The Facts May Not Be The Whole Truth!!

Many people falsely assume that when one gathers the facts, he always finds the truth. While many times that may turn out to be the case, there are many other times when facts don't lead someone automatically to the truth. Pete Townsend wrote, "The facts don't always reveal the truth, but the truth always reveals the facts." Although, at first, this may seem somewhat inconsistent, in far too many instances it is the case. Of course, there is sometimes a fine line, between essential, relevant facts, and falsely interpreted, part - truths! Always delve deeply whenever you are being solicited by any sales, financial, or real estate professional, so that you clearly can identify these differences!
 
1. Not all situations are automatically "black and white" matters. In many real life instances, there are often cases where there is far more "gray." Statistics, for example, are often manipulated to offer a certain desired set of facts, but those facts are often not the entire story. How a survey item for a poll, for example, often determines the results that might be gathered. For example, in today's world, most of us have been, at least somewhat, adversely impacted. Therefore, if the question asked, "Are you satisfied with the economy?," nearly everyone would answer no, and the number would show a large dissatisfied situation. However, if questions such as, "Do you agree with the President's approach towards the economy?," the numbers might show different results. But, if the question was, "Do you agree with the President's approach, the opposition party's approach, or neither?," we most probably would get an entirely different set of responses. It then, of course, depends on who is being asked, and how the data is being collected. Another example might be that it might be a fact that membership, for example, diminished during someone's tenure in office, but does that make the truth that it had to do with that person's leadership? Or was the situation inherited? As you can see, there are a number of variables involved.

2. On the other hand, when something is the truth, all the facts must align with that truth. Truth is based on legitimate facts, and the legitimate and honorable handling of those facts, as well as the ability to accurately interpret things. So many leaders fail to achieve their objectives because they simply see a set of facts, and those facts end up forming what they perceive as truth. Truth is composed of various and numerous facts, and without the training to interpret them, or the commitment to research the details, or the integrity to utilize those facts in a non- biased, non- prejudicial manner, many individuals in leadership mishandle facts to "prove" their version" of the truth. Honest and real truth cannot and does not have versions - it is simply the truth!

How many times have we heard people use a certain set of facts to justify or prove their point of view. Just because a particular set of facts might be interpreted in a certain manner, that does not make that the truth. Remember that half - truths are also half - lies!!

9 Ways To Keep Your Customer SATISFIED

Wouldn't it seem logical that businesses and/or organizations would prioritize or pay, at least a far more significant amount of attention, to identifying, serving, enhancing the experience of, and keeping their customers happy? Since few businesses can succeed, sustain themselves, and grow their businesses without maintaining happy customers, wouldn't you think that one of the items they would emphasize would be how best to enhance their customer's experiences? Many companies spend lots of time talking about how wonderful they treat their supporters, far too few actually end up doing so. Wouldn't you believe it would make sense for those involved in servicing and assisting customers and clients, such as Real Estate and Financial professionals, to focus on these individuals, and attempting to please and satisfy them? In order to assist in the effort to better serve their customer base, I have developed these 9 Ways to Keep Your Customer SATISFIED.

1. Seek out, proactively, what they want! Focus on their priorities and needs, rather than your own, and make your business a stronger one. Remember that your company is there to serve its customer base, and not vice versa. Lead with a combination of genuine, meaningful, sustainable strength, that makes others want to be associated with your organization, or with you!

2. Focus, and pay close attention to the bigger picture, with a focused, clear - cut, positive attitude. What are you doing to get others to want to be associated and aligned with you?

3. Tell them what to expect, and why it is in their best interests! Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Consistently proceed in a transparent manner.

4. Identify with your actual and/ or potential audience/ customer base, and make their priorities those your group emphasizes! Instill a sense of belief and pride in others, to motivate them to want to be associated with you.

5. Strive consistently to please, without compromising your ideals, goals, or focus! Perhaps the simplest way to do so is to always say thanks, even for apparently minor items. Remember that people generally love to be appreciated.

6. Be genuinely friendly, with true feeling, and aim to fulfill well beyond what you are presently doing. When you care more about others, they develop deeper feelings for you.

7. There is never any substitute for absolute integrity. That includes a combination of attitude, behavior and always delivering on your promises.

8. Earn their respect every day! Your goals must focus on giving others a great experience, always exceeding expectations. Do so proactively and consistently!

9. Do it! Don't just say you will! Remember that your customers are far more concerned with what you are doing and will do for them in the future, rather that what you've done in the past!

If those you serve lose their kinship with you, you will lose your relevance, potential and sustainability. Enhance your possibilities by using these 9 Ways To Keep Your Customer SATISFIED.

How To Master Your Presentation?

How often have you been called upon to give, or been in a situation where there has been the need for you to get up in front of a group of people, and give some sort of presentation? Studies show that a large percentage of individuals become nervous, queezy and uneasy when this occurs, often feeling considerably out of their comfort zone. Unfortunately, this form of oral communications has often been largely either ignored or paid little attention to, and because of that, many presentations and presenters present an atmosphere of discomfort, boredom, and somewhat of a feeling of "why did I bother attending this," amongst attendees. Like most acquired skills, learning to, and actually giving a quality presentation requires dedication, commitment and an understanding of the process and the requirements/ needs. Whether you are called upon, and/ or need to present something to either an individual, small or large group, or whether it is personal, civic, business - related, or organizational, how you present something often becomes a major factor, in how others will receive it! This is especially true for real estate and financial professionals, individuals in sales and/ or marketing, politicians/ statesmen, etc!

1. You'll rarely give a consistently quality presentation until, and unless, you thoroughly are prepared. This presentation means determining the goal of the presentation (i.e. what you want the attendees to walk away with), whether or not there is a need for accompanying visuals, doing your research and homework, understanding the group and its dynamics, etc.

2. Once you've formulated your information and materials, practice your presentation, and rehearse. This rehearsal should enhance your comfort zone, and anticipate questions and concerns that might be asked by the attendees.

3. Just like actors rehearsing for a new show, an effective rehearsal is never a one - shot event. The procedure must be repeated until your level of comfort with, and knowledge of, the materials, is nearly second - nature, and automatic.

4. Review your content in detail. Are you providing too little, too much, or just the right amount of information? Is the group that is attending prepared for the information you are giving? Will they welcome, or close their minds to new information, ideas and alternatives?

5. Are you comfortable going in front of a group? Are you so uncomfortable that your nervousness will create an impediment to a quality presentation? Rehearse in front of a mirror, look at your body language, continuously change the inflection and tone quality of your voice, and remember to speak more slowly than you feel you need to (because invariably nervous speakers rush). One's confidence is an essential of a quality performance!

6. Finally, consider your delivery, your performance, and whether or not you are engaging the group in an interactive manner. When one gets the audience more involved, it enhances the bond and thus the attention that the crowd will give you.

There is no one - step, easy procedure for enhancing your presentation skills. However, paying attention and being consistent, and thus using these basic six steps, helps to put you in the best scenario.

How Do You Earn Respect?

Have you ever thought about whether you have earned the respect of others? Even more importantly, do you earn your own respect each and every day? Perhaps the most essential component of maintaining a worthwhile and positive experience is how you feel about yourself, and whether your words, actions and integrity are consistent and absolute. Whether this relates merely to your personal life, or rather, to your professional or business situation, the concept of respect is an essential one! For example, if a real estate professional doesn't arrive on time for an appointment, respond to a question (or email, etc) in a timely manner, or if a customer/ client doesn't behave likewise towards his agent, it indicates a lack of respect. Every individual deserves this type of respect, but remember, that lack of respect for others often begins with lack of respect for one's self.
 
1. Most of us have treated certain individuals with perhaps a greater degree of respect that they might even deserve, because of a factor that is often referred to as deference. Deference may be explained as the respect that we grant to others based on their position, degree, perceived expertise, experiences, oration, etc. However, true respect must be earned to be maintained and meaningful, while deference is often temporary and/ or fleeting.

2. Is your behavior and attitude consistent, or do your words and actions often differ? Do you mean what you say, and say what you mean, or are you merely saying what you perceive and believe others might want to hear? Is doing the right thing the most essential part, or do you prioritize simply agreeing with others, and avoiding either conflict or making any waves?

3. Do you understand that there is only one form of true integrity and that it must be absolute? Have you ever focused on your personal integrity, and realized that without integrity, there is no honest way to actually respect yourself! in addition, unless you respect yourself, how could you possibly expect to earn anyone else's?

4. Have you consistently sought out additional training, and taken that training to heart by converting it to meaningful learning? Do the components that you have learned help you gain real knowledge, and has that knowledge enhanced your judgment in a significant and meaningful manner? Have you sought out combining your learning with gaining true experience and learning as much as possible from those? Have you transformed your experiences into usable expertise that you can count upon when you need to make any type of decision? Do you use these traits every day, or at least on a regular basis? Most importantly, does your learning, knowledge, judgment, experiences and expertise bring about worthwhile wisdom?

5. Are you consistently open - minded and fair, willing to effectively listen to others and learn from everything you observe? Are you open to alternative approaches, and are you willing to evolve before you must do so?

Real respect won't just happen, but rather must be earned! This will only happen if you dedicate yourself, at a very minimum, to the simple yet powerful steps listed above.

Business Ethics - An Oxymoron??

We often read and hear references to business ethics. Undergraduate and post graduate courses dedicate large amounts of time and resources to the topic. However, if one were to ask the average consumer if he believed that most businesses were conducted in an ethical manner, we would predominately receive negative responses. Simply stated, ethics can be defined as doing the right thing, the moral thing, and treating others with honor and respect. Related to business, this concept would include several items, and when we evaluate how most businesses conducted business, we would often avoid referring to these practices as moral. Ideally, most realize, at least conceptually, how important ethics are, and that is why, organizations overseeing medical doctors, dentists, attorneys, real estate professionals, etc, have developed Codes of Ethics, and most require regular course requirements in Ethics. However, no code or promise becomes meaningful, until and unless professionals commit, and the public demands!

1. One of the necessities of being ethical is telling the truth. However, when we look at how businesses, services and products are often promoted, the truth is stretched rather thin. One example, of course is the mobile communications or cell phone industry. Each carrier runs ads trying to convince us how superior they are. However, since there are no legal requirements even for using terminology such as "4G," and each carrier handles their lines differently, there is often quite a bit of variation. For example, going strictly by its ads, one would believe that Verizon cellular service is nearly perfect. Its advertisements makes claims about the clarity of its calls, how few calls are dropped, its speed, etc. While that is the case in some areas, several of my friends on Verizon service experience dropped calls, etc., in various areas, while having excellent service in others. ATT Mobility claims its system is fastest, and in some areas it is. I use the system and have had wonderful experience, yet, I know others who have been extremely disappointed. Sprint customers have similar experiences, and I have had wonderful experience with Sprint's Air Card, which works well nearly everywhere I've used it. However, as good as it is, it is certainly not as quick as wired or WI-FI service. Every other service has its proponents, as well as its attackers. The issue is not which service is the best, but rather how the services promote themselves. While effective advertising is self promotional by definition, misleading ads are certainly not terribly ethical.

2. Have you ever gone into a store and purchased something, and the store quickly asks you if you'd like to purchase an Extended Warranty. While there is nothing wrong with offering this, nor with the stores making additional revenues doing so, have you ever been given a clear cut explanation of what is and is not covered, and the limitations. Remember, we are discussing ethics here!

3. Investment Advisers are another area of ethical concern. Is the individual an unbiased adviser, or is he simply a salesman disguising himself as an adviser? Both duties and functions are acceptable, but which is ethical?

4. In Real Estate, does the average buyer truly understand the difference between being represented by a Buyers Agent, a Brokers Agent, and a Sellers Agent? In New York State, for example, by law, prospective buyers must be given an Agency Agreement that explains each of these. Yet, if the average buyer truly understood the differences, one would think the vast majority would prefer using a Buyers Agent, whose loyalty is directly to the buyer. Is this an ethical dilemma?

There are so many situations in business where there is the opportunity for a business, product, or representative to opt to either prioritize ethical behavior, or to merely do what might be expedient and in the store (or business, product, or reps) best interest, rather than the customer (or buyer). Therefore, one must wonder if business ethics is another one of those oxymorons, such as military intelligence, moral politician, etc.

Communication Is They Key To Quality Customer Service!

Businesses and organizations spend incredible amounts of time, energy and dollars to attract potential customers and supporters, yet often neglect training their front line people sufficiently to have the skills and the abilities to deal effectively with people in often very trying circumstances. In business, we refer to these individuals generally as Customer Service Representatives, while in organizations they are generally paid staff and volunteer leadership. In over thirty years of training people in professional interpersonal business relations, I have come to realize that the best way to effectively deal with upset people is to listen to them, and let them know that someone is listening and someone cares. Also consider how essential this process is, to those serving as either real estate professionals or financial advisers! If you decide to sell your home, you need a real estate professional, who consistently places you first, and communicates with you, so as to make the often - tense process as stress - free as possible!

Then, if the representative knows the answer, he should calmly and thoroughly explain it so that the other person understands as well. If, on the other hand, the representative is uncertain of the information, the best thing to do is to calmly state that he is uncertain, but will get the information, and get back to the person within a specified period of time. It is then urgent that the customer representative indeed get back to the concerned party, and provide them with the information. It is always better to be open and honest, even if the answer is not what the other person may want to hear, than to fabricate an answer or avoid an answer. In addition, cliches and empty rhetoric must be avoided at all costs! Below I am going to provide a couple of examples that indicate what all too often is done, as well as try to explain what should have been done instead.

1. Several years ago, I was on a Yugoslavian Air (JAT) flight that was scheduled to fly from Athens to New York, with a short stopover in Zagreb. When the plane landed in Zagreb, we were told to deplane while the plane was to be serviced, and we would be informed when to re-board. About an hour later, we were informed that the plane needed a part, and that they were waiting for it to arrive shortly. In this extremely hot crowded terminal, no additional information was provided for hours. We continued to be told, "Soon." Finally, after about three hours (remember our original stopover was supposed to be less than an hour), I went up to a Customer Service counter, and the representative starting giving me the same rhetoric. I interrupted and said we both know that's not true, and finally said, "No more rhetoric and party lines. What's the story?"

Only then did the representative admit that the part and the mechanic both had to be flown in and their flight was not scheduled for hours, and that she did not know how long the repair would take. At that point, I suggested that passengers deserved some sort of consideration, if only a meal voucher, and that they deserved to know the truth. Miraculously, within about fifteen minutes, they came around and distributed meal vouchers (although you don't really want to eat the food at Zagreb airport), and made an announcement explaining the facts, and that they would make hourly announcements. A great start, but then when an hour passed without any further announcement, I reminded the nice customer service people that they needed to make the announcement. The lesson to be learned is that proper and competent customer service would have been to communicate openly and fully from the start, not make any promises that they could not keep, and always keep the promises made.

2. A few years ago, after a storm caused a power outage in my area, which left our neighborhood without electricity for approximately one week, was a customer service, and public relations fiasco. There was very limited communication of any sort, and most of what had been communicated was either contradictory or inaccurate. We were never given a straight answer by the Long Island Power Authority, as to what to expect and when, and when a helpful, out - of -area group of workers who came to the area to pitch in, eventually arrived, they fixed the basic issue in less than three minutes (they merely had to remove a small limb from a wire)! Was that effective customer service, or was it an oxymoron to even refer to it as service?

Most people get somewhat upset when something goes wrong, but almost all handle it far better when they are provided accurate and caring customer service, than when the service is spotty at best. This is an essential lesson for all businesses, service professionals, and all organizations to learn from!

Basic Budget Priorities: The 3 P's

One of the most often neglected, overlooked, or under- emphasized needs for most organizations is creating, and effectively using a properly designed and formulated budget. I have created many hundreds of budgets, and assisted/ guided/ counseled in the preparation of hundreds of others. One of the greatest frustration to someone like me, with a substantial background in financial services, as well as leadership training and consulting, is the attitude that many involved in leadership positions seem to possess about budgets. I have seen some who just believe it is a somewhat meaningless exercise, and others who even believe it is a waste of time. Others still, who often seem to believe that they are properly preparing budgets, seem to simply look at previous budgets, and, in essence add a percentage from year to year! Whether this is being utilized for a not - for - profit organization, any business entity, in personal financial planning, or, for example, as it pertains to realtors, in terms of operating their businesses, marketing themselves, and their client's houses, a keen understanding and/ or grasp of budget essentials, is helpful and needed. Those who feel strongly about the need for budgeting effectively and thoroughly believe in the three P's for creating a budget: Predicting; Prioritizing; and Preserving.

1. Properly prepared budgets predict the needs of any organization, or entity. They look at revenue and revenue trends, and give realistic estimates instead of pie in the sky, or overly optimistic predictions. On the expense side, they thoroughly examine the operations and needs of the organizations, in every and all areas where there are possible expenditures. Will present levels of staffing be sufficient, are they too high, or is greater staffing needed? What are the costs/ benefits involved? What factor or factors might impact revenues? What is organization doing (or not doping) to attract and maintain members, as well as sponsors and donors? What is the overall business plan, vision, goals, and mission of the organization, and how might certain actions impact that? Is there an anticipation for any large expenditures? Does the organization maintain reserves in the areas of maintenance, etc., to address these potential expenses in a proactive, prepared manner?

2. What are the priorities of the organization/ entity on a short- term, intermediate term and long term basis? Are monies being spend in a prioritized basis, and is the money on programming, communications, and other areas being done on a priority basis, where the most essential, relevant, pertinent, and pressing matters being given priority treatment?

3. What is the organization doing to safeguard its monies, and other resources? Have alternative approaches been continuously examined and re- examined to assure the group is getting the most bang for its buck. Have operational efficiencies been employed fully? When was the last time the budget was prepared on a zero- based budget basis, where every expense item, program, etc., is reviewed independently, to see if it optimally meets the needs of the organization? Are reserves monitored, and fiscally prudent policies in areas such as investments, accepting and using donations, etc., the rule, rather than the exception?

The strongest organizations realize that while there may be times that an organization may get away with less emphasis on budgeting and budget policies/ philosophies, in the long run, the groups that take this process seriously, on a continuous basis, remain strong, throughout both good times and leaner times. Individuals, and those handling funds, or expenses, in the course of their businesses, should merely apply these organization rules, to their own scenarios!