Business, economic development - the unofficial Chamber of Commerce

Unless you live in a bubble, you have probably been hearing
allot of buzz lately about something called Voice Over IP
(VoIP). Perhaps you have heard that you can use VoIP to get
cheap or free long distance calling, even Internationally. The
good news is that this is true!

VoIP, which stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol is an
exciting synergy between computers and telephony, but don’t let
that scare you. VoIP is just as easy to use as any ordinary
telephone. So, you have heard the buzz and perhaps you are
curious about taking the plunge and getting set up with VoIP
service. Being so new, VoIP is still somewhat shrouded in
mystery. Help is here! In this article we will answer several
common questions most people have about VoIP Service and help
clear up the confusion about the technology and how it can work
for you.

What Exactly is VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)? VoIP is a
new technology that makes use of your broadband connection to
route your telephone calls over the internet, rather than using
the traditional analog telephone lines. This has proven to be a
very efficient and cost effective way to place phone calls to
anywhere in the world.

Who Can I call? This depends upon your service provider. There
are a few different flavors of Voice Over IP Service. Most of
the larger VoIP service providers you see advertised to the
consumer market (such as Vonage, BlueSky, etc..) work just like
your existing phone and enable you to call any phone, anywhere.

What’s It Going To Cost? The cost for this service varies
depending on the provider and the service plan you select.
Currently, most service providers have plans that cost in the
$10 - $25 monthly, which is considerably cheaper than ordinary
phone service. Keep in mind that this service includes long
distance calls. Usually, you can choose from several plans that
vary in cost depending on the level of usage you desire. Most
companies also offer an unlimited plan that includes unlimited
long distance calls.

You will also be plesantly surprised to find that many services
such as caller id, call forwarding, call waiting, three way
calling, and even voice mail features often come standard with
most VoIP plans. Another great benefit is that as it currently
stands (in January 2006), the Government does not apply a tax to
your VoIP service, unlike the additional taxes and fees that are
applied to your standard phone bill. This can amount to a
substantial savings alone, but this may only be a temporary
benefit. As VoIP gains in popularity, it is more than likely
that the Government will find a way to tax that as well.

Do I Need “Special Stuff”? This depends on the provider, once
again. One thing that you must have is an always on broadband
internet connection. This means DSL or Cable Internet, for home
users. Depending on whom you get service with, you will likely
have to connect just regular phone to an adapter, or maybe
purchase a special phone to use with the service. Check for
specials before you sign up, sometimes the equipment is given
away for free to encourage you to sign up. Regardless, the
investment in hardware for home users of VoIP is very minimal,
if it costs you at all.

Can I call 911? You need to check with the provider to ensure
that they do indeed provide this functionality. That said, in
May 2005, the US Government ordered all interconnected VoIP
Providers to provide 911 functionality to their subscribers.

Sounds… Too Good, What’s the Catch? Well, there is a minor
catch which is that if your internet goes out, so does your
phone. This isn’t usually too big of a problem, however as most
modern broadband ISPs do a great job of maintaining reliable
service.

Where Do I Find VoIP Providers? Usually, it is not important
that you find a local provider just as long as the provider you
choose is based in the same country. Therefore, the internet is
a very valuable resource for finding and comparing VoIP
providers.

Which one Do I choose? The VoIP provider that you choose is a
personal choice, as they all tend to work slightly differently.
What sounds the most feasible for your setup and usage
requirements is the best choice for you. Do keep in mind that
this is a rapidly maturing technology and that changes are
occurring all the time. You will want to choose a company that
you feel will be able to provide you reliable service in the
future.

“But you don’t understand!” exclaimed the manager, “this new
initiative is vital for our team. If it doesn’t work we could
all be out of a job!”

“Uh-huh… Really… Explain to me again how this new initiative
is so different from previous initiatives that were also going
to cost me my job if they didn’t work” asked the long-term
employee.

“Look; we have to do this. Can’t you see?”

“Why do we have to do this? No-one has explained to me yet
‘why’.”

And therein lies the fundamental problem of most management
initiatives. They leave one small, seemingly insignificant cog
unattended—letting the person at the ’sharp end’ know why a new
initiative has been launched and what their own personal role is
expected to be.

Even those companies who do let the employees know the what and
why very often fail to elicit anything other than tacit
compliance and eventual failure of the initiative.

The reason is simple—the employees are given no part in the
discussion about why a new initiative is needed, the business
case for it, what shape the initiative should take to meet the
business need, and what their individual role and responsibility
is in order to bring the initiative to a successful conclusion.

At the heart of the issue lies communication:

Successful communication is not a one-to-one or one-to-many
transaction, but a dialogue between interested parties

…and successful dialogues rely on four principles: Reality,
Reaction, Co-ordination and Purposefulness.

1. Being real “Do not say things. What you are stands over you
the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to
the contrary” Charles Darwin, 1859.

For employees (and customers, too!) ‘reality’ will be those
things that most directly affect them. Yes, ‘reality’ is a
perceptive subjectivity, but don’t expect someone to change
their perception of ‘reality’ just because you have a different
viewpoint.

Internal and external customers of your communication are
extremely adapt at seeing ‘beyond the rhetoric’, at exploiting
any gap between rhetoric and their ‘reality’.

If you are going to promise something, even just manage an
expectation, ensure that what you are promising or managing is
actually deliverable in the vast majority of instances.

2. React to what is said How many managers or salespeople have
we ourselves had to endure who listened politely to what you
say, nodded their head and gave assuring “ah ha’s” even, yet
completely and utterly fail to act on what you have said? How
many times have such interactions left you feeling like you had
just spoken to a smiling and amiable wall?

Dialogue is not dialogue if the other person or persons don’t
react or show they actually understood what you said.

3. Co-ordinate your communication Too often the communication is
‘lost’ on the recipients because the language used is jargon, or
their are just too many implicit and explicit messages. Given a
hundred different messages, which one should the recipient
attend to first? Second? Last?

All communication should be in harmony to the strategic
framework—that is, the vision and the support documentation—so
that it responds to the vision, objectives and values; so that
the links between the vision and the messages are clear; and so
that the language used is common to all stakeholders.

4. Understanding the purpose of the message Before even
beginning a communication process, it is vital to understand
what the customer or employee knows and feels about you and the
ideas you represent. Knowing this helps you decide the purpose
of the message.

Akin to Maslow’s psychological heirarchy, there are four levels
of purpose, each of which pre-supposes and relies on the
existence of the previous level. They are sequential and it is
not possible to achieve an objective until all levels are
completed, in order and fully.

The levels, in ascending order are: Awareness > Understanding >
Conviction > Action

4.1: Awareness Let’s take as an example a company attempting to
differentiate itself in the marketplace, with the end goal of
bringing someone to make a purchase of their service.

Without bringing your existence to the attention of the
prospective customer you cannot move on to the higher levels.
Indeed, even internal communications often fall short on this
point: they fail to restate the context of the communication,
which is in effect ‘awareness’.

4.2: Understanding Once a prospect has gained awareness, they
are then ready to move on to understanding what it is that
differentiates you from the ‘noise’ of your competitors. They
will need to understand what specific qualities YOU bring to the
marketplace.

This level is vital to internal communication: the biggest block
I come across in assessing why an internal communication has
failed is not that the staff don’t know ‘what’ is going on, but
that they don’t understand ‘why’ it is going on.

4.3: Conviction Customers now have awareness and understanding;
they now need convincing that your service is right for them.

Even more importantly, they must be convinced that YOU must be
their supplier, because YOU have a distinctive competence that
meets THEIR specific needs.

4.4: Action Finally, this conviction in you must be turned into
action. It is up to you to decide what action they should
ideally take -— a phone call into a sales office, perhaps, or a
request for a consultant to visit; even a request for further
supporting literature.

In internal communication the primary level is all to obvious —-
action. Yet unless those who are to deliver the service are made
aware, helped to understand and are convinced they will not
deliver effectively or efficiently.

Conclusion ========== At the heart of all management lies
communication, and successful communication is not a one-to-many
transaction, but a dialogue between interested parties.
Successful dialogues rely on four principles: Reality, Reaction,
Co-ordination and Purposefulness.

Understanding what the other’s ‘reality’ is, giving and
receiving appropriate reactions to feedback, co-ordinating
coherent messages and understand the purpose of each message are
the four key principles for successful communication.

Speaking in front of a large or small group can be intimidating,
especially when you’re unknown to the audience and they are
unknown to you. Keep these four audience types in mind as you
craft any presentation, and remember that most gatherings
include a smattering of all four audience types.

The “Active” audience is one that is engaged in your subject,
and participative in their interest. You feed off their energy
as they feed off yours. You’ll look upon their faces and see
real enjoyment; heads nod as you make key points in your
presentation, and their questions are thoughtful and on-topic.
It may be tempting to “relax” in front of this group as you
realize that a modest effort to communicate is enough for them.
Resist that temptation. The Active audience is a tremendous
opportunity for you to experiment. Perhaps you have an analogy
that you’d like to try out, or maybe there is a point in your
presentation where you can strengthen your message with
impromptu audience participation. Because you have built
credibility with this group in a way that makes them feel apart
of the presentation, and not just as passive receivers of
information, they will give you the creative leeway to be
innovative. Speaking to this group is like speaking to a dear
old friend, you’ll be congratulated for your boldness and your
mistakes will become learning for you both.

The “Passive” audience sits back and waits for you to educate
and inform them. They may take notes of what you say, or ask
perfunctory questions to ease the burden of collective silence.
You’ll seek energy from them, and get back a moist towelette.
Speaking to this group can be a draining experience, and it’s
often helpful to quickly analyze after your presentation why you
felt so alone amongst so many others! Passive audiences tend to
have heard (or believe they have heard) your message before.
When you anticipate speaking in front of this group, take the
pulse of a few attendees beforehand to test that your
assumptions are correct. This is also a good opportunity to
think about what you might add or subtract to your presentation
that would enliven their experience. Audience participation can
be a great way to “reach” this group. Challenge them to add
their own expertise and ideas, and to think creatively
especially when tackling issues or concerns that they’ve heard
before.

The “Captive” audience is gathered because they’ve been told to;
maybe your presentation is a condition of employment for them,
or mandatory training of some type. While you present, they’ll
check messages on email, make out the weekly grocery list or
feign attention for brief periods of time. Like the “passive”
audience, these folks may see you as an intrusion on their time.
The best way to handle the captives, is to show that you are not
a captive. As the subject allows, have fun with your
presentation and invite others to join in. Audience
participation is a great way to break through with this group.
Especially with a dry subject, solicit real-life examples from
the audience to support your key ideas and concepts. If you can,
pre-arrange with several attendees to share their experience at
your presentation. In this way, you appeal to their sense of ego
by positioning them as subject matter experts, and you create
shared commitment to the presentation’s success.

The “Antsy” audience is looking past you. It’s nothing personal,
however you stand between them and the next bathroom or meal
break, or perhaps the end of their day. Maybe the speaker before
you went well beyond their allotted time, and now you’re stuck
with a time commitment that means you have to cut your
presentation in half! It’s best to acknowledge this predicament
so that the group understands that you’re aware of the
sensitivity of their situation. Tell them candidly that you know
how they may be feeling, and let them know that you’ll be
respectful of their time. Give them a timeframe within which
you’ll complete your remarks, and then stick to it. Leave the
door open for questions at the end, or perhaps for a follow-up
with you in a smaller group if possible.

Confidence carries you through any presentation, keep Mike
Faber’s “Golden Reminder” in mind as you prepare. Since public
speaking is so intimidating to most people, most of your
audience is simply in awe of your ability to stand in front of
them and speak coherently. For more information and a free
consultation on how to speak with confidence, visit Mike’s web
site at www.fabercomm.com. This article may only be reprinted in
its entirety.

I’ve probably never met you, but I bet I can tell you two things about yourself. I know you love to save money and I know your business loves to save money.

To a business, money is like food; enabling it to grow and mature. You want to make sure you keep feeding your business while opening up new sources of revenue and sealing off points where you’re bleeding and losing money. That’s exactly what this article is intended to do; find a couple of points where you may be losing money and sealing them off.

In case you didn’t know, Motorola’s product depth is incredible. While their reputation is and always will be as the leading manufacturer of two-way radios, you’re doing your company a complete injustice by not researching their other business products.

It’s unfortunate that most people have never heard of Canopy or Motobridge, but don’t worry; it’s not your fault. I’ll take the blame on this one. In fact, I’ll take the blame for all the world’s two-way radio salesman not educating your company on all that Motorola has to offer.

So, now that I’m going about fixing everything by doing my job and educating you, the ball is in your court to apply what we have to offer. Now, let’s see how you can improve your business or organization and find ways to save money while increasing your efficiency, score!

Motorola Canopy:

Trying to connect your internet to a remote location? Thinking about all the work involved with it? Someone has to run the wires, at your expense of course. Then, someone else takes ownership of those lines, and sends you the bill every month. If this sounds like an issue in your business, we’ve just identified a bleeding point and need to seal this off fast. So, how can we?

Canopy enables you to extend your network wirelessly to remote locations. The connection is secure, reliable, and easy to set up. What used to take days can now be done in a few hours. Best of all, once you purchase Canopy, you own your system link. This means you can get rid of expensive monthly charges. For this reason, Canopy typically pays for itself in about a year.

There’s so much you can do with this platform, I’d run out of space before I got done telling you. However, based on the few things I’ve mentioned, you can probably use your imagination to see the other problems Canopy can solve. Luckily, I have a link to additional information about Canopy. There are plenty of Account Representatives like myself out there standing by, waiting to assist you if you have any questions.

For more information, visit: http://motorola.canopywireless.com/

Motobridge:

If you’re in Public Safety, you probably know what the P25 standard is. In case you’re not in Public Safety, I’ll quickly bring you up to speed. Basically, P25 stands for Project 25 and is a suite of standards used by local, state, and federal public safety agencies. It requires that all police, fire, and EMS communications equipment be interoperable so that they can coordinate in an emergency situation.

Unfortunately, it can be expensive to upgrade all of your equipment, and is generally budgeted for over time. I have two bits of good news to share with you concerning this. One, if you’re a firefighter, the government does provide assistance in the Fire Grant Support Act. If you’d like to learn more about this, contact me or another authorized Motorola Representative and we can help out your department.

The other piece of good news concerns Motorola. Motorola sums up Motobridge best with this description:

“MOTOBRIDGE eliminates communication barriers by connecting incompatible voice communications systems instantly. The bridges between systems are standing by 24/7, ready to be activated the moment they are needed so communication is immediate and seamless.

…Now you have a new and cost-effective option for quickly establishing communications between disparate systems in support of emergency response, day-to-day operations, and compliance with Homeland Security grant requirements. With MOTOBRIDGE ™ Interoperable Solution you can achieve interoperability now.”
If you’re worried about the expense and challenge of interoperability, this is definitely an item you’ll want to look into.

Additional information can be found at: http://www.motorola.com/governmentandenterprise/northamerica/en-us/public/functions/browseproduct/productdetailpage.aspx?navigationpath=id_804i/id_2553i

Look how long this article has become and I’ve only discussed two items. However, both of these are powerful pieces of equipment and have proven to be invaluable to some businesses and organizations. We even use Canopy here at our shop and believe it or not, you can make additional income with it as well.

I’m sure you have a million questions and you’re ready to tear into the links I’ve provided for you, so I will end this article here for now. In the meantime Mr. or Mrs. Business…keep eating!

Eric currently works for Delmarva Communications. You can reach him via e-mail at e.oconnor@delmarvacom.com or visit Delmarva on the web by clicking here

I don’t believe there is any doubt left in anyone’s mind of the
extra value you get over cable TV (yes even digital) when you
subscribe to Satellite after you get a cable bill charging
$45.00 dollars for 70 some non premium basic channels. They even
charge for the over the air free advertiser supported local
broadcast tier and then they don’t give you all that you are
capable of receiving, only about half in my area. You see I live
halfway between two City’s that have different Network
affiliates. This gives me a choice of 2 different network over
air broadcasts for free, and cable charges me for the one that
they provide me with! And service? Who hasn’t been told when
requesting cable service “We’ll be there between 10am and 5pm
effectively tying you up entire day. It never fails that they’ll
arrive just when I have to pop down to the corner market .

For the fourth consecutive year, Echostar and its pay TV
service, the Dish Network, ranked above the competition for
customer satisfaction among satellite and cable TV companies in
the US. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)
conducted the survey. DirecTV posted the highest index score, 71
out of 100, among all the cable and satellite television
companies included in the ACSI.

Comcast, which is America’s largest cable TV company, scored 56
points. The ACSI study surveyed consumers on the criteria of
quality, overall value, loyalty and retention. Echostar delivers
up to 500 channels of all digital programming, local broadcast
channels in 128 markets and in all 50 states. The overall
average for the four largest cable TV companies in the ACSI
survey was 58.75.

And quality of picture and availability of High Definition
Programming? No contest. DirecTV wins that contest easily. And
the number of channels and packages seems limited only by your
imagination. And you aren’t limited to what times you favorite
show come on. With satellite you just aren’t limited by time
zones. Oh by the way, DirecTV Satellite systems come with a
selection of channel packages or you can simply choose the
channels you want. And DirecTV is the only small dish network
that carrys up to 100 games a year in High Definition TV. Since
DirecTV has the only NFL SUPERFAN option this alone makes many
an NFL Fan ditch his cable yearly. With multiple start times you
aren’t limited to one set time to watch your favorite weekly
program or movie. And with optional receivers, you can keep up
with the latest in HD TV technology. Some satellite providers
also offer high-speed, satellite-based Internet - up to 400Kb
per second - so there is more to satellite than just television.
Satellite systems also offer access to pay-per-view programming
so you can watch your favorite movies. Ordering it is simple,
and you get the same digital quality as all the other satellite
channels. Time shifting is another convenient feature that
satellite offers. With so many channels you often will have
access to both East and West time zones of popular TV networks -
so you have an option when it comes to watching your favorite
show. You don’t need to rush home to catch the latest episode.
In short, you have more choices with satellite, so you can fit
your shows into your busy lifestyle.

(remove the paragraph below if needed to fit some submissions
-85 word = 659)

Unlike cable companies, mini-dish satellite providers broadcast
in 100-percent digital signals providing crystal-clear video and
CD-quality audio for customers. This feature is attractive to
customers who are frustrated with poor-quality off-air or cable
pictures. Customers also choose satellite for its value, simply
put, the best quality television entertainment at the lower
prices. Finally, customers turn to satellite because of the
large number of channel choices. With over 300 channel
offerings, customers get more programming packages and more
movies to choose from than any cable TV.

Satellite will always come out a winner over cable due to its
large capacity to deliver hundreds of channels. Additionally,
satellite has the advantage by offering interactive data,
high-definition television, local-to-local channels and
computer-based products that combine the home computer and
television into one all-encompassing entertainment and
information system.

So why are we still dealing with the cable companies as they are
today? Make them competitive by switching to satellite. They’ll
have to get busy or go the way of the Dodo bird!

That’s what she would say. As I remember it from my years as a really short person, after you had cranked the handle and lifted up the receiver, you’d hear this female voice down at the telephone office say “Operatooor. Number pleeyazz.” (I think that’s how they were taught to say it.) Then you’d give her the number you wanted to call – usually something complicated like “Hi Shirley - 671, please” (or even “Doc Wykoff’s office, please”…) – and she’d move a plug to the right hole on the switchboard and do whatever she had to do to make Doc’s telephone ring. That is unless she knew that Doc had gone out to the Strauss’s for a house call, then she’d let you know that she could connect you there or that if you wanted, you could just wait about a half an hour until he got back to the office and try again then. Talk about personalized service…

Those were the days of the party line. You’d have several – maybe even up to twenty or so – families sharing a single phone line. You’d know when you got a call by the number and length of rings you heard coming from the telephone. Ours was two short rings if I remember correctly. You’d always know who was getting a call on your party line by the number of rings. And of course, if you wanted to be just a little snoopy, you could quietly pick up the receiver on your phone and “rubber”. Yep, that’s what they called eavesdropping back then. Sort of tacky but actually a lot of folks did it and nobody seemed to care all that much. Except for old Mrs. Snyder, that is. She could get downright snotty about it at times.

Gosh, we’ve come a long way, haven’t we? Now we can call just about anybody we want anytime we want from anywhere we want. Have an urge to talk with your neighbor’s second cousin Doris who is vacationing on Isolation Beach, Florida while you’re zipping down the freeway at a breakneck 7 mph? Just do it. Want to check the current status of your investment in Ear Hair Removal Cream stock while you’re canoeing leisurely down the North Fork River? Just do it. Want to… well, you get the idea.

Yep, life is good. We’re on top of everything. We’re in constant touch with the rest of mankind 24/7. There’s nothing we don’t know or can’t find out. Anyone can reach us at anytime – anywhere. We’re always available to answer questions, pass on helpful information, make appointments, change schedules, rearrange priorities, relay juicy gossip, report problems, broadcast dissatisfaction, and assimilate an encyclopedia’s worth of pseudo-critical input with the push of a button or two. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a week. Fifty-two weeks…

… yeah… we’ve sure come a loooong way, haven’t we? No, really. This IS better, right? I mean, if we weren’t able to have this immediate contact with the rest of the world, everything would crumble, right? Our lives would disintegrate. Our family relationships would be shattered. Our friendships would vanish. Our businesses would vaporize. We would self-destruct. Right?

Seriously, now. Can you even imagine what it would be like to have to step back into the dark ages of communication? Those unnerving times – when you could just think or do what you needed to do without constant interruption? When you could cruise down the highway without the nagging thought that just talking on the cell phone substantially increases your chances of being in an accident? When you could call a business (during normal working hours of course) and immediately talk to a real person? When you actually looked forward to getting a call because you knew for certain that it would be someone who you wanted to talk with? When you could go for hours and hours out of contact with anyone other than the people who were the foundation of your life? Your family and friends? When life was quieter, more relaxed and more satisfying?

Now really, I know that there can be a bunch of advantages to our modern communications systems but sometimes I think that perhaps “progress” may not necessarily be as wonderful as we tend to believe it is.

Number pleeyazz…

Gene Simmons, through NuPathz.com, provides an easy reading self-help blog, articles, quotations, thoughts and links along with affordable self-help and self improvement books & materials - all designed to help folks find the road to a more enjoyable lifestyle, to pass on some of life’s “secrets for survival” in a chaotic world & offer a few smiles along the way. It’s a down-to-earth, simple approach to discovering a better life. You can visit Gene at http://www.nupathz.com/

With the introduction of the new Employment and Race directives
from the European Union in 2001 it is now important that
companies examine their attitudes and policies on gender, race,
disability, sexuality, age and religion. Given this context, we
believe that an understanding of the legislation and its effect
on company policies is important for all employees.

However, here at Impact Factory we tend to do things
differently. So when we think about equality and diversity
issues we don’t offer a standard ‘off the peg’ equal
opportunities training. If that is what you need we are probably
the wrong company for you.

Diversity workshops

Certainly in our diversity workshops we cover legislation and
each company’s own internal policies, but our focus is on
examining people’s perspectives on difference, diversity, change
and the attitudes and feelings that are sometimes difficult for
people around equal opportunities programmes.

Our experience is that with this type of work people can attend
a fairly mechanistic one-day event covering the legislation and
company policy and leave with the feeling that the work was
“bolt-on” and irrelevant to them. The organisation feels it has
done what is required but little really changes back in the
workplace.

If people feel unable to engage with the realities of working
within a diverse, multi-cultural organisation the training isn’t
doing its job properly.

Bigotry happens, whether it’s around race, gender, disability,
sexual orientation, age, religion or nationality.

Whether people want to admit or not, we are all prejudiced. We
all make assumptions about others that reinforce our
stereotypes; indeed we look for evidence to support our biases.
We’re all guilty of the occasional toss-away line that cuts
deep; and we all have intolerant behaviours that are so
ingrained we don’t even notice we’re doing them.

Not only that, each of us is the focus of someone else’s
prejudices and bigotry, is someone else’s stereotype, is the
trigger for someone else’s intolerance.

Can you eliminate prejudice? No you can’t.

Can you get people aware of how their prejudices affect others
and help them do something about it? Absolutely.

Acknowledging the real dilemmas

For us it is important to acknowledge that people will face real
dilemmas around equal opportunities issues. They need to feel
equipped to cope with the human side of problems that arise and
to feel able to engage with and challenge their own prejudices
and stereotypes around difference. They also need to understand
just how that prejudice translates into active discrimination.

What happens to people when they are excluded, harassed,
bullied, passed over, ignored, isolated - not because of what
they do but because of who they are?

People feel demeaned and disempowered. Their motivation falters
and their stress levels increase. Most unfortunate of all, their
self-esteem and confidence about who they are diminishes.

What happens to companies when any of that happens to their
people?

Productivity goes down while stress-related illnesses go up.
Formal complaints and tribunals become commonplace, which is an
awful waste of people’s emotional energies and time. And they
can cost companies a lot of money to boot.

You’ll never stamp out discrimination entirely, but you can make
a very effective dent in its power.

The most successful diversity trainings help people to develop
reflective thinking, empathy, understanding, raised awareness,
sensitivity, an understanding of consequences and a desire to be
fair. Skills that will assist them in extending equality of
opportunity. Skills that will also help them when they
themselves are the victims of discrimination.

Impact Factory’s starting point during the design stage of an
equal opportunities programme is always to ask, what has
prompted your organization to think about this type of work now?
Is it simply the concern about meeting legislative requirements,
or do you believe there are real attitudes and practices within
the company that need to change?

Additionally we look at a company’s own values on difference and
diversity. Again, if they are there simply to meet requirements,
then any number of programmes won’t shift things. However, if
it’s a company that values its values then the possibility for
change is enormous.

This is the real difference between commitment and lip service.

Culture Clashes

When people operate from their prejudices, they create culture
clashes. Cross-cultural issues exist everywhere; they exist in
every aspect of our lives.

Here’s our take on it: a culture clash of some sort occurs as
soon as two people get together, since no two people, even
family members, have the same internal world or the same view of
the external world. In the broadest sense, you ‘cross’ cultures
with every person you come into contact with, whether they are
the ’same’ as you nor not.

In a workplace that celebrates differences, people accommodate,
sublimate or ignore these different ‘cultures’ because of common
ground, shared goals and like interests. When people concentrate
on similarities, the differences are less noticeable, or at any
rate, less important. Once we get a certain amount of common
ground, we can ‘get along’.

Difficulties usually arise when the differences appear to be all
there is, or you experience or imagine the differences as
stumbling blocks. Indeed, differences appear like rocks at low
tide! Obvious ones are language, ethnic or racial background,
religious beliefs, gender, age, education.

In the workplace all these may be the cause of culture clashes,
and then you add differences in working practises and
communication styles between departments, with clients, with
other companies and between senior management and other people
in the workforce.

When cultures clash, no matter what the cause, things inevitably
evolve into a ‘them’ and ‘us’ environment; and then people go
around collecting ‘evidence’ to prove that they are right and
the other guys are wrong.

There are many avenues to take that will help cultures ‘get
along’ better: identifying and concentrating on improved
communication, fostering mutual respect, engendering
co-operation and shared visions. Then, all kinds of diverse
cultures can work side by side to everyone’s benefit.

Feelings and Behaviours

So you can have laws, directives, company policies and company
values and you will still have major problems around diversity
unless people’s feelings and behaviours are the focus of any
equal ops work you do.

We can tell you right now, it can be a mighty uncomfortable
process - asking people to dig down deep and talk about their
own prejudices on the one hand, and their experiences of being
discriminated against on the other.

This is some of what we do:

We start with some of the simpler, or shall we say, subtler
forms of exclusion that most everyone will have experienced at
some time in their lives: being outside an ‘in’ group, for
instance. Indeed a lot of us have had the humiliating experience
of standing with a food tray in a cafeteria trying to figure out
where to sit and picking up the vibes from some group that say,
“Don’t even think about sitting here.”

Then we ask what it feels like being part of an ‘in’ group and
what power (often unconscious, but no less potent) that gives
people.

Next is a look at the more overt forms of discrimination such as
sexual harassment, racist jokes, job rejections, promotion
limitations and so on. We find out whether people have colluded
and gone along with giving someone else (or even worse,
themselves) a hard time. Or whether they stuck their necks out
and had them chopped off?

All of that is our departure point. Only then can we help people
develop realistic skills to deal more effectively with diverse
workplace relationships. We make it personal and relevant.

What we do know is that if you can get this right, the richness
of difference definitely makes work a better place to be.

Do you have the people skill needed to handle difficult people?
Best selling author, Peter Urs Bender
http://www.peterursbender.com/ has come up with four basic
personality types. Based on the fact that you really can’t
understand someone who’s being difficult, until you can see the
world through his or her eyes, here are the four basic types:

1. The Analytical person:

Give this person details, statistics and a stack of ‘how-to’
books. This person wants exact numbers and answers. Usually
introverted; in a problem situation don’t try and plead an
emotional case - stick to the facts and provide plenty of data
to back it up!

2. The Driver:

‘My way or the highway’ might be this person’s motto. They want
to know what saves time and the fastest way to get results. Not
overly emotional, this personality type is extraverted. Greatest
fear? Losing control.

3. The Amiable person:

The question they want answered is ‘why?’ This person doesn’t
like disagreements. An emotional type, the amiable person will
give others support and attention. They enjoy building
relationships and values the opinions of others. In a conflict
situation the amiable person needs reassurance - and lots of it.

4. The Expressive:

The question they are likely to want answered is ‘who?’ A pat on
the back is a good thing to this person and they love social
events. Another extravert, this type fears being rejected. The
expressive shows emotion easily and readily and loves to inspire
others.

So to use your people skill to work with different
personalities, you don’t necessarily want to use the golden
rule. You want to do to others what THEY would like done to
them. The only way to really know what that would entail is to
really listen to that person.

It may take some time to establish the personality trait that
seems to fit the person you are dealing with the most.
Nevertheless, it will be time well spent.

Probably the hardest part comes next. You will want to adopt
their ways. Let’s say you are the Amiable type and want to
develop your people skills with a certain Driver individual. If
you’ve taken the time to really understand that the driver needs
to feel that he or she is getting the problem resolved their
way, you’ll have a better chance at reaching an agreement.

Keep in mind that this isn’t a ‘let people walk all over me’
people skill set. This is more about a shift in our own
personality patterns towards someone else’s.

Peter Urs Bender wants us to remember that there are no
difficult people, only different ones. He goes on to guarantee
that his approach, albeit needing enough courage to change,
always pays off.

Conference calls are a convenient method of communicating with a lot of people all at once. Technologies today allow many different types of conference calling.

For a small business, simple 3-way calling may suffice. This feature is available through your telephone company and whatever long-distance rates you have on the phone that originates the call will apply.

When several people located in many different places need to access conference calls, a conference call company can provide this service.

A basic conference call service offers audio conference calls (also called teleconferencing) over the telephone. Usually, you have the option of toll-free calls or flat-rate calls.

“Toll-free” is sort of a misnomer because “toll-free” does not mean it’s entirely a free call because the person or business that hires the conference call company pays for the service.

Toll-free conference calls are free for the participants. With toll-free packages, participants use a toll-free number to dial into the call via the conference call company.

The charges for the calls are usually by the minute for the length of the call. In many cases, the more minutes used, the less money per minute it costs. For instance, one package may offer 1,000 toll-free minutes for $70 or 7 cents a minute. If you go over 1,000 minutes, each additional minute would cost 7 cents. Another package may offer 10,000 minutes for $400 or 4 cents a minute and 4 cents for each minute over 10,000 minutes. You can see the cost goes down with the larger packages.

A flat-rate conference call package requires the participants to pay their own long-distance charges. They dial a regular phone number to access the call via the conference call company. The company who hires the conference call company also pays a flat fee to set up the service.

The conference call companies always offer features that augment their basic service. For example, you can have the conference call company record your conference calls and then provide a playback. The playbacks can even be on-demand so people can hear them at any time 24/7.

As you might imagine, conducting a live conference call with dozens of people on the line at once could get a bit out of hand with everyone talking at once and noise in the background as well. Technology comes to the rescue with mute buttons that allow the moderator and/or operator to control what is broadcast on the call.

The operators at the teleconferencing companies can assist you in many ways. In addition to connecting participants as they call in to access your conference, operators can even call participants and then connect them to your call. Operators can attend the entire conference call, providing opening announcements, introductions for host and speakers, moderating question and answer sessions and making closing comments at the end of the call.

Audio conference calls are not the only options available to you. Web conferencing is another type of conference call that utilizes access through participants’ computers. Participants are able to view PowerPoint and whiteboard presentations and to share documents. Communication among participants can be audio or via chat formats. Upgrades of web conferencing services include application and desktop sharing, remote control and video conferencing.

As you can see, there are many ways that businesses today can communicate effectively via conference calling. There are lots of conference-calling companies to choose from and the competition among them drives good bargains for business owners who will take the time to do a little research to find the best bargains.

The Toll Free Conference Call website provides information on conference calling methods, equipment and prices. Before you make your next call, see if you can do it toll-free!

Efficient collaboration with clients is essential for any
service firm. Traditionally, collaboration has focused on
face-to-face meetings, supported by email to share work in
progress.

Over the past several years, a new tool has grown in popularity:
the client service extranet. While face-to-face meetings remain
the most effective (and essential) collaboration tool, extranets
have replaced email as the favored forum for sharing and
organizing the vast number of documents that are part of all
client/agency relationships.

Increasingly, service firms are using extranets as a platform to
share work with clients securely and efficiently. They allow
clients to log into a secure workspace and access the materials
that pertain to them.

An extranet allows clients to:

- Access draft documents for approval or comment

- Preview artwork or multimedia presentations for approval or
comment

- Provide important background information from the client
before the project begins

- Archive past projects for easy comparison

- Access time and billing information

- Access a log of all project communication

- Reduce the number of or eliminate the need for face-to-face
meetings which can make servicing remote clients easier and less
expensive

Since most clients are busy people, using an extranet can save
both time and frustration for the client and improve the
agency’s level of service and as a result, the client’s overall
satisfaction.

How Do You Set Up An Extranet?

You can set up and in-house extranet or purchase a hosted
extranet from an application service provider for a monthly fee.

Building an in-house extranet

If you select an in-house implementation, you will need to have
an existing intranet infrastructure available. Then you can
purchase the necessary equipment and software and either hire or
train personnel to maintain the system. The initial cost can be
significant and may be beyond the reach of smaller firms.

Building an in-house extranet offer the following advantages and
disadvantages compared to using a hosted (ASP) solution:

Advantages

- Complete control of user interface design

- Ability to customize functionality for each client

- Integration into internal systems

- Direct access to all user activity

Disadvantages

- High up-front development cost

- Requires staff expertise in the development of extranets

- Commitment of internal staff for 6 months to a year for
planning, execution, review and implementation

- On-going commitment of internal staff for internal and client
support, hosting, maintenance and upgrades

- Extensive internal and client training

Using a hosted solution

If you decide to purchase the extranet from an application
service provider, you will pay a monthly fee for as long as you
use the service. The hosting company provides the
infrastructure, security, setup and maintenance of the system.
It isn’t even necessary for you to have an internal network.
Many will also provide training for your staff as well.

Using an Application Service provider (ASP) offers the following
advantages and disadvantages compared to using an in-house
extranet:

Advantages

- Proven track-record of web-based application

- Low cost of entry and predictable cost over time

- Rapid implementation as quickly as one day

- No internal staff commitment to internal and client support,
hosting and maintenance

- Upgrades available at no cost

- Savings on internal server use

- Easier to learn, easier to use

Disadvantages

- Less freedom in user interface design

- Fixed functionality

Whether you choose to build and maintain your own extranet, or
choose to use a hosted solution, your firm will streamline
client services by providing faster access to critical
documents, and by reducing the turn around time for review and
approval. Which one you choose will depend on your company’s
needs and existing resources.