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on Wednesday, January 05, 2022 0

 


Telecommunication technology has significantly changed the communication landscape for deaf and hearing impaired (HOH – Hard of Hearing) individuals. For more than 40 years, text telephones (TTY) and amplified phones were their only options. Today, videophones, Smartphones, and instant messaging most often replace the TTY as preferred communication tools.

Roughly 600,000 people in the United States are “functionally” deaf according to Gallaudet.edu.  I, myself, am not classified but am 100% deaf in my right ear and have severe hearing loss in my left from contracting a virus 6 years ago.  The creation of this blog post is to share general information and to review practical applications.

The TTY (TeleTYpe), TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf), and TT (Text Telephone) acronyms are used interchangeably to refer to any type of text-based telecommunications equipment used by a person who does not have enough functional hearing to understand speech, even with amplification.

In 1964, Robert Weitbrecht, a deaf electronic scientist, developed an acoustic coupler that converted sounds into text. Signals received by a standard telephone handset placed on a coupler were translated into a printed text message by the teletype machine. A flashing light alerted the deaf person receiving a call that the phone was ringing. Access to this telecommunications device, also called a "TTY" or "TDD," meant deaf people could place a phone call to a friend, a club, or anyone who also had a TTY. Before TTYs, deaf people had to go in person to see if friends were home, make appointments, or do any of the things hearing people did effortlessly by phone. For deaf people, TTYs became a tool for change.

Like today’s cellular texting there are “short cuts” … TTY technology use this method starting back in the 1970’s.  For ex: “GA” – “Go ahead” or “It’s your turn” because the system worked over pots lines and two-way simultaneous communication was not available.
 
Fast forward to today:
With cellular units and texting communication accessibility combined with visual communication for the deaf and hard of hearing has become easier.  With programs such as WhatsApp - lip reading is possible however, according to the NDC – National Deaf Center, only about 30% of English speak sounds are visible under the best of conditions in the best environments with no visual distractions.
 
  • Open Market Video Calling Software: Due to the user restrictions placed on videophones, deaf and hearing individuals often use Skype, FaceTime, Fuze along with a myriad other video calling software applications available to converse in real time.
  • Open Market Texting Software: In addition to taking advantage of current mobile phone texting capabilities, sign language users are increasingly using software programs such as YouTube and Glide to “text” messages in sign language.
911 (United States and Canada) – texting is advancing with E911- location services attached to the number called from.  This system isn’t 100% perfect within the United States and location identification is not available in all areas.

Did you know???
999 began in 1937 and today is available in 25 countries (unfortunately the United States is NOT included) – For the deaf and hearing impaired this has evolved into a texting emergency services for registered cellular units and TTY connected units.

Countries and territories using 999 include:
Telecommunication has progressed by leaps and bounds during the past 40 years but there is a long way to go for the deaf and hearing impaired.

Corcentric specializes in supporting telecommunication connectivity for the healthcare and manufacturing amongst other industries. These two niche sectors combined with telecommunication carrier and cloud-based application providers open the world of communication for the Deaf and Hearing-Impaired individuals, communities, and businesses.


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on Monday, November 01, 2021 0



Over 20 years ago, I worked for a company in Totowa, NJ.  The company transported body parts to operating rooms, provided up-to-the-minute arrival information.  This was done with the Nextel Push-To-Talk cellular technology when it was brand new to the market.  One day, the latest advertising brochure was dropped on my desk; I gave it a quick glance over and there it was, 1-866-LOGISTIC!  The company didn’t own that number! I walked past the CEO’s Secretary and quietly entered his office and informed him of the marketing error. What followed was the entrance of the marketing staff; heads were going to roll!  100,000 advertising packets were mailed out to be received up and down the east coast … The CEO yelled at me to locate the number and buy it.  I inquired to the CEO "what are you willing to spend to obtain the number??"

This began a sleuthing adventure - what company owned the number and more importantly what would it cost to purchase it?

After 3 days of phone calls and following leads (this was pre- security days, no pin codes and 2FA didn’t exist yet) I found that it was owned by a beeper/paging company.  The number had no meaning (866-564-4784 = 866-LOGISTIc) to the paging company after I explained what had occurred.  The person who would be issued that pager would not be happy by the number of pages received and they would not be for them… The purchase price was $500…

So how did this industry of “vanity” begin?

Toll-free service was introduced by AT&T in 1966 (US intrastate) and 1967 (US interstate) as an alternative to operator-assisted collect calling.  This Inward Wide Area Telephone Service (InWATS) allowed calls to be made directly from anywhere in a predefined area by dialing the prefix 1‑800- and a seven-digit number.

The system initially provided no support for Automatic Number Identification (Caller ID) and no record to the quantity of calls, instead requiring subscribers to obtain expensive fixed-rate lines which included some number of hours of inbound calling from a "band" of one or several U.S. states or Canadian provinces. Early toll-free 800 calling lacked the complex routing features offered with modern toll-free service. After competitive carriers could compete with AT&T in establishing toll-free service, the three-digit exchange following the 800 prefixes was linked to a specific destination carrier and area code; the number itself corresponded to specific telephone switching offices and trunk groups. All calls went to one central destination; there was no means to place a toll-free call to another country.

Despite its limitations (and the relatively high cost of long distance during the 1970-1990), the system was adequate for the needs of large volume users such as hotels, chains, airlines, and cars for hire firms which used it to build a truly national presence.

AT&T engineer Roy P. Weber from Bridgewater, New Jersey patented a 'Data Base Communication Call Processing Method' which was deployed by AT&T in 1982. The called number was an index into a database, allowing a 'Toll-Free Call' or '800 Call' to be directed anywhere. This feature and other advances made it possible for AT&T marketing analyst Dodge Cepeda from Bedminster, New Jersey to propose the introduction of providing 800 Toll-Free Service to small and medium-size business customers on a nationwide basis

A toll-free vanity number is a custom number or a mnemonic which is easy to remember; it spells and means something, or it contains an easily recognized numeric pattern. An easily remembered number has branding value as a direct response tool and is extremely popular, during the mid-1970’s the carriers quickly realized they could charge a hefty fee for specialty/vanity toll free number (ex: 800-FLOWERS). 

There is a fee structure is for the vanity number each month and a per minute charge for each call received.  A non-vanity toll free number in the 1980’s ranged from 59.95 to $500 and the rate per minute to have the call ring in your business was 6-10 cents a minute.  Compare the costs to today – an average AT&T toll free number per month is $4.95 and the rate per minute is around .014.  The most sought vanity numbers can be purchased on the open market (more of this later in the article>)


What are the Toll-Free Area Codes?
The toll-free number area codes in use today: 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888 and 833 was the last one added in May 2017

 Do any of the toll-free area codes operate beyond the continental U.S.?

844 is a multi-country area code rea code that operates in the North American Numbering Plan: USA, Canada, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guam, Jamaica, Monserrat, North Mariana.

Do Toll Free numbers still have value?     The answer is, “it depends.”
From the user cost savings perspective – NO, not really.  When calls were 6+ cents a minute (25 cents per minute from a payphone) if I could call a business and they paid for my inquiry – yes… there was a value of “wanting my business” and a savings to my pocketbook.
Now with free unlimited cellular minutes or per minute rates on landlines at just above a penny a minute…these free calls aren’t “necessary” as a value save for the consumer.

However, a vanity number is brand building, it unifies messaging and broadens the company exposure. 

  • 1-800-WALGREENS
  • 1-888-BEST-BUY
  • 1-888-NEW-HOME
  • 1-800- PET-MEDS
  • 1-877-USA-ROOF
  • 1-800-GOFEDEX

  Toll Free numbers may be catchy, thus remembered without being written down:

  • 1-800-HURT - NOW
  • 1-800-GIANT-MEN
  • 1-800-GOT-JUNK

Toll Free Numbers may just have a single word in their number to help users remember their purpose:

Seminole Casino in Brighton – 866-2- CASINO

Jenna Choctaw Pines Casino – 855-638- LUCK


 Today Vanity numbers don’t need to be toll-free and can be purchased on the open market.  (8/11/2021)                   

  • 279-999-9999 – is listed for $75,000
  • 320-222-2222 is available for $50,000
  • 203-888-0000 is listed for $15,000
  • 206-ABC-DEFG – is listed for $15,000
  • 209-REALTOR- is listed for $15,000

All advertising has a price. A vanity number can be considered a visual logo, it can be spoken or sung (used in a jingle), spells a name for easy remembrance, or perform a service, a quick direct connection. The value of using a vanity number (toll free or not) is a strategic business decision and should be considered carefully based upon the “reach” goals of your business.


At Corcentric we specialize in sourcing initiatives/data analytics across many business sectors (including Marketing) within an organization to reduce costs/streamline efficiencies and reduce manual labor.  For additional information please reach out: twankoff@Corcentric.com



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on Friday, September 03, 2021 0

For those who have not heard the term “Elevator Pitch” (for the under 40 business population this may be “new jargon”) … it meant if you get into an elevator with someone you wanted to obtain a business relationship with you had the time of traveling up (or down) to make an impression.  Sales folks/Co-workers would time their elevator trips to join the people they needed to connect with for the ride… first ride up in the morning, when they went out to lunch, or when they left for the day.

A good elevator pitch should last no longer than that elevator ride of 30-60 seconds or 75 words. It must be interesting, memorable, and succinct. It must contain or explain what makes you or your organization, product, or idea – unique.  The truth is during that elevator ride the true connection created is of personalities, a foundation during that shared ride and your future timed rides with that individual.

One origin of how the “Elevator Pitch” began is that of Ilene Rosenzweig and Michael Caruso, two former journalists active in the 1990s. According to Rosenzweig, Caruso was a senior editor at Vanity Fair and was continuously attempting to pitch story ideas to the Editor-In-Chief at the time, but could never pin her down long enough to do so simply because she was always on the move. So, to pitch her ideas, Caruso would join her during short free periods of time she had, on the elevator ride. Thus, the concept of an “elevator pitch” was created.

Advantages to conducting an elevator pitch include convenience and simplicity. For instance, elevator pitches can be given on short notice and without much preparation due to the pre-planning of the content being delivered within said pitch, making the listener more comfortable. Furthermore, elevator pitches allow the individual who is giving the pitch the ability to simplify the content and deliver it in a less complicated manner by providing the information in a cut-down fashion that gets right to the point.

In this 2021 business world the “Elevator Pitch” as morphed into what has been coined the “Meet and Greet”.   I have even heard it referred to as “Business Speed Dating” no matter how the interaction is referenced, it often is accompanied with a business card being offered or exchanged between the two parties.

Let’s take the convention center “Meet and Greet” scenario – This type of Elevator Pitch/Meet and Greet/Business Speed Dating has been around for decades – you are invited to a booth or get a punch card to visit many booths and then your full punch card is entered into a raffle for a wonderful prize.  At the booth, for as long as you will stand there a representative from that company will determine if your company is a fit to start building a foundation with.  You may be asked for your business card or on your own drop your card in their bucket or have your badge QR code scanned.  If asked for your business card by an individual or QR code scanned, be rest assured, notes about your discussion can immediately be documented for future reference.

True Business card story: I use to work for a company by the name of Medical Logistics 20+ years ago.  It was a startup, and the business cards were dark royal blue with white lettering.  The printer made an error and did the dark royal blue on both sides of the card, there was nowhere to jot down a note on the card! The male Client Acquisition Team members kept their business cards in a right top shirt pocket to easily hand them out at tradeshows – one morning it rained buckets, we all got drenched going into the convention center… the blue leaked onto their shirts! (mine were safely stored in a business card holder in my pocketbook!)

The goal of the business card or QR scan with notes is be able to continue the conversation where it was left off, “dog is Shih Tzu, kids are___” or “company has problems with name a vendor that supplies them X” the next time there is a conversation?

No matter the jargon – The Elevator Pitch/Meet and Greet/Business Speed Dating… the first step is making a connection with an individual in less than a minute… that is a skill very few people have naturally.

 Today an Elevator Pitch is to “hook” a person into truly listening… with our high population of the business world working via Zoom/Teams/Skype for Business etc. combined with being able to hide your face makes many wonders, who is listening? 

The University of Louisiana Monroe morphed to the times and held a Virtual Elevator Pitch competition in 2021 with a 1st place prize of $150?!  Stephen King has been quoted to say, “Sooner or later, everything old is new again.”   

Ilene Rosenzweig and Michael Caruso would be proud to know what they did and documented still has relevance in our long distance, virtual business world.

The bottom line, “The Elevator Pitch/Meet and Greet/Business Speed Dating” – the technique builds a comfort level.  Once the comfort level has been created then an introduction to “talk business” can truly begin.  

At Corcentric, we are often introduced to provide both Procurement support and IT related subject matter expertise. In working with IT stakeholders, we strive to develop and maintain the comfort level, listen to pain points, providing resources to improve the client-supplier situation that is creating angst; This enables the building of trustworthy partnerships with our clients.  









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on Friday, August 13, 2021 0

 



I recently needed to obtain a client relationship representative at five companies
for an RFP sourcing initiative I was executing.
I had no contacts in my on-line rolodex or direct connection through LinkedIn.
What a nightmare this simple task became.

My process:

Step 1 Reach out to people within the company I work for and inquire if anyone had contacts with the potential Suppliers. – No luck

Step 2, Look up each company website for a phone number to call –  the only option was  fill out a form and someone would get back to me – maybe… each website was seeking all kinds of information and there was no way to bypass this process and just state my request and press send…

I was not going to spend 10 minutes filling out fields for the supplier to decide if they wanted to engage in a conversation – how many employees, location, budget for the service etc.…

My frustration was building, Dang it – 
            All I wanted was a human voice to chat with and I would explain the purpose of my call.

Step 3, Go back to my email rolodex and reach out to former colleges that might have connections to any of these companies – No luck

Step 4, Go to LinkedIn and look up the individual companies to see if I could connect with a Client Relationship Manager or Customer Service Representative by sending a LinkedIn message – No luck. 

I was blocked!  I do not have a paid Premium Membership with LinkedIn which was required to contact members at 3 of the Suppliers the client wanted vetted.

             Of the two Suppliers where I could send a message to an employee… 
            one never responded (even though she did have over 300 connections).    

             The second person who received my message did respond 
            - with a link to fill out a form to see a demo – NOT WHAT I WANTED!

Do companies not want business??? My frustration was at a peak, plus I was baffled.

Have we become so automated that human interaction for business transactions has evaporated?

Every company website home page should have a phone number or contact us with direct contacts, 

this is my strong opinion… 

The result:

Two of the Suppliers that our client was interested in vetting for the RFP lost their chance to participate because I gave up…

Eventually through colleges inquiring to colleges they know in the telecommunications arena; I was eventually introduced to each supplier representative.  To obtain the correct contact person for the remaining three companies took over 8 hours of time during a week.  This is not a good business practice/face to present – it shouldn’t matter if you sell a hammer or managed security services or network hardware gear – a Supplier is a Supplier and all businesses need clients to survive…The doors must be open for a potential client to walk in and in my case the walk in required a telephone conversation.

The postscript: After my initial conversation with each supplier I asked for the CEO’s email address and sent a message.  Since receipt of my emails all three Suppliers have either added a phone number or way to write an inquiry through their website that does not ask vetting questions…

About Corcentric: Procurement Services are EASY to engage!  888-909-3894 or email me twankoff@corcentric.com and I will personally introduce you to the correct person in the appropriate department to answer your questions. www.Corcentric.com

Corcentric’s Sourcing team is made up of subject matter experts; covering areas from Telecommunications hardware/software/voice and data services, to Managed Security Services and IPaaS solutions.  Our strengths include providing real-time insights to the requirement building, carrier identification phase including but not limited to just the sourcing and negotiation phases.  We take a strategic approach in facilitating and managing a RFP process where we identify opportunities that align with both the short-term vision and long-term objectives of our clients.  

Corcentric leverages our proven process and best practices, keeping carriers engaged and motivated about the opportunity.  By managing the carriers throughout the process, we ensure our clients have visibility into all viable options for its requirements in terms of carriers, technologies, contract, and pricing approaches.   As an outcome of the sourcing process, we provide our insights so that our clients make informed decisions regarding which carriers are best matched to their specific requirements and future state growth.






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on Friday, March 05, 2021 0


We all have had that mishap during, or just before a big client presentation...

Have you ever referred to a client by the wrong name?

Have you ever shown a presentation and dang there it is - you forgot to change the client name on a slide?

Have you ever suddenly realized the presentation you are referencing is above the baseline knowledge of your audience? (because they are all glassy-eyed and asking very basic questions or worse not asking any questions at all!)

Have you ever gone to the restroom after a presentation and there it is staring you back in the mirror - food between your teeth!

Have you ever gotten to a meeting and are unable to find the version of the presentation you fine-tuned in the wee hours of the morning isn't at your fingertips when you charge up your laptop?

OR

Worse, maybe just prior to the meeting, coffee spilled, or food stained your shirt...

Mishaps & Mistakes will happen!

Some mishaps & mistakes can be avoided with planning (and common sense):

Choice of language - what does that acronym stand for?
What does "DOA" mean to you?
In a move that must have been unsettling for thousands of Iowa's seniors, the state changed the name of its Department of Elder Affairs to the Department on Aging, or DOA, in 2009. Something is telling us that the change has not helped Iowa's elderly sleep any easier. The organization now goes by IDA, for Iowa Department on Aging.

For instance what do these acronyms mean to you when read or heard?
  • IM = instant messaging, Internet marketing, input method
  • IP = intellectual property, Internet Protocol
  • MS = Master of Science, multiple sclerosis, Microsoft
  • SME = subject matter expert, small and medium enterprise
I suggest in visual presentations (using parentheses), write out what each letter in the acronym stands for, do not assume everyone knows the nomenclature.

When reaching for your beverage does your arm cross the view of your camera?
If your mug is to the right of your computer (if you are right-handed) then there will be no visual interruption of the meeting in progress.

What does your mug or shirt advertise?
I was on a virtual meeting with a client late last year and his mug advertised the former company he worked for. On another call the mug held by the vendor advertised a political figure running for office.

Do you have the correct picture angle?
Most providers have a “preview” mode for your visual check and a sound quality check prior to entering the meeting. Take that moment to confirm the angle is accurate. This is a check to confirm the camera is not aimed looking up your nose or focused on your forehead.

Are your cords tangled?
I had small desk and a long headset cord, and it often dangled... The cord would be partially on the floor and the dog, she would sit on it. I would go to move her, and then her paw would get tangled... and of course always happen when I was running late, yes running late to a virtual call! (now I have a hook on the wall and hang it up when not in use.)

What is your light source?
We all look better in good light. With the camera facing you – if you can sit facing a window or with a lamp in front of you will look your best. If the light shines from behind, you will be in a shadow and your face will be difficult for others in your conversation to see you.

Where are the kids? dog? or cat?
We accept (and expect) the interruption during a meeting. I suggest at the beginning of the call just let the other parties know - my child, the dog, the cat may interrupt.

For me it is a 17-pound Shih Tzu ... if the doorbell rings or the community maintenance people are mowing the backyard - she goes NUTS... barking, running, barking louder... I must take my headset off and put her on my lap, and she calms down (she is never in view for those on the call with me).

 Ceiling Fans - Do you use one? Do the spinning blades appear in your screen shot? So, you are thinking, the room is warm, put on the fan, you are wearing a headset - so no noise problem... perhaps this is not true. You may be creating a visual distraction.

I have a client who puts his fan on high (it spins very fast) and even though there is no noise with the angle of screen it is a mesmerizing distraction!

It could only happen in Florida:
Without realizing before the call there was a gecko (tiny lizard) on my skirt. With a glance down, there it was walking on my lap and of course my first reaction was not calm - out of my mouth mid-sentence was a yelp...this was followed by me jumping out of my chair to fling it off my skirt... which of course set the dog in motion to chase, bark and stomp it to death!

A true story - 25 years ago:
I was in my third trimester, going to a client location.  During these last few months I couldn't see, forget about reach, my feet.  All my shoes were flats and I rotated three pair - white, beige and black.  I had no clue until I walked past a mirrored wall at the client location that I had been wearing one white and one beige shoe for the past 4 hours!  I decided at the end of the long day right before our goodbyes to thank them not just for their time but for not making me feel uncomfortable with my accidental choice of footwear.  I explained I didn't own a full length mirror but would be stopping on my way home to purchase one.  The women who were with me all day each acknowledge they had done the same thing at least once during their pregnancy and a laugh was shared. 

Mishaps and mistakes will always happen how we prevent them or handle them in the moment is the key to great customer relationships..


The “Corcentric Virtual Lunch Bunch” meets the last Friday of each month at noon …virtually of course. Would you like to join us? Our next meeting is March 26th at noon.

If you would like to join or wish additional information, please contact me (twankoff@corcentric.com) – all are welcome to attend and/or be a guest speaker on a topic related to working remotely.

The group does not promote or sell business services. The focus revolves around work at home topics/challenges and how to overcome them.







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on Friday, February 19, 2021 0





In 2019, I was on a Zoom call with 2 client employees (CFO and Telecom Manager), a telecom vendor service analyst and via audio only was her Manager.  The four of us were looking at a spreadsheet the service analyst had just finished explaining.   As I was speaking to why the figures presented did not appear to be accurate, an internal chat box appeared on the right side of our screens, the service analyst had no clue her chat was in our view.

"How is it going?"
"Tami's being "difficult" and is trying to explain why my figures are incorrect and the refund is due."


My immediate reaction: "If you were my employee you'd be fired on the spot!  You are hereby immediately removed from this account. We can all see your chat conversation. This call is over!"

 After regrouping with my client, I shared the photos of the chat box with her manager and the ownership of the telecom provider. 
The service analyst single handedly created a visual situation where our mutual client (who was already upset regarding a denied credit request for $10,000), saw the "behind the scenes" behavior of an employee who represented the telecom supplier. The client had been purchasing services from the  supplier for five years and the contracts were up for renewal in six months. 

 The result:

  • Our mutual client received several phone calls and apology emails (from the telecom supplier who included the Manager on the call, CEO and CIO).
  • There was no further discussion regarding the credit, it appeared on the next months' invoice.  
  • The service analyst was removed from the account.  
  • The client renewed their contracts with the telecom supplier earlier than the contract term date - their savings began four months ahead of the anticipated scheduled start date.
What was learned?
Clean your desktop prior to a virtual call and share only relevant content
Close all applications that do not pertain to the call.
Keep your call on  your main screen (left) and not your second or third viewing screen.
Pay attention when on a group call!

What is proper virtual meeting etiquette?

If you are like me the first question at the start of every virtual meeting, if I am the host - "Can you see my screen?". I do not trust the technology always works and each call is a presentation of materials and my skills to govern the call. Below is a checklist of items to consider before and during each virtual call.

Do use proper equipment:
Do not use your phone if possible, and if you must use your phone do not hold it... mount it somewhere.

Log in prior to the meeting:
Use the timer on our invitation or set a time to go off 5 minutes prior to the call... if the internet connection is bad you will have time to drop off and log in again. -WTOP News - March 2020

Do have a meeting agenda:
This goes back to the adage "time is precious, don't waste it."

Meeting length:
"Make sure that you keep the meeting as short as possible. Follow the agenda and squash side conversations from taking over. Remind everyone to speak clearly and concisely so that there's no need for repeating what was just said." - entrepreneur.com

Don't invite unnecessary people:
The more people on the call the more opinions and ideas that can be expressed... with that written, depending on the subject and reason for the call "additional cooks in the kitchen" will hinder the progress of the meeting, not accelerate it.

Clean your computer desktop:
Close all applications that are not part of the call. Have open and in share mode prior to the call the documents to be viewed by all.
If you use two monitors - put the meeting on your main monitor, not your secondary monitor.

Don't stand in front of a window:
Glare or a silhouette could be created - either way, not visually flattering. -WTOP News - March 2020

Do engage in some small talk:
This provides time for all to log in to the meeting and helps create a connection and camaraderie. I suggest safe topics - talk about the weather if the participants live in different states or if summer is approaching does anyone have vacation plans? - WTOP News - March 2020

Speak clearly and use good manners:
There's nothing worse than someone talking over you, and with virtual meetings (and cellular calls) it happens frequently if the visual feature is not used. If you are all “seeing” each other than speaking over someone just comes across as rude.

Suggestion – announce yourself when you sign into the meeting, but only during a pause when no one else is speaking.  When it is your turn to talk, speak clearly and slowly enough for everyone to follow your part of the conversation.  - https://www.expressvirtualmeetings.com/

Do mute yourself when not talking:
Household noises, sounds of children, the dog barking, crumpling papers, typing meeting notes via your keyboard... are all NOISE distractions.

Don't Multitask:
Research has shown that our brains are not nearly as good at handling multiple tasks as we like to think they are. In fact, some researchers suggest that multitasking can reduce productivity by as much as 40%. -www.verywellmind.com


The Chat/Question portion of the platform - there is etiquette here too:
If using the text chat function of the platform - meaning everyone will see your question or comment please remember, that written word can also be interpreted by its look. Do not use all caps (that is shouting), use proper grammar and yes, spelling counts!

The “Corcentric Virtual Lunch Bunch”  meets the last Friday of each month at noon …virtually of course.  Would you like to join us?  Our next meeting is February 26th at noon.  

 If you would like  to join or wish additional information, please contact me (twankoff@corcentric.com) – all are welcome to attend and/or be a guest speaker on a topic related to working remotely.

 The group does not promote or sell business services.  The focus revolves around work at home topics/challenges and how to overcome them.



 




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on Friday, February 05, 2021 0



In the “old days” – once a meeting was scheduled via a phone call, we would either go to their office or take a potential client to lunch. Better yet, if a vendor wanted our business, they would offer to take us and to lunch!

With Covid-19 the “old days” are bygones, and we are all doing business socially distanced. The good news however, with technology, we can “see” each other.

Once a meeting time is agreed upon via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype or through a different on-line meeting medium…. 

Now what?

According to the University of Southern Mississippi – “consider investing in headphones” – this prevents echoes and interrupted audio from your immediate surroundings and provides clearer quality to your audience.

In addition, they suggest “consider the light source”.  We all look better in good light that is fact.  With the camera facing you – if you can sit facing a window or with a lamp in front of you will look your best.  If the light shines from behind, you will be in a shadow and your face will be difficult for others in your conversation to see you.

Getting the angle just right - Most providers have a “preview” mode for sound quality and a visual check before entering the meeting.   Take that moment to confirm the angle is accurate.  This is a check to confirm the camera is not aimed looking up your nose or focused on your forehead.

Posture - No slouching! Sitting tall is perceived as confident. Is your chair  comfortable? Does it have lumbar/back support? I suggest investing less than $25 and obtaining a lumbar support cushion that fastens to your chair if  you find that your back aches during the day. It eliminates the pressure from your lower back when sitting for long periods of time. 

I recently purchased a lumbar support cushion and I do not slouch if I am sitting back with my feet on  the ground or on my foot rest.  

 Eye Contact – look at the camera not the monitor picture which for many appears above/higher than the laptop or computer camera… a trick shared with me, that I use, is tape a photo of a loved one above and slightly  right of your camera... Camera eye contact takes -Practice, Practice, Practice!

Dress for the meeting - No one will know if you are wearing sneakers, but they will know if you are wearing a t-shirt or if your hair is disheveled – these two examples can be viewed as a lack of care towards the business to discuss at hand.  If you have a company logo'd shirt wear it!

Using the visual features of the medium during your call – Microsoft Teams and Zoom for example have the options to change your background or blur it out.  In my opinion, please do not use this feature… When you move your head, hands, shift your position on a chair, the picture “cracks” the look becomes shoddy and is a visual distraction.  Using a background such as the beach, space, mountain view – each by itself can create a distraction to the conversation and may reduce eye contact between the parties.  It can help create an icebreaker to see what is in the world behind the person you are speaking with.

I recently had a first call with a vendor and he immediately noticed in a plant behind me, sticking out of the dirt is a small Adelphi University pennant.

His first question, “Did you go to Adelphi?”
My reply “Graduated with a B.A. in 1987, do you attend?.”
“My mother-in-law is a professor there now.” – icebreaker!

Your Photograph – professional photos are cheap to acquire and worth the investment.  Looking at someone’s initials because they are camera shy or perhaps, do not have camera access is a hinderance to creating a connecting.  Presenting with a Photo should be the option taken when “live” is not possible.  When we know what the face to the voice looks like we are a step closer to being able to connect with the other party in our conversation.

For years I had a client which I never met in person.  I knew Mike’s voice from the hello without looking at the caller ID.  Mike has a deep Southern Texas twang; his use of the English language is crisp coupled with a dry sense of humor.   In my mind I established he was over 6” tall, had a mustache, a full head of hair, he dressed in a collared shirt with a tie.  First Skype meeting, I quickly discovered Mike is clean shaven, bald and no matter the weather outside he wears a polo shirt!  He told me from my voice he thought I was a redhead with curly hair!

Recording/taping the call via the features of the medium – ALWAYS TELL THE OTHER PARTY!  With Microsoft Teams and Zoom there is an itty-bitty red light that flashes to indicate recording but not all people would notice it…  I bring this up, like having your photo taken, you want your best look (no wrinkled shirt, no hunched shoulders) or better yet, maybe you want to cease showing your live self and put your stock photo on the screen.

Your behind the scenes environment - What others do not see is just as important to creating the Virtual Meeting Atmosphere... 

  • Is the room temperature comfortable?
  • Is your chair comfortable?
  • Is there clutter in your view behind the monitor or on the wall?
  • What is the smell of the room/area you are working in?  (if your dog needs a bath and is under the desk at your feet - the smell of the room may not be so pleasant!)
  • Do you have a beverage of choice within reach? (It appears to be acceptable to drink from a mug during a virtual meeting - If you do, I suggest a company mug... keep the brand you represent visible.)

March will be a year since the  work from home business community began, we all accept the less than professional office “look,” but we all have the tools to create the professional business meeting.

The “Corcentric Virtual Lunch Bunch”  meets the last Friday of each month at noon …virtually of course.  Would you like to join us?  Our next meeting is February 26th at noon.  

 If you would like  to join or wish additional information, please contact me (twankoff@corcentric.com) – all are welcome to attend and/or be a guest speaker on a topic related to working remotely.

 The group does not promote or sell business services.  The focus revolves around work at home topics/challenges and how to overcome them.

 











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on Friday, January 22, 2021 0

                 

                 

I began working from home before working from home was in vogue. 18 years ago, my daughter was 5 and I was a single mom, the first virtual employee for a 300+ staffed company located in New Jersey. 9-11 was the catalyst to request the move to Florida, to live near my largest client that I flew to visit one week each month. In the early days I worked 60+ hours a week but took one day a week to have lunch with my child at her elementary school (thinking that was work – life balance). My half of the kitchen table was my office (the other half was for dinner). Since my early work at home days, I have moved and upgraded my office environment, updated the equipment and eliminated owning a fax machine. My self taught "Time Management" skills have been revamped more times than I can count over the years.

Due to Covid-19 the “home office” has taken on new meaning, with millions of employees working remotely, as the Disney Aladdin song is titled - “A Whole New World”. According to PwC*, 55% of the work at home employees expect this will be a long term or permanent situation. How can these situations be a success for the employee and the employer?

According to Glassdoor that surveyed 1,000 American Employees in March 2020 - during our early days of the pandemic, 32% said TV was the top distraction and 27% said childcare was a huge distraction. Now, as we approach a year under these stressful conditions, those percentages have increased two-fold.

How can we each be successful in this new norm?


Create a self-care plan – mental and physical health are of most importance*

  • Exercise.
  • Go outside and breath fresh air.
  • Plan healthy meals and snacks – schedule workday eating times for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
  • Shut off and shut down from work.
  • Socialize with family and friends.
  • SLEEP!  - keep a regular bedtime/do not short-change your sleep hours.

 Work at home employee responsibilities:

  • Get dressed!  Wearing sweatpants and slippers creates a different state of mind than putting on office casual attire.
  • Set office hours (with an alarm if necessary)
  • We can all easily begin work at 8am and before we know it – 7pm has arrived!
  • Prioritize your day.
  • Do not overbook your time.
    • Keep an impeccable Calendar – include family appointments**
    • Use your calendar and schedule your time for tasks not just meetings**
  • Let go of what you cannot control – No employee can control the response time of a vendor/client/co-worker.
  • Fight the urge to multitask** 
    • We all know that person who appears to do two things at one but in review, were those items done to their best?

I once prepared a client presentation; my daughter was home sick and told me we were out of milk. I thought I wrote it on a piece of paper, without thinking I typed it into a cell on the excel doc “buy milk”. When reviewing the project with the client someone suddenly said, “Did you remember to buy milk?” … we all laughed – thank goodness!

  • Keep your workspace organized and segregated from “family” – ex: work docs should not be mixed in a batch with family papers, mail received etc.
  • Be conscious of how you spend your time.
    • Pomodoro Technique – states 25-minute work blocks with a five-minute break.
    • The Ultradian Cycle suggests we try testing our focus by setting a timer and see how long we can each focus on task before feeling “burn out”.  Most people can handle peak productivity for about 90 minutes, after which they will need a 20-minute break for a less intense task. *****

During the workday:

  • Stand up and stretch every hour.
  • Roll your head, roll your shoulders back and forth.
  • Blink many times to reset/refresh the neurons in your brain.***
  • Stay hydrated – water must be included as a beverage (tea, water with fruit, seltzer etc.).

Environment:

  • Create a dedicated “office” space – your own place to stay focused.
  • Use a comfortable chair and proper posture – perhaps invest in a lumbar chair support or switching to sitting on a yoga ball throughout the day.
  • Get your family involved – explain to all household members why and what it means to work from home.
  • Create boundaries of what it means to have an “Office” at home.
  • Create a schedule for your children who attend school virtually.
  • Schedule time to have breakfast and/or snack with them during each day… School is their “workday.”

 Pets:

  • Schedule time to take the dog outside (which provides yourself a mental and physical break) 2-3 times during your 8-hour period.
  • Take advantage of these moments of down time during the busy workday; take deep breaths, walk briskly to circulate your blood to revitalize your muscles and shut work off in your head to declutter your brain.

Do not:

  • Do Not put the TV on for background ambiance.
  • Do not eat lunch sitting at your desk!
  • Do not do laundry or other household chores during business hours.

In 2001, I was a member of an educational support group for the women working from home. We met for lunch once a month a local restaurant. Each member worked for a different company. We discovered through the luncheons we were experiencing common problems, each month a different woman was the guest speaker on a topic/situation many of us faced... This group was amazing and the skills I learned “back in the day” have become the foundation for working at home success.

We are starting a “Corcentric Virtual Lunch Bunch”. This group does not promote or sell business services. The focus revolves around work at home topics/challenges and how to overcome them.

If you would like information, please contact me (twankoff@corcentric.com) – all are welcome to attend and/or be a guest speaker on a topic related to working remotely.

 


*CNBC.com 3/31/2020 on-line - transcript of interview with Julie Morgenstern

**Published on-line by Moneycrashers.com, written for Fast Money Magazine

***Research completed by Vanderbilt University Psychologists published that when we blink it is a shift in our attention and breaks the activity of the neurons in the visual cortex of our brain. 

**** According to Rover.com - 54% said they feel less anxious because they have their pet with them. Two-thirds said they feel happier working from home because they have the company of their pet. Most pet parents (70%) said working from home helps them get more exercise by walking or playing with their pet.

*****Medium.com



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