Customer Service Skills Have Never Been More Important

Posted on September 3, 2019 by

Customer care has never been more integral to a maintaining company’s image, and the best practices of service can be imparted through training.

A service team taking customer calls.

Do companies today have what it takes to impress their customers?

Today’s business climate is heavily weighted in favor of companies that can deliver masterful customer service. Across industries, organizations of all kinds are reachable through a wide range of channels and at great distances thanks to the fully mainstream nature of online shopping. This easy access to companies means a dissatisfied customer can quickly and easily switch brands, turning one unsatisfactory interaction into a lost opportunity for repeat business.

Furthermore, the same online channels giving audiences access to a huge variety of companies have also allowed users to voice their displeasure to a global audience. One customer complaint can quickly become a public relations problem for a business, a greatly amplified version of negative word of mouth. Continue reading →

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Keep Your Whole Team Safe from Electrical Workplace Hazards

Posted on August 22, 2019 by

Electrical hazards are common and severe risk factors in workplaces of all kinds. Protecting employees requires the creation of comprehensive safety programs.

A "Danger: High Voltage" sign

What do your employees need to know about electrical safety?

Electricity is one of the major workplace hazards present in just about any professional environment. When electrical equipment is a major component of your company’s work, safety precautions take on serious importance. In terms of both regulatory compliance and simple accident minimization, your organization should have a fully developed set of precautions in place.

Such a comprehensive electrical safety program should cover every element of preparedness, from putting environmental features into place to training employees on all aspects of their personal safety. When workers who might encounter electrical risks are skilled at recognizing hazards, performing tasks safely and using the correct equipment, the likelihood of suffering a damaging workplace accident can decrease significantly. Continue reading →

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Understanding the GHS and HAZCOM for safer workplaces

Posted on August 7, 2019 by

Workplaces with potentially harmful chemicals should stay in strict compliance with the latest HAZCOM guidelines.

A hand holds out a warning sign.

How does your workplace deal with chemical safety?

If your organization’s facilities contain potentially harmful chemicals, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Hazard Communication Standard is a major part of both compliance and safety operations within the workplace. Failure to keep up with HAZCOM standards could mean fines and other regulatory actions from OSHA, but on a more fundamental level, noncompliance also means potentially exposing employees to unnecessary risks. Therefore, you should take HAZCOM extremely seriously, from posting warning labels to educating team members on the meaning of the standardized pictograms. Continue reading →

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Communication Skills: Valuable for Every Employee

Posted on August 1, 2019 by
Employees listen to one another.

What does communication mean for employees in varied roles?

It’s hard to imagine a more universally relevant “soft skill” than communication. No matter the context, the ability to get ideas across is invaluable to doing business, helping ease the friction between stakeholders and ensure various parties stay happy and engaged. Whether in conversation, through electronic communication, on the phone or in any other context, it’s useful for people to be adept at making their points.

While communicating and collaborating are widely applicable values, they are commonly associated with certain employee roles far more than others. If you’re considering teaching communication skills to your employees, you may be dividing individuals into those who can use the lessons and those who can’t. Continue reading →

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Inspiring Great Employee Performance with Managerial Feedback

Posted on July 10, 2019 by

Giving feedback to employees is a concrete skill that managers can sharpen through training.

A manager reviews an employee.

Managers who give good feedback can improve organizations at all levels.

Managers have many roles in guiding their workplaces’ day-to-day operations and keeping employees on track, but one of the most impactful of these duties is providing one-on-one feedback to workers. Today’s workforce is made up of motivated and independent individuals, and giving helpful guidance to these professionals requires a focused and practiced approach. Instead of just assuming every manager is naturally good at providing feedback and inspiring positive change in coworkers, it can pay to invest in training for this specific topic. Continue reading →

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