Quality content across all channels

by Warren Eulgen
We’ve fully transitioned into the “content” business, while maintaining a core competency as publishers. Simply put, we develop quality content whether it’s delivered by the postal service, linked e-pubs, on your website, handed out by your sales representatives or distributed from your literature racks and parts counters.
Let us know if you need content, in any form, developed especially for your company. Maybe you want a customer feature written, a story about a new service you’re providing or a new capability brochure—or a wide variety of other topics. Maybe you’d like some inexpensive videos, too.
You’ll receive top-quality work created and produced by experienced communications professionals at very competitive rates. What custom content can HVC develop just for you?
Contact Kris Matz by phone at 262.544.6600 or by e-mail.

Is someone there?

by Jack Burke

I heard an ad on the radio today that struck me as a sad statement on customer service. The advertiser didn’t mention what product they sold, only that if you called its 800 number and pressed 0, you’d always be able to talk to a real person.

That a company would tout itself by saying “if you call us, someone will actually talk to you” tells me what a sorry state customer service is in. Ask yourself this: When someone calls my business, what experience do they have? Will they be treated professionally, or as an annoyance? Will they be transferred back and forth?

That phone call may be the first chance a person has to judge your business. Don’t give them a busy signal.

Does a performance review need to result in a raise?

by Kris Matz

The reality is that many companies have laid-off staff and cut the salaries and benefits of the employees that remain. A lucky few have had some of their pay cuts reinstated, but for most the immediate financial forecast remains uncertain. 

Don’t fool yourself into thinking your employees aren’t interested in performance reviews if the resources for a financial increase are not available.  Ignoring a review date is like telling the employee that the job that they are doing is not important.  No one likes to feel like his or her work is not a contributing factor.  When an anticipated review date goes by unaddressed, chances are very high that the employee will notice.

Proceeding with regular performance reviews is a good employee development practice.  How can someone improve if they don’t have the appropriate feedback?  In today’s workplace of reduced staff, employee efficiency is more important than ever.  The reassurance and guidance of a review can boost employee morale and confidence.

Be up-front when you schedule the review, tell your employee that there will be no financial gain.  Dedicated employees will still be interested in the discussion.  Reviews help employees understand what they are doing well and what they can do better.  They also serve as a benchmark for future performance improvements, and the financial rewards that might accompany those when budgets permit.

Customers for life

by Tim O’Brien

Take that extra step to be friendly and courteous or get someone out of a jam, and they won’t soon forget it.

I know a contractor whose skid steer operator failed to show up for work one morning. It was the first day of a critical, tight-deadline job, and the skid steer played a pivotal role in the operation. Well, a dealer salesman just happened to be calling on that contractor the same morning. When the salesman learned about the missing skid steer operator, he climbed into the cab and worked a 10-hour shift for his customer. That contractor didn’t purchase a machine from anyone else for years.

Not everyone comes upon an opportunity like that, but if you think about it, you’ve had similar situations where you can help. Come through and you, too could earn a “customer for life.” 

Doing more with less

by Kris Matz

Things are hectic.  Many people have a longer ‘to do’ list than they did a year ago, but fewer resources available to accomplish these objectives. For the bigger projects, taking the time to establish a well-thought-out plan can lead to greater success, less stress and less time spent managing the project in the long run.

Plan. Most of us don’t set off on a journey without knowing where we want to go. A well-defined road map for your project plan from origin to destination will help you to stay on target and manage any detours (problems) that come up along the way. What needs to be done, when, and by whom?

Assign. Identify which team members have the knowledge, skills and time to handle the project. Get the right people for the job on board in the beginning. 

Communicate. Effectively communicate progress on the project so that everyone involved knows where the project stands and what needs to do to move it forward. Make sure that everyone understands his or her role in achieving each milestone leading to the final objective.

Conserve. Don’t waste valuable time with unproductive meetings. Identify what should be accomplished at each meeting and provide assignments so that people come prepared with the information they will need for progress every time you meet.

Review. At identified milestones, take a little time to evaluate progress. Identify what is working well and what isn’t. Correct any misdirection early before the project gets way off track – or worse is pushed off to the side and forgotten.

Tooting your own horn

by Jack Burke

For many people, the term “self-promoter” is an epithet, meaning someone who is a show off, a preening blowhard who is much more style than substance. Or maybe it describes someone who seems just a bit too slick to be trusted.

If that’s what comes to mind for you when you think of a self-promoter, you should read this article. The author talks about the trouble many entrepreneurs have with promoting themselves. Self-promotion makes them feel awkward, like they’re trying to sell themselves instead of their product. But the truth is that no matter what business you’re in, you need to sell yourself.

If you feel uncomfortable tooting your own horn, the article suggests turning the process around in your mind. Think of it not as promoting yourself, but as promoting your ability to help others achieve their goals. It’s a good way to get over the self-promotion heebie-jeebies.

Do you know what your employees are Tweeting about you?

by Jack Burke

You’d like to think that some things don’t need to be said after the age of seven or so. Look both ways before crossing the street comes to mind. Don’t run with scissors, too.

I’d like to think “don’t put nasty comments about your boss/workplace on Social Media” sites should go without saying, but apparently it needs to be said. Over and over.

The Wall Street Journal has a report about the phenomenon.

The gist is that smaller firms can be hurt worse than larger firms when an employee does something stupid on Facebook or Twitter. It may be prudent to check what your employees are saying on Social Media sites—what you don’t know could hurt you.