
Business, Career Articles And Advice For Business/Career/Executive Women
This section covers many of the topics vital to business, career and executive women. Top executives share information on all the topics that their counterparts crave, including business plans, starting and running a business, marketing, raising capital, career advice, success strategies and much, much more.
Leading editors and guest writers offer readers exclusive advice not only on enjoying a successful career and growing a thrivingbusiness, but also how to get more enjoyment out of life. Other articles carry the voices that these readers respect most: their peers. Read about career tips, hints and suggestions to help you get where you want, when you want - in your ongoing career.

An engaging service vision for your customer service training program
During A Cold Winter Season, Smart Organizations Get Busy Preparing For Spring. One way to prepare is to design (or confirm) a clear and motivating vision of what you want to become. Back this vision up with customer service training and other measures and you can transform your business for the better. Your engaging service vision is one of the "12 Building Blocks for a Superior Service Culture" we teach at UP Your Service! College. This vision can serve as a guiding light for customer service training and to focus your efforts now and in the future.

"You Can't Complain On A Saturday"
I paused, certain that I'd misunderstood. "Pardon?"
"Our Complaint Department is only open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central time. You can call back and share your complaint during those hours."
It was hard to believe that I was hearing this from a customer service rep of a major U.S.-based international airline - one which operates all over the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Commitment to customer service excellence
I am amazed at the effort companies put into building service brands on the outside, yet how fragmented they can be on the inside when it comes to customer service excellence. When fragmentation on the inside is experienced by customers on the outside, real trouble is brewing for the brand and any changes of being known for customer service excellence.
My student, KP, bought a new notebook computer at his nearby Mega-Mall. He was already brand-loyal - this was his fourth computer in a row from the same company. He believed in the company's commitment to customer service excellence.

So what should you do when a difficult customer complains?
Everyone has customers who complain. Complaining customers tell you what you've done wrong and how you can improve. If you measure customer value and decide to work to keep them happy, they will keep you in business. That's normal, but there are times when women business owners need to measure customer value and see a need to part ways.
Some customers will complain and complain and complain. They never stop complaining. No matter what you do, they still complain. If you work too hard to keep these "pain-in-the-neck" customers happy, they can run you right out of business. At this point, there's a need to measure customer value.
After all, difficult customers don't want to be satisfied. They like being unsatisfied. They frustrate your staff and irritate your other customers. Measure customer value and you might find they are not worth keeping around.

I Choose Words Every Day. When Speaking, Writing, Requesting And Deciding, I Use Some Words And Not Others. You Do, Too.
The words we choose create meaning and mission in our lives. This became clear when a close friend said he was "still looking for a wife." I know this guy. He will only get married when he decides to stop looking - and start finding.
Listen to the difference in these few words:
"What do you want?" or "How may I help you?"
"I didn't mean it." or "Please accept my apology."