Web conferences enable groups to work faster and moreeffectively by eliminating travel whether it's five feet,five miles or five time zones. Whether an enterprise wideapplication rollout, sales training, educational needs orteam building, web conferences are helping to deliver theinformation in timely and efficient way.
In an age where time is money, the Internet shrinksdistances. No longer does a team in California have to flyto New York to meet with their counterparts. It's notnecessary for a student to have to physically sit in acollege campus classroom and for companies that interactboth internally and externally all over their regions andeven around the world, the expense and time-consumption oftravel can be limited.
Web conferences allow people to communicate whether it'sthrough streaming video, chat rooms or voice messaging. Webconferences allow stars to visit with the fans inauditorium format. Everyone from CEOs to managing operatorsto the home-based business owner can utilize these servicesand all they really require is access to the Internet.
While web conferences cannot fully replace the benefits offace-to-face meetings, the time and effort spent onmanagement issues when coordinating these in personsessions can be dramatically reduced. If employees areattending a web conference while in their own offices, theycan carry on with other business matters when they are notrequired to participate.
It is easier to avoid scheduling conflicts when members ofthe meeting do not have to travel to the meeting site andif a business has multiple locations in a city, finding acentral point for all to meet at can create problems.
College catalogs offer a wide variety of courses thatemploy web conferencing, whether for the weekly lecture orfor Q & A. Companies that don't want the expense ofsending employees on airplanes and having them stay athotels in order to receive training on new software,techniques or simply just receive necessary information,can eliminate it with web conferences that will connecttheir employees to trainers in other cities or states.
Conferences of this type can even unite families who areseparated by geography. Students away at colleges,grandparents and parents can meet daily or weekly or juston special occasions.
Communication tools are only as effective as their usage,web conferences bring people closer together, forgesstronger business ties and effectively serves as a tool forbusinesses by lowering the entry cost of arranging andattending meetings, making more effective use of time, andbeing flexible enough to take last-minute changes to theagenda in their stride.
Find out why web conferencing can slash your companiestravel and communication costs. Discover all you need toknow about voip, and how to use this breakthro technology. http://www.web-conferencing-101.com - http://www.web-conferencing-101.com
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Feel free to reprintthis article in its entirety in your ezine or on your siteso long as you leave all links in place, do not modify thecontent and include my resource box as listed above.
Home » Archive for November 2015
Down To The Wire
When you want to win and woo new clients with national publicity -- and don't have an enormous budget to distribute your message -- turn to the news wires. But first, be sure you're telling a story that's worth printing. The best publicity draws on one of a handful of tried-and-true themes. Newsworthy stories have something that hits you as a reader and makes you more interested than "just the facts."
Think about how your company's story might work as part of one (or more) of the following story themes.
David vs. Goliath
You were small, the odds against you were great, but you took on the big guys and you won! Everybody loves an underdog, and if you can play this card, you might stir up more attention than you ever thought possible. An Orange County-based company, ProtectConnect (http://www.protectconnect.com - www.protectconnect.com), is using this strategy to publicize its buzzworthy invention -- a modular system of safety-first electrical outlets and switches. The wiring device industry they're taking on is dominated by just a handful of huge corporations, but the attention they're getting as a startup for their patented product has prompted more than $1.5 million in orders -- before the company even opens its doors for business.
First, fastest, brightest
If you've really got a story that's unique -- you're the first, or the biggest, or the strongest, or the loudest -- then you have a certifiably newsworthy story. RoseTel System Inc. (http://www.rosetelsystem.com - www.rosetelsystem.com), a Los Angeles-based manufacturer of the world's first streaming, real-time video delivered through plain old telephone lines, scored a touchdown with this angle in January 2003, when their system helped the city of San Diego maintain surveillance, security and order during the Super Bowl. The story became especially significant because on the day of the big game, the Internet, which would have carried other forms of video, was crippled by a global virus. RoseTel was able to honestly state that their video communication system was the first and only one in the world that could have performed so affordably and so well that day -- and as a result, their story was picked up around the country from one simple wire release.
Rags to riches
Stories about the GWOG (Guy Working Out of Garage) who strikes it rich are still unusual. Steve Jobs of Apple may be one of the best examples of a rags-to-riches story, but there are countless examples of this. Jack Daley, president of the Triarch Group, a San Diego-based consulting firm that works with tech-driven companies to systematize their approach to innovation, delights in telling a rags-to-riches story from his own experience. His client, the company that eventually became Network Solutions (still the biggest registrar for domain names on the Internet) was started with a cash advance on a credit card and eventually grew into a multimillion-dollar monster. Now that's a story.
Free advice
Remember the ad campaign in the 1970s that urged you to write away to a major petroleum company for free booklets on auto maintenance, safety and repair? (Hint: The booklets were yellow, and the logo is still red. Looks a bit like ... a seashell.) School children across America learned to write "business letters" by carefully printing "Dear Sir" requests to that company, and even 30 years later, people remember the company's generosity with a warm, fuzzy feeling. You can't beat free advice for building trust.
Did you know?
You can assert all you want. But numbers make it real. Research -- real, proprietary research, carried out by you, with numbers that you own --can be a great way to get attention. San Diego-based Metabolife Inc. just wrapped up a year-long research initiative that resulted in mentions and stories in several national publications. What did they do? They got numbers, and they used them. Did you know that 47 percent of people say everyone is out of shape at their high school reunion? Metabolife did the studies, found the numbers, then turned the statistics into a great opportunity for publicity.
The wires
Once you've got a newsworthy story, how do you get the word out?
One option is to hit the news wire services yourself. Both the PR Newswire (http://www.prnewswire.com - www.prnewswire.com) and Business Newswire (http://www.businessnewswire.com - www.businessnewswire.com) are membership-based services that require you to join in order to distribute your releases. Prices for releases can range from as little as $125 for a statewide distribution to $600 for national, or several thousand dollars for an international release. For this price, which is much less than postage, your brief release will cross the country or the globe, passing in front of the eyes of thousands of editors in tens of thousands of media outlets.
There are also services that will take on the task of distribution for you, especially if you're a small firm or don't have a dedicated staff to make contact, handle releases, or do follow up. One such service, E-releases (http://www.ereleases.com - www.ereleases.com), for example, will do as little or as much as you want to help you get the word out. They'll even write your release for you, for a nominal fee, shaping your story in ways they know are likely to garner the most attention. They'll also distribute for around $350, and send you links showing you where your story was run online (a great deal that saves you hundreds of dollars, because it includes a national distribution via PR Newswire).
Finally, no public relations expert would ever say there isn't at least some element of chance involved in what stories get picked up and which ones don't. It's best to take a "water drip" approach. Every little bit makes a difference, even if you can't see them for each droplet. Still, after a while, water will wear away a stone, and your story can break through the clutter in the same way.
Think about how your company's story might work as part of one (or more) of the following story themes.
David vs. Goliath
You were small, the odds against you were great, but you took on the big guys and you won! Everybody loves an underdog, and if you can play this card, you might stir up more attention than you ever thought possible. An Orange County-based company, ProtectConnect (http://www.protectconnect.com - www.protectconnect.com), is using this strategy to publicize its buzzworthy invention -- a modular system of safety-first electrical outlets and switches. The wiring device industry they're taking on is dominated by just a handful of huge corporations, but the attention they're getting as a startup for their patented product has prompted more than $1.5 million in orders -- before the company even opens its doors for business.
First, fastest, brightest
If you've really got a story that's unique -- you're the first, or the biggest, or the strongest, or the loudest -- then you have a certifiably newsworthy story. RoseTel System Inc. (http://www.rosetelsystem.com - www.rosetelsystem.com), a Los Angeles-based manufacturer of the world's first streaming, real-time video delivered through plain old telephone lines, scored a touchdown with this angle in January 2003, when their system helped the city of San Diego maintain surveillance, security and order during the Super Bowl. The story became especially significant because on the day of the big game, the Internet, which would have carried other forms of video, was crippled by a global virus. RoseTel was able to honestly state that their video communication system was the first and only one in the world that could have performed so affordably and so well that day -- and as a result, their story was picked up around the country from one simple wire release.
Rags to riches
Stories about the GWOG (Guy Working Out of Garage) who strikes it rich are still unusual. Steve Jobs of Apple may be one of the best examples of a rags-to-riches story, but there are countless examples of this. Jack Daley, president of the Triarch Group, a San Diego-based consulting firm that works with tech-driven companies to systematize their approach to innovation, delights in telling a rags-to-riches story from his own experience. His client, the company that eventually became Network Solutions (still the biggest registrar for domain names on the Internet) was started with a cash advance on a credit card and eventually grew into a multimillion-dollar monster. Now that's a story.
Free advice
Remember the ad campaign in the 1970s that urged you to write away to a major petroleum company for free booklets on auto maintenance, safety and repair? (Hint: The booklets were yellow, and the logo is still red. Looks a bit like ... a seashell.) School children across America learned to write "business letters" by carefully printing "Dear Sir" requests to that company, and even 30 years later, people remember the company's generosity with a warm, fuzzy feeling. You can't beat free advice for building trust.
Did you know?
You can assert all you want. But numbers make it real. Research -- real, proprietary research, carried out by you, with numbers that you own --can be a great way to get attention. San Diego-based Metabolife Inc. just wrapped up a year-long research initiative that resulted in mentions and stories in several national publications. What did they do? They got numbers, and they used them. Did you know that 47 percent of people say everyone is out of shape at their high school reunion? Metabolife did the studies, found the numbers, then turned the statistics into a great opportunity for publicity.
The wires
Once you've got a newsworthy story, how do you get the word out?
One option is to hit the news wire services yourself. Both the PR Newswire (http://www.prnewswire.com - www.prnewswire.com) and Business Newswire (http://www.businessnewswire.com - www.businessnewswire.com) are membership-based services that require you to join in order to distribute your releases. Prices for releases can range from as little as $125 for a statewide distribution to $600 for national, or several thousand dollars for an international release. For this price, which is much less than postage, your brief release will cross the country or the globe, passing in front of the eyes of thousands of editors in tens of thousands of media outlets.
There are also services that will take on the task of distribution for you, especially if you're a small firm or don't have a dedicated staff to make contact, handle releases, or do follow up. One such service, E-releases (http://www.ereleases.com - www.ereleases.com), for example, will do as little or as much as you want to help you get the word out. They'll even write your release for you, for a nominal fee, shaping your story in ways they know are likely to garner the most attention. They'll also distribute for around $350, and send you links showing you where your story was run online (a great deal that saves you hundreds of dollars, because it includes a national distribution via PR Newswire).
Finally, no public relations expert would ever say there isn't at least some element of chance involved in what stories get picked up and which ones don't. It's best to take a "water drip" approach. Every little bit makes a difference, even if you can't see them for each droplet. Still, after a while, water will wear away a stone, and your story can break through the clutter in the same way.
Don't Play Debit Card Roulette
In a highly ... economy, there is no sense in gambling with your payment ... options; ... need every ... to win in today's global ... ... payments through cu
In a highly competitive economy, there is no sense in gambling with your payment processing options; businesses need every advantage to win in today's global marketplace. Accepting payments through customer debit cards increases the odds that the customer who favors this particular payment option will be happy and continually return.
There are two forms of debit card transactions and every merchant should have both.
1. PIN Based Debit
2. Signature Based Debit
PIN based debit is also called "online debit" because the transaction is conveyed electronically at the point of sale. The customer confirms the sale by keying in their personal identification number (PIN), and the funds are immediately captured through a nationwide EFT network from the customer's bank account. The funds are deposited into the merchant's account in 2-3 business days for a nominal per item fee.
The service is much more cost effective than credit card transactions, and PIN based debit card use is becoming an extremely popular option because of its safety and security. People who use this option don't have to carry around a lot of cash, and they get to see the details of their transactions in their bank statements. The default on your point-of-sale device should be set to PIN based.
However, if a customer prefers, there is signature-based debit also called "offline debit" and this is another well-liked payment option. The customer uses their Mastercard or Visa Check Card just like a credit card. The card is swiped and the point of sale device gives a draft for the customer to sign. The funds are transferred to the merchant's bank account. Discount rates apply with this option, as well as a small transaction fee. Chargebacks are also possible. Many young people are using these cards because it gives them the convenience and clout of a credit card. They can also be used to purchase over the Internet. If a merchant can accept credit cards, they can usually accept signature-based debit cards.
Riding the Wave
Even the Federal government is singing the praises of debit card use for consumers. Please see the consumer guide: "Are You Riding the Debit Card Wave?"
Debit cards are seen as safer than cash and more convenient than checks. So make room next to your cash register for a debit terminal, PIN pad and printer, and reduce the risk that a customer may not have the right payment option when the impulse to buy is upon them.
There's virtually no risk in accepting PIN based-debit card payments, so make sure it's an option at your cash register. It's a sure thing!
In a highly competitive economy, there is no sense in gambling with your payment processing options; businesses need every advantage to win in today's global marketplace. Accepting payments through customer debit cards increases the odds that the customer who favors this particular payment option will be happy and continually return.
There are two forms of debit card transactions and every merchant should have both.
1. PIN Based Debit
2. Signature Based Debit
PIN based debit is also called "online debit" because the transaction is conveyed electronically at the point of sale. The customer confirms the sale by keying in their personal identification number (PIN), and the funds are immediately captured through a nationwide EFT network from the customer's bank account. The funds are deposited into the merchant's account in 2-3 business days for a nominal per item fee.
The service is much more cost effective than credit card transactions, and PIN based debit card use is becoming an extremely popular option because of its safety and security. People who use this option don't have to carry around a lot of cash, and they get to see the details of their transactions in their bank statements. The default on your point-of-sale device should be set to PIN based.
However, if a customer prefers, there is signature-based debit also called "offline debit" and this is another well-liked payment option. The customer uses their Mastercard or Visa Check Card just like a credit card. The card is swiped and the point of sale device gives a draft for the customer to sign. The funds are transferred to the merchant's bank account. Discount rates apply with this option, as well as a small transaction fee. Chargebacks are also possible. Many young people are using these cards because it gives them the convenience and clout of a credit card. They can also be used to purchase over the Internet. If a merchant can accept credit cards, they can usually accept signature-based debit cards.
Riding the Wave
Even the Federal government is singing the praises of debit card use for consumers. Please see the consumer guide: "Are You Riding the Debit Card Wave?"
Debit cards are seen as safer than cash and more convenient than checks. So make room next to your cash register for a debit terminal, PIN pad and printer, and reduce the risk that a customer may not have the right payment option when the impulse to buy is upon them.
There's virtually no risk in accepting PIN based-debit card payments, so make sure it's an option at your cash register. It's a sure thing!
Do you have a picture of YOUR customer?
I was recently working with a retail client and was discussing their merchandise strategy with their display manager. I asked the person about two products on the same display and who would buy them. The display manager mentioned that one of the products would, in their view, be purchased by 65 year-old woman, whilst the product next to it would be purchased by a 25 year-old woman.
Was the display working? I'm afraid not. Why wasn't it working? Because the person building the display did not start with a picture of the consumer in mind.
Generational marketing
In recent months there have been number of articles in the press about generational marketing. What does this mean? It means that as a retailer you need to consider who to target. Is it Generation Y (15-25 year-olds), Generation X (25-35 year-olds), the Jones' Generation (35-49 year-olds), Baby Boomers (50-65 year-olds), or Greying Tigers (over 65 years-old).
A flick through a glossy magazine will soon reveal that marketers are very defined on who their target is and present the pictorial or promotion accordingly. But, it's more than marketers getting the message across, it's display teams understanding the message and merchandising accordingly.
The challenges
This does present some challenges. Traditionally, merchandisers have presented products to consumers based on specific categories i.e. placing all of one series of products together. But is this the answer in the future?
Some retailers have an easy task. They have refined their retailing to already attract one specific age group and can merchandise accordingly. The real challenge occurs when you are a retailer who needs to attract customers from across a wide band of age groups.
If you fall into this latter category, then there is a real argument for splitting up product categories based on target age groups.
In the scenario mentioned at the beginning of this article, the merchandiser had built the display based on an overall product category. The result, in my opinion, was that all age groups were put off, because the display did not appeal to any specific age group.
The display manager would have had more success if she had built a display based on a specific age group.
One of my clients, a German gift company, now segments its product range based on age. Each segmented display is supported by a promotional board that features a person enjoying the product experience from the selected age group. The result is displays in store target selected age groups to specific areas in the store. This does mean that more space is required in store to "sell the picture" but the end result is increased sales per square metre.
Where do you start?
Start with the customer in mind, not the product. Have a defined age group in your mind when you're building a display and then build the display with that age group in mind.
Let me give you a simple example based on my observations when it comes to signage on displays. Generation X (I prefer to call them IKEA Babies) know what the trends are and what is fashionable. If you sign a product to tell them what is new and trendy, they could feel you are talking down to them and this may resist purchasing.
The next generation up, the Jones' Generation, want to be trendy and fashionable, but they need to be told what's new. If you don't tell them what's new, they may never discover it.
The Baby Boomers tend to pick up trends later. Tell them it's new and they will often wait while it's accepted by the Jones' Generation. Greying Tigers may resist new products completely as they look on the product as a new gadget which they don't understand and that will quickly go out of fashion anyway.
Segmentation opportunities
Some retailers will go to considerable expense to get the formulae right. Wetherby's in South Africa have divided their store into two. One half is targeted at Baby Boomers and the other half at Generation X. Both groups walk through the same entrance, but are then split into two, Baby Boomers turn left into the store, whilst Generation X turn right. Both sections of the store have their own coffee shop to ensure both consumer segments 'linger longer' in the comfort of their own generational group.
Become a maven of retail generational marketing
Encourage your retail team to become "mavens" or leaders of a trend. Make sure that the business subscribes to magazines that target each generational group you are targeting. Get the team to produce 'storyboards' on trends from those magazines that can help them build appropriate displays.
One display will not serve all, start with the customer in mind and build displays that a generation can relate to.
Was the display working? I'm afraid not. Why wasn't it working? Because the person building the display did not start with a picture of the consumer in mind.
Generational marketing
In recent months there have been number of articles in the press about generational marketing. What does this mean? It means that as a retailer you need to consider who to target. Is it Generation Y (15-25 year-olds), Generation X (25-35 year-olds), the Jones' Generation (35-49 year-olds), Baby Boomers (50-65 year-olds), or Greying Tigers (over 65 years-old).
A flick through a glossy magazine will soon reveal that marketers are very defined on who their target is and present the pictorial or promotion accordingly. But, it's more than marketers getting the message across, it's display teams understanding the message and merchandising accordingly.
The challenges
This does present some challenges. Traditionally, merchandisers have presented products to consumers based on specific categories i.e. placing all of one series of products together. But is this the answer in the future?
Some retailers have an easy task. They have refined their retailing to already attract one specific age group and can merchandise accordingly. The real challenge occurs when you are a retailer who needs to attract customers from across a wide band of age groups.
If you fall into this latter category, then there is a real argument for splitting up product categories based on target age groups.
In the scenario mentioned at the beginning of this article, the merchandiser had built the display based on an overall product category. The result, in my opinion, was that all age groups were put off, because the display did not appeal to any specific age group.
The display manager would have had more success if she had built a display based on a specific age group.
One of my clients, a German gift company, now segments its product range based on age. Each segmented display is supported by a promotional board that features a person enjoying the product experience from the selected age group. The result is displays in store target selected age groups to specific areas in the store. This does mean that more space is required in store to "sell the picture" but the end result is increased sales per square metre.
Where do you start?
Start with the customer in mind, not the product. Have a defined age group in your mind when you're building a display and then build the display with that age group in mind.
Let me give you a simple example based on my observations when it comes to signage on displays. Generation X (I prefer to call them IKEA Babies) know what the trends are and what is fashionable. If you sign a product to tell them what is new and trendy, they could feel you are talking down to them and this may resist purchasing.
The next generation up, the Jones' Generation, want to be trendy and fashionable, but they need to be told what's new. If you don't tell them what's new, they may never discover it.
The Baby Boomers tend to pick up trends later. Tell them it's new and they will often wait while it's accepted by the Jones' Generation. Greying Tigers may resist new products completely as they look on the product as a new gadget which they don't understand and that will quickly go out of fashion anyway.
Segmentation opportunities
Some retailers will go to considerable expense to get the formulae right. Wetherby's in South Africa have divided their store into two. One half is targeted at Baby Boomers and the other half at Generation X. Both groups walk through the same entrance, but are then split into two, Baby Boomers turn left into the store, whilst Generation X turn right. Both sections of the store have their own coffee shop to ensure both consumer segments 'linger longer' in the comfort of their own generational group.
Become a maven of retail generational marketing
Encourage your retail team to become "mavens" or leaders of a trend. Make sure that the business subscribes to magazines that target each generational group you are targeting. Get the team to produce 'storyboards' on trends from those magazines that can help them build appropriate displays.
One display will not serve all, start with the customer in mind and build displays that a generation can relate to.
Divide and conquer
Any attempt to describe a human mind in physical terms is bound to be symbolic. Yet there are certain symbols used in both military and marketing operations that seem to be especially appropriate. In...
Any attempt to describe a human mind in physical terms is bound to be symbolic. Yet there are certain symbols used in both military and marketing operations that seem to be especially appropriate.
In a military war, hills or mountains are usually considered strong positions, especially useful for defense. In a marketing war, management people often refer to strong positions as "high ground."
So it seems appropriate to use the mountain as a key concept in marketing warfare.
But in warfare, a mountain can be either occupied or unoccupied. Tissue Mountain, for example, is occupied by the brand Kleenex. Ketchup Mountain is owned by Heinz. Computer Mountain by IBM.
Some mountains are being strongly contested. Cola Mountain is partially occupied by Coca-Cola, but is under heavy attack by Pepsi-Cola.
When a customer uses a brand name in place of a generic, you know the mountain in their mind is strongly held. When someone points to a box of Scott tissues and says, "Hand me a Kleenex," you know who owns the Tissue Mountain in that person's mind.
Who owns the automobile mountain in the United States? Many years ago Ford did. But Ford got torn apart by the segmentation strategy of general Motors.
So today Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Buick each own different segment of the automotive mountain, with perhaps Cadillac in the strongest position as the owner of the high-priced luxury segment. (Today people will use the name Cadillac as a synonym for a high-quality product.")
As a result of its five strong independent positions, General Motors owns the dominant share of the U.S. automotive market.
Monolithic Mountain are being fought over and cut up into segments, each owned by a different warlord. This long-term trend is likely to continue well into the twenty -first century.
The original owner has a choice: extend or contract. Faced with an enemy that attempts to segment the market, a company can extend its forces to try to control the entire territory, or shrink them to protect home base.
The owner's instincts are usually wrong. Greed encourages a brand leader to extend its forces to try to control all segments. Too often everything is lost in an effort to protect a small portion of the mountain. As Frederick the Great once said, "He who attempts to defend everywhere defends nothing."
Is there no defense against a competitor who attempts to segment your mountain? Fortunately for the big companies of this world, there is. More on this strategy in the chapter on defensive warfare.
Any attempt to describe a human mind in physical terms is bound to be symbolic. Yet there are certain symbols used in both military and marketing operations that seem to be especially appropriate.
In a military war, hills or mountains are usually considered strong positions, especially useful for defense. In a marketing war, management people often refer to strong positions as "high ground."
So it seems appropriate to use the mountain as a key concept in marketing warfare.
But in warfare, a mountain can be either occupied or unoccupied. Tissue Mountain, for example, is occupied by the brand Kleenex. Ketchup Mountain is owned by Heinz. Computer Mountain by IBM.
Some mountains are being strongly contested. Cola Mountain is partially occupied by Coca-Cola, but is under heavy attack by Pepsi-Cola.
When a customer uses a brand name in place of a generic, you know the mountain in their mind is strongly held. When someone points to a box of Scott tissues and says, "Hand me a Kleenex," you know who owns the Tissue Mountain in that person's mind.
Who owns the automobile mountain in the United States? Many years ago Ford did. But Ford got torn apart by the segmentation strategy of general Motors.
So today Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Buick each own different segment of the automotive mountain, with perhaps Cadillac in the strongest position as the owner of the high-priced luxury segment. (Today people will use the name Cadillac as a synonym for a high-quality product.")
As a result of its five strong independent positions, General Motors owns the dominant share of the U.S. automotive market.
Monolithic Mountain are being fought over and cut up into segments, each owned by a different warlord. This long-term trend is likely to continue well into the twenty -first century.
The original owner has a choice: extend or contract. Faced with an enemy that attempts to segment the market, a company can extend its forces to try to control the entire territory, or shrink them to protect home base.
The owner's instincts are usually wrong. Greed encourages a brand leader to extend its forces to try to control all segments. Too often everything is lost in an effort to protect a small portion of the mountain. As Frederick the Great once said, "He who attempts to defend everywhere defends nothing."
Is there no defense against a competitor who attempts to segment your mountain? Fortunately for the big companies of this world, there is. More on this strategy in the chapter on defensive warfare.
Dissension Down On The Cubicle Farm
According to Corinne Maier, a psychotherapist and author of "Bonjour Laziness," corporate cubicle inhabitants are anything but tranquil and joyous. These natives are truly restless.This French writer ...
According to Corinne Maier, a psychotherapist and author of "Bonjour Laziness," corporate cubicle inhabitants are anything but tranquil and joyous. These natives are truly restless.
This French writer quotes a Gallup study of employed American professionals showing that:
1. Some 17% claim to be "actively disengaged" in their jobs, close possibly
to acts of sabatoge, some rather subtle.
2. And 54% claim to be "not engaged" in their jobs.
3. The remaining 29% are "crazy about" their jobs.
These are the attitude findings of "professional" employees. How much worse
would these findings be if employees of ALL kinds had been interviewed by Gallup?
And what leads to such overwhelmingly negative attitudes with only 29% job satisfaction, anyway?
Maier explains:
1. "Reverse Verbal Signals" and "The Idiocy Of Lies."
Example: a company remarks that it "values jobs" but then has massive
layoffs.
2. Add managerial jargon, gibberish, power struggles, excess emphasis on diplomas and degrees, and employers demanding a lot from employees--but promising and delivering next to nothing in return.
3. Also add blathering about the "corporate culture," an "oxymoron which is the crystalization of the stupidity of a group of people at a given moment," says Maier.
4. And she says don't forget employers talking about "ethics, a detergent word used time and time again to cleanse the conscience without scrubbing."
Well, what's an employer to do?
1. Remove malcontented employees better suited to be self-employed.
2. Refer dissatisfied employees to network marketing (MLM) self-employment opportunities. Some of the biggest "misfits" in the employee ranks become the best entrepreneurs.
3. Conduct in-house meetings to teach remaining employees the threat that
outsourcing of jobs to China, India and other countries poses to employers and to employees--motivating them to improve their attitudes, stop whining, and work as a team.
4. Define and remove organizational and procedural stumbling blocks
to a job satisfaction. These can require some attitude adjustments in the
upper management ranks in some cases.
5. Making sure the business has a Three Year Business Plan--and making sure everyone in the company know where the Plan is taking the company and them--and what their role and responsibility for company success.
Remember: cubicle farm folk are restless and negative. 71% are not happy with their jobs. The status quo just doesn't cut it. The unsettling effects of globalism and offshore outsourcing are permanent. So, act today. Do it now!
According to Corinne Maier, a psychotherapist and author of "Bonjour Laziness," corporate cubicle inhabitants are anything but tranquil and joyous. These natives are truly restless.
This French writer quotes a Gallup study of employed American professionals showing that:
1. Some 17% claim to be "actively disengaged" in their jobs, close possibly
to acts of sabatoge, some rather subtle.
2. And 54% claim to be "not engaged" in their jobs.
3. The remaining 29% are "crazy about" their jobs.
These are the attitude findings of "professional" employees. How much worse
would these findings be if employees of ALL kinds had been interviewed by Gallup?
And what leads to such overwhelmingly negative attitudes with only 29% job satisfaction, anyway?
Maier explains:
1. "Reverse Verbal Signals" and "The Idiocy Of Lies."
Example: a company remarks that it "values jobs" but then has massive
layoffs.
2. Add managerial jargon, gibberish, power struggles, excess emphasis on diplomas and degrees, and employers demanding a lot from employees--but promising and delivering next to nothing in return.
3. Also add blathering about the "corporate culture," an "oxymoron which is the crystalization of the stupidity of a group of people at a given moment," says Maier.
4. And she says don't forget employers talking about "ethics, a detergent word used time and time again to cleanse the conscience without scrubbing."
Well, what's an employer to do?
1. Remove malcontented employees better suited to be self-employed.
2. Refer dissatisfied employees to network marketing (MLM) self-employment opportunities. Some of the biggest "misfits" in the employee ranks become the best entrepreneurs.
3. Conduct in-house meetings to teach remaining employees the threat that
outsourcing of jobs to China, India and other countries poses to employers and to employees--motivating them to improve their attitudes, stop whining, and work as a team.
4. Define and remove organizational and procedural stumbling blocks
to a job satisfaction. These can require some attitude adjustments in the
upper management ranks in some cases.
5. Making sure the business has a Three Year Business Plan--and making sure everyone in the company know where the Plan is taking the company and them--and what their role and responsibility for company success.
Remember: cubicle farm folk are restless and negative. 71% are not happy with their jobs. The status quo just doesn't cut it. The unsettling effects of globalism and offshore outsourcing are permanent. So, act today. Do it now!
