How to Handle Dropped Calls

Have you ever been on an important call, where you were in the middle of a long conversation, only to discover that the person you were talking to is no longer on the line? Ever had a call drop?

Duh. This happens DAILY and it's extremely frustrating for both the person speaking and the person trying to listen. Try this the next time you drop a call... just pick up your call where you lost it.

Simply start talking from the point where you were cut off, if your not sure when you lost the other party, ask "where did I lose you?" Then keep talking. There's no need to say your name again, or say hello again or describe the tunnel you passed through, or describe how tall the buildings are where you're walking, or how the cellular service "sucks" with Cingular, Sprint or T-Mobile. Blah Blah Blah.

Doing so wastes time and worse than that - you'll lose your train of thought or the passion of the topic being discussed. Just get back to business! The person on the other end of the phone will appreciate your directness and be very surprised... why? Because they are used to hearing this:

"Tom, hey it's Bill I lost you." [Duh.] "I don't know what happened, I'm outside of the city and I just passed through this long tunnel [Maybe it was the tunnel genius], have you been out to the east side in the last few months?" "No Bill I haven't" [And I don't care, get back to telling me about the topic we were discussing.] "It's incredible Tom, I haven't seen so many homes built so fast, you'd be blown away." "Bill, I'm sure it's the most incredible site - I can't wait to get out there." [And I really can't wait to get off this call!]

What could be worse? Tom actually encouraging the dialogue. You can see that after 120 seconds of this kind of dialogue, most people wouldn't even remember why they called each other in the first place!

So, next time you lose a call, call the person back, and start talking from the point were the call was dropped. Not sure when you lost the other person? Ask "where did I lose you?" Then get to the point.

Do this and you'll maximize your time and minimize the frustration that comes with dealing with technology.

TK

Treo 750... Have Phone Will Travel

The new Treo 750 is out and Palm keeps making these things better and better. I love the fact that they have eliminated the stubby antenna, and they have packed this with the tools you need to literally do business around the world.

Palm is saying the 750 meshes the Windows Mobile platform with the "ease" of Palm enhancements... with an international network. Sounds excellent to me - what could be better? They say it feels "great in your hand" due to a "new soft-touch finish." Sounds even better.

One of the things I like about smart phones is that they are literally a computer that can fit in the palm (no pun intended), of your hand. Better yet, they have instant on and instant off functionality - no booting up or down required. Better yet, it eliminates your mobile phone and allows you to work from anywhere you'd like to work. So what's different about the Treo 750 that wasn't available in the Treo 700 series of units or the newer BlackBerry phones or any other smart phone for that matter? Let's take a look.

First and perhaps foremost, the Treo 750 is able to function as a phone while you perform other tasks such as sending an email, text messaging a co-worker or surfing for information on the Internet. This is not the case with my BlackBerry 8700 smartphone. If I'm on a call, email traffic stops. If I'm surfing the web, phone traffic stops. If you're a power user on email and on the phone then not being able to multitask between Internet and phone functions will slow you down.

The Treo 750 solves that challenge. You can talk and transmit data at the same time on the Cingular network. This is a huge feature.

The productivity applications that come with the Treo 750 really work... in other words you can not only view files - you can create and edit them. The Motorola Q let's you view Word, Excel and PowerPoint files but you cannot create or edit. Lame.

There are a ton of other great features of this phone. It's only available at Cingular (which bugs the heck out of me), but will roll out to other carriers before you know it.

Check it out and get a feel for the phone and see if it might be your next productivity tool.

TK

Apple Does it Again - The iPhone

It just doesn't get any cooler than this people. I know this is a Sales Technology Blog, but can anyone miss the selling going on over at Apple, Inc? (That's right - Apple, Inc. is a new name - they dropped the "Computer" from the corporate name because they are SELLING more than computers - much much more.)

Once again, Steve Jobs has garnished the attention of the entire business world (even though everyone has been expecting this announcement for more than a year) with the unveiling of Apple's new mobile phone - the iPhone.

You can watch Mr. Job's himself display the iPhone and its functions at Apple's website and get a first hand look at this device. In fact, I can't even describe everything this phone will do, and if I tried, I'd never get it right or cover it all. You must go to Apple's site and check out the keynote address Job's gave a Macworld. I promise you this - you've never seen a mobile phone do things like an iPhone. It makes even smart phones look retarded.

I will register this one disappointment. Early press was suggesting that the iPhone would be an "open device," meaning that you could purchase it from Apple and take it to any mobile phone carrier for activation. That didn't happen. Cingular scored the iPhone. Hopefully that won't last long...

My prediction for Apple, Inc and the iPhone - rising stock price and mobile phone market penetration.

Finally, I see this device a win for the sales professional who is into technology and likes to take their music, movies and other entertainment on the go. The iPhone will replace one of your iPod's (most likely your Nano) and of course your mobile phone - smart or not.

TK

2007 - The Year of Email

I really think this whole email thing is catching on... 2007 is definitely the year in which proper grammar and usage will be the norm with email communication.

Judith Kallos is my source for online etiquette. You can check out her blog at NetMannersBlog.com and read her yourself. I've mentioned her before and I'll use her creative talent again - read her and buy her book on the subject of online etiquette. She has 10 resolutions for the new year on how to use email more professionally. I pass them on to you and as always... take the best and leave the rest!

1. I will not forward an e-mail unless it specifically applies to the person I am sending to. I will include a personal note to that person so they know why I am forwarding that particular e-mail their way. If I must send or forward the same e-mail to a group of contacts, I will do so only when I put their e-mail addresses in the BCc: field to protect their privacy (especially if they don't know each other).

I will also set a good example by removing any visible e-mail addresses within the body of the forward from previous irresponsible forwarders who did not feel the need to protect their contact's privacy. I will also make a point of down editing my e-mails to remove text that is irrelevant to the ongoing conversation.

2. I will take the time to make sure that my sentences are complete, capitalized and include proper punctuation. Using proper sentence structure and taking the extra time to ensure that my intent and tone are clear, will do nothing but reflect positively on me. Making these efforts will go a long way to ensuring communicating with me is easy while having the added benefit of helping to avoid any misunderstandings.

3. I will not send an unannounced large attachment of any kind, even the ones I think are very special photos of [insert here: my grand baby, my new car, sales flyer, Power Point presentation...], until I ask first when would be the best time to send it to the intended party. This way, I do not fill their e-mail box without notice causing all their other e-mail to bounce. The fact is I do not know what the other side's e-mail activity is like to assume my attachment will not cause any unnecessary problems for them. Think of the other side, not just of what you want to do.

4. I will ensure that the Subject: field will include a brief and concise description of the content of every e-mail I send. I will modify or change the Subject: field when necessary to better display what my e-mail contains.

5. Every e-mail I send will be courteous and include a proper greeting and closing which includes my name. Typed properly too! Names in small case or all caps reflect either a lack of education or tech savvy; neither of which is a good thing. Nice greetings and closings avoid my e-mails coming off as demanding or terse and reflect that I understand common courtesies.

6. I will not copy or use any text, graphics or content from another Web site or author without their explicit permission to do so. The online world, contrary to popular belief, is not a public domain environment! I will not use another author's writings in whole or in part without them being aware of exactly what I am doing and where I will use their information. I will not post e-mails that were sent to me privately for any reason in a public forum without the original sender's permission. These are all serious copyright and privacy issues that I need to be aware of, practice and respect.

This is why I site Judith's work and don't just cut and paste...

7. I will be very respectful about how I use my employer's technology resources understanding they are paying the bills and I am on their time. I also understand that I should not assume any level of privacy while using company equipment, connectivity or e-mail resources. I will make a point of reviewing my employer's policies so that I am familiar with them so I can avoid any future problems.

8. I will refrain from formatting my e-mails with colored text, bolding and/or italics because I know it may not look as I intended when received on the other side. I also understand by making the extra effort to add emphasis with formatting, it may be taken the wrong way or even over-emphasized by the recipient. I will learn to relay my thoughts clearly with the written word rather than having to rely on formatting. I understand if I take the time to choose my words carefully and reflect on how I use them, formatting is not necessary.

9. When I sign up for a Web site service, newsletter or am sending an inquiry, I will take the time to add that site's e-mail address to my address book, white list or approved senders list so that the response can get through any spam blocking software my ISP, online service or that I may have in place. I understand that if I don't make this effort, the response to my request or subscription may not make it to my inbox.

10. I will make a point of understanding each online service or Web site I choose to use by reading their Frequently Asked Questions, Terms of Service and Help area. I understand that I need to eliminate my actions or lack thereof as a possible cause of a perceived problem before pointing fingers at others. If in fact something does appear amiss, I will e-mail with courtesy asking for assistance in resolving my difficulties rather than making blunt demands or accusations based on my assumptions alone.

Good advice from someone who studies this stuff all day. Let's commit to make 2007 the year of the email - and make yourself look better with your online communications.

TK