The winter of 2010 has certainly been a season full of surprises. Washington DC was hit with a massive blizzard, dubbed "Snowmageddon," and broke a 111 year old snowfall record. Meanwhile, there was little snow to be found at Cypress Mountain in Vancouver when the Winter Olympics began this month. 

The underdog New Orleans Saints claimed its first Super Bowl championship in its 43-year history with a dramatic win over the Indianapolis Colts. And Toyota, once the world's number one automaker with a reputation for quality, fell from grace as it grappled with a massive recall.

This issue of MAGIC Service is full of surprises as well. Inside you will find startling statistics on the prevalence of incivility in the workplace and how to reverse this disturbing trend. You'll discover the latest research on how the customer experience affects buying behavior and customer loyalty. And, you'll also find a story about a young man who never let surprises, setbacks or naysayers dissuade him from pursuing personal progress that others thought impossible.

You may have some surprising news to share too and we would love to hear your stories.  We also welcome your ideas on how we can serve you better and help you reach your goals. Please email me any time at diane.berenbaum@communicoltd.com or call me at 203-226-7117 x 125.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Diane Berenbaum

Lack of Sight Leads to Clear Vision

by Diane Berenbaum

My friend, John Erickson, is one of the most friendly, upbeat, accomplished people I know. He also happens to be blind.  Read on to learn how focusing on what he can do instead of what he can't see helped him see the blessings in his life and achieve much more.

Exceptional Customer Experiences and the Bottom Line: Are You Listening?

by Jean Marie Johnson

According to a 2009 Strativity Group study, companies that deliver exceptional experiences "are rewarded with customers who buy more, attrite less and are willing to pay higher prices."  Click here to learn what drives these experiences and other surprising research findings.

Incivility is on the Rise: Four Steps to Stop it

by Diane Berenbaum

There is a civility problem in the workplace.  It is wreaking havoc on employee relationships, morale as well as the bottom line.  And few business leaders are doing anything to stop it.  Click here to see alarming statistics, why incivility is on the rise and what we can do to stop it.

Two Upcoming Webinars - Save the Dates!

Back by popular demand! Communico offers the following webinars for $49.95/person/webinar:

1) MAGIC® E-Mail Writing:  Make A Great Impression on your Customers with every E-Mail

Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Times: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. or 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Attend this webinar and you will:

• Obtain concrete, practical guidelines that can immediately improve the quality and readability of your e-mails
• Identify the difference between a "MAGIC" and a "Tragic" e-mail
• Understand how to adjust the structure of an e-mail to your audience and purpose
• Discover the best way to deliver bad news in an e-mail
• Discuss common "gripes" about e-mails and netiquette points to maintain a consistently high level of professionalism

2) Developmental Coaching Pays Dividends

Date: Thursday, April 29, 2010
Times: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. or 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Most contact centers have partial or inconsistent coaching practices, or use an evaluative approach. In this webinar, you will:

• Learn how to use the Developmental Coaching model to build on your employees' strengths and help them achieve new levels of success in tough times
• Gain insight into QA forms and their impact on coaching and the customer experience
• Hear from companies that invested in developmental coaching
• Turn the down market into an opportunity to use a new approach that energizes associates, increases morale and yields measurable results

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@communicoltd.com

Please note: Replies to this email are not monitored. Please direct any inquiries/requests to info@communicoltd.com