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We will help you build processes that are designed to keep
your customers from holding onto all of those old unpaid dollars.
The processes we will teach you are designed
to protect you from possible fraud and companies that are unable to pay and will help you keep those customers who are only
temporarily past due.
We can help with the documents and details needed for the sales tax audits that are
always just around the corner.
As a Notary Public and a Certified Notary Signing Agent I can help with
items that need my services
CMA Daily News The 7 TOUCH POINTS OF COMMUNICATION By Nancy Friedman, the Telephone Doctor Oddly enough,
there are 7 touch points of communications that can have you fouling up enhancing a business (or personal) relationship. Do
you know what they are?
Let’s go over each one; because throughout the day, both in business and our personal
life, we all have the ability to “touch” people in 7 varied methods of communication. And as with most things,
there are pros and cons. Here we go. Touch Point #1 – The telephone. And not just your business or home phone.
Your cell phone too. Telephone Doctor surveys show that more than 80% of all business transactions involve a phone call at
some point. The telephone is what’s known as a ‘synchronous’ method of communication. And what that means
is – you’re in “sync” with the person you’re talking with. At the same time. You can have a
simultaneous two-way exchange of information. Immediately. No waiting.
The best part of the telephone touch point is
the ability to hear the tone of voice. That brings in the listener’s imagination. Almost like the radio. We have no
sight. Just sound. And how we perceive those sounds makes a whole lot of difference. So tone of voice is critical with the
first touch point. Two people can say the same thing to one person; and yet the listener can hear it differently from each.
All that being said, the telephone is a very effective and popular method of communication (providing you’ve reached
your called party). It gets answers quickly. Responds rapidly. As you might imagine, this ‘touch point’ is one
of the Telephone Doctor’s personal favorites. Touch Point #2 – Email. Ah yes, the beloved email. Email
is ‘asynchronous.’ Meaning you communicate one at a time and you may not get immediate communication back. You
will normally WAIT for an answer. And with email you have relinquished interpretation of the tone of voice to the other person.
What you write can be ‘heard’ whatever way the reader wants to hear it. This can be dangerous. Email etiquette,
while fairly new, will be around for a long time. However, suffice to say when we email something, it needs to be short, sweet
and to the point. Plus it needs to be obviously friendly. It’s a delivery method that has the ability to ‘sit’
for hours, sometimes days, without an answer. A client of ours told us once, “When there are more than 2 emails on the
same subject back and forth, it’s time for a face-to-face meeting.” That’s easy to say for those of us who
work in the same area; however, if your emails are international or even regional, a face-to-face meeting becomes another
‘touch point.’
Be careful in your emails. Many hurt feelings have come about due to insensitive writing.
That’s a good place to practice all your ‘please and thank you’s.’ Short, terse, one-word answers
are perceived as ‘rude.’ (In any touch point.) And as they say: “Don’t put anything in an email you
wouldn’t want in the daily newspaper.” Touch Point #3 – Voice mail. Again, ‘asynchronous’.
You can leave a voice mail for someone and when you get an answer, if ever, it is up to him or her; not you. And it’s
not instantaneous, as is speaking with someone on the telephone. So here again, your voice mail needs to be special. As we’ve
said many times, there are 3 types of voice mails. Poor – average – and great. When you leave a voice mail, make
it a great one. Remember, you get to use your tone of voice. That’s a real plus. The caller can hear the laughter, the
smile and the tone. Use it to your advantage. Remember, too, voice mail was not made to hold conversations. Ask a question;
get an answer. Smooth. In and out. Touch Point #4 – Good old U.S. mail. That’s probably one of the very
first methods of communication. And we’ve used it and continue using it as a great method of communication. It goes
with emails though, because the written word can be miscommunicated very easily. So email, voice mail and the US Postal Service,
are very similar when communicating. All are ‘asynchronous.’ You will wait for an answer.
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We can build, present and teach the preparation of monthly reports of the Accounts Receivable
to management as required along with suggestions and recommendations on any new processes as needed. We
can provide goals, motivational, and factual, showing daily cash results and giving any assistance/training needed by each
collector in all areas of their work.
These tools can insure that customers are contacted in a timely
and professionally consistent manner to ensure speedy payment of the A/R.
Also documentation
for management on all credit decisions over a company stated amount, this would include ratings from D&B as well
as other agencies, copies of financial statements (when available) and reports of customer visits.
We have
dealt with all kinds of credit terms, from open account terms to COD and various other securities including, but not limited
to UCC1’s and Purchase agreements as needed. We can provide the processes, which will take care of all types of terms.
The 7 Touch Points of Communication CONTINUED: Touch Point #2 – Email. Ah
yes, the beloved email. Email is ‘asynchronous.’ Meaning you communicate one at a time and you may not get immediate
communication back. You will normally WAIT for an answer. And with email you have relinquished interpretation of the tone
of voice to the other person. What you write can be ‘heard’ whatever way the reader wants to hear it. This can
be dangerous. Email etiquette, while fairly new, will be around for a long time. However, suffice to say when we email something,
it needs to be short, sweet and to the point. Plus it needs to be obviously friendly. It’s a delivery method that has
the ability to ‘sit’ for hours, sometimes days, without an answer. A client of ours told us once, “When
there are more than 2 emails on the same subject back and forth, it’s time for a face-to-face meeting.” That’s
easy to say for those of us who work in the same area; however, if your emails are international or even regional, a face-to-face
meeting becomes another ‘touch point.’
Be careful in your emails. Many hurt feelings have come about due
to insensitive writing. That’s a good place to practice all your ‘please and thank you’s.’ Short,
terse, one-word answers are perceived as ‘rude.’ (In any touch point.) And as they say: “Don’t put
anything in an email you wouldn’t want in the daily newspaper.” Touch Point #3 – Voice mail. Again,
‘asynchronous’. You can leave a voice mail for someone and when you get an answer, if ever, it is up to him or
her; not you. And it’s not instantaneous, as is speaking with someone on the telephone. So here again, your voice mail
needs to be special. As we’ve said many times, there are 3 types of voice mails. Poor – average – and great.
When you leave a voice mail, make it a great one. Remember, you get to use your tone of voice. That’s a real plus. The
caller can hear the laughter, the smile and the tone. Use it to your advantage. Remember, too, voice mail was not made to
hold conversations. Ask a question; get an answer. Smooth. In and out. Touch Point #4 – Good old U.S. mail. That’s
probably one of the very first methods of communication. And we’ve used it and continue using it as a great method of
communication. It goes with emails though, because the written word can be miscommunicated very easily. So email, voice mail
and the US Postal Service, are very similar when communicating. All are ‘asynchronous.’ You will wait for an answer.
Touch Point #5 – The fax machine.Remember when that method of communicating came on the scene? Seems we didn’t
know how we operated without it. And today, it trails sadly behind the other touch points. Yet, it’s still there and
being used. Just not as much or as often. And a reminder, again, it is ‘asynchronous.’ One-way information; waiting
for an answer. And again, a reminder to watch what you put on paper! It could come back to haunt you. Touch Point #6
– Face-to-face communications. This obviously needs very little explanation. When we communicate face-to-face we have
it all. Sight, sound, tone of voice, facial expressions, body language – the entire package. It is the ultimate ‘synchronous’
touch point. And yet, still, with all those helpful items, we still continue to ‘miscommunicate.’ Touch
Point #7 – Instant Messaging (IM). While this method of communication isn’t quite yet in the mainstream, it is
being used. However, 90% of all IM’s end up in a phone call. Instant messages may not be read right away. The person
may be away from their computer. Again, we can’t remind you enough. Be careful what you put into emails. They can turn
into an embarrassment for some.
So in this wonderful world of communications, you can see how it’s so easy to
miscommunicate. In our workplace, we probably use all 7 touch points many times a day. A few simple guidelines can
help us focus on which touch point to use when.
• Telephone – If you reach your called party; GREAT. That’s
immediate. It’s also good for leaving messages – that don’t need an immediate answer. If you need immediate
action, try to reach another person. The telephone is only ‘synchronous’ when you have reached the called party.
• Voice Mail – That would be ‘asynchronous.’ Leaving messages that will be returned when the
called party decides to return it (if ever).
• Email – Again, one-way communication. Keep it short, sweet
and to the point. Use your manners. Remember, one word answers are perceived as rude.
• US Mail – Still a
great way to communicate. But be careful with the written word. Keep in mind how possible miscommunication might occur. Sometimes
letters have come back to haunt us.
• Fax – For those that still use this method of communication, one pagers
are appreciated. And again, the written word needs to be checked and double-checked to be sure it won’t be miscommunicated.
• Face-to-Face – The ultimate method of communication. Immediate reaction, tone, sight, sound; body language.
Total ‘SYNCHRONOUS’ communication. And that hug or handshake makes it all worthwhile!
• Instant Messaging
(IM) – A fairly new form of communication and while not quite in the mainstream yet, it bears watching. Thank
you Nancy Friedman I know this will be helpful
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