"The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it’s to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they’re valued." — Ken Robinson, Author and Speaker The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: 6+3 = 9 but so does 5+4 … There’s often more than one way to solve a problem, and your way might not always be the best. Collaboration, innovation and listening are important problem-solving tools that every organization needs. Creative thinking—with the business mission in mind—should be an integral part of your culture. When challenges arise, leaders might have a solution. However, if they take the opportunity to solicit input from employees, they might find an even better solution. Service Value 9 at The Ritz-Carlton states: "I am involved in the planning of the work that affects me." This Service Value inspires our employees—known as the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton—to speak freely and share their ideas openly. The Ritz-Carlton understands the value of a culture that listens to employees and encourages creativity. One tool The Ritz-Carlton uses to foster innovation and communicate process improvements is called Lions Share. The purpose of Lions Share is to share knowledge, strengthen best practices and promote creative problem-solving throughout the organization. What tools or strategies does your organization use to stimulate a creative culture? ∞ The Blog Post Inspired Thinking: Creative Leaders and Collaboration appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Do you ever wonder exactly how many Android devices have been manufactured? If you’re responsible for providing support to these mobile devices, I’m sure you would be fascinated to know that more than half a billion Android devices have been activated. Yes, and according to Google, 1.3 million new ones arrive each and every day. With that many Android devices inundating the globe, support technicians sure could use an easy, efficient solution to remotely access and control them. Well, Citrix has good news to announce! GoToAssist Corporate’s newest remote support appfor Samsung Android mobile devices is available now. It enables businesses using our remote support service to deliver full screen-sharing and remote control of Samsung mobile devices with OS versions 2.3.x, 4.0.x and 4.1.x  ‒ just as if the device were in the technician’s hands. Our newest remote support app is available for download directly from Google Play. Support organizations can now expand their service offerings by providing instant assistance to mobile users, using remote control and screen sharing to resolve technical problems, perform system diagnostics and chat. Use our new remote support app to ensure that one of the most critical and indispensable business tools — mobile devices — are kept up-and-running 24/7 in your organization. How does the remote support app work? Companies who subscribe to the GoToAssist Corporate remote support service can instruct their customers or employees to download the GoToAssist Corporate (ICS) app from Google Play onto their mobile device. Then support representatives generate and send a Connection Code to the mobile device user, and they are instantly connected via the remote support service. The support rep can request system diagnostics, chat or take control of the device to change settings, set up email or perform other troubleshooting tasks to resolve technical issues. All the while, the support rep sees the user’s phone screen in real time on his/her own computer screen, making support much quicker and easier. All the logs and screen activity are stored for each support session. Support features include: Remote control ‒ With the customer’s permission, a support representative can remotely take control of the end user’s Samsung mobile device to provide service. Screen Sharing ‒ Provides a full real-time view of the Samsung mobile device screen and allows remote keyboard and gesture control. System Diagnostics ‒ One-click retrieval of key system diagnostics. Instantly view device information such as OS, memory stats, applications, SIM card, etc. Live Chat ‒ Chat in real time with end user instead of staying on the phone. Multiple Sessions ‒ Representatives can simultaneously support up to 8 customers at a time, including both mobile and PC and Mac users. Team Collaboration ‒ Invite additional experts to collaborate in a single support session or transfer a session. Invited reps can be visible or invisible to the end user. Management Center ‒ Administration controls, dashboards and reports let you take charge of your support operations to elevate productivity and customer satisfaction. Manager Silent Monitoring ‒ Managers can silently observe live remote sessions in progress to elevate agent performance. Session Recording ‒ Archived sessions can be used for evaluation or training, and enable compliance with government and industry regulations. What are the mobile device requirements? The GoToAssist Corporate (ICS) app allows subscribers with GoToAssist Corporate accounts to provide full remote control support of Samsung devices running Android OS versions 2.3.x, 4.0.x and 4.1.x Need to support other Android mobile devices?  Remote diagnostics and chat are available for non-Samsung Android devices using our other Android remote support app.

The holidays bring a lot of joy, family time and happiness, but the prep time leading up to the big day(s), can be a little less joyous. The holidays are a hectic time for all. Regardless of what holiday you celebrate, it’s always a busy time. And the fuller your life gets, the more responsibilities you have around the holidays; those who have grandchildren and kids know what I mean! Between the unpredictable weather, the pre-holiday shopping and the general craziness before the holidays, it can be hard to stay on top of work. If you’re feeling the stress of the hectic holiday season and need to have access to your computer to keep up, why not lighten your load by bringing the cloud home with you instead of lugging around a heavy laptop? The ease of the cloud lets you prepare for the holiday season in your own way and in your own time. With GoToMyPC you don’t have to be constrained by a 9-5 work schedule. Whether you are visiting family, evading the peak hours of mall madness or spending some time with your kids on vacation, you can get your work done when it is most convenient for you by easily accessing your work computer via GoToMyPC.  I know that there’s nothing worse than starting off your New Year behind on work. Flexibility is the key this holiday season; if you bring the cloud home, you can have the best of both worlds. Photo credit: saranv

While common sense is an important ingredient in customer service, your customers won’t always be logical. Neuroscience research has shown that "emotions are inseparably linked to rational decision-making." Feelings are facts to customers, and every time you interact with a customer or patient, you are making an emotional impression. You may do everything right on the surface; i.e., use the customer’s name, fill out correct paperwork efficiently and even remember to smile. However, if you neglect to connect on a more emotional level, you will not achieve true engagement. Customer engagement describes the health of the relationship between your organization and your customer or patient. This "emotional relationship"—or level of engagement—drives the long-term financial success you will have with that customer. Engagement builds trust and that leads to loyalty. Customer Engagement Requires Caring The last line of the Credo at The Ritz-Carlton states: "The Ritz-Carlton experience … instills well-being…." One of the definitions of "sense of well-being" is to remove any thought of worry. That’s a big promise, and it can only be fulfilled when employees are genuinely caring, actively listening and empowered to take action. In other words, they must engage with your customers or patients. They must ask appropriate questions, use positive body language and live "in the moment" during a conversation and not interrupt. Your staff must also exercise a sense of compassion. Author and psychologist Daniel Goleman remarked that "True compassion means not only feeling another’s pain but also being moved to help relieve it." When your employees express compassion, they will be inspired to go above and beyond for your customers or patients. They will provide unique, memorable and personalized service. Your professional organization may not seem like the right backdrop for conveying compassion, but research suggests "that compassionate workplaces increase employee satisfaction and loyalty. A worker who feels cared for at work is more likely to experience positive emotion, which in turn helps to foster positive work relationships, increased cooperation, and better customer relations." Blending Compassion and Customer Service Here are three ways your employees can incorporate compassion into their workday: Make time for caring. It’s easy to be consumed by busy-ness. Between meetings, emails, phone calls, quotas and deadlines—it may seem impossible to genuinely engage with customers or patients. However, if you don’t prioritize customer care, then you are missing opportunities to build impactful and lasting relationships. At The Ritz-Carlton, our highest mission is the care and comfort of our guests. Our employees—known as the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton—focus on engaging guests in order to learn about their preferences and anticipate their needs. Even when busy, encourage your employees to take the time to engage in conversations with customers and patients as much as possible. Make it a team effort. When we work together, we are able to accomplish and deliver more—lifting our service to the next level. In addition, when we involve others, we create an atmosphere that inspires similar behavior. The Ritz-Carlton fosters this "It Takes a Village" approach through Service Value 7: "I create a work environment of teamwork and lateral service so the needs of our guests and each other are met." Make yourself pay attention. Remind your team to be aware of what is going on around them and offer assistance when appropriate. At The Ritz-Carlton, we use the phrase, "Radar On, Antenna Up" to remind ourselves to be alert and on the lookout for unique ways to serve our guests. When you make it a practice to engage with your customers and patients, you will sharpen your detective skills and pick up on clues that will help you know where your efforts are most needed. When your organization marries compassion and customer service, your customers and patients will experience a new level of service, and your employees will feel the impact as well. Asking your front line employees to treat customers and patients like people—to sincerely engage—and to anticipate and eradicate any worries—will earn your organization greater trust and loyalty. And that will affect your bottom line results. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers advisory services, courses and presentations to organizations that wish to benchmark the award-winning business practices of The Ritz-Carlton. Your organization can learn about The Ritz-Carlton methodology for customer service, employee engagement and leadership development. We also guide organizations through a multi-step process in order to achieve sustainable culture transformation. The Blog Post Compassion and Customer Service appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

By now you’ve probably created your wish lists and sent them to the boss with a note about how good you’ve been all year. I’m talking about your IT wish list, of course - the one that lists the technology you want in the new year. What list did you think I was talking about? Now that you mention it, I guess there are some similarities between IT pros and jolly ol’ Saint Nick. Besides their affinity for neck beards and wearing the same thing every day, both Santa and IT pros have a bit of magic about them. Here are some other ways your IT pro is just like Saint Nick. They know if you’ve been naughty or nice. Better hide those illegally downloaded TV shows on your desktop and run your anti-virus software, because your IT pro has a monitoring tool with customized alerts and Santa Claus is coming to town. They’re used to squeezing into tight spaces. Your IT pro feels right at home sliding under your desk where they can access the wires and ports needed to get the job done. But Santa wins this one, because he sneaks down the chimney while you’re sleeping, avoiding any awkward small talk about your weekend and holiday plans.  Both are led by bright lights. Your IT pro knows there’s a problem when red lights shine on their diagnostic dashboards, and Santa has Rudolph’s nose to lead the way. They are the kings of their respective domains. Everyone knows humans aren’t allowed in the North Pole (except for the Buddy the elf), and don’t you dare enter the server room. They always get the job done just in the nick of time. It’s amazing what Santa accomplishes in one night each year, always delivering just before the sun comes up, just like your IT pro, who gets your PC, Mac or mobile device back in action right before your important meeting or deadline! You kind of forget about both until certain times of the workday and year. Both are great gift givers, especially when it comes to tech gifts. They’re used to working on holidays.  Both accept cookies as thanks for their hard work (but wouldn’t mind stock options for a change.) They zip around the world at superhuman speeds. Your IT pro wins this one, because while Santa makes his way around the world in a single night, your IT pro is solving problems all over the globe from the comfort of their home (or anywhere else) thanks to GoToAssist. How else is your IT pro like Saint Nick? Thanks to Spiceworks users, Don Whitehead, The Data Master, Nic, Bermanistan, Glenn3837, JerryPerk, Ashbot 2.0, Bob 169, C_J and others for contributing ideas for this blog post. Be magical like Santa with remote support from GoToAssist. Start your free 30-day trial just in time for the holidays. To learn more, download the white paper Anatomy of Support Desk 2.0. Photo credit: joriel

The holidays are a time for reflection, and with that in mind, I’ve been looking back over some of the topics we’ve discussed this year to pull out my top 5 tips for people with an interest in remote working. Simplify your decision-making process. We make so many decisions on a daily basis that it’s impossible to get every single one right. We should try to follow President Barack Obama’s lead and ensure we don’t make any unnecessary decisions. This allows us to focus on the crucial choices - where to work from and how to be more productive. Get the basics right. It’s no good developing fancy pitches or shiny, new business tricks if your core services are not right. We should never be afraid to revisit these basics and make sure they’re functioning as effectively as they can be. The same applies to personal success: if you need a refresher in a certain area, then go for it - don’t neglect your core skills. Don’t be afraid of competition. Competition is something companies and employees should relish - we better ourselves by ensuring we are greater than our business rivals in every area that’s important. Competition also helps breed innovation. Why settle for doing the same thing your rivals are when you could be taking new approaches? Put your headphones on. If you really, really need to get a piece of work done then and there, don’t be afraid to put your headphones on and drown out the distractions. Each of us has a different taste in music, but research has shown we perform better when listening to our favorite songs. Keep a to-do list. We all need a little help from time to time keeping track of what must get done and in what order. That’s why I always make sure I have a to-do list at hand for tracking my essential tasks and other daily duties. Some of you may prefer digital, and some paper, but the most important thing is to find a method that works for you. Photo credit: Werner Kunz

"Merely satisfying customers will not be enough to earn their loyalty. Instead, they must experience exceptional service worthy of their repeat business and referral. Understand the factors that drive this customer revolution." — Rick Tate, Author The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: Earning customer loyalty takes time, patience and honesty. If you approach each customer with the intent to create a customer for life, this will alter how you address customer service. You’ll start to treat each customer interaction as an opportunity for engagement and relationship building—rather than as a routine transaction. Furthermore, as you engage with customers, you’ll begin to not only meet their needs, but you can take it a step further by anticipating your customers’ needs. Organizations that provide anticipatory service differentiate themselves from the competition—while earning customer loyalty. At The Ritz-Carlton, one of our Service Values is "I build strong relationships and create Ritz-Carlton guests for life." Our leaders established an organizational culture that prioritizes and values authentic guest engagement. Our employees—known as Ladies and Gentlemen—are encouraged and empowered to express genuine care and creativity. What else could your organization do to build and reinforce every customer relationship? ∞ The Blog Post Inspired Thinking: Customer Relationship & Loyalty appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Tuesday marks the start of the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) where companies will convene in Las Vegas to show off the very newest in technology. CES can be overwhelming: there are meetings to go to, taxis to clamor for, gadgets to demo, parties to attend. The trick is making sure you’re ready to tackle it all by packing appropriately. Here are a few things we suggest arming yourself with before you head to Las Vegas: GoToMyPC - Why lug a laptop on the plane when you can rely on your mobile device? With GoToMyPC you can access your Mac or PC files, network, email and programs from anywhere. Whether you’re on the show floor or catching up on mail from your hotel room, you can stay productive and work the flexible hours you choose with the GoToMyPC apps for iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire and Android. Comfortable shoes - With hundreds of thousands of people descending on the city, there’s simply not enough taxis for everyone. Be prepared to walk, and take advantage of the monorails whenever you can. Water bottle - Not only is CES mentally and physically draining, it’s in the desert. Stay hydrated. Battery chargers - You don’t want to miss a Tweet opportunity because your device ran out of power. Make sure you’ve got chargers for all your devices so you can stay connected throughout the show. The key is sticking to the essentials that keep you comfortable and connected so you can fully experience CES. And with remote access to your office computer from your mobile device, you may just choose to extend your stay in Vegas a bit longer. Photo credit: Tech Cocktail

Dear Ritz-Carlton: How do you give a unique, memorable experience when you have 20,000 guests at once? The above question is from an attendee at "Symposium: Your Journey to Service Excellence" in April. Answer from John Cashion, Corporate Director, Culture Transformation at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: Our Credo states very eloquently: "The Ritz-Carlton is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission." At The Ritz-Carlton, we cannot focus on the amount of guests we need to serve because that would make our guests an obstacle to success—as we are clearly outnumbered. Instead we focus on creating a rich and substantial dialogue during each interaction.  When you are delivering service, it is about the person in front of you and ensuring that our employees—known as Ladies and Gentlemen—are "staying in the moment." We must listen to our guests and get to know more about them than they know about us. We do this by using words like "tell me more" and asking open-ended questions such as "How was your tour?" or "Which store did you enjoy the most during your shopping excursion?" This allows us to be focused on the details and ensures every interaction is natural and culminates into a positive, memorable experience. We feel that by providing an individual experience our Ritz-Carlton Mystique will be strengthened. If each Lady and Gentleman is delivering genuine care at every opportunity, then we are creating 35,000 unique memories every day. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium, "Your Journey to Service Excellence." The day includes a keynote speaker, a Q&A session with The Ritz-Carlton executive panel, an optional networking reception and presentations about legendary service, employee engagement and a customer-centric culture. The Blog Post Dear Ritz-Carlton: Unique, Memorable Experiences for All? appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

It’s that time of year again. After all the holiday festivities, you try to commit to a New Year’s resolution in January. But before you decide, have you thought about how your resolution could benefit your work life? Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Be creative. All of us want to be more creative in the workplace, and New Year’s is the ideal time to do something about it. It can be something as simple as having a weekly brainstorm for each project or taking up a new hobby. Work somewhere different. A different seat in the office, a coffee shop, a coworking space, the car park, the kitchen table! Finding a new workspace will help you refresh your working habits and perform at your best. In fact, why limit yourself to just one spot? Different tasks require different surroundings, so use January to experiment and see what works for you. Adopt flexible working hours. Terrible at getting anything done until 10 AM? Instead of wasting your and your employer’s time sitting there doing nothing,  come in an hour later, stay an hour later and watch your productivity skyrocket. Make sure you ask your employer if flexible working is an option, and remember to present the benefits if not. Get the right gear. Make sure you have the right kit to work effectively wherever you are. A good mouse and keyboard, a decent notebook and pen and a reliable phone will make your workday so much easier. You don’t need to spend tons on something fancy just because it looks good in the ads. Work out what tools you need to do your job and plan your workspace accordingly. Sort out your broadband. For people looking to work regularly from home, the biggest headache can be issues with remote connections to servers, meetings or email. The vast majority of these can be addressed by giving your broadband connection a boost. The time you invest in January shopping for the best, most reliable deal will be returned several times over throughout the course of the year. What are your resolutions for the work year ahead? Are you aiming for a better work-life balance or to be more efficient in the way you handle work? Photo credit: Stuck in Customs

Real estate has always been a competitive field, but with the arrival of online services such as Redfin and housing search sites like Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com, real estate professionals are under more pressure than ever to show their worth and build long-lasting customer relationships. Offering exceptional customer service is a great way for real estate agents to earn trust and customer loyalty. By applying the Service Values of The Ritz-Carlton to the real estate industry, we have compiled the following list of customer service tips: 1) At The Ritz-Carlton, we "build strong relationships and create guests for life." As real estate agents, you are also building relationships. Your end goal may be to make a sale or sign a lease, but you should not treat your client as simply another transaction. When you express genuine care to your clients, you’re opening the door to repeat business and referral business. We live in a very connected world. When people ask your past clients, "Is there a real estate agent you would recommend?"—you want the answer to be a resounding, "YES!" You can express genuine care by acting respectfully: Value your client’s time. Don’t show up late for appointments. Actively listen to your clients. Don’t multi-task when clients are talking. Communicate regularly and manage your clients’ expectations. For example, if a client asks a question or an offer is made, you should tell your client when you expect to have an answer. If an answer is not found within that time frame, you should tell your client that you’re still working on it. Proactive communication builds trust. 2) At The Ritz-Carlton, we are "responsive to the expressed and unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests." Real estate agents must meet the expressed and unexpressed wishes of their clients as well. People don’t buy homes on a regular basis—so even if they’ve purchased a home in the past, they tend to forget what it is all about. Think of their ignorance as their unexpressed needs. It is your job to act as their real estate "Sherpa" and guide them through the process—pointing out all the important steps. You also have to be responsive to their expressed needs. You have to listen to what your clients want—and you have to be patient if they need help figuring out what they want. For example, if you show your clients the type of homes they asked to see but they don’t like any of them, pay close attention to their comments and feedback. Ask leading questions that will help unearth more specific information such as, "When you say the kitchen is drab, are you referring to the lighting, the cabinet color or the flooring?" When you better understand your clients’ preferences, you set yourself up for greater success. 3) At The Ritz-Carlton, we are "empowered to create unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests." Real estate agents should also create unique, memorable and personal experiences for their clients. In order to do this, you must engage with your clients. Learn about their hobbies, their children and their pets. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference: While house hunting on a hot day, bring a cooler of cold water bottles for clients. Send a birthday card to their pet. Point out where the local dance studio is located if their child is a budding ballerina. After you make a sale, consider giving a personalized closing gift. One real estate agent gave clients a glass box with their new home etched into the top. 4) At The Ritz-Carlton, we "own and immediately resolve guest problems." Real estate agents want to make the process as seamless as possible for clients. If your client has questions, try not to give a pat answer like "That’s the market right now" or "It’s all about location." Try to offer actionable suggestions and solutions such as how to improve curb appeal. You might have to say tough things that your clients will not want to hear, and you won’t be able to solve all your customer’s problems; i.e., you can’t make a home sell for $2 million if it’s only worth $200,000. However, you can respond to your clients’ concerns with helpfulness, tact and compassion. 5) At The Ritz-Carlton, we are "involved in the planning of the work that affects [us.]" Real estate agents need to keep clients informed through every step of the process. Let your clients know what you are doing to sell, lease or find a property. Don’t make your clients track you down and ask for an update. By communicating regularly, you can circumvent frustration and build trust. You should also base your communication on your clients’ preferences. Would your client appreciate a weekly email, or would a quick phone call work better for them? You and your client are in this together, and communication will be appreciated. 6) At The Ritz-Carlton, we are "proud of [our] professional appearance, language, and behavior." Real estate agents make a good or bad first impression depending on their professionalism. When you meet with clients, you should dress for a business appointment, and you should be prepared. If you’re not organized and you can’t find your listing sheets—you will not instill confidence in your customers. If you’re driving clients around, your car should be clean and you should know where you are going. Getting lost will not instill confidence. You should also be knowledgeable about the real estate market in your area. When you appear engaged, competent and efficient—your clients will feel more comfortable and safe. 7) At The Ritz-Carlton, we "protect the privacy and security of our guests…." When you build relationships with clients, you become privy to confidential information. You may even have celebrity clients. Although it may be tempting to name drop or even gossip, you need to practice discretion. When you share private details about your past clients, you lose the trust of your current customers. Building client relationships takes time. You have to earn trust through consistency and reliability, and you have to demonstrate your commitment to the client by offering excellent customer service. When you make the extra effort to truly engage with your clients, you’ll not only see how this impacts your sales—but you may also make some life-long friends in the process. ∞ On Thursday, November 12, 2015, The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center presents "Your Journey to Service Excellence" at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner near Washington, DC. Herve Humler, President & Chief Operations Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., is a panelist along with other senior executives. Early-bird pricing is available through August 1, 2015. The Blog Post Customer Service Tips for Real Estate Agents appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Today we have a guest post from Trey Clark, Senior Copywriter at Citrix Online. I recently got married in Huatulco, Mexico, and I have to say that almost everything about having a January destination wedding near the equator is awesome. The weather is warmer, your budget stretches further and the experience lasts longer. The "almost" caveat? It’s tough to plan a wedding somewhere you’ve never been before. But GoToMeeting made it a lot easier. My then-fiancée and I communicated with a Huatulco-based wedding coordinator mostly via email. But with a couple weeks remaining before the big day, there were too many details that weren’t being communicated clearly: What kind of audio and video cables did we need? What was the hair and makeup plan for the bride and bridesmaids? How exactly did transportation to and from the airport work? I asked the coordinator if we could have a quick GoToMeeting session to get everything straight. She was hesitant because she had tried a free video conferencing solution in the past, but her laptop could not handle it. But I insisted, so I sent her a GoToMeeting invitation for the next day. Meeting time arrived, and our coordinator was online and on-screen right on time. The face-to-face conversation made all the difference - I could show her the A/V cables I had and confirm they would be compatible with the equipment on site. She could see my fiancée "in real life" and make a better plan for hair and makeup. Conversations about transportation and lodging went much more smoothly. And, perhaps most important of all, our more-natural conversation led to some extra advice regarding the ceremony and reception, including this gem of wisdom: For maximum impact, hold off the mariachi band until husband and wife are pronounced. The ceremony will feel like something right out of a movie. Photo credit:  Caucas’

Today’s post is from Gihan Perera, a consultant, speaker and author who helps professional speakers, trainers, thought leaders and other business professionals develop their online strategy. He is also the author of the books Secrets of Internet Business Success and Webinar Smarts, among many others. Find out more at www.WebinarSmarts.com. Although webinars are very efficient for participants, they can be very time-consuming for presenters. It takes time to prepare the material, organize it into a slide deck and rehearse for impact and timing. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution. When an architect designs a new building, he/she has some ideas in mind, even if it’s a new, unique design. When a songwriter writes a song, he/she follows a certain structure - words, rhyme, rhythm and chord progressions. When a sports team takes the field, it plans certain strategies, plays and tactics to execute. This doesn’t mean the architect, songwriter and sports teams can’t be creative, different and innovative. They can - it’s just that they work within standard structures. You should do the same when designing the slide deck for a webinar. Don’t start with a blank slide deck. Don’t start with a blank PowerPoint file and start building the slides one by one. That’s the most difficult way to build a slide deck, because you’re starting from nothing and trying to construct the structure at the same time as creating the content. Of course, you do have to fill in some slides with the unique content for this webinar. But you can save yourself a lot of time and effort by starting with a standard template, which puts most of the structure in place for you. Using a template offers a number of benefits: You focus on the most important slides - those with the unique content for this webinar. You have a structure in place already, rather than trying to design the structure at the same time as the content. You can reuse some "standard" slides - for example, running a poll, introducing the presenter, stopping for questions and so on. It’s much faster to create your slide deck, which is especially important if you present a lot of webinars. When you become familiar with the template, you spend less time rehearsing and preparing each webinar. Everybody in your organization can use the same template, which means a consistent approach to all your webinars. If you don’t already have a template for your webinars, a simple way to get started is to strip back a slide deck from an earlier webinar. Even if this isn’t perfect, it’s still better than starting with a blank slide deck! Here are two templates for you to use. An even better option is to start with a well-designed template, crafted to suit the typical sort of webinar you present. To make this easier for you, we have provided two PowerPoint templates, especially designed for webinar presenters. One template is for a marketing webinar, and the other is for internal communications: Get the marketing template here: http://www.slideshare.net/GoToWebinar/webinar-template-for-marketing-professionals Get the internal communication template here: http://www.slideshare.net/GoToWebinar/webinar-template-for-internal-communication-template Both templates include standard slides, template slides (for you to complete) and instructions on how to use them. You have our permission to download and use the templates yourself. Modify them to suit your organization’s needs and use them as the starting point for your next webinar!   Photo Credit: casey.marshall via Compfight cc

"The purpose of a business is to create a mutually beneficial relationship between itself and those that it serves. When it does that well, it will be around tomorrow to do it some more." — John Woods, Author The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: Every organization is made up of people, and in order to thrive, those people need to build strong relationships. This includes relationships with customers or patients as well as relationships with employees. When an organization doesn’t prioritize healthy relationship building, employees are not as equipped to engage with one another and with their clients. This results in a less fulfilling work experience for employees and disgruntled customers whose impression of your brand may be tarnished forever. Worse yet, an actively disengaged customer may share his or her disappointing experience on social media or other online venues. The Gold Standards of The Ritz-Carlton put people first because service is our number one priority. Our Credo states "the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission," and our Employee Promise notes, "our Ladies and Gentlemen [the employees] are the most important resource in our service commitment to our guests." When you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers or patients. When your customers and patients are happy, your organization can foster loyalty and engage your customers tomorrow, the next day and beyond. ∞ The Blog Post Inspired Thinking: Engage Your Customers appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

You wake up feeling achy. Scratchy throat. Fever. Cough. Bad news: you have the flu. With most of the country showing high levels of flu activity, the virus is spreading, and fast. While you may think you can handle a day in the office, the truth is you should stay home if you’re sick. Going to work when you’re less than 100 percent mentally or physically is called presenteeism and studies have shown it’s a $150 billion business problem. Between decreased productivity, prolonged recovery time and exposing others to your illness, it’s a losing situation for both you and your company. The key to solving the presenteeism problem is having the right resources: the tools to work remotely coupled with your employer’s trust. Companies that enable this work flexibility, called "workshifting," empower their employees to choose when and how they work based on their individual lifestyles. It’s not about doing 9-5 at the office; it’s about delivering great results from anywhere. Reliable, secure technology like GoToMyPC allows you to access your work computer remotely, whether you’re home caring for ill family members or feeling feverish yourself. With access to your files, programs and network, it’s just like being at your office desktop. So you can stay productive - and not share your germs with coworkers - while you or your loved ones recuperate at home. We recommend you create a workshifting plan with your employer and get the right tools in place to ensure you can confidently work from home if you need to this flu season. And in the meantime, keep that hand sanitizer handy.   Photo Credit: Marc Mateos - Because I’m worth it via Compfight cc

Dear Ritz-Carlton: Many companies have innovation on their checklist. How does The Ritz-Carlton best leverage this concept? Answer from Jennifer Blackmon, Corporate Director, Culture Transformation at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: Innovation is at the core of The Ritz-Carlton culture. We understand that the best ideas and concepts for change will come directly from the individuals who are actually doing the work and that is why we foster a collaborative culture of innovation. There must be a process in order to nurture ideas, and leadership has to champion it. When a team member has an idea, how do they share it? What happens to it? Who will follow up on it? These are the questions every organization should be able to answer. If employees go out of their way to share ideas and all they ever hear in return is the sound of crickets—it won’t be long before they stop trying. Every organization has some extremely creative employees. Recognize and nurture their talent and give them the opportunity to see an idea through. When managed correctly, innovation will positively affect the bottom line, the customer experience and create employees who are passionate about the company. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium, "Your Journey to Service Excellence." The day includes a keynote speaker, a Q&A session with The Ritz-Carlton executive panel, an optional networking reception and presentations about legendary service, employee engagement and developing a customer-centric culture. The Blog Post Dear Ritz-Carlton: Collaborative Culture of Innovation? appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

When it comes to work, do you make lists or prefer to keep things in your head? It’s a safe bet that most of us turn to the humble to-do list to organize our day. Getting things down, whether on paper or its digital equivalent, can help sort thoughts and make work seem manageable rather than overwhelming.     However, I was intrigued to read that Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist of Apple, does not keep a to-do list. "For the intellectual challenge, I never make lists," he said. "I challenge myself to remember what to do in order to delay the decay of my brain."  I’m not sure this approach would work for me, but what do you think? Do we really need that neat set of bullet points? Around this time of year, certain hardy individuals take part in winter swims, stripping down to plunge into vast, freezing stretches of water. Perhaps this is the equivalent of going without a to-do list at work - not something most of us would do often, but it can leave you feeling reawakened, even exhilarated. Take a leap into the bracing, list-free waters and emerge rejuvenated!  You go first.  Getting Things Done  The opposite of Guy Kawasaki’s no-list approach is Getting Things Done, the famous system for filtering life into a series of actionable items. If you’re the kind of person who relishes high-end organization, this is for you.  I’m a fan of both Getting Things Done and Guy Kawasaki, but personally I prefer somewhere in between the two approaches. Right now I’m enjoying online collaborative tools like Podio that allow me to share a daily task list with my team. This means they have a clear picture of priorities, and we avoid duplicating work. Plus, there’s the bonus of having nowhere to hide if I don’t, in fact, get stuff done.   I’m interested - what systems do you use to deal with your work?      Photo Credit: Photo David via Compfight cc

Each month, The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center (RCLC) features an interview with an employee—also known as a Lady or Gentleman of The Ritz-Carlton—in order to share an insider’s view of the organization. This month’s interview is with J. Weili Cheng, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. RCLC: Please share a little about your role within The Ritz-Carlton organization. Ms. Cheng: I am responsible for all legal matters relating to the company’s operations, which include over 124 lodging and residential properties in more than 29 countries. Ritz-Carlton operates hotels for third-party owners, and I spend most of my time on work that relates to our hotel operating agreements. I handle many owner issues. If hotel or residential owners are concerned about Ritz-Carlton operations, and those concerns cannot be addressed or resolved at the local or regional level, I will support or participate in negotiations to help facilitate a resolution. What’s wonderful about The Ritz-Carlton is that we really make every effort to address owner concerns. However, if we cannot accommodate owners’ requests, I will assist in framing our response in the context of our business model, explaining why we cannot accommodate their requests. I also assist the team of Marriott lawyers who negotiate new Ritz-Carlton operating agreements globally. When certain issues arise in their negotiations with hotel owners, they will often come to me with questions. In addition, my team supports the day-to-day operations in the hotels and also in our club and residential projects. RCLC: What is your background prior to taking this position with The Ritz-Carlton? Ms. Cheng: After law school, I worked for a law firm, and then I worked for the U.S. Department of Justice. In 1985, I started working in the Litigation Practice Group at Marriott. I was then asked by Mr. Marriott to participate in strategic planning projects over the course of a year. After completing those projects, I went back to the law department and joined the International Development Practice Group. I worked on projects in the Caribbean and Latin America and the Middle East. In 1997, Marriott acquired the Renaissance Hotel Group and needed more international operations attorneys. I became the international operations attorney for Asia Pacific until I was promoted to being the lead operations attorney globally. While I continued to support Asia Pacific specifically, I was then also responsible for supervising the attorneys who handled the Caribbean and Latin America, Middle East, Africa, and UK and Ireland. From there, I joined The Ritz-Carlton. What has been great about working at The Ritz-Carlton is that I have an opportunity to provide legal support on a global basis—domestically and internationally. RCLC: What do you value about the culture of The Ritz-Carlton? Ms. Cheng: What appeals to me most about The Ritz-Carlton culture is engagement— engagement with others. You can’t engage without developing and building relationships. I like the concept of building relationships for life, and I view that as not just applying to our guests, but to everyone we encounter—our hotel owners, our colleagues and all stakeholders. When I’m speaking with our Ladies and Gentlemen or in a manager’s meeting, I often stress our motto, "We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen." Our focus is typically on how we need to be Ladies and Gentlemen, but I like to remind people that we serve Ladies and Gentlemen. This means that our guests and everyone we interact with have to be and act like ladies and gentlemen. I explain that there are, unfortunately, guests who are not ladies and gentlemen. Our Ladies and Gentlemen need to remember that they are not doormats and deserve respect. They should not have to put up with abusive behavior from our guests or from their supervisors. RCLC: How does The Ritz-Carlton culture impact your legal work? Ms. Cheng: The culture of The Ritz-Carlton emphasizes building strong relationships and that meshes very well with how I have developed as an attorney. I view negotiations as an opportunity to further the interests of all parties involved, and I can understand and empathize with people who are unhappy. Over the years, I have learned that the negotiations are much more pleasant if you have a good relationship with the other party. If you’re friendly and personable, that can make all the difference. Of course, a good, personal relationship would not result in concessions during negotiations, but it makes the process more pleasant. About three years ago, I was involved in a negotiation involving the sale of a hotel. The negotiations were rather contentious at times, but I always felt that I had a good relationship with the hotel owner representative as well as his attorney. A month or two after the deal closed, I received a lovely email from the owner’s attorney saying how much she enjoyed working with me, and she hoped she would have an opportunity to work with me again in the future. I did not concede issues that were important to Ritz-Carlton and acted in the best interests of The Ritz-Carlton, but I handled the negotiations professionally and enhanced the working relationship between The Ritz-Carlton and that owner. My criteria for a good negotiation is that everyone walks away from the transaction satisfied, but not necessarily completely happy because negotiations don’t work that way. Not everybody gets exactly what he or she wants, but you end up accepting what you can. RCLC: Is a lot of your work over the computer? Ms. Cheng: A lot of my work is electronic, but I try to at least get to know people over the phone or at some point, meet with them. When you meet with people and establish a personal relationship, the lines of communication are much better. I was a litigation attorney for many years and concluded that most of the time people file lawsuits because they feel they have not been given the respect they deserve. Their feelings are hurt, and they want to extract some sort of retribution. So, they file a lawsuit. I think it’s really important in the business world to show respect because again, that’s the foundation for a good relationship. RCLC: How do the Key Success Factors at The Ritz-Carlton guide the work of the legal department? Ms. Cheng: The Ritz-Carlton has five Key Success Factors, and the law department spends most of its time on Number Five, "Maximizing financial performance." We do that in our work with owners on our operating agreements and in assessing risks. We want to make sure that we maintain the profitability for our hotels and for the company. We also spend time on Key Success Factor Number Four, "Deliver product and service excellence." At The Ritz-Carlton, we often come up with new ideas, products and services to distinguish The Ritz-Carlton from other brands. Often those new products and services require legal work. One example of this is The Ritz-Carlton cake. I was part of the team that helped select The Ritz-Carlton cake. We taste tested and ranked 14 or 15 cakes. That was fun! Once we identified the proper cake, we needed to enter into contracts for the production and distribution of the cake. We also needed to make sure that the cakes were produced in a manner that met food safety requirements. RCLC: You serve on the Executive Committee at The Ritz-Carlton. Will you share what it means to be a leader at The Ritz-Carlton? Ms. Cheng: Being a leader at The Ritz-Carlton is a responsibility. In my role, I have to walk the talk, and I’m very cognizant of how I conduct myself. Any success that I have had at The Ritz-Carlton is the result of having a terrific team of legal professionals. And the company’s success is the result of the efforts of our Ladies and Gentlemen around the world. They are the ones that interact with our guests on a daily basis. How they treat our guests and each other affects the reputation of The Ritz-Carlton. Our employees have many balls to juggle, and they have to do it well for our company to be successful. RCLC: Are there any final words of wisdom that you would like to share? Ms. Cheng: I’ve learned two important lessons in my career. First, I’ve learned that interpersonal relationships facilitate communication, and communication is very important in business. In our business, if a problem arises, it is easier to resolve the problem as soon as you know about it. It is far better to deliver or receive bad news sooner rather than later. Don’t let concerns fester. Otherwise, even little concerns eventually grow big and then are accompanied by a lot of negative emotional energy. Second, learn as much as you can. While I still have a lot to learn, my tenure with Marriott has allowed me to gain knowledge and experience, which has enabled me to better handle challenging situations and transactions. This is consistent with Service Value 8 at The Ritz-Carlton: "I have the opportunity to continuously learn and grow." ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers advisory services, courses and presentations to organizations that wish to benchmark the award-winning business practices of The Ritz-Carlton. Your organization can learn about The Ritz-Carlton methodology for customer service, employee engagement and leadership development. We also guide organizations through a multi-step process in order to achieve sustainable culture transformation. The Blog Post Our Ladies and Gentlemen: Weili Cheng appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Today we have a guest post from Jill Konrath, author of SNAP Selling & Selling to Big Companies. If you’re like most sellers, you’re probably pretty skeptical of all the social media buzz out there. Everyone touts it as the next great thing, but, deep in your gut, you can’t quite figure out how tweeting or spending hours on Facebook will help you get more sales. If you’re selling to the corporate market, your instincts are correct. Your prospects aren’t hanging out on Twitter or Facebook during business hours. But there is one social media site that you really do need to invest time with: LinkedIn. In the past couple of years, it’s become an invaluable resource for savvy sellers. In our recent Sales & LinkedIn Study of over 3,000 sellers, we uncovered a group of savvy sellers who are proactively leveraging LinkedIn to find and create more opportunities. They’re using it to: Find multiple account entry points. Top sellers research their targeted accounts online, looking for potential people in a company who might be interested in their products or services. They know that having just one name isn’t enough anymore. They start by finding the primary decision maker based on the typical positions they deal with. Next they expand their search to look for this person’s peers, subordinates and boss. Then they proceed to contact these people to set up initial meetings. Gain invaluable insights. Top sellers realize that capturing and keeping the attention of today’s crazy-busy prospects requires a time investment for learning about them prior to initiating contact. On LinkedIn, they check out a person’s profile to see what’s important to them. They review mutual connections, updates, career history, group participation and more. Then they leverage these insights to craft relevant messages they can use to connect with these people via either email or phone. Showcase their expertise. Top sellers know that prospects check them out using LinkedIn. Rather than treating their profile as a resume, they use it as a tool to let people know the impact they can make on their businesses. They post updates, sharing links to good articles, ebooks, webinars and other resources. They contribute to groups, but never pitch their products. To sum it up, savvy sellers find LinkedIn, a social media website, to be a priceless asset. They use it strategically to open more doors, knowing that it gives them a significant edge over their competitors. Jill Konrath is the author of SNAP Selling & Selling to Big Companies. Get her FREE Prospecting Tool Kit. Photo Credit: mariosundar via Compfight cc

Today we have a guest post from Bill Cates. Bill is the author of Get More Referrals Now and uses GoToWebinar and GoToMeeting for all of his webinars and many client meetings. Bill helps sales people get more referrals and turn those referrals into new clients, and he helps sales organizations boost production through referrals and other sales-generating strategies. Check out Bill’s book at www.GetMoreReferrals.com. Contact Bill directly at BillCates@ReferralCoach.com To get more referrals, first you have to be referable. Are you? How do you know? You know that you, your products, or your services are referable if you are getting referrals without asking for them. Unsolicited referrals are a barometer of your referability. Every business and every salesperson should be getting unsolicited referrals. If not, there is likely a problem with the value or the relationship. There are two places to look to enhance your referability. First, your initial process must be referable. I don’t care what your business model looks like; you need to make sure you put your new prospects through a process that they will find valuable. In your efforts to sell your prospects on what you offer, are you looking for ways to provide value? Are your prospects learning and growing because of their interactions with you? Even if they didn’t buy from you, would they be better off from having met you? You want to make the sale and you want to do it in a manner that makes you referable quickly in the relationship. Second, you want to enhance your referability over time. Staying in regular contact with your clients and customers 1) keeps adding value and 2) builds a business friendship. The value they get from you makes you referable. And the business friendship is the turbo-charger to referrals. Do you have a model in place that helps you determine how often and for what reasons you’ll be in touch with your clients? Or are you winging it with your client contacts? I can assure you, your clients can tell the difference. Certainly, online meeting services and web conferencing can help you connect more meaningfully with each prospect and customer that you contact. Satisfied clients will often refer you when asked, but clients who are in love with your service (and the relationship you’ve established with them) will become your vocal advocates. What are you doing to become more referable? For four tips to become more referable, download the white paper.   Photo Credit: NASARobonaut via Compfight cc

"You’ll never have a product or price advantage again. They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can’t be copied." — Jerry Fritz, Speaker The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: A low price may encourage a customer to do business with you, but most likely, it will not build customer loyalty. Customers can find which company is offering the lowest price on a product within seconds, and most consumers will shop around. When you focus on your customer experience rather than on price, you have a better chance of building loyalty and differentiating your organization from the competition. Creating an engaging customer experience takes more than a color change or technological upgrade. Most organizations known for customer service such as Nordstrom and Amazon have a customer-centric culture. The Ritz-Carlton was designed around Gold Standards—the Motto, Credo and Service Values—that ensure our customer is always the top priority. Every organization is capable of separating itself from the competition with a culture of service excellence. What are some steps your organization can take to make your culture more customer- or patient-centric? ∞ The Blog Post Inspired Thinking: Customer Service Culture appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

The roads of Austin, Texas will be a bit clearer this Friday, February 8—or at least that’s the goal. As part of an effort to remove 10,000 cars from the road, the Austin City Council has approved a one-day Work From Home initiative that encourages residents to skip the commute and spend a day working away from the office. It’s a step in the right direction for modern professionals. A recent report commissioned by the UK government found "there is a strong and compelling business case for flexible working," and showed workshifting can help retain staff, attract talent and increase loyalty and productivity—all of which help the bottom line. Yet, a 2012 study by Ipsos for Reuters News found just 9 percent of U.S. workers frequently work from a location outside their office, significantly less than the global average of 17 percent. Demonstrating the benefits of flexible working is part of the goal Moveability Austin has outlined for Austin Work From Home Day. The one-day event will give employers the opportunity to dip their toes into the world of alternative workplace options and, as a result of this single day of testing, Austin could see more companies putting flexible work environments into standard practice. And really, it all makes sense. We have mobile phones, laptops, software—all tools that enable us to work away from the office. Work is no longer a place you go; it’s a thing you do. Whether it’s a coffee shop, your kitchen or the confines of a cubicle, what matters most is finding an environment where you can be most productive. And it’s that productivity that translates into success for employers. In my experience working away from the office, eliminating a daily commute has given me more time and control over my schedule and allows me to make the most of the times and environments that optimize my productivity. The most important piece of this puzzle is having the right tools in place: trusted employees, buy-in from managers and remote-access resources that allow you to work from anywhere. As companies compete for the best and brightest, those that are supportive of workers who want to choose when, how and where they work will come out on top. The Social Good Summit, which is running the Austin event, will present their results of Work From Home Day during the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference, March 8-17, 2013, but the real measures of success are sure to show themselves in the months to come. Whether you’re ditching the commute and working remotely, or sitting in less traffic because your fellow citizens are working away from the office, we all win with a global workforce that supports flexible workspaces. Photo Credit: Dougtone via Compfight cc

Dear Ritz-Carlton: Do you hire and then train individuals to be open and warm? The above question is from an attendee at "Symposium: Your Journey to Service Excellence" in April. Answer from John Cashion, Corporate Director, Culture Transformation at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: At The Ritz-Carlton, we do not "hire" individuals; instead we pride ourselves on "selecting" Ladies and Gentlemen that are aligned with the values and philosophy of The Ritz-Carlton culture. Our focus is to select the top 1% of the service professionals that have a sense of pride and ownership in the career they have chosen. The selection process must discover individuals with passion for what they do every day. Passion produces an intense emotional connection, but it must come from within and cannot be trained or taught. Each person selected undergoes a very thorough onboarding to understand the mission and vision of The Ritz-Carlton and their role in contributing to our culture. Beyond that, everyone understands that they become an Ambassador of the brand. At The Ritz-Carlton, we know that when we select Ladies and Gentlemen that have an emotional connection to our brand this will translate to a guest who is emotionally connected and loyal to our brand as well. The equation for creating a lifelong memory requires a sense of genuine care from a person who sees you as an individual and loves doing this every day. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium, "Your Journey to Service Excellence." The day includes a keynote speaker, a Q&A session with The Ritz-Carlton executive panel, an optional networking reception and presentations about legendary service, employee engagement and a customer-centric culture. The Blog Post Dear Ritz-Carlton: Selection Process? appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

UPDATE: This contest is now over. Thanks very much to everyone who participated. We’ll be announcing a winner on Thursday, 21 February. If you’re like us, those New Year’s resolutions may be fizzling out, so we thought we’d help you get back on track! We’re giving away a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 with a complimentary annual subscription for GoToMeeting, so you can make work something you do, not somewhere you go - giving you more time to focus on those neglected resolutions. For us, much like most of the UK, that means hitting the gym more often, spending time with family - and improving our productivity at work. But, research carried out by Cancer Research UK suggests only 1 in 11 of us will manage to stick with these resolutions for over 6 months and a shocking 39% will have given theirs up within 2 weeks. So to make sure work isn’t the reason you fail to stick to your resolution, enter our competition today. To enter, just follow @GoToMeetingUK and tweet this message*. The competition ends on Wednesday, February 20th, so don’t wait! *This competition is for UK residents only. For full details, read the competition terms and conditions. Photo credit: WIRED UK