Service Key to Keeping, Growing Customer Base (May 2013)
Successful businesses and brands have one thing in common – top-notch customer service. Whether it's an accounting firm, retailer or a hospitality business, solid customer service sets businesses apart and primes them for success, according to two customer service experts. Craig Perrin, director of product development with AchieveGlobal, a premier training and consulting organization, agrees.
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What Puts Customers Off? (May 2013)
What puts customers off? According to a global survey, eight in 10 agreed that “being heard and respected” is more important to them than having their issue resolved. This article focuses on the Asian results of AchieveGlobal's global customer experience research.
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How to Avoid the Seven Sins of Customer Experience (April 2013)
Exceptional customer service produces loyal customers who buy more, refer friends, resist special offers from competitors and forgive the occasional mistake. Our newest research report on customer experience sheds new light on the “seven sins” of customer experience – key missteps that make organizations stumble when it comes to customer interaction.
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Coach Employees to Respond to Emotion (March 2013)
Research reveals that emotion drives customer satisfaction. This article gives an overview of AchieveGlobal's research on how to coach employees to recognize and respond to customers’ emotional cues.
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Why Customers Stay…or Stray (March 2013)
“I recently received a study called “Why Your Customers Stay or Stray” from workforce development firm AchieveGlobal...The major finding from the study was that human connection played a dominant role in continued customer loyalty and willingness to purchase in the future...”
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Dear Workforce: What Could We Do To Better Evaluate Sales Reps? (March 2013)
AchieveGlobal's Chris Blauth answers the Workforce Management Question of the Day: &ldquot;We are a sales-driven organization with approximately 50 employees. What would be the ideal type of performance appraisal for us to use?&rdquot;
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Informal Learning Is Vital to Workforce Development (March 2013)
With four generations, an influx of new employees, and more experienced professionals working longer hours, a greater variety of skills, talent, and experiences are represented in today's workforce than ever before. And as the makeup of the workforce evolves, so should companies' approaches to training and development.
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30 Second MBA: How do you inspire your staff? (March 2013)
In this short video, Craig Perrin of AchieveGlobal shares that leaders should create an environment where people can satisfy their own basic physiological needs of competence, relatedness, and autonomy. When these needs are met, people will inspire themselves.
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Virtual Instructor-Led Training: The Best of Both Worlds (February 2013)
Learning management programs are evolving. Traditionally, instructor-led training (ILT) was the preferred mode within organizational learning. E-learning sparked excitement, but for some it has disappointed, being dubbed as ineffective..
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Avoiding the Seven Sins of Customer Experience (February 2013)
Research reveals the behaviors most irritating to customers stem from a lack of emotional awareness and connection. To avoid alienating customers through bad service, businesses of all kinds should be vigilant of these seven major customer experience failures…
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Want to Keep a Customer? Report Advises: Handle Their Emotional Needs
(January 2013)
Anyone who has badmouthed a company because a customer service agent badly handled their problem will not be surprised about the findings in a new report from AchieveGlobal. The study by the global workforce development firm found that emotion is the “key to building customer loyalty and advocacy.”
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Study: Effective customer service comes from kindness, not speed (January 2013)
Global companies seeking ways to provide a differentiated customer experience should focus on the power of emotion, according to a new study from AchieveGlobal, a global workforce development firm. The study shows the emotional aspect of customer service is most critical…)
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Interpersonal Skills Drive Customer Experience (January 2013)
According to a new study by AchieveGlobal, a workforce development firm, the emotional aspect of customer service is most critical, as one in three respondents preferred being treated well over having their issues immediately resolved.
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Supercharging Productivity by Tapping into the Psychology Behind Motivation (December 2012)
Today, research show that true motivation is not derived from external rewards or punishments, but from the satisfaction of psychological needs shared by all humans. This theory, known as the Self-Determination Theory, identifies two kinds of motivation…
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11 Things That Might Make YOUR Workers Happy (December 2012)
Joy, happiness and jolliness are what we all seem to want – perhaps especially at this time of year. And, since I’m writing this post in mid-December, it seems apropos to revisit a recent YahooNews article titled, 11 Things That Make Workers Happy.
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30 Second MBA: How Do You Develop Your Customer Base? (December 2012)
Look, mistakes happen! AchieveGlobal's Director of Retail and Hospitality markets, KC Blonski, provides quick advice on how best to develop a customer base in this Fast Company 30 Second MBA video.
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Tips to Correct Poor Performance (November 2012)
By helping employees overcome their professional challenges in a direct and collaborative way, leaders not only promote the desired behavior change, but also help employees tap into their sources of intrinsic motivation.
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Keys to Train Seasonal Employees as Brand Ambassadors (November 2012)
With the holiday season in full swing, and retail success dependent on exceptional service, retailers cannot rely solely on holiday decorations and seasonal promotions to drive traffic and ultimately brand loyalty. They must focus on training employees to own the customer experience.
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Hey Sales Managers: This Interview is for You! (November 2012)
Dave Stein, Founder and CEO of ES Research, features an interview with Chris Cowan, AchieveGlobal’s VP of Sales in his weekly blog. The interview covers critical issues challenging sales leaders today and ways to increase sales productivity.
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Fighting bah humbug: Driving employee motivation in stressful times (November 2012)
With so much activity and pressure occurring in the fourth quarter, the holidays are a time of year when employee motivation may wane. Sharon Daniels shares how leaders and managers can ensure their workforce stays focused and productive.
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Doing More with More in the Retail Industry (October 2012)
Some retailers have recognized that consumers are looking for value beyond product offerings and sale items; it’s those retailers that know the only true differentiation is their ability to meet and exceed customer expectations by completely owning the customer experience.
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30 Second MBA: How do you handle mistakes? (October 2012)
Look, mistakes happen! AchieveGlobal's Director of Retail and Hospitality markets, KC Blonski, provides quick advice on how best to handle service mistakes in this Fast Company 30 Second MBA video.
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Companies look for seasonal workers with long-term potential (October 2012)
‘Tis the season ... not the season to be jolly just yet, but the season to ramp up staffing in anticipation of the holidays. KC Blonski of AchieveGlobal says companies have shifted from simply wanting extra hands on deck to wanting someone who fits into the company's culture.
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Dear Workforce: What's the Best Method for Assessing Sales Incentives? (September 2012)
AchieveGlobal's Chris Blauth answers the Workforce Management Question of the Day.
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Five Takeaways from the London Olympics (July 2012)
The world's biggest sports stage can teach talent managers how to manage long-term goals, motivate a diverse workforce and more.
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The Changing Face of Leadership (July 2012)
Leadership has always been about moving an organization from point A to point B. That objective remains, but escalating expectations and declining resources are changing the rules of the leadership development game.
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Different Is Better   at least when it comes to mentoring (May/June 2012)
Forward thinking companies have thrown out the traditional assumption that in mentoring, people learn best from similar individuals.
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5 Bad Sales Habits to Avoid (April 2012)
Inc.com blogger Geoffrey James lists 5 bad habits that salespeople tend to be guilty of - bad habits that can alienate customers and fellow team members.
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Enhancing Telework: A Guide to Virtual Leadership (March 2012)
The advantages of a virtual workforce are immense. How can federal leaders manage what they can't see? Six "zones" will prepare them to secure two key components of successful virtual leadership: group cohesion and individual commitment.
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What Is the Secret to Motivating People in Tough Times? (February 2012)
Like many organizations, we're forced to try and do more with less. How do we still innovate and keep people motivated/inspired to keep giving their all?
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Needs-Based Coaching: Employee Motivation in a New Light (February 2012)
To engage today's workforce, a leader is well advised to seek the heart of what moves people: their three basic psychological needs.
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The Generations of Leadership (January/February 2012)
In this sidebar article, Sharon Daniels of AchieveGlobal shares tips to promote cross-generational collaboration.
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Want Higher Performance from Sales Teams? (January 2012)
Ultimately, all companies are in the business of sales. While goods and services vary from brand to brand, a company's lifeblood is in the revenue generated from sales. That's why it's critical to consider what comprises an organization's sales DNA   ranging from the talent of individual salespeople, to strength within the leadership ranks, to organizational structure.
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To Keep Your Workers, Learn to Tell Your Story (January 2012)
As the common axiom in talent management goes: People will come to work for money, but will stay for meaning. It therefore becomes a talent manager's mission to not only labor in recruiting the best talent, but also to work to keep them there   in many cases without relying on cash incentives or exotic employee perquisites.
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Innovating From the Bottom Up (January 2012)
Companies don't need a ton of money to do innovative things. What they need is a willingness to listen to good ideas from their employees. Here are seven ways to innovate from the bottom up.
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Higher Expectations (December 2011)
With sales training on the upswing, companies plan for an increase in sales activity. In this article, several sales training industry experts, including AchieveGlobal's Sharon Daniels, comment on an apparent upswing in spending on sales training.
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A Passion for Coaching (November 2011)
Recently, AchieveGlobal's CEO, Sharon Daniels, was profiled on the homepage of the Business section of The New York Times. This article provides an intriguing look at Sharon's background and career path, and highlights her passion for coaching and developing others.
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Filling a Generation Gap (November 2011)
Leaders continue to focus on the challenge of managing across generations. AchieveGlobal was recently mentioned in a Wall Street Journal article that addressed the topic of overcoming age differences in the workplace.
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Sales and the Customer Experience (October 2011)
A common theme in many sales organizations these days is rethinking the sales process to make it easier for customers to buy. That evolution, of course, includes providing the training and support salespeople need to improve their customer interactions. During a panel discussion at AchieveGlobal's The Future of Sales Effectiveness briefing earlier this week, Joel Cataldo, senior director of talent management and development at Arrow Electronics, shared some insight into the company's approach to helping its sales organization deliver an optimal customer experience.
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Passing the Torch (October 2011)
Adopting a long-term approach to succession planning can position organizations to quickly recover from leadership turnover and ensure business continuity. This article highlights insights from AchieveGlobal's CEO Sharon Daniels as well as tips from AchieveGlobal's "Ensuring Leadership Continuity: Current Trends in Succession Planning for C-Suite Executives" study.
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How to train a global enterprise sales force (August 2011)
Sharon Daniels, President and CEO of AchieveGlobal, provides input in a Selling Power article on global sales training and the shift in training methods. "Global companies are looking for more global training solutions," Daniels observes. "And they want to save money by using e-learning and blended approaches that include e-learning."
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Three Industry Trends You Need to Know (August 2011)
Stock markets may be volatile and job numbers may fluctuate, but even in the midst of this fragile economic environment, businesses remain focused on increasing and investing in their workforce. Here are emerging trends every talent leader ought to know to effectively engage new recruits and manage current talent.
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How to Talk Back to Your Boss (June 2011)
How can you share your opinion with your boss without offending her ideas? "Providing insightful feedback and ideas to senior leadership allows up-and-coming managers to position themselves as thought leaders, increasing their value to the organization and opening the door to career advancement," says Sharon Daniels, CEO of AchieveGlobal, an international training and consulting firm with a leadership development practice.
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Leading by Example (May 2011)
An article authored by AchieveGlobal CEO, Sharon Daniels, in Talent Management reviews key ways to motivate employees via the concept of leading by example.
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The Powerful Punch of CRM and Sales Training Combined (April 2011)
CRM software should be more than a database of information; when leveraged and integrated properly, effective use of CRM programs leads to increased revenues through the creation and application of customer knowledge. For sales leaders, ensuring that their teams are responsive to customers' needs and are equipped with the right knowledge to be successful is critical.
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The &ldquot;Six C's&rdquot; Model for Building A Culture of Innovation (April 2011)
An AchieveGlobal study examined the practices and behaviors of Boston Consulting Group's top 100 innovative firms around the world and identified tactics that businesses are using to build a culture of innovation. We've organized them under six headings, each beginning with the letter C.
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Just got promoted? How not to blow it (April 2011)
Ask the people above you to spell out what goals you should be shooting for. &ldquot;Don't assume you know what's expected of you,&rdquot; says Sharon Daniels, CEO of Tampa-based training and development firm AchieveGlobal. &ldquot;You need to understand exactly what your priorities should be. Then give higher-ups progress reports as you go along, and ask for confirmation that you're heading in the right direction,&rdquot; she adds.
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Goodwill expands Career Development Training Program using AchieveGlobal programs (March 2011)
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is using a $50,000 grant from Wachovia/Wells Fargo to expand the availability of AchieveGlobal’s curriculum and training to all of its Occupational Skills Training (OST) participants. “Through our partnership……. the individuals we serve are exposed to practical instruction by industry professionals, giving them the confidence they need to face a challenging job environment,” said Michael Elder, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “Taught by trained Wachovia/Wells Fargo instructors, the AchieveGlobal curriculum has become integral to the success of our OST programs.”
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Customers Expect More Than Just a Sales Rep (March 2011)
You may think you're a sales rep, but that's not what your customers want you to be. They expect more. A lot more. In fact, customers want you to be all of the following on this list which "comes from the sales training firm AchieveGlobal. Very smart bunch of people. Their CEO Sharon Daniels is one of the smartest people in the sales training business, IMHO. I’ve interviewed her several times.
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3 Ways to Deal with a Problem Employee (March 2011)
Having the right team in place is essential to the success of any small business. But what do you do with the problem employee – those who are unproductive or not meshing with your team? With unemployment still over 9%, you can adopt the “there are plenty of fish in the sea” approach and terminate said employee. But Sharon M. Daniels, president and CEO of AchieveGlobal, a human resources consulting firm, cautions against that mindset.
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Study: Ageism in the Workplace Harms Productivity (March 2011)
Chronic ageism can significantly undermine productivity in the workplace, a new study from AchieveGlobal revealed. Ageism, defined as “a system of stereotypes, policies, norms, and behaviors that discriminate against, restrict, and dehumanize people because of their age,” may be more prevalent then some may realize.
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Anatomy of a 21st-Century Leader (February 2011)
An article written by AchieveGlobal CEO, Sharon Daniels, is featured in the February 2011 issue of Chief Learning Officer magazine. "Anatomy of a 21st Century Leader" discusses the findings from our worldwide study on leadership and the six critical zones of leadership.
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Boosting Morale (February 2011)
The pay freeze has many employees feeling left out in the cold. But money isn't the only way to motivate workers. &ldquot;Most employees in the federal market aren't necessarily inspired by pay. They are more tied to the mission,&rdquot; says Keather Snyder, director of federal markets at AchieveGlobal, a human resources consulting firm. So, how can managers help employees keep the faith during these trying times?
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How to Manage Your Non-Sales Co-Workers (January 2011)
Many sales teams find it hard to secure the internal resources they need to support a complex sales effort. Based on a conversation with Sharon Daniels, CEO and President of AchieveGlobal, Geoffrey James from BNET.com gives a list of DOs and DON’Ts to help make sure that sales professionals are getting the support they need to close business.
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