but goodie or even a good sales commercial.  Your thoughts at this time are “I hope they keep me on hold until the end of the song or I hear what the latest bargain is.”

Bottom Line: Music on Hold is popular especially in companies that have high incoming call volumes.  Occasionally listen to your own music-on-hold and experience what your customers are listening too.  Use good sense in your choice of music. When in doubt, choose easy listening.  It’s your best bet.

Below the Bottom Line: Music in the workplace isn’t suited for every company.  It’s a personal choice, make it a good one.

Businesses sang the same song (here we go with singing again), “do you have experience?” And of course, our thoughts were “how do we get experience if no one will hire us?” Can’t they see we are trainable and happy people?

Eventually, someone took a chance and gave us a break.

Hiring someone with experience is not always the best choice for a customer service position.  Just because the candidate is a seasoned waiter, teller, retail clerk, etc., doesn’t mean they’re good or have the complete customer service skills package.  Does that mean they are a bad employee? Absolutely not. Just better suited in a different position.  To take this further, some people work their entire life in the wrong position or field and don’t even know it.  Sounds strange, but true.

If you are looking to fill any position within your organization, you owe it to yourelf, your existing employees and most importantly to your customers, to hire happy people.

We recommend you consider the following when interviewing for a customer service position:

1. Hire people based on attitude first, skills next.  Attitude is a choice we make.  Learning the job can be taught.
2. If an applicant does not smile during the interview process . . .  your customers won’t see it either.
3. Select people that are naturally friendly.  You will be able to tell right away, seriously.
4. Tell applicants that the primary measurement for performance evaluations will be on their customer service delivery.
5. Ask applicants to define customer loyalty and get their comments on how best to achieve it.

How about a few open-ended customer service interview questions?

1. How would your former co-workers describe you?  Is that what they would say if I asked them?
2. What is the nicest thing you have ever done for a customer?
3. What is your process for handling a difficult customer?  Not that you have any.

I recall interviewing one applicant in particular.  She came highly recommended from a trusted colleague and her resume was right in line with what we were looking for.

She entered my office dressed somewhat professional, but a little wrinkled (her dress!). I dismissed it because it was late in the afternoon.

She sat down. Whoops, she slouched down and flung her left arm over the back of the chair sitting awkward and crooked. I guess she felt comfortable and was settling in. Her hair was tossled (in a bad way), was it windy outside? She then proceeded to chomp and snap her chewing gum. Before she started to blow bubbles I could see this candidate was not what I was looking for.

Yes, it was that fast that I mentally disqualified her. Her qualifications were exceptional on paper, but clearly that’s where it ended. If she was that cavalier during the interview, how would she treat our customers?

Think about your existing employees.

1. Are the right employees in the right positions?
2. Do they like what they are doing?
3. Are they good at it?

I once worked at a company that took 3 employees and rotated them to 3 different positions over a period of 9 months.  Amazingly they ended up in different positions than where they started and it worked out better for them and the company.

When personalities and job descriptions match, employees are happy and production soars. Fortunately for these employees, the company was large and they had a supervisor that thought “outside the envelope.”

Bottom line . . . Everyone deserves to be happy in the workplace.

Yes, customers want fast service but they also want your attention and want you to take time with them.  Find a happy medium.

A major complaint is that no one really seems to care anymore.

Automated phone systems, voice mail, email and other technology has replaced the personal touch when it comes to customer service.  No wonder, customer frustration is on the rise.  Customers want to feel important and appreciated. If they don’t, they will move on.

The sitcom “Cheers” was a classic example.  Their beer was no different than the beer served in another bar down the street.  So why was this bar so popular with the patrons?  You guessed it, the interaction between the employees and the customers.  Appreciated customers keep coming back.

Did you know that 68% of customers who stop doing business with a company leave because of an attitude or indifference by a SINGLE employee? Simply stated, employees are the biggest reason you lose customers.  In the case of a self employed business, take a look at what you are doing or better yet, saying.   Every employee from the CEO down is part of the customer service chain and responsible for customer satisfaction.   If you think customer service is not in your job description, think again.  Anyone that benefits from the work you do, puts you in the customer service category.

Here are the most popular reasons why a company loses customers.

An employee:

• had a negative attitude
• gave the wrong information
• was not empowered and wouldn’t take responsibility
• was rude
• wouldn’t listen
• was not knowledgeable about the products
• got defensive and started the blame game
• didn’t tell me about hidden charges
• transferred my call all over the company
• provided no follow through
• sent me to the wrong department
• ignored me
• put me on “hold” and forgot about me
• did not return my phone message or emails
• and on . . . and on

Most behaviors listed above can be treated with employee training.  It is no surprise that customers leave because they are frustrated with the lack of experience or professionalism from an employee.  What experience are your customers receiving from “the Director of First Impressions?”  What about the contact with other employees?  Will your customers come back?  Will they tell others about you?

Employee mistakes? Mistakes do not drive customers away, people do. It is the manner in which a mistake was handled that will drive a customer away.  Customers do not demand perfection, but they should be treated with respect and kindness when a mistake occurs, even if it is the customer’s mistake.

Invest in your employees with customer service training.  They need to know how to respectfully treat a customer.  Employees will then be loyalty-focused and know how to take action.  It will make the difference between building customer loyalty and losing a customer.

Customer loyalty is earned.  Commit to delivering outstanding customer service with every customer, every day!

Grumpy and stress are close relatives. A recent survey said 90% of Americans live in a constant state of stress. YIKES, no wonder customers are treated poorly.

If you work on improving your attitude and start to smile a little more, you will be taking a huge leap on reducing that stress. Add a little fun and laughter and you will feel and see the difference.

For those of you that know us, it will be no surprise that we label laughter as the #1 Customer Service Rule. We found out very early in our careers that our unique laughter, (yes, both of us!) opened up career opportunities, advancement and positive recognition in both our professional and personal lives. We have to admit, we were way ahead of the game on this one. One might say that you hear us before you see us. Now you know our secret. Laughter is a must in our world.

Did you know that the average preschooler laughs or smiles 400 times a day? The sad truth is that this is greatly reduced to about 15 by the time we are 35. It is so important that we are now reading and hearing more and more about the benefits of laughter in the workplace. For some companies, it is a pre-requisite for many customer service positions.

You don’t need to see each other to hear laughter, we can see that big smile on the phone and we read it in our emails by typing “LOL.” We are not saying you need to be a standup comic or jokester but just smile as often as you can. It will truly brighten your day and it just might cinch that sale. Unless you win the lottery, you can plan on spending a long time in the workplace. So smile, work should be fun.

When there is fun in the workplace, you can expect:

• People will enjoy coming to work
• They will be more motivated
• They will enjoy better relationships with each other
• Better communication
• Better cohesiveness and team spirit
• Higher morale and productivity
• Positive atmosphere for problem solving and creativity

Laughter in the workplace is essential, here’s why:

• Decreases absenteeism - Everyone wants to work in a positive, upbeat environment. People get along better with co-workers, absenteeism and tardiness are reduced and decision making improves.
• Reduces stress - Studies show that humor activates our physiological systems including the muscular, respiratory, cardiovascular and skeletal.
• Higher productivity - this leads to “thinking outside the box” or in our case “the envelope,” producing more and different products, leading to higher profitability.
• Lowers your blood pressure - Yes, laughter lowers blood pressure and increases endorphins.
  Exercises the lungs and pumps more oxygen in the bloodstream
• Contagious to everyone around you - That’s the best. Don’t you want to be a company that ranks high on employee/customer satisfaction and profitability? Happy employees = happy customers!

So lighten up and get serious about laughing. It is good for the soul and business too!

What about your attitude? I recently read that your attitude is your personal signature and that people associate your attitude when they hear or read your name.

Positive attitudes automatically generate smiles. People prefer to do business with positive, upbeat employees. On the down side, a bad attitude looks ugly on you and it effects others around you. If you notice bad attitudes among your employees, so do your customers.

Research shows 68% of customers who stop doing business with a company leave because of an attitude or indifference by a SINGLE employee. That person could be the CEO, VP, Director, Manager, Supervisor, Foreman and so on. Remember, every employee is part of the customer service chain.

If you need to work on your attitude, here are some tips you can use right away:

• Don’t take yourself too seriously - for most of us, nothing we are doing today will make any bit of difference in the world a hundred years from now. So, why take yourself so seriously? Laugh (for those that know us, this is our forte!) and learn to laugh at yourself.
• Keep Your Spirits Up - No matter how difficult the situation, maintain a positive attitude. It really will turn out just fine. (How’s that for a positive attitude?)
• Learn to Fail – Heard the quote, “learn to fail . . . but fail quickly?” Deal with it, learn from it and then move on quickly.
• Leave Your Ego at Home - “The bigger a man’s head gets, the easier it is to fill his shoes” ~ Henry A. Courtney. What can we say?!
• No Screaming! – No matter how bad things get, no situation warrants an angry response. It shows a total lack of control and makes you look bad . . . very bad.
• Ban Whining - A whiner is like an infection, it spreads. No pity parties and stop it immediately at the source.
• Dump the Drama - It sells tabloids but has no use in the workplace. It’s draining and zaps valuable creativity.
• Smile – It increases your face value. It also increases your success. Remember, people aren’t happy because they are successful, they are successful because they are happy. A smile totally effects those around you. You just might make their day too!
• Tell Good Stories - The world is often too serious for us humans. Chances are, you have been through a lot to get where you are today so share some of your humorous adventures.

Customers respond better to an employee that is positive and upbeat, so share your new attitude and that smile in your voice with your customers. You will love the outcome!