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Computer Ergonomics and the Office of the Future - Part 4
In Part 4 we discuss the idea of designs that are similar for home and office.Architectural Designs Intersecting with Home LifeI believe that there will be a "blending" of the home and work office. There is an increased need for "home" offices to be set up in a similar fashion to the office for telecommuters and those who work at home. There are many who regularly correspond with people on other continents and they are going to require a setup to enhance this.I see home offices that mimic the office to make it more comfortable and convenient to work from home. People will be more open to spending their own money on higher quality items such as ergo chairs (not the kind at the office superstore!), keyboards, mice, etc. for themselves so they can work with increased comfort and higher levels of productivity.Today they spend money on expensive gadgets for their home and nice cars and soon they will realize that it just makes sense to spend money to work in comfort.The "office" setup will be designed to be homier. There is a need for workers to feel good and be inspired in their surroundings. I see chairs that workers can rest in, read and have phone conversations in…in addition to their task chair.Whether at home or office the design must offer the feeling of spaciousness, perhaps with a small fountain, music, spring water fountain, software that alerts the worker to take a break and rest and rest their body.Many of the offices that I have consulted in have been downright depressing with plain white walls, old carpet, and hospital like hallways.In order for people to be more productive (and that is what we are really talking about here- Increased Productivity for increas

a key component of good industrial practices and one that no company can afford to underestimate the importance of. As an employee, neither should you. Always be well mannered and polite. Show Mr. Jones the respect that you would like him to be showing you by the time he leaves.

If you feel that you're getting to the point where you're ready to lose it, then say "Excuse me one moment, please, Mr Jones," and go get another staff member or your boss to take over. It's better to be kicking boxes or bawling your eyes out in the stationery cupboard than losing your job. To work in Customer Service, you need to develop the patience of a saint and the hide of a rhino. If you find yourself lacking in either attribute, then you may want to consider asking for either a transfer to another department or additional training from Personnel on handling these very circumstances.

#5. Do make some kind of affirmation that shows that you're listening throughout.

So You Want to Be Your Own Boss? (Or: the Rewards and Challenges of Self-Employment)
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 10 million self-employed workers in the United States and that number is increasing - for good reason. Being your own boss means not worrying you'll be laid off or fired. It allows you to create your own work schedule. It holds out the promise of great financial reward. It frees you from having to attend mind-numbing staff meetings. In short, self-employment lets you call the shots.Being your own boss is not, however, without significant challenges. Potential concerns include, but are not limited to: Lack of financial security or predictabilityIsolation from peers or co-workersLack of clarity about job demands and expectations. Related social and emotional challenges include: Tolerating financial uncertaintyFinding the right balance between business and leisureObtaining much-needed support and encouragement from friends, family and peersCombating those feelings of loneliness and isolation that can lead to depression and anxiety. The following can help maximize your chances for success and satisfaction: Look to your support network for encouragement, constructive feedback and companionship.Have a financial backup plan.Have a well-thought-out, written business plan. The more planning you do with respect to short- and long-term goals and tasks, financial expectations and daily work routines, the less vulnerable you are to stress, anxiety and depression.Implement your plans. Be flexible where needed. Successful self-employment requires openness to learni

Almost anyone who has worked with the public has a horror story to tell about a difficult customer. I'm talking about a particular type here: the usually loud, upset, sometimes aggressive or intimidating ones. Having worked in Customer Service roles for two decades, I've had my fair share, especially when I worked in a Returns Department.

Over the years I've found that there are right and wrong ways to deal with them, and the route you choose can mean the difference between them leaving happy or vowing never to spend another penny with your company again. Here are some suggestions that may help you the next time you're faced with The Customer from Hell.

Do's and Don'ts to Keep in Mind When Dealing with Difficult Customers

#1.Do listen to them carefully.

Sounds simple, doesn't it? In reality, it can be very hard if someone is upset or angry to pay attention to what they're saying rather than looking for an escape route. They may after all have a valid complaint, and you'll only find that out if you can determine the source of it. Make a real effort to use active listening, noting mentally what your understanding of their complaint is. Concentrate fully on what's being said. Beware though of taking too many notes while they're talking. The customer may get the impression that you are ignoring them, or worse still, doodling on a notepad because you don't care less.

If you wish to take notes, ask them for permission as a courtesy. Make it clear why you are writing something down or keying information into a computer (usually to ensure that there is a record of the complaint on file). Some people do get a bit paranoid when they can't see exactly what you've input. Personally, I always turned my monitor to show it to the customer when I had finished logging a complaint so that they could review its accuracy. If you're thinking you'll try that next time, always check with your superior that you wouldn't be breaking any rules by doing so well ahead of time.

#2. Do let them finish what they're saying before responding.

There's probably nothing more irritating to a customer whose blood is already boiling that being interrupted. Save any questions if at all possible until they have finished their tirade, (now would be a good time to ask about notes) and then reiterate your understanding of the complaint's nature in a summarized fashion to check that you have it right.

For the purposes of example, we'll call our fictitious customer Mr. Jones. It may be helpful to say something like, "I'm sorry that you're unhappy, Mr. Jones. I'd like to help sort this out to your satisfaction, so I just want to check that I have understood the facts before we go any further." Whether or not you agree with him is immaterial at this point. If the customer feels that you have in fact been taking what he says seriously, then you're halfway there to resolving the situation.

In my experience, many will actually become calmer once they realize that you're going to give it your best shot. (I'm assuming here that you do really want to do your job well and bring this to a satisfying and mutually acceptable close.) The customer's had the opportunity to let off steam and like a balloon, chances are that once he's went up, he'll come down again.

#3. Do give the customer your full name and contact number if your company policy allows you to do so.

This will help you establish a connection with the customer and reinforces the sentiment that you really do want to help. If you can give them a business card with your details on it, so much the better. In these days of faceless call centers, it's just too easy for an employee to say whatever they like and not be held accountable for any promises or claims that they have made because no one knows who said it in the first place.

Many times, I found myself on the receiving end of an irate customer who had been told complete rubbish by one of the aforementioned faceless employees, only to speak to me next and be given the bad news. Of course, as I was in front of them, I got the brunt of their anger. Which brings me nicely to point four:

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

It's not usually you that Mr. Jones is mad at, it's your company in some shape or form or the actions of someone within your company. ( If it is your mistake, it's actually easier to deal with because you'll know exactly what went wrong. Hold your hands up, explain what went wrong honestly, apologize sincerely, and get it sorted out ASAP.) To him, you ARE the company and therefore deserve to be the focus of his wrath. Keep your cool and an emotional distance from it all to avoid either losing your temper or crying your eyes out right there and then. The more professional and polished an outward appearance you have, the more likely the customer is to feel that you will deal with his complaint in a similar vein.

If you resort to Cardinal Sin #1 : shouting back at him, or Cardinal Sin #2 : roll your eyes at your co-worker when you think the customer's not looking, (trust me, they'll see it - congratulations, you just inflamed the situation a hundred times over), don't expect to keep your job long. Your superiors will probably hear of it and you'll quite possibly be reprimanded, fired or asked to resign without a reference, none of which are good options.

Customer Service is a key component of good industrial practices and one that no company can afford to underestimate the importance of. As an employee, neither should you. Always be well mannered and polite. Show Mr. Jones the respect that you would like him to be showing you by the time he leaves.

#5. Do make some kind of affirmation that shows that you're listening throughout.

Voice Of The Customer And Focus Groups
Voice of the CustomerThe ‘Voice of the customer’ is a tool or process of gathering customer input about the proposed or existing services or products depending on the situation. If a company’s success depends on knowing what the customer wants, then it should develop products and services based on customer feedback, and this should be done sooner rather than later.Focus GroupsThe focus groups may be thought of as special purpose vehicles or mechanisms to facilitate understand the voice of customer better, organize the gathered data, evaluate the evolved feedbacks and channelize them in concise fashion to the developers for deliberation and further action. In a way, focus groups can serve as live links between the customer and the development department.Going a step further, we understand that there is a need for two focus groups with different missions. The first one focuses on exploring the collective needs of customers, develop and evaluate concepts for new product development as sensed or demanded by the voice of the customer. This group is generally called an explorative focus group. The other one is an experiential focus group, used to observe the usage of products in the market and study what the customers feel and experience about the products, learning their reasons and motivations to use the product.How Do Focus Groups Conduct Voice Of the Customer Sessions?The voice of customer sessions are conducted for long periods of 1 to 3 hours with typically 8 to 10 participants from the customer side. The objectives of the session are defined and clear in the minds of the participants. To begin with, it requires an experienced facilitator to organize the session from initiating to

doodling on a notepad because you don't care less.

#2. Do let them finish what they're saying before responding.

#3. Do give the customer your full name and contact number if your company policy allows you to do so.

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

#5. Do make some kind of affirmation that shows that you're listening throughout.

Boat Manufacturers
If you are one of those people, who cannot imagine life without adventure and adventure without the water then possessing a boat becomes almost imperative for you. Going for long boat rides alone or with your loved ones into unknown territories can only get your adrenaline racing.To make the entire tryst a memorable experience, you must have a boat that is not only extremely sturdy but one, which looks into all your needs. If it is speed you are looking for then you might not mind compromising on the comfort factor; if it is comfort that is primary on your list of priorities then you might not give a hoot to speed. You might be one of those who believe in only those experiences, which are wholesome and satisfying; in that case, you might not want to sacrifice on either of the two, speed or comfort.When it comes to choosing the right kind of boat, you might find the entire a wee bit confusing, that is, if you are not already a connoisseur of boats. There is a huge variety of boats available in the market. Different boat manufacturers specialize in different kinds of boats. You have an option to choose from powerboats, jet boats, airboats, catamarans, dinghies, rigid inflatable boats, houseboats, inboard boats, kayaks, canoes, outboards, personal watercrafts, other watercrafts, sailboat, super yacht, trailers, underwater crafts and used boats.The manufacturers of most of these different kinds of boats provide potential customers with a lot of information regarding the kind of requirements a particular boat will serve, its price range and other inclusive amenities. The manufacturers also make it a point to guide you through the entire procedure of choosing the right kind of boat and help you get the best

we go any further." Whether or not you agree with him is immaterial at this point. If the customer feels that you have in fact been taking what he says seriously, then you're halfway there to resolving the situation.

#3. Do give the customer your full name and contact number if your company policy allows you to do so.

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

#5. Do make some kind of affirmation that shows that you're listening throughout.

What Does the Consumer Want?
No matter who is your consumer? Anyway he is the highest authority for you, whose opinion is a law for you. One of the best definitions of “a consumer” belongs to Mahatma Gandi, many leading companies owe their primacy to these simple postulates: Consumer is the main person in your office. He does not depend on you. All of us depend on him. He is no hindrance for our work. He is the target of our work. He is a part of our work. We don’t do him a favor serving him. He does us a favor giving us such an opportunity. The trite phrase “Client is always right” – this is the credo of any marketing – oriented company aimed at success. It can’t be otherwise. As a company with long –term goals of development you should know what your customer wants. Without it you will hardly manage to build a good service for your clients. So, what are the clients’ present expectations?They want to feel secure and relaxed. In everything. A student purchasing a custom law essay from online writing service, wants to be sure that he will get a good mark, the housewife expects the house appliances serve even to her grandchildren. And if something goes wrong your company should have a fast way of eliminating this problem. Customers are very grateful to those who help them in their routine problems (both new and old) they can’t cope with on their own. A customer often has no desire to go deep into the details of some device. He needs someone competent to explain him how it works and what it is for. Many companies are expanding and flourishing because they appear to be convenient for their clients. For example on- line custom term paper writing services assist students in their busy academic career by building an efficient customer support service

I was in front of them, I got the brunt of their anger. Which brings me nicely to point four:

#4. Don't take it personally when a customer gets mad.

#5. Do make some kind of affirmation that shows that you're listening throughout.

Work At Home Based Business Opportunity And Fishing
What is the relationship between fishing and search engine optimization? It does not have direct relation. But a rule does not exist to relate a thing with another one. In the truth this relation appeared when I was to take my younger son and his friend to a fish. They have 8 and 9 years old, respectively. And as well as I, they are learning to fish.On the other hand, at a new work at home based business opportunity, I am learning to use search engine optimization. They are tools to attempt to gather all the pages that are in the Internet world and rank these according to the search phrase typed in by the user.The point here is: when we catch the fish pole and we launch it in the lake, our goal and hope are to catch the biggest possible fish. Exactly that the fish tools are not adjusted.My son and his friend after the first catch fish have begun to talk that those fishes were so small and that lake did not used to have bigger fishes. In other words, they wanted to catch big fish. Of which size, I asked them, and they just sad big fish. Of course they do not image a necessarily size. They just wanted a bigger fish then those they star fishing.At the first search engine optimization lesson I learned that take the big fish does not work for new Internet marketers. It is like to want to catch a big fish with a small hook. What does it mean?A work at home small Internet business is a very competitive area of make money at Internet world. There are many gays with experience and much more time doing this. If we choose phrase as work from home, home based business the competition will be with no less than 1 million work at home Internet pages searching a month. And by this way th

#5. Do make some kind of affirmation that shows that you're listening throughout.

Even if it's only a nod and an occasional 'uh huh' or 'yes' in a positive tone, it's better than staring blankly at him like a rabbit caught in the headlights. The idea is to convey an air of approachability, interest and concern. Maintain good eye contact-again, no staring- and keep your body language open, not closed. This means sitting with either your hands on your lap or standing with your arms at your side, rather than crossing them tightly across your chest. That action just screams defensiveness before you even open your mouth. Another example of positive body language that shows you're being attentive is to lean slightly towards rather than away from the customer.

When you do speak, use a calm, clear and measured tone. If you find that the customer simply will not let you speak, then wait until he does. Silence can be a powerful tool. It doesn't normally take long for it to register that you are no longer responding vocally to what is being said. When asked why, that's your chance to respond. Resist the temptation to say " Because you won't shut up!" for the reasons given in point #4. A more neutral answer would be, " Because I was allowing you to finish what you were saying. May I say something now?" Inevitably, the customer will say yes. If, by the remotest of chances, they say no, be aware that you may be dealing with someone that falls into the 'escorted off the premises' category. Which brings me to an important point:

You may think that this scenario is unlikely to happen, but it has already in workplaces up and down the country. If you feel that there is the chance that the customer may become violent, ensure that you are not alone with our fictional Mr. Jones. It's not a good idea to take him into an interview room for a private discussion because you're trying to avoid the stares of other customers if it might result in being physically attacked. Have some sort of barrier between you, even if it's only a desk.

Ideally, there would be another member of staff alongside you or very close by that you can send a covert prearranged signal to if you feel that there is a real danger present. The advantage of this is that they can intervene before or if the situation turns ugly and you have a witness to the event. There are times when you may not be able to do anything apart from call Security to remove the customer because of their threatening behavior. Even though it should probably be a last resort, it's still an option that's there to protect staff and other customers to be utilized when necessary.

Check with your manager or Personnel what route you'd be expected to take if that happens before it does, and you will be prepared for anything. I hope that you never have to experience that situation, but it's always wise to err on the side of caution.

So How Is It All Going So Far?

Let's have a quick recap here: you've listened in an active fashion to the nature of the complaint, without interrupting or losing track of what exactly the complaint is. You've taken notes, mentally first then documented it with the customer's permission granted beforehand. You've clarified anything that you were unclear on and have a full understanding of why he's upset. You have reassured the customer that you are ready and willing to help sort it out to the best of your ability and the customer has recognized that by your actions.

You've presented a professional front by both staying calm and courteous. You've given your full name or business card to Mr. Jones (company policy permitting) for future reference, all the while demonstrating positive, open and non threatening body language. Lastly, you've taken steps to protect yourself if things turn sour.

Good for you! You're a credit to both yourself and your employer. By now, if life is in any way fair, Mr. Jones should be in a decidedly better frame of mind than he was when he walked in.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Now, let's move on and deal with actually resolving the problem. I'm assuming here that the complaint is indeed a valid one. You need to ask yourself a few questions.

Can I resolve this alone? If so, do it as quickly and with as little fuss as possible.

If I can't, who can? Contact the person or department best suited to deal with it speedily. If you don't know who it will be, find out by asking your boss or colleagues, or perhaps contacting the switchboard operator - she usually has a good handle on who does what in a large company.

What if the person is unavailable to deal with it, or the resolution is going to take a few days or more? That being the case, you need to take responsibility for seeing Mr. Jones's complaint through. You've already given him your name. You'll be his first point of contact if nothing happens, therefore it's in your best interests too to ensure that the complaint is followed up and not gathering dust in someone else's in-tray.

Otherwise, you undo all the good work you have done up till now and Mr Jones won't see you as a professional person anymore. Do you really want that to happen because of another person's inaction? No, neither would I.

Advise the customer about the nature of the delay, agree to contact them at a specific time and date to keep them updated, and most importantly of all, DO IT. Mr. Jones is not going to be ecstatic, but at least he'll know that something is being done and you'll be keeping tabs on it.

No matter whether you can resolve it right away or it falls under the remit of another, always take the following steps:

Golden Rules for Complaint Handling

Thank the customer for bringing the complaint to your attention.

Apologize sincerely for the err

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