I've recently been involved with the project of bringing in quite a large intake of new customers. Although one's first reaction to this would be all the benefits which come from new clients, the process can often be long and tricky. For in the world of business, one deals with people, not just money. And people can often be complicated. Starting out, I was very excited. Writing up the contracts, building charts to monitor developments, having neatly defined folders to store all relevant and ... [More]

Email communication is fast becoming the primary mode of both internal and external business communication. Like any communication tool, there are specific features which should be highlighted in order to engage best with your intended subject. The article 'Easy Steps for Improving E-mail Communications' by Ed Henrich lists various suggestions in order to help improve the effectiveness and future impact of your email communications. Article Excerpt: It's fourth quarter. You're busy, and now ... [More]

The explosion of social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter has seen a rapid shift in how the world communicates. Add to this the rise in mobile phones, especially those equipped with internet access, and we have a world becoming more connected than ever before. People are now able to be perpetually aware of what others are doing or thinking or find out what is happening around the world even often before the news breaks in traditional media like television or newspapers. The article To... [More]

One office ritual that I have incorporated into my work life is having regular coffee time with Ian, my Managing Director. In fact, he initiated it several years ago. I wasn’t always a fan of it at the beginning, because like everyone in business, there is always “so much to do” and “not enough time” (sound familiar?). Looking back though, over the past few years we have made excellent progress at irwinSolutions (with some blood, sweat and tears shed along the wa... [More]

In a world where time is scarce and tasks ever growing, we sometimes forget to invest in activities that do not appear to have immediate return that is measurable in dollar value. These often are the greatest mistakes a person can make. Investing time in people may seem like an obvious thing to point out, but how many of us actually care about the person on the other side of the telephone line? Or on the other end of an email? ‘Business relationships: Are you easy to deal with?’ outl... [More]

We have all had to deal with receptionists giving us the run-around in one way or another. Small misunderstandings are often enough to put you in a bad mood for the rest of the day. ‘Little Britain USA – Carol Beer (HBO)’ satirically display’s a hospital scene where the receptionist Carol Beer could not have picked a worse time to be unhelpful. Have a think about your own phone mannerisms and whether you possess any of Carol Beers’ unfortunate personality traits… let’s hope not!     ... [More]

Social Networking may have its beginnings in the social world, but it has developed well into the business world. More and more businesses are beginning to understand the importance of such communication processes and the growing need to be part of it. The article ‘Twitter Comes to the Rescue’ explores some of the potential benefits a social networking site such as Twitter can have for businesses with regards to opening up countless new ways to connect and communicate with customers.... [More]

It is seldom recognised that gatekeepers, such as receptionists, hold a great deal of power and responsibility within a business. They are the first point of contact for potential and existing clients, and thus are responsible for determining whether positive or negative first impressions are created. ‘Can I tell him who’s calling?’ discuses the various pitfalls which receptions often fall into and the potential effects this has on future business.   Article Excerpt Wit... [More]

Owning up to making a mistake is undoubtedly one of the more difficult tasks one faces in business. But biting the bullet, and being the first to admit the fault can be more beneficial than waiting for that abusive call a week later. ‘Notify Customers of Your Mistakes’ briefly outlines why businesses are better off notifying customers of their mistakes as soon as possible to help ensure they retain that customer's business, and reduce any negativity which might have derived from word... [More]