Samsung had a problem.  Its culture was static and inward-looking.  Then, in the early 1990s, Lee Kun-Hee, chairman of the South Korean electronics giant, made a decision that would reshape his organization and create a blueprint for globalization.  He sent a handful of the brightest young employees to far-away corners of the globe to immerse themselves in the culture, learn the language, and build networks so that someday Samsung would know how to supply those markets.  What an amazing investment in the future.

- Verne Harnish, The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time

While we are, at our heart, a customer service and training blog and we will always be giving you tips about thanking your customers or your team, there is a bigger message and meaning to Thanksgiving. It is the power of thanking someone who has truly made an impact on your life.

So this week of Thanksgiving, after you have thanked your customers and thanked your colleagues, watch this beautiful video by Barbara Glanz, and think about giving thanks to someone who has touched your life deeply.  

One of the biggest mistakes for any follow-up email is not including a strong call-to-action.  Leaving the email open-ended with phrases like “let me know what you think” or “keep in touch” aren’t a strong enough incentive for your client to respond. You’re more likely to get a response when you ask pointed questions like “What day and time works best for you next week to discuss this further?” or “Based on the deadline that you mentioned, you’ll need to start our service by the end of this month—do you have 30 minutes to sit down and chat later this week?”

- Stuart Leung, "No One Likes the 'Just Following Up' Email"

The idea that prompted this week's topic is the onset of our company retreat. Our company's executive team consists of individuals living in five different states, as well as four additional locations within one state. We are a team that works virtually. Getting together face-to-face is so important for not only our morale, but also for team building to ensure that our purpose aligns with our personal wants and needs, individually, and as a team. 

Over the years, we have worked with many teams where there was not a clear purpose, focus, or mission. These are the key ingredients or characteristics that will sustain high levels of team motivation, which translates into a unified and rewarding team experience.

Qualifying is the blueprint of the sale and the foundation of the sales process. A seasoned sales person knows it is the most critical part of a sales conversation. Qualifying not only gives the sales person the chance to determine the basic details of the sale, it helps define which services and amenities are most important to sell. Most importantly, qualifying uncovers customer expectations, which, when met or exceeded, will lead to customer loyalty. The myth for inexperienced sales people is the feeling that qualifying takes a lot more time to ask all the questions when the customer just wants costs. When in actuality, qualifying keeps the conversation efficient, streamlined, and focused on what is most important to the customer. It will actually save you time! 

First impressions are paramount since they are highly accurate; how you are instantly evaluated can make or break your success. And you have heard before that a first impression is made within 5 seconds, but I believe it’s faster. Why? Personal experience– I get a feeling about something or a situation within 2 seconds (don’t you?). The science- 20 million billion bits of information move around our brains every second, and it calculates sounds, sights, smells, taste, touch, and thoughts in every moment at the same time (from The Phenomenal Experience). This means we need to up our game and make sure that we control the impressions that we are making.