Photo by netamir

Are you sitting there thinking that customer service doesn?t really apply to you and your job? Do you spend your days typing away at your computer, listening to woxy.com on your headphones, huddled in your office avoiding communicating with anyone? Do you cringe when the phone rings and briefly consider letting it go to voice mail? Do you secretly wish that you could hide under your desk every time someone stops by to chat thinking ?Can?t these people see that I’m busy and don?t have time to talk??

That, my friends, is a problem. So often we get wrapped up in our own lives, in the tasks we are doing at that very moment, that we fail to see how our attitude negatively affects how we interact with, and react to, other people. And that unfortunately reflects poorly on us and the company paying our salaries.

Let?s put it in perspective. Imagine that every time you went to the grocery store the teenage boy at the checkout barely looked you in the eye, acted annoyed when you handed him a pile of coupons and rolled his eyes when he had to call for someone to scan in a bottle of wine? Would you complain to the management? Stop going to that store? Tell your friends about your experience? Spread the word about the terrible service you received? My guess is that you would do one, if not all of these things. And suddenly that teenager and the store he works for has a bad rep for poor customer service. Something as simple as a bad attitude changed your opinion, and it will take A LOT to fix it.

Sure, you may not work in a retail setting, but the same principals apply. If you answer the phone snapping at the person on the other end, reply to emails without first greeting the person or brush off those who stop by your desk, you?re doing just as much harm as the checkout boy. You?re hurting yourself by giving the impressions that you won?t take time to help others, that you are in a bad mood or, worse, that you just don?t like people. And then people will be reluctant to help you when you need it most and will address you with the same annoyance that you?ve shown them. You?re also hurting the company that you work for, because whether you like it or not, your negative attitude is a reflection of that company.

So the next time the phone rings, pause for a minute before answering. Take a deep breath, put a smile on your face, and greet whoever it is like a long lost friend. Well, maybe that?s a little over the top, but at least keep your voice pleasant and upbeat, and most importantly have a positive attitude. Keep in mind the person on the other end of the phone might be having a bad day, and if you greet them with a happy voice and are willing to help them out, you just might brighten their day. And the next time they call, they will be a little nicer and little by little you?ll build a stronger, happier relationship with them.

Or if you are replying to an email, take 3 seconds to ask about their weekend, their family or their pets. You just might make a new BFF. At the very least, you will remind the person receiving the email that there is a person, not just a computer, typing away. And maybe they will take 3 seconds and answer you. And again, you?ll start to build a strong, long-lasting relationship.

We want to hear from you! What other tips do you have for dealing with people in a positive, happy way?

www.thinkmoxie.com

Photo by gsilva.

I don?t have time.

I can?t find the time.

Who has the time?

Where do you find the time?

There are days that I?m trying to cram so many things into my day and not ?having enough time? to get them all done. And there are other days where ?time? can?t seem to move fast enough (usually while doing something unpleasant). Well, the truth is I?ve chosen to not have too many things in my life I find unpleasant. (Yes, it?s a choice. And yes, everyone has it!)

Time is the same for everyone, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 52 weeks per year, and everyone chooses to spend it differently. There are things that should be done every day, like brushing your teeth and eating a few meals, and work is usually a standard weekday activity for most people. But what about folding underwear or ironing socks? These are things that, to me, are unnecessary and I don?t enjoy. So I don?t do them. Simple. More ?time? for things I actually WANT to do.

This same application can be applied to the workday. Do I need to check email every 10 minutes? Or can I do that once an hour, or less? If I?m busy, this is one area I can cut back. Also choosing the quickest and most efficient forms of communication, like email or phone. If I look, I can usually find the time to accomplish what needs to get done, or at least a good chunk of it.

It is also important to note that sometimes I use the excuse of ?I don?t have time? for things I don?t actually want to do. This could be conscious or unconscious, but if I really want to do something, I will usually find the time to do it. So the next time you say ?oh, I don?t have the time to do ______?, is it really because you don?t have the time, or is there another reason?

It?s easy to get wrapped up in everyday life, duties, activities and responsibilities, but it?s just as important to take a moment to reevaluate what?s REALLY important. Time only seems to move faster the older you get (not that anyone here is getting OLD), so why not fill that time with as much enjoyable stuff as possible? And really, why not choose to enjoy all activities? (Ok, how about most?)

At Moxie, we always make time for our clients. www.thinkmoxie.com

? Post written by Cristy Wiza.

Photo by kit1578.

No, I?m not talking about curse words, although there are a few that make even me cringe. I?m talking about words that will NOT be bleeped out on national television. These are ordinary English-American-language words that wouldn?t cause anyone else to notice but causes you to flinch and put your hands over your ear (ie. the earmuffs). Hmm? maybe you need an example.

Moist.

Did you scrunch up your face a little while reading that? This is a word that causes the rest of the office, sans myself, to make a squished up face and often say ?eww? or something to that extent. The truth is, I tend to like the gross and inappropriate. It?s how I was raised. No, really. I grew up on Rambo and Die Hard movies, blood and violence and all that good stuff.

In the office, however, it?s important to understand your coworkers comfort levels, and this includes those words that cross their tolerable limits. Ok, I?ll admit I?m usually the one to test these limits, but if I know it really bothers them, I?ll do my best to avoid those words.

To keep the office-peace, in almost any office with more than one person, there is an understanding that some things are just off limits. Since there is usually a mix of people from all different places, backgrounds, and lifestyles, it sometimes difficult to know what subjects and words are sensitive. When the topic arises that does make someone legitimately uncomfortable, this needs to be recognized and respected. (Unless, of course, you want office tension.)

For many people, almost half of their waking hours is spent at work during the week. Office dynamics are interesting and complicated and easily thrown off kilter, but when things are going smoothly it can be a great place to spend the day. Just remember to keep those ?earmuffs? words in check!

(As for the alligator photo, well, I couldn’t find a good earmuffs photo, so… the alligator lives in a “moist” habitat. HAHA!)

www.thinkmoxie.com

? Post written by Cristy Wiza.