Month: October 2012

“The Original MBA”–My 100th Book Review for Amazon

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This week I reached a milestone–posting my 100th book review for Amazon. Initially, my reviews were text only. But after I learned video production, I started providing video reviews. It’s more enjoyable to talk about a book I like than to write about it. Also, Amazon visitors welcome the break from written reviews.

Above, you’ll see the cover of The Original MBA, the book I chose for the 100th review. The cover features a little girl in her mother’s shoes–reflecting the book’s central theme, how a girl learned valuable lessons from her mother.

Here’s the link to my Amazon review of Sandy Weaver Carman’s book:
http://amzn.to/SZTxnP

You’ll note that I gave a 5-star rating, and recommended that you get your own copy and copies for your work colleagues.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sandy Weaver Carman has achieved leadership roles in two highly competitive professions, radio broadcasting and audio production. Here’s her Website, describing her experiences and services, and giving her contact information:

http://www.voiceworkondemand.com

MY OTHER 99 REVIEWS
I invite you to check the other 99 reviews I’ve done for Amazon. You’ll see a wide range of topics–communication, business, sales, customer service, motivation, sports, biography, and more:
http://amzn.to/LHxI7m

You might wonder why I give high ratings to practically all of these books. The answer is simple. I wouldn’t spend my time reading a book, much less reviewing it, if I didn’t consider the book worthwhile. In most cases I don’t know the authors personally. Yet when I do, that doesn’t influence my evaluation. In fact–to maintain my professional ethics standards–I have politely declined to submit reviews of books that didn’t appeal to me.

RESPOND WITH YOUR COMMENTS
Sandy and I will welcome your response. Did you learn valuable lessons from your mother, that led to permanent improvements in your life and business? What were they?

Go to the end of the blog entry in the section below and click NO COMMENTS if none have been made, or if comments have been made click 1 comment, 2 comments, or whatever the comments button says. The comments section will appear.

GET DAILY COMMUNICATION TIPS AND STRATEGIES FROM MY FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE
Here’s the link to my Facebook business page:
http://bit.ly/iRv6EA

You’ll find beneficial guidelines for business communication and for speaking with “poise, power, and persuasion.” Click “Like” to stay connected for updates.

Reader Confirms Value of Listening to Customers

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Doug Bower, Ph. D.

For several years I have had the privilege of contributing articles regularly to Business Know-How, a must-have online resource for people who want to succeed professionally. I encourage you to subscribe to this complimentary publication:
http://www.businessknowhow.com

Last week, BKH published my article, “Top 10 Things Customers Don’t Want to Hear.” Here’s the link:

http://bit.ly/W0IMk8

Soon afterward, a reader responded by sharing his own experience of having his reasonable requests ignored. Read Dr. Doug Bower’s account of what happened and what he felt as a result:

Bill,

I just read your article: “Top 10 Things Customers Don’t Want to Hear” published by Business Know How. I had a cathartic flash back experience which brought tears to my eyes.

I had been working on a certificate in sports medicine online. I wasn’t seeking to qualify for licensure or state certification. I have a degree in nursing and have been helping a local high school football program with sports medicine consults for years. It gave me a chance to expand my knowledge and views of sports medicine without the formality of a degree.

However as I got deeper into the program I found a couple of courses that I really couldn’t use. I approached the training program about swapping courses so that I could meet my needs as a practitioner. The program used virtually every one of those 10 points [Note: Doug is referring to the 10 points in my article] to stonewall my request. I was pretty persistent but the persistence only intensified the stonewalling.

I did not complete the course of study and found another program, even sharing the news I found another provider did not deter the program administrators from resisting changing their view on swapping courses. Come hell or high water, they weren’t going to allow me swap courses. If the courses would have qualified me for licensure and were required by a professional organization that would have been one thing, but these were C.E.Us in which on completing the package the program would have issued essentially a certification of completion of the package. That certification would not gain me any legal status to claim to be a practitioner of sports medicine. It simply would be an acknowledgement that I took certain courses to sharpen my knowledge.

On speaking with an athletic trainer later of my experience and the stonewalling from officials administering the program his response was, “they let you walk away?”

They lost my business by refusing to meet my needs. Yes, they got other customers and are still doing online business, but surely they have lost other customers because they weren’t/aren’t willing to adjust their programs to meet the customers needs feeling that doing so is too overwhelming for the provider.

ABOUT DOUG BOWER
Based in Arnoldsville, Georgia, Doug Bower has excelled in several arenas. He earned his Ph.D. in counseling from the counseling psychology department at the University of Georgia, became an ordained United Methodist Minister and Registered nurse, and he provides sports motivational programs for local high schools.

RESPOND WITH YOUR COMMENTS
Doug and I will welcome your response. How highly do you value listening to customers? What can businesses do to improve their listening behavior?

Go to the end of the blog entry in the section below and click NO COMMENTS if none have been made, or if comments have been made click 1 comment, 2 comments, or whatever the comments button says. The comments section will appear.

GET DAILY COMMUNICATION TIPS AND STRATEGIES FROM MY FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE
Here’s the link to my Facebook business page:
http://bit.ly/iRv6EA

You’ll find beneficial guidelines for business communication and for speaking with “poise, power, and persuasion.” Click “Like” to stay connected for updates.