Revolutionize how you get things done

Posted February 28th, 2013 in Clutter Control & Office Organization, Mindset & Energy Awareness, Time Management & Productivity | 0 Comments

Recently, I spent the better part of a morning helping a business owner organize her office.

She had a bit stuff over here, a bit of stuff over there. Some papers over here, some papers over there.

And office supplies – well, let’s just say she had more than she thought once we piled everything together. Tons of pens, stacks of folders, and boxes of hanging files.

“I didn’t know I had so much!” she exclaimed breathlessly.

Putting “like with like” all in one place brings enormous clarity.

It also helps you see what you need – and what you don’t.

I give you permission to simplify - it’s the best advice I can give business owners who are overwhelmed, overstuffed with stuff, overscheduled, overbooked, and overstressed.

“Angie, how do I do that?” you might ask.

I always say the first step towards simplifying is to know where you are right now. Know where you are in relation to your:

  • Responsibilities
  • Agreements
  • Finances
  • Tasks and To Do’s
  • Appointments
  • Commitments
  • Communications
  • Clients/Customers
  • Stuff
  • note: many of these apply to your personal life as well

Starting from there shows you scope and scale. Helps you get your arms around things. Shows you visually what the deal is.

Just like the business owner I mentioned above, being able to take a 30,000 foot look clarifies a lot.

Do yellow finches taste like bananas?

Posted February 26th, 2013 in Mindset & Energy Awareness, Time Management & Productivity | 0 Comments

My fast-growing orange kitten provides endless entertainment.

This morning, Hobbes was sitting on his perch watching the birds and squirrels do their thing in the feeder.

And the birdfeeder was a particularly busy place this morning, with cardinals, finches, and other assorted birdies eating up the food.

As Hobbes was sitting on his perch, very interested in the quick movements of the birds, he started making a noise that’s a mixture of cackling, meowing, and chirping. His whiskers were alive and he was whipping his tail back and forth. An excited hunter indeed!

Now, Nelson and I have a habit of making up voices for each of the two dogs and the kitten. This morning, I started talking like I imagine the kitten would sound – a small but intelligent 5 year old boy. I imagined kitten was saying, “I want the yellow finch – I bet they taste like bananas! I want the red cardinal – I bet they taste like cherries! Give me the brown birds – I’m sure they taste like chocolate!”

Of course, I’ve never eaten a small bird (thankfully) and neither has Hobbes (also thankfully), so I was just making up stories.

This made me think about how we spend our days making up stories. And over the past week, working with several clients, we’ve talked a lot about this.

  • I have to do it this way
  • If I don’t respond immediately, they’ll get mad
  • I’m afraid to delete this stuff
  • To Do lists don’t work for me
  • Filing is boring
  • Brown birds taste like chocolate! (ok, none of my clients actually said this)

Rather than making up stories, I suggested, let’s try some new things and test them over time.

For instance, most of us believe the story, “I have to save my email. I might need it again. I’d be lost without it!”

Two of my clients actually lost ALL of their email due to computer crashes or hacks. Doh!

The interesting thing is, neither of them has missed ANY of the lost emails. NONE.

Yet, as I was showing them my “Five Simple Steps to Avoiding Email Overwhelm” both of them were still fearful of deleting email messages.

What a story!

Part of my work is deconstructing the stories you tell yourself. I offer a different, more useful story (because really, all of life is stories built from our experiences and perceptions).

Armed with a new story, you will be able to delete or file the email, implement and trust a new system, or delegate work to a team member.

A small shift in perception equals big progress.

Creating systems isn’t hard. All of the retreat’s attendees admitted what IS hard is making the time to do them. If your story is, “I don’t have time” let’s change that story right now.

A pair of flip flops and a phone

Posted February 21st, 2013 in Business Systems & Processes | 0 Comments

I’ve discovered Zappos.com. And it’s both wonderful and addictively easy.

See, my mom bought me the cutest pair of shoes for Christmas. I had asked for them after seeing them in a store a month or so earlier. I emailed over my Christmas list with the direct link to the shoes on Zappos.com so “Santa” could order them for Christmas.

The shoes, however, weren’t such a great fit when I finally got try them on. In fact, they were a bit snug, even though they were my regular size. Plus, the heel was quite a bit higher than I would wear day-to-day.

So, I get home from the holidays and try wearing the shoes around the house. Still, there’s no way they will work for me.

I call Zappos.com. Explain my situation (they were a gift; I don’t want to bother my folks with the return, etc.).

Zip, bam, boom, we make an exchange, they send me my chosen pair of shoes as an exchange. I send the original ones back using the box has provided and using the preprinted label they email me. Easy-peasy, right? Nothing to think about except packing up said shoes and dropping them off at the post office the next time I’m there.

Talk about a system that works. And customer service folks who are cheerful, fun, motivated, and empowered to help their customers. And shipping is free. This is awesome, yes? And a tiny bit addictive, just sayin’.

Now, let’s contrast this excellent, easy customer service with my recent experience with Verizon.

I bought a new cell phone – the iPhone 5 – in November. I switched over to Verizon because with my old carrier, I was constantly having calls dropped or not getting reception at all in mountains (where I spend quite a lot of time on the weekends). My nearly five year old iPhone 2 was also getting very cranky, thus it was just time to switch.

Let me briefly explain the ways Verizon has messed things up:

  • I washed my fairly new iPhone 5 in the washing machine last Tuesday. Yup, I did that. My bad.
  • When I called to make a claim using the insurance I had purchased, the insurance company says, “Hey, sorry, you don’t have insurance”
  • I called Verizon, insurance receipt in hand and ask what’s up with my having no insurance despite the receipt I am holding in my hand
  • After being on hold off and on for an hour and a half, Verizon guy says, “You’re good. We fixed it and retroactively applied the insurance we forgot to active. This will take 24 hours to process and you should have a phone 24 hours after that.” Yay!
  • Three days later, still no phone. Boo.
  • I call again. Four back and forth conversations, four different customer service reps and another two hours, Verizon Corporate says, “We’ll switch out your phone. You’ll have it by Monday. Here’s the tracking info.”
  • Today being Tuesday, I still have no phone. Tracking info says, “Arrival expected 8 pm Wednesday.”

Can you hear me now?

There is no way to measure my frustration. And to contrast buying a very expensive phone that comes with a two-year contract and insurance versus buying a couple pairs of shoes…

My question for you, gentle reader, is which company would you prefer to do business with? Which company would you tell your friends about? Which company are you apt to use over and over and over?

Ignore the fact that I’m bound to Verizon for two years (aaargh!!)

Now, I want you to put yourself in your customers’ shoes.

  1. How easy is it to do business with you? Little details matter A LOT
  2. How consistent is your message – being delivered by you and your team (if you have one)? I got several different messages with Verizon – none of them said, “Hey, we care about you.”
  3. Do you have systems and processes and checklists for making sure your clients (current and potential) are cared for?
  4. How are you ensuring you’re doing all the call backs and follow up and double checks due to the client?
  5. How are you ensuring the client is getting what you promised them – before, during, and after the sale?
  6. If you could pick one area of your business to improve, make easier, clarify, etc., what area would that be?

How can you do all this in your business?

Sincerely,

Angie

P.S. Creating systems isn’t hard. All of my clients admit what IS hard is making the time to do them.

 

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