February 2024 - Page 2 of 10

Do This to Bring Meaning to Work

Your boss can’t give you meaning. Neither can your organization. You can work in healthcare and feel work is meaningless. You can work on an assembly line and find meaning in monotonous work.

Meaning doesn’t come from delivering babies or peeling potatoes.

Meaning comes from within. Activities can be useful or destructive, moral or immoral, difficult or easy, energizing or monotonous.

We don’t find meaning at work. We bring meaning to work.

Viktor Frankl said, “What is demanded of man is not, as some existential philosophers teach, to endure the meaninglessness of life, but rather to bear his incapacity to grasp its unconditional meaningfulness in rational terms.”

Frankl echoes words found in Ecclesiastes. “[God has] put eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done…” We know there’s more to life, but you can’t figure it out.

Do this to bring meaning to work:

#1. Own it:

Meaning doesn’t jump from behind the door yelling, “Ta Dah! I’m here.”

Belief that meaning is “out there” creates anxiety. The search is futile because you’re looking in the wrong place.

#2. Make it:

Meaning is based on personal values and beliefs.

#3. Reflect on it:

Bringing meaning to work requires self-reflection. No one does it for you.

What are your beliefs? Jews, Muslims, and Christians believe meaning is about honoring God. But you don’t have to be religious to live a meaningful life.
What are your values? Meaningful living aligns with your values. Boring work is meaningful when you value providing for your family, for example.

#4. Grow it:

Meaning isn’t magic. Even if you believe life is about honoring God, you still must work out what that means. Sometimes it’s clear. Other times it’s foggy.

How do we bring meaning to work?

What are the downsides of expecting work to bring us meaning?

Still curious:

Find Meaning and Purpose at Work – I Don’t Think So

Simple Practices That Will Change Your Life

How to Find Meaning When Your Job Feels Meaningless

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Here’s When Website Breadcrumbs Actually Help Your Visitors

Similar to directory levels in an operating system, breadcrumbs are secondary navigational tools that help visiting users identify their current positions on websites, mobile applications, and even some offline systems.

In a nutshell, breadcrumbs can help both search engines and human users find their way around your site, but it’s not always clear how important they are to include in your design.

Technically, What Are Website Breadcrumbs?

The origin of this particular usage of breadcrumbs comes from an old fairy tale about a pair of siblings (aka Hansel and Gretel) dropping a trail of literal breadcrumbs to find their way back home after being left to fend for themselves in a scary forest at night.

Similar to those breadcrumbs, webpage breadcrumbs are used to illustrate a visitor’s journey back to a site’s homepage from whatever page they’re currently on. They provide a constant lifeline in case users ever get lost.

Typically, breadcrumb trails are positioned in a horizontal line just below the main navigation menu of a website, providing clickable links, clear whitespace, and text symbols to distinguish between the different steps along the trail.

Today, nearly all popular operating systems with a graphical user interface (GUI) use some form of directory trail or breadcrumb navigation to make it easier for users to navigate through directories, folders, and files.

Crafting Effortless Sales Through ‘Wow’ Moments in Experience Marketing

In an era where consumers are bombarded with endless choices and digital noise, standing out as a brand is more challenging than ever. Enter experience marketing – a strategy that transcends traditional advertising by focusing on creating immersive, memorable interactions. This innovative approach leverages the elements of surprise, delight, and reciprocity to forge strong emotional connections with customers, making the sale of your core product feel effortless. But how can businesses implement this strategy effectively? This guide delves into the art of crafting ‘wow’ moments that captivate audiences and transform customer engagement.

The Basics of Experience Marketing

Experience marketing is an evolved form of marketing that focuses on creating meaningful interactions with customers, aiming to elicit strong emotional responses that lead to brand loyalty and advocacy. Unlike conventional marketing, which often prioritizes product promotion, experience marketing centers on the customer’s holistic journey with the brand, creating a narrative that resonates on a personal level.

In today’s competitive market, experience marketing is not just beneficial; it’s essential. It differentiates your brand in a crowded marketplace, elevating your offerings beyond mere commodities to become integral parts of your customers’ lives. Through memorable experiences, you not only attract attention but also foster a community of loyal customers who are more likely to return and recommend your brand to others.

Principles of Experience Marketing

At the heart of experience marketing lie several key principles:

Emotional Connection: Crafting campaigns that touch on human emotions, from joy to surprise, creating memorable moments that customers are eager to share.
Customer-Centricity: Putting the customer’s needs and desires at the forefront of every marketing strategy, ensuring that each interaction adds value and enhances their experience with the brand.
Immersive Experiences: Utilizing technology and storytelling to create immersive experiences that captivate customers, making your brand a living part of their world.
Engagement Across Touchpoints: Ensuring consistent, engaging experiences across all customer touchpoints, from digital platforms to physical stores.

Understanding Your Audience

Before diving into the intricacies of crafting ‘wow’ moments, it’s crucial to understand who you’re creating these moments for. Identifying your audience’s pain points and desires is the first step in tailoring experiences that truly resonate.

This involves deep market research, customer interviews, and leveraging data analytics to paint a comprehensive picture of your target demographic. By understanding the journey your customers are on, you can design touchpoints that not only meet but exceed their expectations.

Identifying Pain Points and Desires: Use surveys, social media listening, and customer feedback to gather insights. What frustrates your customers about your industry? What do they wish for more than anything else? These insights will guide your efforts to create experiences that truly resonate.
Mapping the Customer Journey: Visualize every step a customer takes from discovering your brand to making a purchase and beyond. This map will highlight critical touchpoints where you can introduce ‘wow’…

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The Surprising Link Between Happiness And Your Vocabulary (M)

The words were also linked to better physical health.

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Author: Jeremy Dean

Psychologist, Jeremy Dean, PhD is the founder and author of PsyBlog. He holds a doctorate in psychology from University College London and two other advanced degrees in psychology. He has been writing about scientific research on PsyBlog since 2004. He is also the author of the book “Making Habits, Breaking Habits” (Da Capo, 2013) and several ebooks. View all posts by Jeremy Dean

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5 Cost-Cutting Call Center Workflows You Can Copy Right Now

Call center workflows can help you automate tasks, free up your agents’ time, stay financially lean, and ensure that customer inquiries are handled on time.

However useful they may be, though, you don’t need a million workflows to get your call center going. Just the right ones.

Pro-Tips for Implementing the (Free) Workflows Below

First and foremost, you can grab any of the frameworks below as they are and start using them. However, every business is different, and yours will likely show particularities you need to integrate into your workflows. Take a bit of time to review and adjust each template.

One of the main reasons workflows are so helpful is because they connect different departments. Don’t limit them to just your Customer Care team, for instance.

Building a workflow for a call center means you have to align multiple platforms to ensure seamless communication with customers. Start by identifying your customer’s preferred platforms, whether it be traditional phone calls, emails, social media, or live chat. Then integrate them together so information flows freely across all touchpoints. This helps you make sure all customer communications are managed and tracked from one place.

Documenting everything is crucial, even the smallest changes. Without taking notes on what you’re doing or the changes you’re making to a workflow, you’re left with zero traceability and continuity.

Make sure your entire team is trained, and regularly ask for their feedback. You want to fine-tune your processes to make sure they are up to date with customer demands, business changes, and shifts external to your business.

A mistake to avoid when using call center workflows is being too rigid. Your workflows should be a blueprint, not a robotic template. At the end of the day, every customer interaction is unique, and your team should know how…

More Siblings, More Misery? Study Reveals Truth About Family Size (M)

Attention and resources matter: research shows how siblings can impact your mental health.

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Author: Jeremy Dean

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Can’t Find Clear IVR Pricing? These Estimates Will Help

The most basic hosted IVR plans can cost as little as $20 per user per month. For more advanced cloud-based IVR systems, prices can go up to several hundred dollars per user per month. On-premise IVR systems involve a larger upfront investment, ranging from $5,000 for the most basic setup to $100,000 or more for advanced systems. There are also ongoing maintenance costs to consider.

The key factors influencing call center IVR pricing are whether the system is on-premise or hosted, the number of users (with volume discounts often available), the number of phone lines or numbers required, the payment terms (annual versus monthly), and the specific features needed. For example, adding features such as advanced voice recognition and integration with proprietary systems will increase the cost.

We’ll cover pricing for these categories:

Outbound IVR
Inbound IVR
Hosted IVR
On-premise IVR

Keep in mind that these are ballpark figures to help you understand what to expect when it comes to IVR pricing. Actual costs can vary based on your specific requirements and your chosen vendor.

The Most Common IVR Pricing Structures

Different IVR pricing structures cater to different business needs. Read on for a breakdown of the most common types of IVR pricing structures.

VoIP IVR Pricing

Many VoIP providers include IVR features in their call center plans. These are typically structured around monthly fees and vary from basic to advanced plans, calculated per user or per line. This option is ideal if you’re looking for a modern, internet-based solution that offers a variety of features.

Hosted IVR Pricing

This is a popular choice for many small and medium-sized businesses due to its lower upfront costs and scalability. Hosted IVR solutions are cloud-based and involve a subscription-based pricing model. Hosted IVRs are an excellent…

Slash Your COVID Risk By 40% With This Simple Dietary Change (M)

Learn how your food choices could drastically reduce your chances of COVID infection.

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10 Questions Reveal Trustworthy Leaders

Be trustworthy if you aspire to matter in the world.

“Earn trust, earn trust, earn trust. Then you can worry about the rest.” Seth Godin

10 questions:

How do your team members answer the following questions when they think of you?

Would your team members recommend you as a boss for a family member?
Can people count on you to have their backs?
Do you understand each team member’s aspirations and goals?
Will you show up when someone needs you?
Are people confident you protect their confidence?
Do people believe you are fair?
Will you freely share information?
Do you have a hidden agenda?
Are they sure you will never throw them under the bus?
Will you give them credit for their ideas?

I prefer questions that begin with “how” or “what”. But trust is fundamentally a “yes” or “no” issue. You either trust someone or you don’t.

5 Simple ways to be trustworthy:

#1. Listen to people.

The best way to be trustworthy is to understand people. Let them know you’re listening.

Calm your spirit when others are talking.
Indicate you’re listening, nod and look at them.
Give your attention. Turn off distracting notifications.
Sit or stand with an open posture.
Clarify understanding by repeating what you hear.
Don’t interrupt!
Listen to understand. Don’t judge.

#2. Under-promise and over-deliver.

Trustworthy leaders keep promises. Optimistic commitments make you untrustworthy.

#3. Stay within your strengths.

Own your weaknesses. Don’t pretend you know when you don’t. Don’t pretend you can when you can’t.

#4. Apologize.

Surprising sentences that convince people you are trustworthy:

I was wrong.
I screwed up.
I made a mistake.
I apologize.
Will you forgive me?

#5. Love people.

Always strive to advantage others, even when it’s painful for them or you.

Which of the 10 questions do you find most revealing?

What suggestions do you have for being a trustworthy leader?

Still curious:

The Top 5 Tips for Building Trust and Multiplying Impact

How to B.U.I.L.D. T.R.U.S.T.

Active listening helps people trust you

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How to View Your Website on Mobile in 30 Seconds or Less

Ever wonder what your website looks like on a smartphone? There’s a simple way to do it even if you don’t have your phone handy. Use your computer. It’s easy to do and we’ll show you how.

And if you want to see the desktop view of your website on your phone? We’ll walk you through that, too. We’ll even show you the options for different ways to view your site using website builder tools.

Use Desktop Browser View to See the Mobile Version of Your Site

Popular browsers like Google Chrome and Safari have many semi-secret features that most casual users don’t know about. One of those is the ability to view the mobile version of a website from your desktop computer.

Why should you care? According to analytics firm Statista, nearly 60 percent of website traffic comes from people using mobile devices—and this doesn’t even include those using tablets. Knowing this, you can’t afford to give your mobile visitors a subpar experience.

If you have or manage a website, especially one with an ecommerce component, you want to make sure your site is mobile-friendly. The easiest way to identify issues is to see how your site looks when viewed on a smartphone. The more responsive your site, the better the visitor experience.

Every popular browser lets you see your site through the “eyes” of a mobile phone. While the interfaces vary among browsers, all make it easy to do. Let’s take a look at how this works in two of the most popular browsers, Google Chrome and Safari.

View your mobile site on Google Chrome desktop browser

Step 1 – Open the Inspect Element tool

There are four ways to access the Inspect Element tool in Google Chrome.

Option 1:…