Change Up Your Food Routine With These Fun Techniques

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Food Routine

Need a little more spice in your life? Are you tired of the same-old food routine? That’s a common feeling people experience. But, especially after the pandemic, people realize they want more out of their lives. Your life doesn’t have to be as exciting as a dramatic soap opera. But, doing things differently or trying new things can help bring back some excitement if you’re feeling bored.

Most people tend to like at least some bit of change — a change in scenery, workplace, and, most commonly, food. Trying new food can be an adventure in itself, but it’s not constantly changing what you eat that can make a difference. Sometimes all you need to do is change the way you do things. And, yes, that can involve cooking.

One of the best ways to change up your style of preparing food is by limiting how long it takes. So for those who don’t feel like a chef in the kitchen and grumble through cooking, this one’s for you. Of course, some people want to enjoy meal-making, but the length it takes is just too overwhelming. But here’s a little secret — it doesn’t have to be that way.

Even if you’re set on the way you do things, it never hurts to switch up your routines from time to time. And especially when that change helps save you time. Here are some tips to change your food routine to free up more time.

1. Try Meal Prepping

Have you ever heard of this new craze that’s taken the internet by storm? Meal prepping involves making food in advance, whether all of it or portions, in order to save you time. How much you do beforehand is up to you. Whether you want to have ready-chopped vegetables or fully-prepared lunches, this technique can take a weight off your shoulders.

You can do this for every meal of the day, too. There are no limits to meal prepping. Wondering how to make breakfast in advance? Decide how much prep work you want to do the night before. For example, some people prefer the taste of freshly cooked eggs to reheated eggs. Let’s say you want to have an omelet for breakfast tomorrow. Tonight, pre-cook any bacon or sausage, if you choose to add those. Any vegetables, like peppers or avocados, can be chopped and sliced the night before. And if you really want to go all out, just make the whole thing.

If you’re interested in the boxed-lunch idea, all you need to do is set aside some time. Use that moment to make a large portion of whatever meal you’re in the mood for. Divide up the food into lunch-size amounts and put them away in plastic storage containers. And, if you’re really looking to stretch your food routine budget, you can freeze these lunches. This technique is great for bringing healthy lunches to work, school, or simply for days when you’re on the go.

2. Invest in a Slow Cooker

One of the easiest ways to cut down on cooking time is by using a slow cooker. These helpful appliances are designed to save you time and do all the cooking for you. Not to mention, they’re relatively cheap and widely available.

Slow cookers can be used for more than just dinner, too. Try using one to make breakfast. The food will cook overnight while you catch some well-earned z’s. Or, utilize this wonderful device for your meal prepping needs. Large slow cookers are very useful for making large portions of food. For example, you could cook a pound or two of chicken. When it’s done, cut it up or shred the meat how you like it. Then you’ll have chicken you can use for multiple meals — chicken salad, pulled barbecue chicken, and pieces to throw in pasta dishes.

With such a versatile device, you can use a slow cooker any time and for any kind of meal. There are tons of recipes out there — from soup to veggies. You’ll not only have some delicious home-cooked meals but also more free time. It’s a win-win.

3. Get Some Time-Saving Gadgets

Another internet sensation? Kitchen and household gadgets that are designed to make your life easier. Many of these have been gaining popularity through short-video apps, like TikTok and Facebook Watch. Clearly, these gizmos have taken off. So why not try some?

There’s just about every kind of device out there. If you’re stumped by how to cut up avocados, there’s a tool for that. Want hard-boiled eggs without the disaster of trying to peel them? You can bet there’s something for that. How about cutting vegetables in fancy slices? You guessed it — there’s a device out there. Salad spinners, fruit corers, sushi rollers, yolk separators — these are all real things.

Lots of manufacturers and inventors have realized that certain aspects of cooking can be so time-consuming. That’s why people are always coming up with new tools to help reduce the time spent on preparing food. There’s probably a gadget out there for just about everything. Start doing some internet searches and see if there’s something perfect for your kitchen woes.

4. Make Cooking an Activity

One way to change up the way you view mealtime and cooking? Make it fun. There’s something fulfilling about sharing a meal you’ve made with someone. And if you’re not the biggest fan of cooking, this might be a way to boost your enthusiasm.

If you have kids, this is a great way to get them involved in the meal-making process. It keeps them engaged and maybe even gain a lasting interest in making food. It’s nice having a little chef on your hands. Even if your kids aren’t too keen on cooking to begin with, making dinner together is a good bonding experience. Not to mention, it’s device-free.

Children need hands-on activities to keep their minds sharp. Cooking can involve fine motor skills and the development of hand-eye coordination. Whatever task you have them do depends on age and your child’s personal abilities. Of course, having a toddler chop up a watermelon is not advised. Stirring up batter, sorting ingredients, or rolling up dough are just a few easy tasks for young kids.

And if you don’t have kids, what’s a better date idea than cooking together? It’s usually cheaper than a restaurant (but hey, go as gourmet as you want), and you can stay home. You won’t need to dress up to enjoy a fancy pasta dinner — just make it at home. Likewise, this kind of activity is a great bonding exercise for couples. It can help you learn how to work together and share the fruits of your labor as a team.

Remember to Make It Fun

The whole point of mixing up your food routine is to have some more fun experiences. Don’t make yourself do anything you know you won’t enjoy. Sometimes you can surprise yourself, but don’t go into anything that’ll feel like torture.

Try out a little at a time. You don’t need to completely change up everything you do. You just need variety, which doesn’t involve uprooting every practice you’re used to doing. It’s all about gaining new experiences. So go out there and have some fun in the kitchen.

Change Up Your Food Routine With These Fun Techniques was originally published on Calendar.com on Sept. 28, 2022, by Abby Miller. Featured Image: Marcus Aurelius; Pexels.com. Thank you!

5 Ways You Can Handle Customer Issues Smoothly

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5 Ways You Can Handle Customer Issues Smoothly

No business is an island. Each company exists only because of its customer base. Without paying customers, even the best products, services, and ideas will go nowhere. How you choose to handle customer issues is of utmost importance.

There are many ways that companies can convince consumers to spend money on their brand. Marketing campaigns and product design are important for that reason. However, many companies fail to focus sufficiently on one of the most important aspects of business: customer service.

How you treat your customers, especially when they have problems and concerns, says a lot about your organization. A positive customer service experience can convert a one-time buyer into a lifelong loyalist. In contrast, a poor customer service experience can permanently drive people away. Here are some processes you can establish to deal with your customers’ issues properly:

1. Provide Thorough Customer Service Training

Your frontline employees will be the people who handle most customer issues. The more training they receive, the better they can handle such issues. By budgeting for and conducting comprehensive customer service training, you set your workers up for success when dealing with difficult situations.

Fortunately, you don’t have to create your own customer service training program. That can be a lot of work to put together and execute, especially while running the other aspects of your business. Look for outside help to get your employees the training they need. There are plenty of qualified third-party training services you can reach out to.

That said, customer service training shouldn’t be a one-and-done event. Continuously remind your team of the importance of customer service. If additional training is needed, take the initiative to provide it in a timely fashion.

2. Solicit Customer Feedback

Try as you might to run a perfect operation, things will inevitably go south from time to time. When a customer has a bad experience — whether it’s an overlong wait or an uneven bang trim — strive to learn from the situation. This will help prevent repeat errors from occurring in the future.

A great way to gain insight into customer issues is to conduct surveys. Make your survey request after the initial problem has been resolved, and preferably via email. The last thing a frustrated customer wants to do is answer survey questions over the phone while trying to get a problem fixed.

Tailor survey questions to get at the root cause of each problem and ways future instances can be avoided. Ask customers what they would have liked to see done differently and try to implement their suggestions. Making positive changes is how you can better deal with similar issues in the future or avoid them entirely.

3. Offer Online Resources

Not all customer issues will occur within the 9-to-5 window. This doesn’t make them any less frustrating for your patrons. While you might not have someone available to help them at that specific moment, you can set up online resources that can provide helpful guidance.

Take chatbots as an example. These little AI-powered assistants sit within your website ready to answer simple questions website visitors might have. While they can only offer preset suggestions and responses, the assistance they provide is better than leaving impatient customers hanging.

Other resources such as an FAQs page or how-to videos can also be quite helpful. These pages are always accessible and may supply the assistance customers need before they place an annoyed phone call.

4. Maintain the Human Connection

Many companies are using automation to speed up a lot of their processes. While efficiency is always desirable, be careful not to lose the important human connection with your customers. Appointment-based businesses that develop relationships with their regulars should be especially mindful of this.

For example, an automated phone system can guide callers through booking an appointment or checking on wait times. This frees up employees from the phone lines so they can take care of in-house issues. However, not all customers can — or want to — navigate an automated system. If you’d like to implement an automated call menu, be sure to give callers the option of speaking with an in-house employee.

All your other automated systems should keep the human connection in mind. There should at least be access to a company representative for times when automation falls short. No automated system is perfect, and even if one was, many customers still prefer human interaction.

5. Stick to Your Policies

Unfortunately, you can’t just give in to every demand when a customer faces a minor inconvenience. Each customer service incident sets a precedent for future interactions. Having policies in place can provide helpful boundaries and protections for both customers and employees when resolving issues.

Take the common 30-day return policy, for example. A customer is entitled to return an item within a month of purchasing it. Exceptions are not made on day 31. This policy protects the employee from having to make difficult judgment calls and clearly tells customers what expectations regarding returns are.

Appointment-based businesses should establish their own firm policies as well. Your business may allow service animals at appointments, for example, but draw the line at regular pets. Some customers may take issue with that, but they should be required to respect the policy you have in place. In this way, you show respect for all those who visit your business.

Keeping customers content is an uphill battle companies fight every day. While it may seem like an endless challenge, the way you approach this will directly reflect on the success of your business. Take proper care of your customers, and they will take care of you in return.

Featured Image: Stefan Lorentz; Pexels.com. Thank you!

5 Innovative and Strategic Solutions for Improving Business Performance

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Innovative Business Performance

Productivity is essential in evaluating business performance. However, it is also worth noting that productivity isn’t the same as busyness. Productivity often goes hand in hand with efficiency. When people can get more done with less effort, they’re productive. It’s the classic “work smarter, not harder” mindset.

One of the best ways to boost productivity is by finding innovative tools and methods to streamline existing tasks. Unfortunately, there is no shortfall of creative options in the modern, entrepreneurially-focused, tech-driven world. That said, here are some unique strategic solutions that can help improve business performance.

1. Simplify (and unify) marketing solutions.

Software solutions are powerful business tools. They can do an endless number of tasks, from collecting and analyzing data to automating mundane activities.

For all of the benefits, though, software solutions can be a two-edged sword. As a company utilizes more third-party tools, its tech stack grows. When that happens, it’s easy to become inundated with information and notifications.

Fortunately, it’s possible to find the solution within the problem itself. An entirely new generation of tools is starting to emerge that work to reduce complexities associated with technology. In other words, they streamline tech-stack management.

For instance, outsourcing CMO and marketing agency Hawke Media recently released its Hawke AI marketing and analytics solution. The tool provides a dashboard where a brand can funnel data from multiple digital marketing platforms. From there, the software organizes the information into a single view that reveals critical analysis and insights. In addition, the AI tool tracks performance against goals and even utilizes machine learning for predictive analysis of future trends.

Tools like this can help condense the complexities of data and analytics — especially in areas like marketing, where too much dense stat-crunching can hurt creative output. In addition, organizing analytics into a single location avoids wasting time chasing down numbers and creating statistical takeaways. It also avoids the issue of leaving important data unused and lost in a backwater databank on the back end of a company’s tech infrastructure.

2. Control SaaS spend and Shadow IT.

The growing use of tech stacks also leads to many underutilized applications. Each of these is a recurring cost for an organization, regardless of whether they’re optimized.

As companies incorporate a growing number of software solutions into their internal operations, keeping tabs on everything is important. It’s easy to leave applications unused or for one team to use them but not another.

Torii is a startup developing a suite of tools to address SaaS management. Its creators designed the software solution to help businesses get the most out of their tech stack by understanding how each third-party software tool or platform is helping their operation.

For instance, the application addresses Shadow IT by discovering unknown or hidden apps (that aren’t on IT’s radar) within a company’s infrastructure and bringing them into the light. It also tracks SaaS spending and ensures that companies optimize each app for maximum utility. The tool even identifies if a SaaS solution is sufficiently helping an organization or if it can remove the item from its tech stack — and consequently its budget, too.

3. Improve data observability.

Another way to address inefficiencies created by data infrastructure is by improving data observability. Data observability platforms provide key insights into how a company’s internal applications are interacting.

The goal of data observability is to identify blind spots like data silos. These can lead to lower performance, reliability, and data quality — all while increasing cost.

Tools like Databand provide comprehensive data observability even for intricate internal networks. This keeps systems operating smoothly and provides an intimate knowledge of what is happening behind the scenes regarding a company’s data.

In addition, the software solution monitors for risks like data drift and bottlenecks. This allows companies to stay ahead of potential threats. As a result, they can operate from a proactive and preventative position rather than reacting to data concerns when an issue has already developed into a crisis.

Gaining and maintaining control over a company’s data can be challenging. However, suppose a business can use a software solution to restore a sense of control. In that case, it can naturally improve data efficiency, sharpen informed decision-making, and boost productivity in the process.

4. Invest in team building.

In the post-pandemic era, talent is at a premium, and retention is in the spotlight. In response, everyone is talking about upskilling and reskilling existing workers to meet the needs of a company from within. And these are undoubtedly critical aspects of long-term retention.

However, there are other elements of retention that deserve consideration. For example, one of the most overlooked items of the post-pandemic era is team building.

As remote work has taken a foothold in the modern business model, teams are becoming increasingly isolated and disconnected. No matter how skilled an individual may be, it can be challenging to be effective if they aren’t connected to their coworkers.

Companies like Gomada have created solutions that bridge the team-building gap created by online and hybrid work environments. For example, the innovative team-bonding platform provides remote-friendly activities that can help bring teams together.

Some of these focus on general fun and getting to know one another from afar. Others address more significant concerns, like providing support during layoffs or improving communication.

Whatever a business’s work environment may be, leaders must look for ways to bring their teams together. Team building, whether it’s in person or on a computer, improves coworker interactions. It can keep a group on the same page and help them boost productivity on a daily basis.

5. Create standards and guidelines.

As companies operate in a more decentralized manner, the need for organization and oversight is becoming more important. Yet, at the same time, it’s too easy for managers to squelch business performance through micromanaging.

One way to improve productivity without overseeing every activity is by instating clear standards and guidelines to guide an organization. Standards, in this case, refer to quality control, communication protocols, and other rules and regulations that set the tone for a company’s operation. By creating these, a leader can set expectations for behavioral activity without the need to shadow every employee.

Creating guidelines for specific areas of business activity is also a good idea. For instance, if a marketing department has a lot of personnel or works with contractors, a CMO may want to create brand guidelines. This can create consistency throughout the content creation process.

Dropshipping app Oblero points out that good brand guidelines should include basic elements, like logos, typography, and a color palette. It should also provide information about a brand’s voice and tone. That way, whenever someone, either inside a company or out of it, creates something, they can maintain consistency and save time they would have spent asking questions and making edits.

Maintaining peak business performance takes continual effort. So it’s important for leaders to remain aware of the tools they can use to ensure that their enterprises are both efficient and productive. Then, use the solutions above to find ways to improve your business’s performance — all while working smarter, not harder.

5 Innovative and Strategic Solutions for Improving Business Performance was originally published on Calendar.com on Sept. 19, 2022, by Deanna Ritchie. Featured Image Credit: Startup Stock Photos; Pexels.com. Thank you!

5 Autumn Promotions to Help Grow Your Business

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autumn business promotion

The seasons are changing, which is the perfect time for you to make some changes to your business. While your organization might not need a complete overhaul, altering your marketing tactics to the changing times can be exceptionally helpful. The events and themes that accompany autumn can be used to your advantage.

One thing consumers love is a good deal. Sales and discounts are common during the fall months for that reason, whether it’s Labor Day furniture sales or cut-rate turkeys at the grocery store. Appointment-based businesses can likewise use seasonal promotions to grow their customer base and generate more revenue. Here are a few ideas your business can entertain this season to accomplish just that:

1. Offer School-Oriented Deals

One of the biggest changes besides the weather in fall is the return of the academic year. There’s a lot that goes into heading back to school, and your business can run promotions to show scholars your support. If your service is one that many students may desire or need, a student discount will be welcomed.

By this point in the semester, new college students are outgrowing the haircuts they got before leaving home. To maintain their look, their tresses are going to need intervention before holiday break rolls around. If you operate a hair salon, advertise a 10% discount for students who can provide a school ID. They can look and feel their best without straining their student budget.

You can think of a school-related twist for just about any business. Students who commute to class may need an oil change for their car. Parents who finally have their kids out of the house will appreciate a discounted massage.

2. Provide Holiday-Themed Discounts and Freebies

There are a few key holidays that take place during autumn, and the promotions during this time practically create themselves. There are so many ways for you to offer a creative discount to your customers to celebrate the season.

Halloween offers a prime opportunity. This holiday is already heavily commercialized, with its own special TV episodes, spooky decorations, and buckets of candy waiting for hungry children. Your business can have a lot of fun with this holiday by thinking outside of the box.

For example, you can offer a discount or a product giveaway to any customer who shows up in a Halloween costume. This will really hit the mark for businesses that target families, such as a pediatric dentist’s office. Kids will be able to show off their Halloween costumes, and parents will walk away with some free toothpaste and kid-friendly floss picks. Just the thing to save young teeth from sticky Halloween treats!

3. Join In Community Events

You won’t be the only organization that will be celebrating the season. Chances are, your local community will host a number of fall-themed events for families in the area. You can lend your support by volunteering at these events and bringing some discounted services along with you.

Turkey Trots are fun runs held around Thanksgiving Day. Families get together to burn a few calories before an extravagant meal and compete for prizes. How can your business help out at an event like this? Maybe you set up a booth at the finish line handing out apple cider with discount cards for your services. You’re helping out with the race while also marketing your company.

Other seasonal events to watch out for are trunk-or-treats, corn mazes, and fall festivals. Be creative with how you participate in these events, both in providing a service for the community and marketing your business.

4. Beef Up Your Loyalty Rewards

Do you have a loyalty program currently in place? Many appointment-based businesses reward returning customers with points that can be redeemed for discounts, prizes, and more. If you run such a program, your fall discount plan can be to increase potential rewards for a short time. Post fall-themed promotional materials in your waiting area to publicize the bonus rewards you’re offering.

This approach accomplishes two goals. First, you please loyal customers who keep your business running day in and day out by upping their rewards. Secondly, you are incentivizing new customers to become loyalists themselves. Touting the perks of membership can be quite convincing.

If you haven’t implemented a rewards program, now is the perfect time to set one up. An autumn deal that boosts introductory rewards will really get the ball rolling. You can taper off the rewards later, but be sure to honor any promised rewards through the end of the year.

5. Run a Contest

Is there a better discount than 100% off? A lucky customer or two can win such a deal by participating in your fall contest. You can even throw in a 10% discount to all contestants to spread the love and get more people to participate.

One example could be a photo contest held through social media. Contestants can share their fall-themed images with a hashtag specific to your business. Anyone who creates a post can come in for discounted services, and the contestant whose photo gets the most likes can come in for free. Such contests are free to enter and available to anyone with an internet connection, making them inclusive and simple.

Autumn promotions come and go, but the customers they draw in can stick around for the long haul. Craft your seasonal marketing efforts thoughtfully, and your business will be enjoying the increased revenue long after the scent of pumpkin spice has waned.

Image credit: Kateryna Naidenko; Pexels; Thanks!

12 Ways to Motivate Yourself Every Morning

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12 Ways to Motivate Yourself Every Morning

It’s funny how morning motivation works. On some days, you wake up with so much energy and motivation that you’re ready to take on the world. Other times, it feels like you have just enough energy to crawl out of bed.

Even though motivation seems random, it’s not. It takes effort to feel motivated. More specifically, it comes when you’re passionate about something.

Don’t worry if you find it hard to get up and go to work every day. According to a Gallup study, 60% of people are emotionally detached from work and 19% are miserable at work. And, a mere 33% of respondents felt engaged.

Once again, motivation requires effort. Keeping yourself refreshed and renewed is something you need to do every day. In that light, here are 12 ways to get motivated every morning to get you through the day.

1. Get plenty of sleep.

Do you have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning? Well, the culprit could be that you aren’t getting enough sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests that most people need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night. If you’re falling behind on sleep, you might need to adjust your waking and sleeping times. Thankfully, to get more sleep, you can try the following methods:

  • Maintain a consistent circadian rhythm by rising at the same time every day — including weekends.
  • Take advantage of sunlight in the morning to help your body produce the right hormones for sleep and motivation in wakefulness.
  • Don’t rush through your evenings, including finishing your evening meal at least four hours before going to bed.
  • At least 30 minutes before you go to sleep, turn off your screens. After all, blue light from your TV and phone impairs your sleep.
  • Use sleep aid supplements, such as melatonin, if you have trouble falling asleep.
  • Strenuous exercise should be avoided within four hours of bedtime to prevent disruptions in sleep hormone production.
  • Keep your room like a cave. In other words, your bedroom should be dark and cool.

2. Don’t hit snooze.

Avoid hitting snooze in the morning. In addition to being bad for your psyche, it’s also bad for your motivation.

“After you hit snooze and drift off, your brain starts its sleep cycle all over again,” Alan Henry said on Lifehacker.com. “When the alarm goes off a second time, you’re likely at an even deeper, earlier part of your sleep cycle, which results in you feeling evenworse than you did the first time.”

Additionally, refrain from waking up surrounded by blaring alarms, radio static, or irritating talk news. Choose a soothing, upbeat alarm instead. Getting up will be much easier if you listen to your favorite song or listen to a funny podcast.

3. Pose a few positive questions to yourself.

According toHenrik Edberg on PositivityBlog.com, whenever you wake up, ask yourself five empowering three-part questions, as follows:

  • What am I ______ about in my life right now?
  • What about it makes me _______?
  • How does it make me feel?

“Put in your own value in the blank space,” he says. “For instance, a couple of my questions are:”

  • What am I happy about in my life right now?
  • What am I excited about in my life right now?

“It’s important that you really feel how it makes you feel,” Edberg adds. “When I think about the last part about what makes me happy right now I really feel it.”

Morning questions can fill you with motivation, appreciation and positivity based on the way they are framed.

4. Your biggest dreams should be visible to you as soon as you wake up.

In order to live a fulfilling life, our brains constantly need reminders of what we hope for. By writing it down, we become conscious that what was once a dream and thought suddenly becomes tangible and clearly visible.

As a result, it is no longer just a vivid imagination. But, instead, something that could actually come true.

5. Establish routines.

Getting yourself out of bed in the morning requires more than your morning routine. Just as important is what you do in the evenings before you hit the hay.

As an example, by picking up clutter and cleaning the mess around your house before you go to sleep, you can wake up to a clean home. In turn, this helps you feel energized and refreshed in the morning.

Before you sleep, take the time to read for a while. As a result, your brain will disengage from the day’s activities.

In the morning, your routine could consist of making your bed, watching a TED Talk, journaling, or decluttering your workspace. An efficient morning routine improves mental health, lowers stress levels, and increases energy levels.

Whatever consists of your morning routine, I also suggest that it includes at least one thing that you love.

As Tony Robbins says, “There are 2 different kinds of motivation: Push requires willpower, and willpower never lasts. What will last is pull – having something so exciting, so attractive, something you desire so much that you have a hard time going to sleep at night, you get up so early in the morning and take it to the next level. That’s what you’re looking to get.”

You can utilize pull motivation by incorporating at least one thing you enjoy into your morning routine. As I walk my dog, I listen to one of my favorite podcasts. It may sound corny. But, as I anticipate listening to a new episode, I am excited to start my day.

6. Map out your day.

Write down your goals for the following day before you go to bed. Also, organize your projects by priority. And, take note of any appointments you have coming up on your schedule.

It may seem like a lot of planning. But, this ensures that you’re in control of your day. As a result, you’ll stay motivated, on track, and won’t be distracted by other things. Also, since you know what needs to be done, you’re reducing the number of decisions you have to make. In turn, this preserves your energy throughout the day.

7. Wear something that makes you feel good.

The right outfit can make or break your day, even if you don’t realize it. The reason is that when you feel comfortable and look good, you project confidence. In most cases, that’s a big motivator for us.

It sounds simple. But, wearing a wardrobe that you are excited to wear can boost your motivation for the day.

8. Stretch and exercise.

Regular exercise releases dopamine, which is the chemical responsible for making us feel happy. To put it another way, this is our biology’s “feel good” pill which boosts our positivity.

Plus, you’ll stay fit, healthy, and in great shape if you do this frequently.

9. Make yourself accountable.

It’s more likely that you’ll follow through when you get someone else involved in your productivity. Furthermore, this can give you something to look forward to.

“Your motivation to get out of bed can be enhanced by planning with a friend that you will both work out in the morning from your own homes or follow an online exercise routine at the same time from your respective locations,” says licensed psychologist Selena Snow, PhD.

It is also possible to hold yourself responsible for helping someone else. For example, helping a colleague catch-up on an assignment because they were under the weather.

10. Have a morning mantra.

“Words hold a lot of meaning, so imagine the power of saying something motivating to yourself each and every day,” says holistic business coach Tiffany Napper. “A great mantra should incite a feeling inside you — a feeling that you don’t quite feel in your soul yet but you want to… a feeling of empowerment.” After one week, evaluate how you feel after repeating it 20 times every morning with heart and soul for the next 7 days.

Tiffany suggests the following morning mantras to brighten your day:

  • I am worthy just as I am.
  • I will achieve great things through small steps.
  • Everything I need is within me.
  • I am fulfilling my purpose in this world.
  • I am centered and at peace.

11. Surround yourself with inspiration.

Keeping something inspirational in your room, such as a favorite painting or framed photo, can provide inspiration. Another option is to create an inspiration board, a compilation of pictures, quotes, or anything else that makes you happy, and keep it in your room as a reminder. As a result, you will see happy, positive thoughts in the morning and at night, instilling motivation as soon as you wake up.

12. Shake things up.

While routines serve a purpose, there’s a danger of them becoming mundane very quickly. As a consequence, your motivation can diminish as you do the same thing every day.

To avoid getting stuck in a rut, do something different. Perhaps you could try a new route to work, visit a new café, or try something new from the menu. Adding variety to your life not only boosts your energy, but it also motivates you.

12 Ways to Motivate Yourself Every Morning was originally published on Calendar.com on Sept. 21, 2022 by Albert Costill. Image Credit: Aphiwat Chuangchoem; Pexels.com. Thank you!

5 Ways to Ensure Customer Comfort in Your Waiting Room

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Customer Comfort

If you run an appointment-based business, you have to give your waiting room proper attention. This is where new customers get their first impression of your business. If an appointment is delayed, customer comfort becomes paramount as your patrons will be hanging out there until they can be seen.

When your waiting room is dirty or uncomfortable, the customer experience is already off to a rocky start. You should keep one word in mind when creating and updating your waiting room: comfort.

You want every visitor to feel comfortable while waiting for their appointment, whether that wait is five minutes or 15. Wait times don’t feel nearly as long when an individual is sitting in relaxing surroundings. If you’re looking to give your waiting room a makeover, customer comfort should be the highest priority. Here are a few ways you can make that happen.

1. Support customers’ electronic devices.

Few people will enter your waiting room without some sort of personal device these days.

This should keep them well entertained until their appointment begins, but today’s gadgets can entail a few stressors. Luckily, these can be easily eliminated with simple additions to your waiting room.

The two biggest issues with personal electronics are battery charge and mobile internet service. A dying battery can be stressful, especially if a customer needs their smartphone after the appointment. Providing access to a charging station allows customers to charge up their devices while they wait, completely worry-free.

As for connecting to the internet, not everyone has an unlimited data plan. Even those who do might only get a certain amount of high-speed data to work with. When you set up Wi-Fi for your business, add an open guest network for your customers to use. That way they can scroll in peace without worrying about drastically increasing their phone bill.

2. Improve your seating.

The more comfortable customers are in the waiting room, the better mood they’ll be in for their appointment.

Take a moment to scan the furniture you already have, maybe even giving it a try for yourself. Are the chairs and sofas comfortable? Are they ergonomic? Since you don’t usually sit in your own waiting room, you may have no idea whether your seating arrangement is still up to par.

Another thing to look for is wear and tear on furniture items. Your seats might be as comfortable as can be, but the upholstery might be faded or frayed after years of use. Worn furnishings will leave customers with a bad impression of your business.

Admittedly, chairs and sofas are expensive. You may have to bite the bullet and upgrade them, but sometimes you can get by with adding other items to the mix. For example, some easily cleaned pillows can make a couch more comfortable while providing a pop of color. A bean bag chair will be great for any kids who come in with a parent.

3. Introduce soothing sounds.

A little music in your waiting room can make a surprisingly large impact on customer comfort. Research on music in waiting rooms for patients in healthcare settings showed results in its favor. Researchers found that soothing music was effective in calming patient anxiety leading up to an appointment.

There are plenty of appointment-based businesses outside of the realm of healthcare. These, too, can benefit from background music. It helps to fill the empty space and makes waiting for an appointment less awkward. It can even boost the mood of receptionists and other workers who spend all day in or adjacent to the waiting room.

Another sound source could be a television. A TV provides some visual stimulation for kids accompanying their parents or customers who might appreciate the distraction. Just avoid programs with polarizing political content to avoid offending or discomfiting any of your patrons.

4. Pay attention to climate control.

Your business likely operates year-round, which means you’ll have a variety of seasons and weather conditions to contend with. Varying temperatures can affect how your patients feel in your waiting room. Well-regulated climate control can help them feel comfortable no matter the weather.

A smart thermostat is an ideal solution. It will automatically adapt the temperature in your waiting room even when the weather outside is rapidly changing. It will kick on the heat when temperatures drop and cool things off when the sun is extra strong.

Speaking of the sun’s glare, consider tinted windows or thermal blinds to keep solar gain to a minimum in the summertime. Thermal blinds will do double duty in the winter, keeping drafts at bay. Even customers seated closest to the windows will remain comfortable, whatever the season.

5. Make helpful information easily accessible.

Customers will feel more at ease when they have all of the information they need for an appointment.

Displaying active wait times is an example of providing information customers will find helpful. You might also post the doctors in clinic or availability for future appointments in your waiting room.

Having a staff member on hand at all times is perhaps the single best thing you can do here. There are fewer things that frustrate customers more than having questions to ask with no one to answer them. Consequently, offering easy access to key information in the form of a business representative can be huge.

Get each appointment off on the right foot by revamping the first place customers see: your waiting room. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how the entire appointment experience can be improved by subtle changes to providing customer comfort from the very start.

Featured Image: Max Vakhtbovych; Pexels.com. Thank you!

What Is Timeboxing?

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Large Clock on a Glass Wall;; What Is Timeboxing?

All of us have experienced that 30-minute task that morphed into a full-day project. After all, without time constraints, work can easily drag on throughout the day. This phenomenon is known as Parkinson’s Law, which says “work expands to fill the time available for completion.” Thankfully, you can regain control of your schedule by timeboxing.

When you use timeboxing to manage your work, you can overcome procrastination, regain lost productivity, and focus on the work that matters. Ultimately, the goal is to spend less time planning work and more time working.

What Is Timeboxing?

By timeboxing, you allocate a set amount of time to a specific task on your calendar.

Instead of just working until something is done, you decide when and how much time you will dedicate to it. To put it another way, timeboxing means scheduling a specific amount of time for a particular task in your calendar.

Basically, it’s the same as scheduling a meeting. You pick the day, as well as the start and end times. And most importantly, you reserve time in your calendar to avoid calendar conflicts.

Once you reserve a slot time, you should treat it like an appointment. If you work on a time-boxed task, you will not be interrupted by reschedulings or distractions.

In the case of larger tasks, you may need to reserve several blocks of time ahead of time. You can effectively schedule and prioritize your time with this approach.

“Timeboxing will change your life,” explains Nir Eyal. “It works because it uses well-researched technique psychologists call, ‘setting an implementation intention,’ which is just a fancy way of saying, ‘planning out what you are going to do and when you will do it.'”

No wonder leaders like Bill Gates and Elon Musk have sung the praises of this practice.

The Pros and Cons of Timeboxing

Timeboxing has several advantages. Among the main benefits are:

  • You’ll be more intentional about your work. Creating a timebox requires prioritizing tasks and deciding how long they should take. The more you think about these details for every task, the more aware you are of where your time is going.
  • It is easier to “force yourself” to tackle those tasks you have procrastinated on or that you know you will struggle with.
  • Setting strict limits on when and how much time you will spend on a particular task will help you organize your schedule more effectively. In addition, you’ll be more productive and focused if you don’t get interrupted or distracted while working on your task.
  • Reduces multitasking. The human brain is incapable of multitasking. The brain must re-upload information every time we switch tasks, which takes energy and time. When you timebox, you focus on one task (or a related group of tasks) at a time. This way, you won’t jump between projects.
  • It helps you manage perfectionism, overprocessing and overdoing.
  • Establishes a routine. You can gain a better understanding of your day. When you schedule your timeboxes in your calendar, you can clearly see when each task will be completed. When you schedule your work in advance, you will be less likely to get caught up in the “guessing game” of scheduling and can approach each day more confidently.

The Disadvantages of Timeboxing

Although timeboxing has many benefits, it isn’t for everyone. Listed below are some of the most common drawbacks of timeboxing and some ways to overcome them.

  • You can’t finish your task before the timebox is up. When first starting out, this is a common issue with timeboxing. However, if you track your time over time, you’ll more accurately estimate the time needed to complete specific tasks.
  • Timeboxing disrupts my flow. It can be frustrating when you have to switch tasks when the timer goes off. This is why grouping similar tasks into back-to-back time boxes is recommended.
  • By timeboxing, I rush through tasks, resulting in low-quality work. When establishing a timebox, be realistic. You shouldn’t force every ounce of productivity out of time management techniques like timeboxing. If you try that, you will burn out instead of succeeding. Instead, keep your expectations realistic and schedule downtime between tasks to prevent burnout.
  • My calendar is a bit cluttered after adding all of my timeboxes. Taking control of your calendar is possible with timeboxing. But this time management strategy is not for everyone. Another time management strategy, such as time blocking, might help you if you’re feeling overwhelmed.

How Timeboxing and Timeblocking Differ

When you use time blocking, you schedule a time to accomplish everything on your agenda, everything you might otherwise be unable to accomplish.

Time blocks, also called time periods, refer to shorter time periods that can be marked on your calendar and dictate starting and ending times for activities. Each time block is intended to motivate you to help you follow your schedule and complete your work on time.

Then you assess whether you completed the task before the end of the time block. If not, you allocate more time for the next attempt.

How is timeboxing different?

When you timebox, you limit activities to avoid wasting too much time.

The process involves creating time periods called “timeboxes,” which can range in length from a few minutes to several months. In addition to deadlines and goals, timeboxes may also include milestones, deliverables, and a budget.

Regardless of the outcome, you declare your work done at the end of the timebox. After that, you assess whether or not you have reached your goals.

For example, you might want to clean up your office without spending the whole afternoon doing so. Whenever your 30-minute timebox runs out, you stop immediately, regardless of how much cleaning you’ve done.

Getting Started With Timeboxing

Are you interested in giving timeboxing a try? Here are nine pointers to get you started on your journey.

1. Identify appropriate tasks.

The general rule is to assign a timebox to any task you want. However, setting timeboxes for the following would be most helpful:

Those tasks you don’t want to do.

In most cases, these are time-consuming and demanding tasks, such as writing an eBook. As a consequence, your procrastination is the result of knowing you cannot complete these tasks quickly.

If you break up your work into smaller, more manageable chunks with their own deadlines and milestones, you make the task seem less daunting. Then, to reach the next one, you only need to motivate yourself.

The tasks you want to complete as quickly as possible.

Cleaning your bathroom or arranging your emails are two examples of necessary but unpleasant tasks. These tasks will either take a long time to complete or consume too much of your time.

A strict deadline will limit the time you’ll spend on the project from the get-go.

2. Differentiate between hard and soft timeboxes.

To clarify what you should do after each timebox, distinguish “hard” timeboxes from “soft” timeboxes:

  • Soft timebox. A soft timebox can be thought of as a group of smaller tasks you’ve broken down into larger ones. After completing one timebox, you move on to the next timebox. You can keep track of your work with symbolic milestones, which will help you parse it more effectively and make it easier to manage.
  • Hard timebox. A hard timebox is one you won’t think about once it’s over. You move from one completely unrelated timebox to the next as soon as you finish one. As your focus shifts to a different type of task, milestones become more apparent.

3. Make timeboxed time a priority.

You may find it tempting to rearrange, reschedule, or cancel your timeboxes when you have a busy day. Keep this to a minimum. When you have established your timeboxes, think of them as self-scheduled meetings instead of going with the flow.

By setting aside time for a specific task, you are committing to yourself that you will complete it during that time. Therefore, Timeboxes shouldn’t be canceled at the last minute, just like you wouldn’t cancel a meeting at the last minute unless absolutely necessary.

4. Visualize your time.

The best way to timebox is to make it visually appealing. To see what time limit you have on any particular task, it helps to schedule focus time on your calendar. In addition to helping you stay on schedule, it also lets others know when you will not be available.

5. Set a limit on the timebox.

How long should a timebox last if it’s realistic?

According to the widely discussed science of ultradian rhythms, you should never allocate more than 90 minutes to any task in one sitting.

The amount can, however, be reduced. For example, feel free to set a five-minute time limit for brainstorming tasks that will take about five minutes.

It’s entirely up to you how long your timeboxes are and how many tasks you’ve got to accomplish. But, regardless of the timebox length, taking a break after 90 minutes is always a good idea.

6. Take breaks between timeboxes.

Breaks help you stay focused longer. Again, science shows that your attention begins to wane after 90 minutes, but it might wane much earlier. To keep your routine smooth, you must plan ahead for breaks.

It is possible, for example, to work for 45 minutes and then take a 15-minute break. This will give you a full hour.

Also, you should make the most of these breaks. I recommend taking a break during your break time to let your eyes rest, primarily if you work all day in front of a computer. Try stretching or taking a short walk outside instead.

As soon as you return, you’ll have regained your focus and concentration, just in time to work for another 45-minute timebox.

7. Set timers.

As soon as you’ve assigned time to each task, set a timer to remind you when it’s time to move on to the next one. You will not only be motivated to work efficiently if you set a specific period of time. But you will also ensure you don’t leave out other important projects as well.

8. Similar tasks should be grouped together.

It is best to create individual timeboxes for most tasks and initiatives to timebox effectively. This is because it takes time and mental energy to switch between tasks, even with timeboxing. Therefore, tasks should be grouped in adjacent timeboxes to avoid this problem. By doing this, your brain will stay on the same “track” even while you work on individual projects.

In other words, even if you switch timeboxes, grouping similar tasks will make it easier for you to stay focused and flow.

9.  Review, rinse, and repeat.

Review your progress at the end of every timebox or day. Can you learn anything and apply it to your future schedules if you complete all your tasks?

If not, ask yourself why. Did you allow enough time for the task to be completed? What distracted you or derailed you?

What is Timeboxing? was originally published on Calender.com by John Hall. Featured Image Credit: Thomas Brenac; Pexels.com. Thank you!

7 Ways to Make Your Waiting Room Cozier This Fall

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7 Ways to Make Your Waiting Room Cozier This Fall

Your waiting room is the place where you make a first impression on your customers. There’s nothing worse than walking into a dirty, unkempt, and unwelcoming waiting area. For whatever reason people find themselves in such a room, it should feel like a safe space for what’s next. Waiting rooms are an opportunity to make your clients feel well cared for and valued.

Are you looking to create a more pleasant waiting room experience for your customers this fall? Instead of going full-blown pumpkin patch, create a cozy, simple environment with these tips:

1. Change up outdated seasonal elements.

The season has turned, so replace the summer magazines with fall ones. Take down the beach artwork and hang up some fall-themed artwork instead. Keep decorations cool and classy by opting for smaller, muted-colored elements instead of large, colorful pieces. Swap out your summer throw pillows and rug for a fall-feeling oasis.

It should go without saying that you need to keep your waiting room clean. But customers will like seeing that your business goes the extra mile to update the space along with the seasons.

2. Add some light fall scents.

An inviting space should engage all your customers’ senses, so don’t neglect the sense of smell. From fallen leaves to cloves and cinnamon, the aromas of fall are a delight, so consider adding these scents to your waiting room.

That said, be sure to select ones that account for people with sensitivities to strong fragrances. You want your waiting room to be pleasant and inviting, not headache-triggering. Lightly spray the room each morning before customers arrive or place reed diffusers around the room with a popular fall scent.

3. Create a kids corner.

Get creative with your kids’ corner in the fall. Have fall-themed activities to keep children busy in a designated area. Ditch the vacation-themed coloring books and replace them with pumpkins and farm animal pages. Opt for washable markers to ensure your young visitors’ artistic efforts don’t become permanent features of the space.

Create a specific project kids can do and display the results in the kids’ corner when they’re complete. You might, for example, ask children to write what they’re thankful for on a leaf-shaped cutout. Or connect the activity to your business: print coloring pages with a pumpkin dressed as a lawyer or a scarecrow holding a stethoscope. Remember to have a staff member tidy the corner up throughout the day to keep things neat.

4. Consider warmer lighting.

Say you manage a doctor’s or dentist’s office. Sure, people are there for medical care, but your waiting room shouldn’t make them feel like they’re already on the exam table. Bright white fluorescent lighting might be the default in most business settings, but it’s hardly your only option.

To warm up your waiting area, consider lighting alternatives that would make your visitors feel more welcome. Try yellow lights, Edison light bulbs, or lamp lighting around the room. A golden glow equals a perfect fall day.

5. Offer seasonal treats and refreshments.

Fall is harvest time, so treat your customers to the bounty of the season by offering seasonal refreshments. This can be as simple as setting out a basket of fresh fruit, such as apples or pears. If you’re feeling more ambitious, provide individually wrapped pastries made with recently harvested fruits. Fall-themed granola or trail mix is an easy on-the-go snack.

Once the weather starts cooling down, offer beverage options besides water and coffee. Hot tea, apple cider, or cocoa will warmly welcome your customers and make your space smell delicious.

6. Bring in plants.

For an instant homey feeling, add a few low-maintenance plants to your waiting area. Use fall-colored pots to bring warmth to the area. No window? No worries. Plants like pothos and philodendrons will thrive in little to no sunlight in the autumn weather. Not only do they make your waiting room more inviting, but these plants provide additional oxygen in your space.

Not into having to water plants but open to fresh flowers? Grocery stores usually have beautiful fall bouquets filled with red and orange hues that scream fall. Pick up a bouquet once a week to add to the coffee table, adding instant life and a focal point to the room.

7. Establish a clear and friendly check-in process.

Cozy doesn’t just mean a snuggly blanket. To feel comfortable, visitors must feel welcome. By greeting clients with a smiling face, you’re already creating a welcoming check-in process.

While they’re checking in, mention the autumnal treats they can help themselves to. If they have children in tow, point out the fall-themed activities in your kids corner. In case your front desk staff gets busy, clear signage can instruct arriving clients on the check-in process so they don’t stand around awkwardly.

By creating a cozier environment, you will usher in a positive customer service experience for your clients. Through thoughtful snacks, lighting, and scents, you’ll show that you pay close attention to detail. This will resonate with your clients and convince them they’ve come to the right place for their service. First impressions matter, and you’ll be off to a great start by following these tips.

Featured Image Credit: Curtis Adams; Pexels.com. Thank you!

Calendar Full? 5 Ways To Maximize Your Meetings

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Calendar Full? 5 Ways To Maximize Your Meetings

No company operates in a vacuum, and very few businesses are one-person operations. Even if you’re a solopreneur, you’ll likely need to coordinate with clients. In short, business means collaboration. Working with others translates to the necessity of meetings. And meetings can either be a drain for your schedule and productivity. Or, when you maximize meetings, a chance to ensure you’re on the same page with your collaborators, work out kinks and develop actionable plans for your projects.

Most of us have experienced those meetings that we know by the “could have been an email” trope. They’re the ones that seem to have no clear direction, in which the group collectively spins its wheels. This might be due to participants getting sidetracked or simply because the content of the meeting is redundant.

It’s not a great feeling to sit through an entire hour while silently stressing about the tasks we could be doing instead. Packed calendars are ubiquitous; no one wants or deserves a time-wasting meeting. If you’re in charge of periodic or regular check-ins with your team or clients, everyone involved will thank you for running smooth and effective meetings that support their tasks.

A great meeting should help participants resolve stuck points, get team members on the same page, clarify project next steps and generally save time and energy. Carefully planning your meetings and sticking to the plan will help the members of your team get the most out of face-to-face time.

Remember that time is money and budget meeting time accordingly.

It’s important to periodically evaluate the frequency and time demands of your team’s meeting schedule. Ask yourself:

Do you need a weekly or bi-weekly face-to-face to stay on track?

Can some meetings be skipped if no pressing concerns need to be addressed?

How will holding a meeting impact your team’s productivity: will it enhance it by alleviating stuck points, or will it hinder it by pulling people out of their zones?

Evaluate whether your team requires standing meetings.

Try not to get stuck in the mindset that meetings, especially standing meetings, are necessary to keep everyone moving forward together. Sometimes, it really can be an email. Being thoughtful about when and how you conduct your meetings could translate into significant cost savings for your business. Remember, you’re paying for everyone’s time during that meeting. You’re also potentially losing productive time on tasks if you’re meeting unnecessarily. It might be enlightening to get out a calculator and run the numbers for your company’s spend on weekly meeting time.

Have a clear meeting agenda and stay on task.

When you and your team have determined that a gathering is warranted, whether virtual or in-person, it’s vital to have a clear action plan. Before each meeting, clearly identify what you want to accomplish, who needs to be involved and how you will organize the time. Try not to require attendance from teammates if you don’t need to take up their time. It’s essential to create and share an agenda for each meeting – and stick to it.

“If I don’t have an agenda in front of me, I walk out,” Annette Catino, chief executive of the QualCare Alliance Network, told the New York Times. “Give me an agenda or else I’m not going to sit there, because if I don’t know why we’re in the meeting, and you don’t know why we’re there, then there’s no reason for a meeting.”

Tips for Maximizing Your Meetings

Developing a plan ahead of time will help everyone involved know what to expect, keep discussions corralled and save everyone time.

Here are five tips you can implement today to help you and your team ensure efficiency and that you all get the most out of your collaborative time.

1. Have a meeting agenda available for your team before you get together.

A well-thought-out meeting agenda is the heart and soul of effective team collaboration. Think of it as a playbill for success, a guide that sets the stage for smooth performance. Your agenda should include the essential who, why, what, and how information.

Your team should know who is attending. Communicate expectations to each attendee for their contribution to the conversation. You should also have a clear goal established, even for standing meetings. What are your team’s pain points and how will you address them during this time? If you can’t answer the big “W” questions, you may want to back up. Assess whether your team needs to meet at all.

The agenda does not need to be a fully fleshed-out document, with paragraphs of explanations or instructions. Instead, simply identify the items that need to be dealt with, in an order that makes sense, and note who is invited to contribute to each point. You may end up going off script at times, but having a clear outline will go a long way to keeping everyone on task.

2. Use your meeting agenda to stay on task and ensure efficiency.

To help maximize any meeting, it’s vital for every participant to receive a copy of the agenda beforehand. If possible, allow enough time for feedback and questions. You might find your team helps you improve on your plan beforehand.

If you’re a traditional brick-and-mortar operation, you could distribute hard copies of your agenda before you meet. But that isn’t a viable option for hybrid or remote gatherings. Emailing an agenda document to everyone is a possible solution. Or, you might consider tech tools that can help organize the process from start to finish.

One tech tool option to maximize your meetings is Fellow. Fellow’s software includes meeting templates, so you don’t have to start with a blank page when organizing your agenda. The agendas also allow you to keep your team accountable and informed about key decisions. Having a multi-feature tool for your team is one way to keep everyone on the same page and keep track of needs and progress at a glance.

3. Stay on task and cut down on distractions.

Depending on your culture, you may want to spice up your meetings a little to keep your team engaged. But if you do, it’s a good idea to keep everyone otherwise focused and on task. Make sure everyone has the space to contribute and you’re working to help with pain points or sticking points.

If you’re running the meeting, strive to serve as its moderator. Foster open communication. Be ready to step in when it’s time to redirect or move the meeting along to the next agenda item. As you tick down the list, stick to a rhythm of communication, brainstorming, and settling.

Talk about where you’re stuck or what needs to be addressed about a particular point. Allow the team a reasonable amount of time (given your schedule and the meeting length) to discuss approaches and then commit to a strategy to address it before moving on. If something doesn’t work, you can revisit it later.

4. Encourage note-taking and active listening.

Meetings can be rich opportunities for teams to work through roadblocks collaboratively. If you plan them out thoughtfully, stick to the plan and allow participants to bring their challenges and solutions to the table, you can accomplish workplace miracles.

Coaching your team on active listening (listening to understand vs. listening to respond), and good note-taking will help participants maximize the benefits they reap from each face-to-face meeting.

Some form of note-taking, whether by hand or with a digital device, will help team members remember next steps and other action items. If you meet online, you might consider creating a digital recording of important meetings. Attendees can review details asynchronously later.

5. Go forth and turn those bullet points into action.

You want your time to be used to maximum efficiency when you gather your team. As a result, make sure your meeting allows for planning and the next steps. You could have a recap at the end of each session, quickly summarizing each relevant topic, outlining how the team will address the issue, and clarifying who is responsible for what.

To maximize your meetings, you could also work this into each agenda item as you move through the meeting itself. Everyone should leave the table (whether it’s in your meeting room or virtual meeting space) with a clear understanding of actions they will take to move forward. If each attendee leaves the meeting empowered with the knowledge of what and how to do next, you can save significant time and energy as a project progresses.

Whether you and your team operate in person, remote or hybrid, meetings are likely a staple of your weekly or monthly scheduling. You need to collaborate, and sometimes face-to-face is the best way to do that. These steps can help you ensure a smooth and productive meeting online or in person, and help you avoid wasting your and your team members’ time.

In short, great meetings involve a lot of clear communication, from beginning to end. Start by evaluating whether you should have a meeting and who is essential to the process. Clearly outline points to be addressed in a succinct meeting agenda. Keep the meeting flowing on task. Ensure everyone walks out knowing what to do next. A little extra planning and preparation will save your team a healthy amount of time, cost and stress.

Calendar Full? 5 Ways To Maximize Your Meetings was originally published on Calendar.com by Deanna Ritchie. Featured Image Credit: Christina Morillo; Pexels.com. Thank you!

4 Ways to Ensure Your Software Offers Exceptional Customer Experience

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4 Ways to Ensure Your Software Offers Exceptional Customer Experience

In today’s digital age, customers have thousands of companies at their fingertips. Consequently, if you want people to choose your business over that of your competitors, providing an exceptional customer experience (CX) is essential.

For many businesses, this starts with their customer-facing software. Customer-facing software refers to digital solutions designed to create a positive user experience. As a result, these solutions have the power to ease common pain points and turn casual customers into loyal patrons.

Not sure whether your customer-facing software is up to snuff? Don’t fret. There are simple steps you can take to improve your digital customer service. Outlined below are four strategies to ensure your customer-facing software exceeds user expectations.

1. Use an appointment scheduler.

If you’re in the service industry, your company likely relies on customer appointments. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t understand the importance of accessible appointment scheduling. Complicated scheduling processes and old-school telephone calls frustrate customers. Therefore, outdated tech is driving them to competitors that are more convenient to book with.

Stop losing clients by making it easy for them to book appointments online. Digital appointment schedulers allow customers to schedule appointments without ever needing to call your company.

These software solutions are available 24/7, so customers can schedule appointments at any time of day. For example, do customers need to cancel? No worries; digital appointment schedulers provide options for people to reschedule and edit appointments.

When choosing your appointment booking software, look for one with calendar integration.

While most schedulers have a built-in calendar, some don’t integrate with other calendaring solutions. Consequently, this can cause you to miss appointments if you don’t check your appointment scheduler regularly. Instead, find a solution that instantly updates all of your calendars when an appointment is booked.

2. Have a mobile-friendly website.

Nowadays, people are glued to their smartphones.

A 2021 survey assessed that almost 50% of the people surveyed spend at least five–if not, six hours on their phones every day. As a result, this means there’s a 50/50 chance that customers will pull up your website on their mobile devices.

If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, it may be challenging for people to navigate from their phones.

Mobile-friendly websites now use a responsive design. Therefore, this means your site automatically displays properly, no matter what device users are on. Without responsive design, mobile users will just see a smaller version of your desktop website. These are often hard to navigate from mobile devices and can leave customers frustrated.

In order to implement a responsive design, your site must use a fluid grid. This grid style appropriately sizes elements based on what device customers are using. Website developers can implement a fluid grid by editing your site’s CSS. But if that feels too technical, many simple website builders offer basic templates for mobile-friendly sites.

3. Provide self-help options.

When customers encounter a problem or have a question, they don’t want to get on the phone and wait to speak to a representative. Instead, they’d rather quickly discover the answers they’re looking for themselves.

Providing self-service options gives customers the tools they need to solve their own problems. As a result, this leads to faster resolutions and allows your customer service team to focus their energy on other tasks.

There are many ways to add customer self-service to your website. Two popular options are company knowledge bases and chatbots. A knowledge base is a portion of your site that houses information to help customers learn about your service. This section of the site may include blogs, guides, and a FAQ page.

Chatbots are AI-driven computer programs that process and simulate human conversation. They’re often used to answer basic customer questions like “What is your pricing?” or “Can I reschedule my appointment?” Chatbots can find information for customers more quickly than humans and tailor content based on the conversation. Therefore, this helps customers find answers faster than if they were speaking with an employee.

4. Collect customer feedback.

You’ve simplified scheduling, created a mobile-friendly website, provided self-help options, and sought at all turns to provide an exceptional customer experience. But how do you know if the changes you’ve made have impacted your customers’ experience?

You ask them.

Companies that provide a quality CX understand the importance of feedback. This information can be used to gauge customer satisfaction and make improvements to your service. Additionally, asking for and implementing feedback signals to customers that you value their insights.

Customer satisfaction surveys are a simple way to gather answers to specific customer service questions. Deploy feedback surveys after a service has been provided to better understand the customer experience. If you notice a negative feedback trend, make a plan to address the highlighted issues. Then share this plan with your customers so they know you take their opinions seriously.

Start Improving Your CX Today

Your customers have more options today than ever before. If you want to stand out from the competition, it’s critical that you provide an exceptional customer experience. This starts with your customer-facing software.

Featured Image Credit: Andrea Piacquadio; Pexels.com. Thank you!

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