Category: Learn

If you have the kind of job where you’re sitting at your desk all day, you could be putting your health at risk. Research suggests that spending a large amount of time sitting can increase your risk of cancer by over 60%. Fortunately, spending most you’re your day at the office doesn’t mean you have to be sedentary all the time. You can deskercise.

So, let’s get physical. Here are some workouts you can do at (or near) your desk.

• • Arm stretches: Reach as high as you can above your head, keeping your arms straight and your elbows locked. Stretch up to the ceiling as far as you can and hold for ten seconds. Then stretch your right arm higher, then your left arm.
  • TMJ exercise: One of the most common complaints resulting from work stress is TMJ or jaw pain. If it persists, it can expand to your ears, temples, and neck. As soon as you begin to notice your jaws tightening, do these exercises to relieve the tension. Move your jaw from side to side five times. Open your mouth as wide as you can. Repeat these exercises several times throughout the day.
  • Hip flexions: You can do this exercise while you are sitting at your desk. Simply raise your right foot six inches from the floor. Keep your knee bent at a 90-degree angle and hold the position for one minute. Repeat with the left foot. Do this exercise several times throughout the day.
  • Neck and shoulder stretches: Sit with your back straight, facing forwards. Turn your head to the right, at the same time, turn your body to the left. Hold for ten seconds then repeat the other way. Repeat the move throughout the day to prevent stiffness.
  • Back stretch: Pain in the lower back is a common complaint for people who spend much of the day sitting. To prevent this, sit up straight and shrug your shoulders until they are up near your ears. Hold for six seconds then release. Repeat five or six times.
  • Plie squats: Stand by the side of your desk, spread your legs about two feet apart, and point your toes outward. Slowly bend your knees to a squatting position then straighten. Repeat ten times.

• Bicycle pedal: This is a good workout for your abs. Sit on the edge of your chair and hold onto the armrests. Raise your right knee to your chest then the left, alternating as though you are riding a bicycle. Pedal at a steady pace for five minutes.
• Shakedown: If you’re working on a computer for hours at a time, you’ll need to loosen up your wrists to prevent stiffness. All you need to do is shake your hands, as though you just washed them and you’re shaking them dry.
• Wrist stretches: Stretch both arms out in front of you at shoulder height with your palms facing upwards. Flex your wrist so that your right hand is pointing fingers-up. At the same time stretch your left hand so that its pointing fingers-down. Alternate and repeat ten times.
• Buttock crunches: While you are working clench your gluteus maximus as you sit so that you raise up about an inch. Repeat this ten times.
• Calf stretches: Stretch your legs out in front of you. Point your toes forward then pull them up towards your knees and hold for three seconds. Repeat ten times.
• Jumping jacks: Stand away from your desk with your feet apart, and your arms stretched out to the side. Jump and bring your feet together. Jump again and spread your feet apart. Repeat for five minutes. You could also pretend to be jumping a rope. This will get your heart rate up, so you can burn more calories.
• Shadow boxing: If you don’t have your own office, you can always do this in the bathroom or an empty conference room. Try shadow boxing, or box with an imaginary partner, for five minutes, to increase your heart rate and to relieve stress.
• Triceps dip: place your feet firmly on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Place your palms on the seat of your chair, fingers pointing forwards. Raise and lower yourself to the ground using your arms to control the movement.
• Flap your wings: Stretch both of your arms out in front of you with your palms together. Keeping your arms at shoulder height, stretch them back as far as you can then back in front of you. Repeat ten times.
• Football drill: While you’re sitting, pump both arms over your head for 30 seconds. Then tap your feet rapidly on the floor for 30 seconds, repeat five times.
• Stairobics: Take to the stairs and rapidly run up and down two steps for five minutes.
• One-legged squats: Stand up and hold on to your desk for support. Raise one foot slightly from the floor and do a one-legged squat. Repeat with alternate legs ten times.
• Leg raises: A good exercise for lower abs is leg raises. Sit on your chair with your arms by your side, and your legs stretched out straight. Keeping your legs straight, raise them about a foot off the floor, hold for three seconds then lower them. Repeat ten times.

Remember, even if you work out at the gym every day, that still doesn’t make up for the fact that you’ve been sitting at your desk all day. Even small changes in your sedentary routine can make a big difference. For example, standing to take a phone call, holding standing meetings, walking instead of taking the lift, and taking a walk on your lunch break can improve your posture, circulation and help to reduce the risk of major diseases. But working out at work is not only good for your health, it also changes your attitude towards work and your colleagues. Exercise at work makes you feel more positive and it increases your productivity, by increasing your focus and level of concentration. It will also keep your stress levels low and make you feel happier overall.

There are over 2 billion smartphone users in the world, and the projected number only gets higher every year. This little phone that we carry around every single day connects us to our family, friends, the news, and addictive games like Candy Crush. It can be hard for everyday smartphone users to take their eyes off of the little screen while doing menial tasks like watching TV, sitting down to dinner, and crossing the street. We’re multi-taskers, right? Sure we know that texting while driving is dangerous, but did you know that texting while walking can result in terrible injuries, too?

Texting on the Street

In one particular video, an anchor on ABC News calls texting and walking an epidemic. ABC News also claims that over 1,000 people were sent to the emergency room in 2008 due to texting while walking-related injuries. During this video, ABC shows some funny videos of people walking into street poles, however, they urge their viewers to take texting and walking more seriously. During their “man on the street” interview with a police chief from Fort Lee, New Jersey, he cites that the city has had “25 people hit by cars” due to paying too much attention to their phones rather than their surroundings. In order to lower these numbers, the police officers around Fort Lee have doubled down on jaywalking violations. Someone caught crossing the street while on their phone could get a ticket for as much as $85.

This might seem a bit steep of a price to pay, but it’s definitely cheaper than an overnight in the emergency room. The video ends with the ABC anchor informing her viewers through a held back fit of laughter that the city of London has actually padded street posts so people do not get injured when they run into them. It might be funny to her, but it’s probably not as funny to the previously mentioned 1,000 people that were sent to the ER.

Texting and Walking Can Cost You

London and Fort Lee, New Jersey are not the only cities trying to combat the rise of texting while walking accidents. According to the New York Times, Honolulu is doing their best to combat their own wave of smartphone-related injuries. The new law which was passed in 2017 grants police officers the power to fine the people of Honolulu for looking at their smartphones when they cross the street. This law hopes to bring down the number of pedestrian deaths and injuries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYgTM1pPjKQ

Texting in Public Fails

In another video on YouTube titled “texting and walking fails compilation” several people, distracted by their cell phones, fall over different items they haven’t noticed or hit their heads on street posts. In one clip, a woman and a man are both walking on opposite ends of the street while texting on their cell phones. They meet in the middle and the man bumps the woman on accident, causing her to lose hold of her phone and she drops it on the concrete street. The phone splits off into two pieces and she chases after it. The man who bumped her looks up from his cell phone to see what happened as he continues walking away, casually. Not sure what’s worse in this situation; the fact that the man had zero regards for the woman’s damaged property, or the fact that he was too tuned into his phone to notice what happened to begin with.

The Action Continues

A few different clips from the same video show people falling into indoor fountains in malls and businesses. Another man falls into an outside shallow body of water as a family of ducks swims past him. One of the more terrifying clips in the 4-minute video shows a man confronted with a black bear as he blindly texts away on his phone before realizing what is in front of him. Once he sees the bear he immediately darts away in the other direction. However, the near bear attack is not the most terrifying part of this video compilation. The point of the video is that if you can’t text and walk then how can you be expected to text and drive? They urge this point forward with two additional clips of texting while driving car accidents. The first clip shows a man driving a truck and texting with his phone placed between his hands on the inside of the steering wheel. He is about to collide with the stopped traffic in front of him at high speeds, however, he manages to slow down slightly before the collision by slamming on his brakes at the last second. He is shown as being extremely disappointed in himself afterward, by banging on the steering wheel and putting his head down in shame. The next clip shows a young girl staring at her phone as she makes a turn and her car flips over. She hangs upside down in her overturned car thanks to her seatbelt.

These YouTube videos seem very entertaining to watch, but what about those who get seriously injured or hit by cars? Both groups, drivers or pedestrians, are equally at fault for distractingly texting or talking on their phones when they should be cognizant of their surroundings. We hear it all the time that “texting can wait.” But how many of us actually heed that warning? It’s unlikely that you haven’t engaged in texting while walking even if the act didn’t result in you falling into a mall fountain. The lessons of the video compilations ring true, distracted driving and walking can result in injury or death. As the injuries and deaths grow, more action will be taken by local police forces, raising the need for more consciousness on individuals walking around locked into the action on their phones.

Our modern culture demands the daily use of smartphones, but there are ways to be smarter about it. For example, when you are walking and using your phone it is important to stop and put your phone down at street lights. We learned from Sesame Street to “look both ways before crossing the street,” but we need to add “without your cell phone” to the old saying for it to work now. Keep your headphones low enough that you can still hear things going on around you. Try voice texting and download software that will read your texts out loud to you. The simplest solution is to walk to a safe area and proceed to use your phone there. If these solutions aren’t working for you, it might be time to look into smartphone addiction rehab.

If you want to take your life into your own hands and become your own boss then there a few different entrepreneurial moves that you could make. If you’re comfortable talking with people on the phone and want to work from home, building a virtual call center might be the right option for you. There are plenty of benefits to starting your own virtual call center such as setting your own work schedule and being able to help people. There are minimal startup costs, so if you’re on a budget, starting a virtual call center won’t drain your resources. All you need to begin is a room with minimal background noise where others won’t disturb you, good software, and high-quality telephone equipment. Virtual call centers are great opportunities for marketers to make a higher profit by selling products and services over the phone.

1.Getting Started

As previously mentioned, the startup costs for a virtual call center are low. An important item that you will definitely need is a good quality headset. You will be wearing the headset while talking to clients on the phone for hours at a time, therefore a hands-free device that you will be completely comfortable with is very important. A wired telephone connected to the broadband internet is better suited to virtual call centers than a wireless device. Wired phones have better connections while broadband networks are faster and less likely to drop calls. In the virtual call center business, a dropped call could mean a dropped customer.

2. Feel Out Your Options

The previous trend implied that businesses were demanding local call centers instead of outsourcing overseas. However, now, we are seeing a shift towards hiring a virtual call center. And so, having the necessary cloud-based communication solutions becomes imperative.

Depending on your clients, you may have to download a specific software program or use an internet phone service such as Skype or a chat interface. If your client does not provide you with software, then it will be up to you to find one that works for your needs. Virtual call center software is essential when starting your business, but there are so many programs it may be a little overwhelming trying to find the right one for your center. There are many programs that are available and offer free trials, therefore you can try a few different options before committing to one program. Once you’ve chosen one, you will enjoy a lighter bill than a larger company may have to endure while maintaining an equal level of professionalism. These software programs allow you to work from home and eventually hire others that can work remotely from their homes as well. If this structure works for you, you will still have the ability to monitor their performance.

A few questions to ask yourself before committing to a program, according to the Aircall blog include, “What are your business’ particular requirements that your provider must be able to meet? Is your activity seasonal? Do you need to operate in a certain language, or from a certain area?” Once you have answered these questions you can discuss openly your needs with the software providers and they can guide you towards the best choice.

3. Impress Prospective Clients

Virtual call centers offer entrepreneurs a lot of options for finding clients because you are not restricted to your city or even just your state. Trying to get the first client for your startup task may seem like an insurmountable task and you need to be prepared to hit the ground running and be able to describe to any prospective clients why your new company is going to succeed where so many other startups fail. It is also important to research your prospective clients so that you will be able to assure them that you know the ins and outs of their business and will be able to represent their brand in a better way than a different call center would be able to. On the other hand, if they aren’t using a call center, let them know why they should be using one to beat their competitors and gain more customers.

4. Network

Once you’ve set up your own virtual call center and found one or more clients, it’s time to really start growing your business. Becoming a good networker can bring opportunities from multiple time zones. Attend as many networking events as you can, but before you go, make sure you have created a list of your talents and skill sets. Knowing what you’re capable of and being able to articulate how you may be able to help them will make it easier for you to connect with someone. Always follow up with the people that you’ve met and they will often take it from there.

Other ways to network include using social media channels such as LinkedIn and Twitter. If there aren’t many networking events in your area or you just really don’t have the time, social media offers many opportunities. Don’t be afraid to send someone you don’t know an invitation to connect. Just be clear on your intentions up front and make sure you include a message, such as a resource they might find useful, or an offer of your services.

5. Rehearse Your Pitch; Take Care of Your Reps

Now that you have secured your clients, make sure that your sales pitch is up to par. Constant improvement is key to every great business. Practice your script over and over until you’ve perfected it, and then take notes on what works and what does not with your customers to perfect it even more. If you find your new software or telephone equipment to be a bit overwhelming to operate, don’t be afraid to find a training class. Especially as your business grows, knowing how to utilize your equipment is important when the multiple phone calls start to come in. This can be draining at first but eventually will become a welcome challenge. 

Remember to be flexible on your hours of operation if you have clients in different time zones, too. As mentioned before, virtual call centers are great for people who are upbeat and positive with good social skills. This isn’t to say you won’t have a bad day every now and then; and besides, it’s important to find ways to handle the negatives that will inevitably pop up. Try some of the mental remedies such as playing uplifting music, practicing meditation and concentrating on gratitude. Focusing on your breath during a moment of intense emotions assists in calming your harsh thoughts. If you keep these tactics in mind throughout your process of creating your virtual call center, from the first thought to finalizing your client list, then your business idea will soon become a profitable enterprise. Also, keep average call center attrition rates in mind and work towards building a productive environment and team culture.

Global Call Forwarding (GCF) provides our clients with toll free numbers in over 140 countries. GCF forwards calls and maintains the lines for local access for business discussions and customer service requests. The process works as follows:

• Your existing or potential customers dial a toll free local number in their country.
• GFC’s forwarding service sends the calls to designated call centers or central offices.
• Your enterprise answers the call.

This toll free forwarding service assures easy-to-dial, high-quality communications in countries around the world, including those areas with poor telecommunication infrastructure.

Features Available with the International Call Forwarding Service

Global Call Forwarding provides an advanced suite of free and optional features for toll free numbers and international call forwarding services. Brief descriptions of the free features follow.

Customized Greeting – Tailor a customized greeting to give callers a great first impression. Many companies use the greeting to direct callers to the appropriate departments.

Select Country Forwarding – This feature is available with the Advanced IVR (interactive voice response) feature. This feature forwards calls based on the country of origin. For example, a call from France could reach a call center with someone who is a French speaker.

Time of Day Routing – This feature routes calls based on the time of day or the day of the week.

Sequential Forwarding – Sequential forwarding delivers calls down a list of predetermined numbers. This feature minimizes unanswered calls. The sequence can have four additional numbers.

Local Ringback Tones – This is the tone that callers hear while waiting for a connection. Forty unique ringtones from around the world are available.

Simultaneous Ringing – With simultaneous ringing, two or more phones ring simultaneously. The call connects to the first responder. This feature is highly useful for call centers.

Call Transfer – This feature places the incoming call on hold while the attendant dials a preprogrammed sequence to transfer the call anywhere around the world. The attendant can either brief the other department or transfer the call immediately.

Voicemail – Voice permits customers to reach your number 24/7. There is also a Voicemail to Email feature that sends an MP3 file of the voicemail to your email. Users can customize the Voicemail to Email feature with the Control Panel and send voicemails to two different email addresses.

Failover Forwarding – The failover forwarding feature allows businesses to program multiple numbers, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) accounts, and Tier 1 carriers. If an incoming call is busy or does not connect, the feature forwards the call to the next number.

Forward Fax – This feature receives and forwards faxes to email as image files.

Customizable Application Programming Interface (API) – The Global Call Forwarding API has features to integrate GFC’s services with an enterprise’s business systems.

Advanced IVR/PBX –  The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) feature provides a computer greeting to direct calls. Callers can use voice or telephone keypad responses. The feature also has a free Private Branch Exchange (PBX) service, a private telephone network that connects calls to individual extensions.

Account Management – This feature has a Customer Control Panel to manage the account and to change feature settings. Account Management is computer accessible, and it permits users to view invoices and call details.

Black and White Lists – This feature filters calls. It can accept or reject calls based on specific telephone numbers or area codes.

Optional Features – Three optional features are available: SMS Forwarding, Call Recording, and Rollover Minutes.

• • • SMS Forwarding sends incoming text messages to an email account. As of February 2018, there are 17 countries that are SMS capable.

• • Call Recording automatically records incoming calls. This feature is useful for customer service, quality control, or liability concerns.
  • Rollover Minutes – With rollover minutes, unused plan minutes roll over to the next month.

For more information on the rates and features of international call forwarding, please read the article, “Get International Call Forwarding at Global Call Forwarding”.

The State of the Customer Service Experience as of 2016

The Northridge Group, a management consulting firm, surveyed more than 1,000 United States consumers about customer service issues. A PDF document titled, “State of Customer Service Experience 2016” gives the survey results. The online survey took place in April 2016. The survey report considered differences in generation. The generations, as defined by The Pew Research Center were as follows:

• Millennials (ages 18 through 34)
• Gen-Xers (ages 35 through 50)
• Baby Boomers (ages 51 through 69)
• Silent Generation (ages 70 and above)

Consumers want greater connectivity to their brands, and they are willing to use several communications channels. However, the companies who respond inconsistently put their reputations and customers at risk. The following paragraphs outline the key highlights from the study.

Customer Effort: Less is More

Less customer effort results in increased customer loyalty. Forty-four percent of consumers reported that companies made it hard for them to get customer service. The phone (56%) was the easiest way to resolve issues while letters (30%) were the hardest.

Not ‘One and Done’

Fifty-five percent of consumers needed two or more communications channels to resolve issues. However, the phone was the most efficient method to resolve an issue. 60% of the time, the phone resolved issues with a single contact, 54% for online chat, 47% for web self-service, 43% for mobile app, 38% for letters, 36% for social media, 35% for text message, and 34% for emails.

Speed Wins

Consumers want fast resolution of issues, and the younger they are, the less time they spend using a given communication method. Within 60 minutes, 40% of millennials switch communications channels, 31% of gen-x-ers, 19% of boomers, and 20% of the silent generation.

Hold the Phone

Telephone customer service meets expectations for 60% of consumers and exceeds expectations for 29% of consumers. When using the phone, 87% of contacts resulted in a response and an eventual resolution of issues. Ten percent of the time, the phone resulted in a response but no resolution, and 3% of the time, there was no response to the phone call.

Shall We Chat?

Online chat is gaining in popularity, especially for millennials, as 27% of them favor online chat for fast issue resolution. Eighteen percent of the consumers in the survey consider online chat as a viable alternative to the phone.

Socially Challenged

Social media is growing as a communication channel with 77% of consumers using it more than in 2015. However, 21% of those surveyed did not receive a response from their brand using social media or text.

Consumers Want to Connect with Companies

Eighty-one percent of consumers in the survey contacted customer service within the past year, and 58% went out of their way to purchase from companies with excellent customer service. In addition, 60% tell their friends and associates when they receive bad service.

Conclusions

1. Telephone contact is the most effective method of providing customer service.
2. The worldwide use of toll free numbers enables customers to reach your business quickly and easily.
3. The features associated with toll free numbers and call forwarding help your customers have an excellent customer service experience.
4. Grow your business using international toll free numbers for customer service.