August 2007

I always think of September as another beginning of a new year, an opportunity to restart good intentions from January which might have slipped through the cracks over the summer.

This month our content-heavy newsletter talks about refocusing priorities in the story of the parable of the spindle. My intention is for this to motivate you to start categorizing your priorities in project management with the "paper, people and process" system we outline in this ezine.

Remember: If you can't think because you have too many papers look to reduce the paper in your life with tools like the Taming The Paper Tiger software. If you are not marketing and staying in touch with clients - check out Send Out Cards. In short - take advantage of the abundance of tools available to you.

Best regards, Anne

Project Management: The Parable of the Spindle

In college, we were required to evaluate a case study called The Parable of the Spindle. One of the main points was that in many restaurants, cooks and chefs were considered to be higher status employees than waiters. Whether this was right or wrong is not the point. The point is that waiters were "giving orders" to the cooks causing considerable tension. Someone came up with the idea of using a spindle, like you still see in many restaurant kitchens.


...read the rest of the story!


People

For the past few months we have been exploring customer service tips.


Last month we said "Expect the best." From there, go beyond the usual. Once the basics are clicking, one way to win a customer for life is to consistently exceed the expected. Establish a baseline of good, and make it policy to climb to better and beyond.


For instance, E.D. Foods, an online provider of soups and other food products, wins plaudits for placing orders for items that customers want but can't find in its online catalog. "It's really simple," says co-owner Leslie Eiser. "Have great products and provide customers with service beyond what they were expecting."


Paper - Reducing Paper in Your Life:


Cut down on the number of bank accounts you have.
Reduce the number of credit cards you have to one card for personal use and one for business use.
Cancel some of your more obscure magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
Pay any bills you can by automatic deduction.
Write to the following address and ask them to remove you from their direct mail lists: Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008.


Tame Your Paper Tiger - Are you keeping in touch with your clients?

Why is it important to stay in touch? Because you want to :
Build customer loyalty.
Attract new and recurring business.
Stay competitive in your field.
Express thanks for business and referrals.
Remember birthdays & anniversaries.

Need a Speaker?

Anne's keynote speech gets people energized about the benefits of personal productivity and the readiness for corporate change.

What Others Are Saying:
Anne’s presentation of “What’s Going On Here?” as a training was one of the best seminars I have ever attended. She provides practical solutions for organizations. Her personality makes the program delivery exceptional.
Angela Long, COO
Sextant Technologies
Commerce City, Colorado
Learn more and book Anne for your next event.

Pass It On

You may pass this information on - Please feel free to copy in whole or in part, any of the information provided in this newsletter only when the following statement is included in its entirety:
"Founded by Anne McGurty in 2002, Strategize & Organize (www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com) is a business process consulting and professional organizing company specializing in systems to improve paper management, people's behaviors, and business processes. We offer Assessments, Training/Seminars, Coaching, and Organizing to help individuals and businesses become organized and work more efficiently. Anne McGurty is also available as a Keynote Speaker. Copyright 2007 Strategize & Organize. All rights reserved."