On our way out, a little girl about 5 came up to my daughter and gave her a hug.   I bent down to talk to the little girl, and she smiled but didn’t speak.  Her mom told us she is autistic and doesn’t speak.  So I told her MacKenzie’s name and Mac gave her a hug back.  The little girls’ entire face lit up!

On the way out the door, Mac asked what “autistic” meant.  I told her the little bit I did know about it being a neurological condition that is different in each child and though the little girl couldn’t speak, she sure let Mac know she wanted to “talk” to her by hugging.

My always compassionate daughter was thrilled that she could “talk” to someone by smiling and hugging and I’m sure she will keep that in her heart for a very long time.

When a customer is returning items to your establishment, keep in mind that at this point, THEY ARE STILL A CUSTOMER!

Don’t treat them like they are committing an offense by returning goods.   Treat them with the same courtesy they are shown when they purchase.

More times than not, clerks who take in returns have been rude, uncommunicative, uncooperative and just downright nasty.   They have more than once had a fit when I wouldn’t give my address or phone number for a return.  Citing “store policy” I have been asked for information which is not needed to ensure the credibility of my transaction.  If I have the original receipts, the original goods and the original credit card to which they are charged, there is NO NEED for you to have any other information from me!

When your returns people are rude to customers, it colours how that customer feels about your business and your service.

And trust me, when someone is unhappy – they are going to tell everyone they can about it!

Great idea, but the execution sucked.

Unfortunately, the 30 day challenge is not for fabulous and thick (FAT) girls to start with. On day 1, I managed to walk for 2 whole minutes before damn near dying and then managed to do only 16 squats and a handful of lunges before completely falling over out of breath and miserable.

I’m thinking 30 Day Challenge is gonna do me in!

But it’s a start – my thighs are burning up today and though they really, really, REALLY hurt, hub gave it a reframe – that pain means I’m working at it and moving muscles that haven’t moved in several centuries. So today is a day off where I’m just trying to focus on moving a bit at a time so my thighs don’t lock up on me permanently – and will be back at it tomorrow.

Small steps.

Eating (not eating) the elephant 1 bite at a time

Here’s what I learned at IPS:

• no one cared about the size of my @ss, they wanted to know about the size of my IDEAS
• shut up and listen to your coach – you are working with them for guidance and clarity so USE IT
• Suria Anggun is simply stunning
• the camera will click when you are making the FUNNIEST FACE EVER
• YOU are the difference in your field – others may be doing similar things, but no one can replicate YOU or YOUR OWN UNIQUE STYLE
• Mari Smith is a ball of energy
• Carrie Wilkerson is the personification of authentic
• Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero is glamourous and elegant
• I DO have a Canadian accent when I say about, out, niche and process
• the concierge crew at the Anaheim Marriott ROCK
• a false bird of paradise is gorgeous
• I have funky hair
• I’m more than a bit outrageous
• I’m short – or so Lorrie says *lol
• speaking on stage is only terrifying when you watch, not when you DO
• Mark Shilensky is REALLY tall
• I can wrap my arms all around Nancy Marmolejo
• Andrea Chin is small but MIGHTY
• The new tattoos I got on my neck and ankle really do say what they should say in Chinese – thanks for reading them Paul Lee!
• Colin Daymude looks great bald
• Adam Urbanski is the REAL DEAL – and has a strong handshake!
• Bo Urbanski is beautiful, multi-talented and a GOOD SPEAKER in her own right
• That I should take the day off when I come back, rather than plowing ahead
• A GPS in your vehicle is a life-saver
• Nita Scoggans does NOT look her age – or anywhere close to her age!
• Binders, DVD’s, CD’s, Mint DS Wireless iPod speakers, gifts for your family and new jams and jellies from Lush will cause the zippers on your luggage to split
• Cell phones can get lost
• Lisa Grunden loves me
• I drink WAY too much water
• The new friends I’ve made are mine for a lifetime – and that is just priceless

~Martha Beck

Here are my top 5.

(1) Give yourself a work schedule.

When I first started in 1999, I had absolutely no formal work schedule and often felt like I was driving the bus from Speed – 100 mph and about to crash. So I created a very loose schedule that allowed for flexibility to meet the needs of my clients and my family.

I check my email first thing in the morning, before the kids get up, and make up a task list from any projects that have come in over night. I then leave the desk and get the kids ready for, and off to, school.

Once home again, I grab a coffee and settle in for a few hours of solid work time. I get my ongoing projects finished up, get a start on new ones, and schedule the activities needed for work in my Outlook calendar and task bar. Breaking projects down into steps is a tremendous help and putting deadlines on them keeps me in line.

I break for lunch and play with my 5 year old (who has an office with mine) and the dogs. We do some household chores, run errands, etc. over the lunch hour and get ourselves ready for the afternoon.

Tailor your schedule to how you like to get things done. Be mindful of your body rhythm – are you an early riser or a night owl? Schedule your hardest tasks for the time of day you feel most alert.

(2) Be selective about answering the phone.

If you are in the middle of a project that requires your undivided attention, let the answering machine get the phone. Schedule a phone call time, where you can return calls to clients or prospective clients once or twice a day, so you are not constantly interrupting your work flow.

(3) Set your email program to pick up mail every 30 minutes or so.

You are getting your email in a timely manner, but are not so tempted to check it every 10 minutes (classic newbie thing – been there, done that). No one is expecting a response within 5 minutes of sending their email, and if they are see number 4.

(4) Make sure your clients know your turnaround times.

Clients who are not familiar with the way you work may sometimes think that you are at their beck and call 24/7. For your own sanity, and theirs, make sure they know that emails are answered within XX hours, and your normal turnaround is XX days or XX hours. Try to discourage them from making everything “URGENT” by having a clause in your contract that sets a higher rate for urgent turnaround times (often less than 24 hours).

(5) Schedule down time.

Go for a walk. Sit on the deck. Getting out of the office/house for even a short time can recharge your batteries and give you the energy you need to grow your  business.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PDF

When you are working with a virtual assistant, giving time-lines is crucial.

As a client, you should be aware of your VA’s standard turnaround time, as well as the manner in which “URGENT” items will be handled.

As a VA, make sure that you outline your expectations for turnaround and emergencies in your contract – it’s as simple as attaching an appendix outlining your hours of operation, standard turnaround time and definition of urgent.

Many VA’s I know, myself included, charge a premium for urgent matters that require less than a 24 hour turnaround. We know that things will inevitably crop up and we will really need to drop everything to put out your fire, and yes, that can come with a price.

And as the title says, please use URGENT sparingly – using it on every single email means that eventually your items will be “taken with a grain of salt” – and you will become the client who cried wolf!