The Ladies Room

We loved training as a part of the Women in Energy track at the Eastern Energy Expo a few weeks ago. 

What did we learn? Although efforts are being made every day to promote inclusivity, and more and more women are joining the Oil and Gas industry, the numbers are still staggeringly low. 

According to World Economic Forum, the female workforce in the Energy Industry still made up less than 20% in 2016. In senior positions, that percentage went down to only about 10-15%. 

It's not always easy being a woman in the working world. But we're here to help! Check out our newest landing page, The Ladies Room.

Do you have any tips or stories about life as a businesswoman? Let us know!

Thanks

Copyright: 123rf

Today's Memorial Day in the U.S.

If you’re working today, thank you.

If you’re free, thank them.

It's a quiz!

Copyright 123rf

Customers with different generations have different expectations around formality in the way they communicate. See if you can match the greeting to the age group:

1. Under 35 years
2. 35 - 50 years
3. 50 - 70 years
4. 70 – 100 years

A.  Good Afternoon
B.  Hello
C.  Hey
D.  Hi

Answers: 1C, 2D, 3B, 4A

Well done.  Try it today and you will create a welcoming experience.

BTW (which age group might use that acronym?): In case you are wondering, ‘yo’ and ‘wassup’ are never good options in the workplace.  Save those for beer commercials and weekends.

Yesterday was Mother's Day...

Did you remember to not only tell, but show your mom how important she is?

If you are a mother, did you get some much-deserved attention from your loved ones?

Customers, like moms, appreciate our undivided attention. So when the phone rings...

Try this tip:

• Swivel your chair away from the computer screen and focus on the caller as you greet them.

Remember, those callers are the reason we have money to spoil our mothers!

Give your customers the gift of your attention.

Good with Words

We all know that your tone of voice speaks louder than your words, but words matter too.
Consider this study from Harvard Business Review:

One CSR said, “You can’t transfer funds until you go through these steps to authorize the account.”
The other CSR phrased it differently, “let me walk you through these steps to authorize the account.”

Which do you think customers preferred?

Yes, CSR #2. In fact, customers rated that call's quality 82% higher.
Why?  The words sound more helpful.

Consider your calls today.  Where can you choose more helpful language?
“You need to” can become “let me help you.”
“I can’t” can become “here’s what I can do.”

Share an expression you plan on re-writing today.

Want more from Ward Certified? Check out our program of the month, Managing the Mix.

Do you trust me?

In the first minute of your calls, your customers are making a decision about you. They are deciding not just if you know your stuff, but if they can trust you. 

How do I know?

Amy Cuddy, a psychologist at the Harvard Business School, and her colleagues found that we make snap judgments about other people that answer two primary questions:

• Can I trust this person?
• Can I respect this person’s capabilities?

According to Cuddy’s research, 80% to 90% of a first impression is based on these two traits. Subconsciously, you and the people you meet are asking yourselves, “Can I trust that this person has good intentions toward me?” and “Is this person capable?”

Cuddy tells us that, “A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve achieved trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat.”

Here are some tips for sounding trustworthy and competent over the phone.

1.    Sit up for better projection. Slumping in your chair or straining towards the computer blocks your airflow and your energy.
2.   Add some inflection. Punch up the keywords of your greeting. "Good Morning, you’ve reached Awesome Co., this is Ann."
3.    Slow your pace down. Focus on moving your lips as you say your greeting, or air-write your name. Either one will help decrease your pace.

A great greeting doesn’t solve everything, but it does set the stage for a better interaction.

Want to get more tips? Check out our Featured Webinar of the Month: The Write Stuff.

Choose Wisely

Last week we talked about using white space to make emails easier to read. 

Did you know the day of the week impacts your writing and in turn your email effectiveness?

As you can see, Monday morning emails are usually written in a negative tone. That's no good.

Tip:  Choose to be extra careful of your writing if you're grumpy on Mondays or use technology to help. Try a plug-in like Streak that allows you to compose your masterpieces in advance.

Write On!

Psst! Did you like these tips? Then you might be interested in our Featured Webinar of the Month, The Write Stuff. Learn more here!