“Cydcor is proud to be a growing business, especially in this difficult economy,” said Gary Polson, CEO of Cydcor.  “As we have added new clients and continued to differentiate ourselves with financial and operational programs to ensure quality sales for our clients, our space and facilities needs have changed.”

In mid-January, Cydcor and its 80+ employees will move into Conejo Valley’s Westlake Park Place, a new 27-acre campus style office development. Occupying the nearly the entire 4^th floor with 19,000 square feet, Cydcor’s new space is almost twice the size of its current location, which the company occupied for the past seven years.

Cydcor started with about 2900 sq ft in 2001. Then in 2005,  Cydcor started knocking down walls to gain and additional 6800 square feet, and then again by adding a separate suite for a another 2000 sq ft in 2007. 

Filled with floor-to-ceiling windows, state-of-the-art technology, audio visual equipment and updated phone systems, the new space offers more community areas for team members to comfortably collaborate during casual meetings.  Additional training rooms complement Cydcor’s expanding educational programs dedicated to the development of its people.  A contemporary design infused with shades of green reflects Cydcor’s innovative nature and vibrant culture. 

“We were recently recognized as one of the best places to work in the area by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, and the new space enables Cydcor to create an environment that best reflects our culture, values and who we are as a business,” said Jim Majeski, president of Cydcor. “The team at Cydcor is dedicated and spends a lot of time here, and this space allows us to continue to make Cydcor a positive, fun, and productive environment to be a part of.”

Cydcor’s new headquarters is conveniently located near a myriad of amenities including fitness centers, restaurants and shopping.  Westlake Park Place, near U.S. 101 Freeway, boasts a classic Mediterranean style with overhanging roofs and unobstructed views of the Santa Monica Mountains.

About Westlake Park Place

Westlake Park Place, located in Conejo Valley’s Thousand Oaks, Calif., is a new 238,945 square-foot Class A office campus attracting prestigious national and regional banking, insurance and financial service firms including Cydcor, Ernst & Young, Charles Schwab, Metropolitan Life, First California Bank, GlobalWide Media, Comercia Bank, Raymond James Financial, Platinum Office Suites and Stifel Nicolaus.  The second phase of Westlake Park Place contains approximately 223,266 square feet and construction is planned to start in 2009.

As wild fires engulfed areas throughout Southern California, Cydcor team members originally assembled to collect donations for fire victims in Montecito.  With more donations than they could handle, Cydcor instead dedicated their donation to fire victims in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley, one of the hardest hit communities.  Most of the families were residents of the Oakridge Park mobile home community.

In just one week, Cydcor collected more than 50 bags and boxes of clothes, shoes, bedding, towels and even a video game system – complete with a stand, chairs, TV, game console and a box full of games – from employees.  Team members drove past the devastating lots where homes once stood and to a relief hub at the Sylmar Community Center with a mini-van and truck full from top to bottom with donations. 

“We’re glad Cydcor team members were able to make a difference, if even a small one, during this tragedy where so many families in our community lost their homes,” said Gary Polson, chief executive officer of Cydcor.

Dozens of volunteers from local churches turned nearby tennis courts into a temporary donation center for Sylmar fire victims, setting up tents full of shoes, clothes, house wares, food and bottled water.  The churches were amazed at the outpouring of support and donations.  All supplies, free to fire victims, were donated by local residents and businesses.

 
“This is what I call good chaos,” said Alex Beltran, lead volunteer with Eagle Rock Covenant Church.  “There are a lot of people trying to do the best they can do organization wise, but it’s a disaster.  The best way is to show up with humble hearts and say I’m ready and prepared for service.”

As part of the weekend, Cydcor team members and executives volunteered at the annual Westside Champion of Youth Dinner & Auction, an annual fundraising event at Marina Del Rey’s Ritz Carlton for the Boys & Girls Club of Venice, where Cydcor sponsored a table. Through a lottery, ten Cydcor team members were picked to sit at the sponsored table and enjoy dinner. Others volunteered their time during the event that celebrated 40 years of service in the Venice community. Cydcor staff rolled up their sleeves and encouraged patrons to “buy for a cause,” selling auction items, tickets, delivering prizes and acting as hosts and hostesses. The dinner was a great success, exceeding last year’s earnings and raising $150,000 for the cause.

“We are pleased that our team members were excited to have this opportunity to contribute to the lives of young people in need,” said Gary Polson, CEO of Cydcor. “We continue to make it our goal – inside and out – to donate our time and resources, especially to help people reach their full potential.”

“Cydcor’s support will help us deliver exciting educational programs to more than 4,000 boys and girls each year,” said Erikk Aldridge, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Club of Venice. “Every single contribution will touch young lives.”

About Boys & Girls Club of Venice
Boys & Girls Club of Venice, established in 1969, is committed to helping youth of all backgrounds, with special concern for those from disadvantaged circumstances, to develop the qualities needed to realize their full potential and become responsible citizens and leaders. Programs include lessons in character, leadership, education, careers, health and lifestyles, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, cooking and counseling.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (October 20, 2008) – This fall, Cydcor, the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face sales teams, hosted 19 owners of the most promising independent sales offices at the company’s 6^th annual Rising Star weekend.  The three-day event, a mix of business and pleasure, recognized up and coming office owners who have demonstrated superb sales performance.  The weekend provided attendees, hand-picked by Cydcor’s field executives, the chance to learn new business tactics and network with other owners and top level executives in an intimate setting.  

“We’re thrilled to meet with and recognize these hard working office owners with a little down time, while also providing a venue for them to participate in training sessions to support their continued success,” said Gary Polson, chief executive officer of Cydcor.

This year’s event, themed Healthy, Wealthy and Wise, was held near Cydcor’s headquarters at the Four Seasons Westlake Village.  Attendees, from throughout the U.S. and Canada, arrived on a Thursday and met one-on-one with Cydcor President Jim Majeski, Chief Executive Officer Gary Polson and Senior National Consultant  Brad Park.  These exclusive meetings provided a unique opportunity for the group to engage in private conversations with Cydcor’s top leadership. 

On Friday, the group spent breakfast with team members at Cydcor’s headquarters and then got to hear from Cydcor department heads. These presentations provided Rising Star owners with information about how Cydcor supports their efforts as entrepreneurial business owners.

On the last full-day, the group enjoyed a renowned Ken Blanchard Situational Leadership II course.  On Saturday evening, attendees boarded a “fun bus” into Hollywood for sightseeing and dinner in a private room at the House of Blues.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (October 13, 2008) – Cydcor, the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face sales teams, was named among the “Best Places to Work” by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal and ranked #10 for area mid-sized companies.

The Business Journal and Best Companies Group (BCG) worked together to identify and recognize area companies with 15 or more employees and a strong commitment to workplace excellence.  Both publicly and privately held organizations were selected based on benefits, corporate philanthropy, policies, work-life balance, camaraderie and support of employees’ personal growth.  Selections were based 25% from company surveys and 75% from a 60-question survey which was completed by employees to assess their satisfaction with their work and employer. The two combined sets of data were tabulated and analyzed to determine a final ranking.

“We are incredibly honored Cydcor has been recognized as one of this region’s Best Places to Work,” said Gary Polson, chief executive officer of Cydcor.  “Cydcor is passionate about continuing to find new ways to reward our team members for their excellent work and results. We have a bonus program for all team members and also recognize those who live up to our values through our monthly Values In Action Awards.”

The company culture is guided by a distinct set of highly valued behaviors, and a desire to be a great place to work.  “Our values aren’t just words on paper.  They are well thought out and act as our constitution for how we run our business and behave with our clients, the network of sales offices, and each other,” said Polson.

Cydcor was specifically recognized for its employee benefits.  Team members are eligible for benefits the first day of the month following their hire date.  Beginning in their first year, each employee receives 15 days of sick and vacation time.  Cydcor provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which offers mental health counseling and referrals, gym discounts, and wellness and smoking cessation programs.

To promote a healthy lifestyle, Cydcor provides fresh fruit each week and sponsors its own version of the “Food Network,” when employees meet weekly for free lunch and networking.   In order to maintain open communication between company leaders and team members, Cydcor provides an, open-door policy, team member surveys and small group lunches with the CEO.

Cydcor also puts a large emphasis on corporate philanthropy.  In 2008, the company launched Cydcor Cares’ Volunteer Day and Neighborhood Leaders Program, both of which are internal programs to encourage team members to become more involved in their local communities and volunteer their time to charity, occasionally during work hours.  Since 2007, Cydcor has maintained a partnership with Casa Pacifica, a residential treatment facility in Camarillo for abused, neglected and emotionally disturbed children.

About CYDCOR, Inc.
CYDCOR, Inc., is the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face sales teams to a diverse client base of companies in a range of industries, including telecommunications, office products, retail energy and financial services. CYDCOR works with a network of independently owned corporate licensee (ICL) sales offices providing clients with access to more than 2,700 sales professionals and 200+ offices in North America. The privately held company is based in Westlake Village, California.

For more information about Cydcor, log on to www.cydcor.com.

In support a former Cydcor receptionist who moved to Ethiopia in August to teach English and art to impoverished children at Andinet, Cydcor donated $1,000 to the school and Cydcor team members individually contributed nearly $600 in additional funds.

“We look for opportunities to support our team members’ prosperity internally as well as externally while they pursue other goals and passions,” said Gary Polson, chief executive officer of Cydcor. “At Cydcor, we try to create a philanthropic environment where our team members can support each other, and we all wanted to help her make a difference.”

Cydcor and its team members were also able to fill four boxes of binders, paper, padfolios, pens and pencils to be personally delivered to the school in Ethiopia. The money will be used to purchase student school and arts supplies, which are often limited or non-existent.

“The Andinet International School expresses heartfelt gratitude for the generous contribution and personal delivery from Cydcor,” said Nefertiti Makeda, director of Andinet International School. “Our school is growing and we are always in need of educational materials.”

About Andinet International School
Andinet International School is a world, co-educational institution open to students of all nationalities and religions. Classes are instructed in English, but Amharic, French and Arabic are offered as well. Working closely with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, the school insures that each student meets or surpasses Ethiopian and international education standards. Andinet recruits highly qualified teachers from Ethiopia and throughout the world to teach and inspire students to strive for academic excellence and integrity. For more information on Andinet International School, please visit www.andinet.edu.et/.

About CYDCOR, Inc.
CYDCOR, Inc., is the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face sales teams to a diverse client base of companies in a range of industries, including telecommunications, office products, retail energy and financial services. CYDCOR works with a network of independently owned corporate licensee (ICL) sales offices providing clients with access to more than 2,700 sales professionals and 200+ offices in North America. The privately held company is based in Westlake Village, California.
For more information about Cydcor, log on to www.cydcor.com.
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“Cydcor designed this weekend as a thank you for all the hard work and dedication of the owners of Cydcor’s network of independent sales offices, field executives and selected Cydcor corporate office team members,” said Gary Polson, chief executive officer of Cydcor.

The approximately 575 attendees enjoyed a VIP reception, dinner, dancing, beach Olympics, volleyball, banana boat rides, snorkeling and a water trampoline.  The weekend concluded with Cydcor’s interpretation of American Idol – “Bahamian Idol.”  Team members participated in karaoke competitions for the top $500 prize and $250 second place prize.

A highlight of the Cydcor weekend event included a five‐on‐five basketball tournament, initially organized as a challenge between various Cydcor’s network of sales offices.  The Cydcor games quickly turned into a community charity event and each team volunteered to donate $100 as an entrance fee.  Ten Cydcor teams raised $1,000 and donated the proceeds to – the Grand Bahama Home for the Aged.

The Grand Bahama Home for the Aged is a 20‐year‐old organization created to provide seniors in need with a place to live. The home accommodates up to 20 residents at a time who are each given a government stipend.  The home is also funded through an on‐site day care center that can take up to 60 children.  As an intergenerational program, seniors and children interact, providing a benefit to both groups.

“We are a business that values giving back to the people we work with as well as to the community. Because the sales offices do so much for Cydcor, we’re happy to give back to them through this weekend of R&R,” said Jim Majeski, president of Cydcor.  “We are equally pleased to give back to the Bahamas community while Cydcor was there.”

While face-to-face sales as part of the marketing mix has been successful for many businesses, the approach is often low on the list, relegated to the bottom of the page over concerns about budget and time. Who has the staff, training or resources to marshal an extensive sales effort across geographies to target customers in their offices or businesses? Where do you find the kind of people with the character and follow-through to represent your business and products well, who have the feel and knowledge to understand local customer needs?

Truth is, most companies don’t have the internal capabilities to expand their sales force for targeted face-to-face campaigns – and they are frequently turning to partners who do for practical, top-line reasons.

Direct sales taps the strength of an approach with historical roots, but also tracks the public’s growing weariness over disruptive impersonalized phone calls, overflowing mailboxes and unsolicited direct e-mail pitches. Do Not Call lists, competition for the most effective advertising space and the growth of Web-based marketing tools have shaped company needs for flexibility in approach.

Mindful of the benefits of direct sales, and looking to expand the range of their marketing and business development teams to cultivate new customers, more Fortune 500 companies are unleashing hunters to better identify prospects and close deals through staff-outsourcing and door-to-door sales. Companies like AT&T, Verizon, Bell South, Quill, Centrica and others have incorporated the approach successfully in marketing their services and products to small businesses across the country. In addition to top-line growth, the companies are also experiencing bottom-line value by turning over management and administration of the sales effort, reducing their need to recruit and paying only for successful conversions. What’s driving all of this success? The answers are decidedly low-tech: well-trained, courteous salespeople; the ability to answer questions and customize solutions on the spot; and the personal touch.

Not all face-to-face marketing companies are alike; and businesses interested in the face-to-face sales approach should weigh the variables carefully before proceeding. Here are some important things to consider:

• Track record of success. Like any business partnership, work with organizations that don’t just share a vision for success, but deliver on it. Evaluate potential outsourced face-to-face sales firms on the strength of their clients, industry knowledge and relationships, past results and their tenure in the marketplace.

• Strength of their sales teams. Pick firms whose business success lies in their ability to hire and manage the most talented full-time, professional sales people, as well as those firms that know how to motivate and inspire their sales teams.

• Training and partnership models. Outsourced face-to-face sales partnerships should be just that: partnerships. Look for companies whose compensation is tied with their ability to deliver results. Importantly, the partnering firm should be able to readily translate and deliver training to its sales teams, and help ensure that the culture of the hiring company is presented well in all cases.

• Reach. Speed to market is critical for most companies. Face-to-face sales organizations that have local market understanding, national reach and wide experience in myriad industries tend to be better partners because of their ability to incorporate best practices and limit the need for multiple outsourced relationships.

• Integrity and Trust. Partnering firms will be your company’s representatives in the marketplace. Pick firms committed to helping your company build a strong and profitable customer relationship while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism to preserve trust, loyalty and integrity of your brand.

As emerging technologies and today’s economic downturn challenge businesses to develop creative marketing approaches, outsourced face-to-face sales as part of the marketing mix can be a sound way forward. Happy hunting.

Editor’s Note: Gary Polson is CEO of California-based Cydcor, Inc., the largest face to face customer acquisition company in North America.

Not only can participating in philanthropic endeavors benefit organizations in need and your company’s profile, but it can have a positive effect on employees – and even your bottom line.

Approximately 73 percent of U.S. workers say they are more committed to their company because of the company’s support of employee volunteerism, according to a recent study by Cone Inc. and RoperASW. Higher loyalty can lead to lower turnover costs, higher productivity and stronger relationships between staff and clients. Businesses may even be able to used charitable donations as a tax-write off.

Society trends indicate there’s a growing need to integrate career, family and social responsibility. Now, more than ever, there’s an expectation that employers help staff make positive contributions to society. Developing a philanthropy program for your company can also help recruit and retain talented employees. Approximately 62 percent of Gen Y employees prefer to work for companies that provide volunteer opportunities, according to Deloitte & Touche’s Volunteer IMPACT survey (2007).

Companies may choose causes in line with management philosophies, goals, corporate traditions or mission. At the same time, companies may give employees the option to choose charities that resonate with their own values or interests.

Your company’s community involvement extends beyond the bottom line and makes people feel good by doing what’s right. Though difficult to measure the direct impact on your company’s profit or reputation, consider the long-term influence and intangible benefit that corporate giving and volunteerism instills in your company’s people. Improving morale among employees and building relationships with community members is likely to lead your business’ success.

Corporate philanthropy can take many forms. Begin a volunteer program where employees can donate time on their company’s clock to a chosen cause. Identify a charity and donate money or time. Plan a day for management to spend time working together toward a good cause. For a day, trade a team builder’s office tools for paint brushes or serving utensils.

For example, our company implemented “Cydcor Cares Volunteer Day,” an internal program that encourages team members to give back to the communities that support them. We also donate time and money to chosen charities.

Creating a corporate philanthropy program can benefit a company by:

• Increasing employee satisfaction and loyalty.
• Appealing to potential employees and retaining current employees.
• Creating an alternative arena to build and strengthen employee management skills and responsibilities.
• Elevating your company’s reputation.
• Strengthening relationships within your community.
• Improving the health and quality of your community.

People carry these values and other personal work experiences with them throughout their lives. The benefit extends beyond the time at your company, increasing the experience’s impact on each employee.

Becoming conscientious of community involvement and strengthening your business with a growing roster of responsible employees is a win-win situation for all parties. While contributing to good causes keeps people happy, investing time and money in your own backyard is the best way to give back to the community that supports your company. A healthy society generates a prosperous business environment. Your community is the foundation of your business – don’t forget to take care of it.

Editor’s Note: Jim Majeski is President of California-based Cydcor Inc., the largest face- to-face customer acquisition company in North America.

While once considered an old fashioned approach to selling products and services, today’s door to door sales professionals are now considered on the cutting edge –because of their uniquely developed skill-set. And the best part is, no prior experience is needed. Still, don’t forget to step wisely. You’ll gain a big advantage by utilizing the strengths of a premier outsourcing company.

You see, where you hone your skills should be equally as important as what is taught. A large face-to-face sales organization with a proven track record, can teach you techniques that they’ve perfected over many years, and are therefore proven to work. Techniques that will be invaluable to you throughout your entire personal and professional life – whether you stay in sales or not.

One such skill I consider to be one of the most underused in today’s workplace is the ability to listen. After all, you can’t fill a niche if you don’t hear what your customers are saying. A good door-to-door sales company can reverse this trend, as well as tutor you in great presentation and negotiation skills. These of course, go hand-in-hand with building your overall resilience – ultimately making you a great leader as others gravitate to you as a mentor.

In fact, I don’t know of any other career that allows you to fine-tune your ability to communicate on all levels like face-to-face sales. It allows you to reach your potential in every aspect of life, by teaching the importance of a diligent attitude and positive outlook. You can apply these skills in any workplace, or in life for that matter.

So if you’ve come to a fork in the career road, face to face sales is a path that shows you how people will react favorably if you act strategically. A path that helps you build relationships, instead of a flash-in-the-pan sales, so you’ll have repeat business for life. And a path that encourages you to stay positive and lead by example, so those you meet will believe firmly in you.

If you’re just starting the ascent up the career ladder, or maybe you’re at the middle rung: face-to-face sales can help make the climb easier, by giving you skills that will set you apart. Ultimately opening many more doors – the ones that lead to the place you’re dreaming about.

Editor’s Note: Jim Majeski is President of California-based Cydcor Inc., the largest face- to-face customer acquisition company in North America.