5 Tips for Handling Conflict

If you live long enough you will experience conflict. The chance that everyone will like us or get along with us is very minimal. Inevitably we will disagree with someone. When this happens, handling the conflict with a level head avoids stress and keeps the chance of the conflict escalating less likely.

Handling conflict does not have to be confrontational in the classic sense. When someone mentions an altercation we think of the showdown at the OK Corral. Coming into the meeting ready to fight is not the best way to handle a conflict.

Conflicts can occur at any time. You could be in a grocery store and the cashier may act rude as they ring up your groceries. We’ve all had that happen at least once, right? The first reaction is to slam the money on the counter or to snap back at them. In that instant we have taken their problems as our own and created a stressful situation that changes the tone of the rest of our day.

Here are five tips for handling conflict. They work for coworkers, family members, friends, and even strangers. You never know when the proper response to a conflict could save your life or someone else’s.

1. Think about the situation. We are quick to respond when someone says what we don’t like. Take the time to breathe before responding. In that breath replay the words spoken.

2. Make the hard decision. In many cases, the conflict that arises is not the first of its kind. Harsh or offensive words or deeds could be a recurring theme in the relationship. Decide if this affiliation is worth saving or if it is time to cut the person loose. Leaving the association could result in a lost friendship, a divorce, or changing jobs. Sometimes, for our own sake, these things are better in the long run than staying in a bad relationship.

3. Wait a day. Don’t respond right then. Give yourself time to talk over the situation with a trusted friend. Maybe you overreacted. Sometimes, a third party can see something that you missed in the heat of your anger. In these cases, apologize where necessary. If the consensus is that you were wronged, then bring the matter to the attention of the other person with a level head not a hot one.

4. Find a solution. A common conflict, especially among spouses could result from wanting to make a purchase that there isn’t enough money for. Instead of brooding, come up with favorable solutions that could get you what you want or need. Get a second job to earn the money.

5. Apologize if you were in the wrong. Just because something is true doesn’t mean that it has to be said. Telling someone that they are wearing a dress that is too small for them is not a positive way to help them lose weight. Understand how it could be offensive to them and apologize. Better yet, stop and think before you respond in situations such as these. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes before hand. Part of resolving conflicts is realizing our role in it.Facing confrontational situations is not easy. But, it is not inevitable and sometimes it has to be done. Learning conflict resolution techniques can alleviate the stress of these situations.

The Best Way for Online Business Owners to Reduce Phone Time

No matter what type of online business you are in, or how you communicate, you will find there are a number of reasons that you will need to use a telephone.

You may need to soothe clients who need to hear a real human voice or you might need to find a way to communicate with your colleagues that is more immediate than that of a simple e-mail or chat session.

The problem is that phone use, whether it is through a land line or through a cell phone, can cause you plenty of problems, especially if you let it get out of control.

For many of us, nothing is more simple or instinctive than calling someone to chat. While we may..........click here for the full article.

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Gregg Zban is a General Manager with Coca-Cola Enterprises and has created a website dedicated to better Time Management, Sales Training, Interview Coaching, Leadership Development and more!

To learn more please visit http://www.choice-time-management.com/

To Blog with us please visit http://thetenminutemanager.blogspot.com/

For a free eBook please visit http://thetenminutemanager.com/

Manage Your Online Working Time

There are many ways to manage time while working online. The computer, Internet, and various other types of activities that can be pursued while working may prove to be quite overwhelming when it comes to time restraints or deadlines. If your income is dependent upon the financial success that you achieve online, it is absolutely imperative that you take the time to ensure that you are maximizing each and every minute of your working time.

Productivity is an extremely important element to the overall success of an online business. In order to reach a high level of productivity, time management skills are a must for every home business owner. Here are five ways to help manage your time while working online in turn boosting your productivity and hopefully income.

The first method you can implement to manage your time is reducing the amount of time spent on the telephone. One of the biggest time restraints that individuals experience are telephone calls. It is quite easy to experience a severe time lapse while working due to unexpected calls, long conversations, and even calls that are necessary for the overall functionality of your business.

One way to manage this aspect of your time is to turn off the ringer and purchase an answering machine or subscribe to voice mail. Then, you should set aside a time each day to check your messages and return calls as appropriate............click here for the full article.

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Gregg Zban is a General Manager with Coca-Cola Enterprises and has created a website dedicated to better Time Management, Sales Training, Interview Coaching, Leadership Development and more!

To learn more please visit www.Choice-Time-Management.com

For freebies please visit www.GreggZban.com

How to overcome objections

Every sales person has had to overcome an objection. Some even find a new line of work because of them. If your income depends on the sale then chances are you have found a way to overcome objections and even discovered the secret of how to make them work for you, not against you.

The first mistake we usually make is assuming we know what the customer is going to object to. We have crafted our response even before they are done speaking.

Thinking we know exactly what is on their mind, we interrupt the customer with our response. In effect, we have answered an objection with an objection and most customers would be on their way to the door.

It is proven that most of us quit listening to the customer and begin formulating our answer after the first seven words. Even worse, after ten words we are nowhere to be found, off in our own world piecing together our response.

Truth is, most of the time, we don’t know the full extent of the objection because we didn’t hear it.

Just think about the wealth of information we are missing out on. Key buying signals, who the decision maker is, plus an abundance of information on how to close the sale. All this valuable information into the air, lost forever.

Is it any wonder that we fear objections? Fact is 70% of the time we don’t even know what the objections are because we haven’t let the customer finish telling us? Now that is scary.

Rewind the tape to the beginning only this time we are prepared for the objection. We even expect, see it coming from a crossed the room. And because we are expecting it, we make sure we catch all the details.

This time we agree with the customer and nodded our head to let them know we heard every word. This time our information bank is full and we plan a response that addresses all of the issues.

Because we have addressed all of the customer’s issues the objection now becomes a vehicle for us to show our prowess and expertise. It builds customer confidence and positions us as an expert, someone the customer wants to do business with.

Not a whole lot to fear now is there? At this point you should look forward to an objection so you can establish yourself as the expert and move closer to the sale.

Objections are uncomfortable because of our state of mind towards them and the fear of the unknown. If you change your state of mind and think through any objections then there is nothing to fear (but fear itself…..).

You have just discovered the secret to making objections work for you. An objection is now a way to draw the customer one step closer. Now we have something very powerful!

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Gregg Zban is a General Manager with Coca-Cola Enterprises and has created a website dedicated to better Time Management, Sales Training, Interview Coaching, Leadership Development and more!

To learn more please visit www.Choice-Time-Management.com

For freebies please visit www.GreggZban.com

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How to turn an angry customer into a repeat customer

If you are in business, and chances are if you are reading this you are, you have dealt with an angry customer. Because business is very rarely perfect, things come up from time to time that upset even our best customers.

Whether you are late with a delivery or your product or service is not performing the way it should, it is beneficial to know how to deal with this situation when it arises. How you deal with an angry customer determines if you strengthen your relationship or sever it and most of it depends on how you respond and when.

Situations like this are your opportunity to show your customer what you and your company are made of. When you made the sale you promised great customer service, now is your chance to prove it. Anyone can handle a customer when things are going well. It is the most successful of us that can handle the customer when things go wrong.

The first step in handling an angry customer is contacting them promptly. If the customer has contacted your customer service department or has left you a voice mail directly is it ultimately important that you respond immediately. This is the first step in turning a big problem into a manageable one.

Greet them in a cordial, but concerned tone, acknowledging you know they have a problem. Ask them what the problem is and let them express their displeasure! Take notes, but do not offer explanations at this time. Express to them that “you have a valid point”. Even if their complaint is not totally fact based, you must agree that they “have a point” to let them know you are hearing what they are saying.

The next step is to agree with them and that you would most likely feel the same way if you were in their position. This will displace quite a bit of the anger. Take a minute to digest this psychology. It is much more difficult to be angry with someone who agrees with you then with someone who does not. If you validate their concern, you are half way there.

Keep in mind that you can not resolve the problem while the customer is upset or emotional. Until you diffuse the anger, do not try to solve the problem. Your customer wants to make sure that you see his or her point of view prior to letting you move forward, if you attempt to do otherwise chances are you will make a bad situation worse.

Once the customer has calmed down, start to gather facts about the situation. What departments were involved, what was the time line, what were the major issues. Let the customer know that you will get back to them with a solution and give them a specific time for follow up. Make sure you adhere to it!

Never, and I mean NEVER, tell a customer that you guarantee that this will never happen again. This is a death trap and you must never go there. What you can guarantee the customer is that you will do everything you can to minimize the chances of this happening again, but if it does, you will take care of it in a prompt fashion with as little inconvenience to the customer as possible.

Most customers will appreciate your honesty. And if they want a guarantee that it won’t happen again, be sure the chances of it ever happening again are zero, otherwise you will lose the account the next time it happens.

Well placed customer service is a great way to solidify your business! Some businesses skimp on customer service and create a great inroad for you and your business. Customers realize that mistakes happen. It is how you handle them when they occur that will decide whether they stay with you or go elsewhere.

The keys:

• Contact the customer promptly
• Acknowledge their issue
• Agree with their point
• Gather the facts
• Correct the problem
• Follow up, follow up, follow up

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Gregg Zban is a General Manager with Coca-Cola Enterprises and has created a website dedicated to better Time Management, Sales Training, Interview Coaching, Leadership Development and more!

To learn more please visit http://www.choice-time-management.com

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Secrets To a Successful Job and Sales Interview

I have interviewed a couple hundred people over the last year and here are some of the secrets to a successful job and sales interview.

We have compiled this information because many candidates did not receive an offer, or received a reduced offer, due to a few key elements overlooked during the interview process.

Some points seem obvious but individually, or collectively, they cost the candidate money or the job offer. Lets take a look at them so you are better prepared the next time you go on an interview.

Be on time. Chances are very good that we have a full day scheduled so please be on time. It doesn’t hurt to be early to complete any necessary paperwork and be prepared when we are ready for you.

Please show up with a resume’. Don’t assume that just because you applied for the job on line and attached your resume that “the panel” will all have a copy. Bring at least three or four copies to be safe.

Be positive during the greeting. The interview should be you at your best. Do not discuss anything negative or personal, keep it business. If you do not have a positive attitude at the beginning of the interview we doubt you’ll develop one if we hire you.

Look us in the eye and greet us with a firm hand shake. That will show us you mean business. Right or wrong, our first impression of you will usually dictate the tone of the interview. If we are not impressed with your greeting it will be very difficult to change that perception during the remainder of the interview.

Know something about our company and business. We know you won’t know everything, but look up a couple key facts to show us you want to work here and are a quick study.

Take notes. If we ask a two part question, please remember the second part or write it down so you don’t have to ask us to repeat it. The best way to respond is to write down the first part and answer the second part first, if applicable. This way you will only have to write down one part of the question because the second part should be fresh in your mind.

Write down everyone’s name and position, particularly if it a panel interview. This way you can address answers to different function leads. Use the persons name in your response. This will make us more receptive to your answers.

A General Manager is typically looking for different qualities in a candidate than a person from Human Resources. The most successful candidates address responses to both groups. If you do this you will separate yourself from other candidates.

Be prepared to ask us one or two questions at the end of the interview. It shows that you are interested in advancing your career and care about where you work. This also shows that you have a standard that we need to live up to. You might also be able to gauge our interest level by our response.

Tell yourself that you are the best at what you do prior to entering the interview. It will build confidence and put you at ease.

Smile and be yourself. It shows confidence!

And most important……..have fun!

Incorporate these tips and you have a very good chance at getting the job and maximizing your offer!

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