Watch What You Do at Work

I read this article from Judith Kallos blog, www.netmannersblog.com and the title was NSFW. Read below:

"I was interviewed recently on my view in regard to the use of the acronym NSFW. Apparently some felt that an acronym noting “Not Safe For Work”, is necessary when sending e-mail to those they knew were at work to warn them that the content or links contained within were of a questionable nature and not proper for the work environment.

My reaction was there is no need for such an acronym. By virtue of having to type it should tell any astute person that they should have enough common sense and respect to not send e-mails with questionable content to someone’s work e-mail.

And, to those who have others sending you e-mails that need this acronym noted to warn you, you should be a responsible employee and tell the Sender to no longer use your business e-mail address for anything not business related. At that time you can also provide your personal e-mail address for e-mails of that nature.

It amazes me in this day and time how we spend so much time creating ways to justify things we know we shouldn't be doing in the first place. Using company e-mail for anything other than company business should include this acronym: IUE (Irresponsible Unreliable Employee)."

Judith's final paragraph is relevant, but may be too much to ask of employees in today's society. Life is moving really fast and sometimes to be a great employee - you need to be "being" a great spouse and a great parent. Those two jobs NEVER end and answering a personal email sent to your work email doesn't make you unreliable.

I do get the point though so thanks Judith!

TK

Selling and Technology

It's been my unique opportunity to manage sales people at all levels of technical experience. Some were pretty savvy and some were techno-illiterate.

I've implemented CRM software (failing more than succeeding), and taken people from zero experience to proficiency through training, cajoling and demanding. Have you ever heard of a salesperson in a company you've worked for say something like this:

"Just let me sell! I'm not good with the computer and can't you pay someone to do my computer work?" When automation was sweeping its way through every level of every company this was not uncommon. Today it's less likely to be heard as younger generations take over the workplace.

No matter what your perspective, if you use technology to manage your sales efforts, you'll be further along than if you didn't. Here's a quote that's posted just to the right of this article...

"Selling today is driven by technology. Show me a sales professional that doesn't embrace technology, and I'll show you someone that is not reaching their full potential."

I said this a few years back when I began teaching training sessions to salespeople from all industries on the topic of using technology in their business. It was true then and it's true now. The challenge many of us have is that we don't use the tools we have because we don't practice the "Law of Application."

In relation to sales technology, the Law of Application would imply that if you use any of the tools you've been given, you'll get a certain result, and the more intensely you use the technology, the greater your result. Consider using a contact management program such as Microsoft Outlook...

If you use Outlook for email and calendaring you'll be more organized than if you used nothing, and the more faithful you are to planning and entering data, the more organized you'll be.

TK

iPhone Debut in Phoenix

This is... you know I didn't get her name, but she was the first one in line at the Biltmore Apple store in Phoenix who would let me take her picture.

She was actually the second person in line for the recent release of the iPhone. This first person wouldn't let me take his picture. Whack-job. He was a nice enough guy, talked to me why he was willing to camp out and be first in line - just didn't want his picture taken. (Maybe he's wanted by the law.)

This woman was from Maine and was visiting Phoenix in some work capacity which I don't recall all of the specifics. Her mother was number three in line, but only as moral support, the mom wasn't going to buy the iPhone. She obviously didn't think about getting a few and posting them on eBay!

There were plenty of people staying busy in the line that wrapped around the back of the building by 9am. Not sure where it went after that, but despite the fact that it reached 100 degrees there is no nicer place to hang out than the Biltmore in Phoenix! A few trips to the bathroom at Neiman Marcus and a couple of conjugal visits (to visit the iPhone) inside the store before 6pm and time would fly by...

This was the last guy in line and he was a lot more talkative, yet I don't recall his name either! I need to work on this reporting thing. I'd say when this photo was taken there were less than 100 people in line. The Biltmore grounds staff were putting up umbrellas for these folks to have some shade which was very cool on their part.

You can tell he was having fun, all alone, ready to wait nine hours in line for the iPhone. When is the last time a non-gaming tech product caused such anticipation? The iPhone will be big and Apple, Inc will reap big rewards for the rest of the year.

TK