choices Archives - Page 4 of 4

12
Jul 17
-

Why Digital Customer Service is for You

Tags : choices customer service Digital generations

You are in a new race: the race for digital excellence. Don’t be alarmed; be happy. Digital customer service is happening for us, not to us.

Things are always changing. We can argue for good, bad, or somewhere in between. Change often makes people feel uneasy, nervous, and afraid. From generation to generation, things are changing.

Generational Differences

Generational shifts happen for a combination of reasons. In our modern history, we can attribute these shifts to some combination of three factors, major socioeconomic shifts, technology, and times of war.

You can clearly see the shifting and weaving of these patterns when you consider the five generations we currently have active in our workforce.

What changes are affecting customer service? One of the biggest may be the digital revolution.

Digital isn’t new, but the rapid rate of implementation is causing a significant shift. Things are going digital. How will digital impact you?

Digital Customer Service

When it comes to customer service, here are three of many areas to consider:

Security. You go through a finger print reader at Epcot, and your boarding pass for airline travel is a QR code on your telephone. The face of security is changing. Not only are video surveillance cameras installed in many public places, but they are also improving the customer experience with speed, safety, and comfort.
World of Mouth. Sales and customer service experts know both the benefits and dangers of word of mouth. Today we have to face the risks and rewards of world of mouth with social media. Accept it or deny it, social media data impacts revenues and success. Ignore it, and get left behind.
Access to Choices. Do you want to engage tech-savvy customers and especially those representing the millennial and Gen Z populations? Start thinking more about mobile technologies, smart phones, and downloadable apps. Fast, easy, and with better features, this is the future of customer service.

Going Digital

Most of all, remember that change is happening all around us. As a result, if you want the best customer experience, you might have to think more digitally. Consider your choices, be innovative, and always consider your target market.

It is all happening for you.

– DEG

custserv book

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Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect,Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

13
Mar 17
-

The Difference Between Lucky or Smart

Tags : choices decisions lucky motivation smart

You’ll often hear someone say, “They got lucky.” Sometimes you’ll hear someone say, “They are very smart.” Is there a difference between being lucky or smart?

Good Luck

We sometimes assume that luck simply happens. You get lucky if you win the lottery against very big odds. Luck might be with you when you pick the date for the summer picnic and that day the weather is amazing.

Many people might agree that luck implies we have little or no control over the situation.

Bad Luck

We might feel unlucky if we get a flat tire on our car, or we get sick with a cold right before several very busy days in our schedule.

The truth about luck, good or bad, is that often the outcomes are conditioned by how you manage it.

Have the most successful people been lucky? Are they smarter?

Lucky or Smart

The multi-million dollar winner of the lottery might become completely broke within just a few years. In contrast, the person with nearly nothing might become quite successful in a very short time. Both are the result of how their situation was managed.

This is exactly why you have to be smart. Smart isn’t always the most educated. It isn’t always the most experienced. Being smart often means you feel a responsibility and hold yourself accountable for your actions and decisions.

Analyze the data, consider the facts, use your knowledge and base it on your experiences. Sure, you can consult with others, get opinions, and make best guesses. You can do research and examine all options. Just make sure you are doing it smart.

Smart

It’s not always the fastest, it’s not necessarily the most calculated, and it doesn’t mean that it is low risk. Smart means you do the absolute best you can with everything you do. It means you make the best choices, not necessarily the easiest ones.

You may not always like the options but you still have to decide. Sometimes a decision to do nothing is still a decision. You’ll have to make the best one at the time, live with it, and make more.

Are you lucky or smart?

Either way it’s always about what you decide.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

24
Feb 17
4

Big Decisions, Removing Options, and Permanent Choices

Tags : choices decisions options risk

Are you facing a tough decision or choice? What is it about big decisions that often leave us struggling to make the call?

About eight months ago on a 114 degree day near Phoenix, Arizona, I found myself riding in the back seat of a big, dark, tinted window SUV. I was on business related travel and was able to get connected with a very reasonably priced private driver.

This wasn’t Uber, it wasn’t a cab, but a professional business service that chauffeurs people in that area.

While on a ride from a business meeting back to my hotel I engaged in some small talk with the driver. After a few minutes I noticed that the driver was very well spoken, appeared very knowledgeable, and his business savvy was quite impressive.

Being somewhat intrigued, we continued to talk. I learned that he was originally from the east coast with a very noteworthy professional career. I asked him about his move to Arizona, how he made the decision, and if it was the right choice.

His story was interesting but the details are not what really matter the most. What matters the most is one specific sentence that he shared. He said, “Every big decision that we make in life is always the right decision at that time, at that exact moment when you make it.”

Like a heavy meal of pasta and bread, it hit the spot and has stuck with me ever since.

Big Decisions

Sometimes when we are faced with big decisions we get too caught up in the details. It’s easy to become worried about what is the right choice or the best choice, and sadly we often inappropriately weigh the risks.

Confidence might sometimes be a factor, but most of our struggle often comes from the feeling of what we have to give up. Additionally, it might be about the feeling of permanency with our choice.

Consider a decision to move a thousand or more miles away from home. A career choice or a new job offer, and we certainly can’t forget about the idea of getting a tattoo or marriage. All of those things might feel permanent, and with that feeling of permanency there is added pressure.

Removing Options

The challenge for most people exists in the removal of options. Like a multiple choice question on an exam, deciding means we have to eliminate something. Some choices are easily removed because they just don’t fit. As the options become fewer the pressure might feel more intense.

Businesses often feel this pressure when deciding on their marketing mix or building a brand. Lots of options or being all things to all people feels more comfortable. The feeling is that you’ll never miss an opportunity.

Unfortunately as a result prospective buyers can’t decide so they move on to the vendor who has exactly what they want. Fewer options make deciding easier.

Individuals sometimes find this challenge with big decisions such as buying an automobile, a home, or booking that once-in-a-lifetime vacation. The more choices or options, the harder it is to decide.

Perhaps in life or business the easiest way to make big decisions is by becoming more comfortable with removing options.

Make the big decisions, even when it feels like it might be permanent.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

22
Mar 16
1

Taking The Lead On Tough Choices

Tags : choices persistence success

People often wonder how to discover the key for success. They don’t always understand the discipline or the motivation involved. They second guess the purpose and the effort. They sometimes underestimate the commitment and the tenacity that is required.

Business Discussion

Most of your personal or professional growth will not come from luck, fate, or coincidence. When was the last time you heard someone, including yourself, say:

I don’t want to go to work today, but I don’t have a choice.

Working on this special project is killing me, but I don’t have a choice.

Learning this new software is ridiculous, but there is no choice.

Typically we do have choices, what we sometimes lack are easy choices. You hold the key; you don’t have to discover it. You just have to use it. The greatest success stories develop from a commitment to a choice, a choice someone may have felt was not their own. Why, because it was tough.

Tough choices don’t make you powerless, they make you powerful.

But remember, it is still your choice.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker, and coach that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is the author of the newly released book, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at DennisEGilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

09
Jun 15
-

High Road

Tags : choices revenge the high road

What to wear, what to eat, or what will be first on our to-do list? We make choices and decisions every day that impact our lives and in many cases the lives of those around us. Most choices seem like just everyday life, and as a result are commonly taken for granted, ignored, or labeled as uninteresting to others.

It isn’t those choices that we make every day that are so visible, apparent, or perhaps interesting to others. It is the choices we make during times of chaos, unexpected setbacks, or failures that are so visible and have everyone watching. You may not be remembered for your choice of shoes, what you ordered at the restaurant, or how you prioritize your to-do list. It is when the chips are down, when the dark cloud is looming, or when suddenly you face a life changing event that all eyes will be on you.

Friends, co-workers, or interactions with other people may not always seem right, fair, or appropriate. They may not be choices you would make or how you would treat someone else, but the choice you make during a difficult time will define who you are. Revenge, strike-outs, or strike-backs in the pursuit of justice may feel like the right road, but with all eyes on you, you want to be sure you choose only one road, the high road.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and consultant that specializes in helping businesses accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. Reach him through his website at http://DennisEGilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

10
Mar 15
-

Sideliner

Tags : choices create your future flow

When you are in the flow and everything in your world is responding, you feel unflappable. You create your future building from one small success to another, and before you know it another, and another. Things are happening fast, and sideliners shout, “keep going, you’ve got this,” and your momentum builds.

When things are not flowing so well, and every twist and turn feels like you are falling deeper you also tend to self-create. Your analysis of the opportunity is that whatever appears good must be a trick, a setup, or a false hope that isn’t going to happen. It’s different from unflappable, and you hear sideliners shouting, “I told you so.”

Which sideliner was right? The answer is, you create your flow. Input conditions output, garbage in, garbage out. When you create your own story, when you decide the flow, you change the input.

Your choices are conditioned by input. That choice will alter the outcome, produce results, or do nothing. You will be in the flow, or not. You’ll decide the pace, you’ll coast, accelerate, or stay stuck.

You’ll start today, and start tomorrow, and start the next day with input. Be your own sideliner (critic), create your flow.

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert is a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and consultant that specializes in helping businesses accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. Reach him through his website at http://DennisEGilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

10
Feb 15
-

Ask You

Tags : choices confidence decisions risk

Do you remember your last big decision? Remember when meeting with friends or business associates someone asked you about the best restaurant? Do you remember a time when you felt pressured about political, religious, or personal choices? Do you remember the last time you uttered, “Don’t ask me.”?

Decisions are connected with a choice, a recommendation, and risk. Some people jump at opportunities; others decide it holds too much risk. Some suggest saying nothing is the right path. Perhaps it is, until nothing implies consent or agreement.

Making a decision holds you accountable, responsible, and requires risk. Suggesting the wrong move, the wrong restaurant, or the wrong strategy will not only end bad, it will label you. At least that is what you fear more than the bad choice itself.

Choices give us options, options give us freedom, and you have the right to choose. Culturally many of us seek to stand tall with those values, yet our instincts on making decisions often find us withdrawn with self-doubt and fearing the responsibility of choice.

If you want different, think different.

Ask you.

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

Photo Credit: Ron Cogswell, Jessop’s Tavern, New Castle, Delaware, USA

30
Dec 14
-

Resolutions

Tags : choices New Year resolution plan

Late December is a time of year that many start to consider a New Year resolution. What people are really looking for is a fresh start, a do-over, or an opportunity to make things right. Most people start with a plan, which is a good choice, but what leads them astray is not their plan, but their future choices.

What is sometimes obvious to others seems least obvious to those embedded in the plan. Often cited is the standard escape of, “I didn’t have a choice.” When in reality it was the only choice they chose to see. Consciously or not, it was a choice. Typically, it is the choice that required the least action, felt less risky, or had the least amount of push back.

Many New Year resolutions fail not because of a lack of a plan, but because of a plan that lacks good action.

Your next year is all about your choices.

Cheers!

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

Photo Credit: Quinn Dombrowski

Newer posts→

Tag Archives: choices

Jul 17

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Generational Differences

Digital Customer Service

Going Digital

Mar 17

-

Good Luck

Bad Luck

Lucky or Smart

Smart

Feb 17

Big Decisions

Removing Options

Mar 16

Jun 15

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Mar 15

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Feb 15

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Dec 14

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