Discover practical advice, inspiration, and insights to help you succeed in business and grow both personally and professionally.
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If you want to improve your sales performance, you need to think like a customer. It’s vital that you understand the obstacles preventing your customers from reaching their goals. Your customers will appreciate your effort in trying to understand their needs in order to provide them the best solution to their current problem or situation.
Employees and sales associates at Cydcor are trained to provide innovative solutions for our customers. Understanding our customer’s needs is an integral part of our world-class customer service.
Use the strategies described here and you’ll begin to think like a customer- that’s the first step in delivering great customer service.
Develop Long-term Relationships
A good salesperson builds long-term relationships with their customers. Keep up-to-date on industry developments and trends. Study the industry and become even better informed than your customers. By developing this expertise, you will be seen as an industry expert. You’ll be a part of their community. Your customer will see you as a trusted resource, not someone whose sole interest in them is making a sale. Always remember that your customer is the boss and your business will last for a long time.
Communicate Regularly
Although the world may rely on text messages or social media to communicate in 2016, reaching out to customers with a phone call or speaking with them in-person will show that you like going the extra mile. When you speak to your customers on the phone, at a community event, or at an industry event, let them know how much you appreciate their business. Ask your customers if they like working with you. Find out if they would recommend you to people in their networks. Staying in touch with your customers through face-to-face conversations shows that you’re always thinking about them and their problems. Checking in with your customers even when you don’t have something to sell builds connections, not just sales.
Be Visible
Join social networks popular with current and potential customers. Follow your customers on Twitter and connect with them on LinkedIn. Join industry groups on Facebook to learn what is buzzing in the business. By having a visible presence, it will be easier for customers to trust you and let you handle their needs. Utilize all opportunities to be what they’re looking for.
Build your online reputation as a trusted resource by regularly posting comments, links, and business news to industry blogs. Always use your real name and your company’s name. Include an email address, phone number, or link to your company website. Being transparent builds trust and may be a key factor in your favor when a customer makes a purchasing decision.
Think about your experiences as a customer, too. What do you like and don’t like about a salesperson? What are some of the characteristics you look for to help you have a positive sales experience? Do you appreciate when a salesperson has your best interest in mind? Do you have a better experience when the salesperson is approachable, patient, and clear? Do you like being given multiple options for you to choose from? Answering these questions will help you to start thinking like a customer. This is the key to begin to provide truly great customer service!
Do you have more tips on how to better understand your customer and their needs? Let us know the customer service strategies that work best for you. Share your insights on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Cydcor recently participated in two community outreach programs that we were proud to be a part of: Habitat for Humanity and a volunteering project coinciding with Earth Day at the LA Food Bank!
A group of 18 Cydcor volunteers joined Habitat for Humanity to help build homes for the local veteran community. Volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got to work building homes for people in need. Together with Habitat for Humanity, Cydcor team members were able to get 10 homes ready for inspection.
Team-building was essential for this effort, as Habitat for Humanity welcomes skilled and unskilled workers to join on-site construction teams. Cydcor volunteers showed up to the challenge with their willingness to learn and work hard, while Habitat for Humanity provided all of the tools and safety equipment, needed to get the job done.
“It was definitely gratifying, walking away at the end of the day and seeing what we accomplished as a team. I wasn’t sure we could make a difference, but we certainly did,” said Rosy, an executive assistant at Cydcor.
Many of Cydcor’s teams took part in the day, including Cydcor’s CFO, Ron Nathanson, and the Cydcor finance team. These volunteers were more than happy to come together to help a great cause, as well as improve on their team-building skills.
Cydcor’s Information Technology (IT) department also recently got to work for the local community, volunteering on Earth Day by working at the LA Food Bank.
The Cydcor team put together food packets for low-income families, assembled backpacks of food for children who may go hungry otherwise, and provided essential services to senior citizens in Los Angeles who are unable to afford their next meal.
Coming together to help this cause also allowed Cydcor members to get to know each other better and got the team excited to work for their community.
Dwight Coates, Cydcor’s Chief Information Officer, reported that Cydcor volunteers put together over 900 care packets for senior citizens on fixed incomes who often have disabilities that adversely impact their health and finances. Sometimes they have to make the impossible choice between paying for medical care or getting a meal.
“I have worked with the LA Food Bank for the past 6 years and thought, what a great way for our people to help those who need help the most,” said Dwight Coates. “By each team member having a unique and often time-sensitive task on the conveyor line, we each depended on each other for our deliverable of reaching over 750 bags in the morning time. Due to our teamwork, we packed over 900 bags for distribution.”
Education is an important part of the volunteer experience. By participating in volunteer programs, Cydcor employees and sales associates develop an understanding of the problems impacting their communities. The volunteers learned that over 1.4 million people in Los Angeles County are food insecure, meaning that they don’t know where their next meal will come from.
Cydcor is thankful and proud of the great work done by our volunteers, and we look forward to the next project we take on to help our local community!
About Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
What makes high achievers different from you or me? Malcolm Gladwell answers that question with his book, Outliers. Many overachievers believe in one of the core concepts in the book: the “10,000-hour rule.” Gladwell suggests that to be the best at something, you need to study it for 10,000 hours. In this book, he finds the outliers—men and women who do things that are out of the ordinary.
Outliers is a good read because of Gladwell’s fascination with psychology, law, statistics, and sociology. His colorful writing provides a powerful and personal analysis of why some people become outliers and some don’t. Despite its quirky characters and lofty critiques, you’ll find echoes of your life in his writing.
Like Gladwell, at Cydcor, we encourage our employees and sales associates to set challenging goals that inspire achievement. We provide determined individuals opportunities to excel, work hard, and build successful careers.
Why Cydcor Reviews Recommends This Book:
Gladwell worked as a journalist at the Washington Post and as a writer for the New Yorker magazine. Instead of writing simple biographies of successful people, he investigates the communities where these exceptional people developed. He also examines the cultures that influenced them during their formative years and up to today.
Gladwell is passionate about social sciences and statistics. This interest led him to figure out why Canada’s star hockey players are consistently born in January, February, and March. But Gladwell isn’t just revealing cold facts and figures. He uses the book to examine his own life as an outlier.
Cydcor recommends this book because the author provides profoundly inspirational insights into how ordinary men and women achieve greatness. Gladwell suggests that everyone who is exceptional at something—like sales—has practiced for about 10,000 hours. Gladwell’s theory endorses Cydcor’s belief that professional achievement, recognition, and advancement is available for anyone who works hard and pursues each opportunity they find.
Our Favorite Part
Our favorite part of Outliers is Gladwell’s talent for revealing the unique twists and turns that influence someone’s life. For example, when Bill Gates was in the eighth grade, the mothers’ group at his school used the proceeds of their annual bake sale to purchase a personal computer for the students.
No software was available for the computer, so Gates learned how to program it by punching holes into computer cards—a very outdated practice today. After many hours of hard work, he got the computer to work. By the time he was a sophomore in high school, Gates had exhausted his school’s computer resources and sought further instruction at the University of Washington, where he met his future business partner, Paul Allen. Gates certainly had a gift for computing, but ultimately his achievements were powered by his 10,000 hours of hard work.
If we follow Gates’ example, if we pay attention and begin to see obstacles as opportunities, we will improve our chances for success.
As you read this book, you may remember the lessons you learned from teachers and mentors who taught you how to overcome obstacles. This book reminds us that the opportunity to succeed is always present; you just need to have a positive outlook and the determination to meet each challenge. You may not become a billionaire after reading Outliers, but your personal and professional life will become rich with possibility.
Who are the outliers that influenced your career path? Let us know about the men and women who inspire you to succeed. Share your ideas on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
What do your kids think you do at work? Ours will find out this Thursday, April 28th, when Cydcor hosts the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day program at our Agoura Hills, CA headquarters! On this day, Cydcor team members will have the opportunity to bring in their children who are between the ages of 5 and 18 so they can see how we work, where we work, and what we do at work. This is an amazing opportunity to model a career roadmap for these children and gives them a look at what their parent’s day-to-day is like here at Cydcor.
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day is celebrating its 22nd anniversary this year. Cydcor could not miss out on this great opportunity. This national event was launched in 1994, and it encourages girls and boys to think about their futures without gender limitations. The event’s organizers expect over 1,700 kids to participate across the country. Cydcor will host between 8 and 15 kids for the event in our office.
This nationally-celebrated day builds bridges between parents and kids, as well as between parents and coworkers. Kids learn what Mom and Dad do during the day at that mysterious destination called “the office.” They discover how their parents solve problems and manage responsibilities outside of the home.
During Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, coworkers develop a deeper connection with one another as they meet each other’s family members. Meeting family members allows colleagues an opportunity to learn one another’s personal story. This experience builds more meaningful connections, which can improve how teams work and solve problems together.
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day is more than just a chance for kids to see their parents’ offices and have lunch together. During their visit here at Cydcor, girls and boys will be exposed to the important jobs their parents have. Children will have the opportunity to participate in multiple workshops and activities that will help them start thinking on their future careers. A group of dedicated team members will teach participants firsthand about different career possibilities at Cydcor, including the important role education plays in having a successful career.
During Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, Cydcor team members and their kids are invited to dress in casual attire since it will be a day chock-full of fun activities. A special schedule has also been arranged for participants and their parents, including a welcome breakfast, event program, workshops and will get to play games at a “Fun Zone.” They will be at Cydcor having a fun day at the office, and we can’t wait to get started!
Don’t miss out on the fun! Be sure to follow Cydcor on Facebook and Instagram to see photos and videos from this remarkable experience.
Your hidden talents are an untapped resource that will improve your professional and personal life.
How do some people stand out at work while others never seem to get noticed? It’s simple. They take the time to discover and develop their untapped abilities and release their true potential.
Anyone can find their hidden talents, improve their performance, and gain recognition at work as long as they set their mind to it. Cydcor has a longstanding commitment to developing our employees and sales associates’ talents. We encourage you to try some of these strategies to unleash your hidden talents. Your hard work will benefit you and your company.
Brainstorm Your Talents
Take at least 15 minutes to brainstorm talents, skills, and abilities related to your career and personal goals. Look for activities that get you excited and spark an emotional response within you. For additional feedback, reach out to your coworkers, friends, and family and ask them to identify your top three talents. You will discover an extensive range of abilities you may have never recognized before.
Think Like a Kid
Think back to your childhood and adolescence and remember what you enjoyed and the things you did well. Write about these memories and try to relate them to particular skills or interests. Did you lead your high school debate team to victory? You may be a natural leader or strategist. You may be surprised to discover that many of these past successes displayed valuable skills or strengths that translate to your work today.
Where Did the Time Go?
Have you ever looked up from a task, surprised to discover the entire morning has passed you by? A key to identifying hidden talents is recognizing activities that make it easy to lose track of time. Were you organizing a project timeline or following up with phone calls to customers? Losing track of time suggests that you’ve discovered a hidden talent or interest.
Discovering your hidden talents will improve your confidence and provide new ways to connect with work and the people in your life. You may leverage these talents to impact your career path or use them to improve your soft skills like communication, negotiation, and critical thinking.
Have you taken the time to discover your hidden talents? Try some of the techniques we’ve shared and tell us what worked for you. Share your story on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor. We’re interested in learning from your experience!
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Think about how many interactions with other people you have each day: ordering your coffee, chatting with a stranger over lunch, or meeting people on a bus on your way back home. Each interaction represents an opportunity to turn a stranger into a customer. At Cydcor, we believe that networking is crucial for finding new contacts. Here are some tips for turning connections into customers.
Refine and Memorize Your Elevator Pitch
The function of an elevator pitch is to communicate what you do to someone else. If someone can’t understand your business, they won’t be able to see the value it could provide. Your story should be conversational and convey your work briefly.
Work the Contacts You Already Have
You know more people than just those you interact with every day: think on all of your friends and their friends, former coworkers, family members, and past clients. Connect with as many people as you can to get your name out there. Network with “People You May Know” on LinkedIn, fellow alumni, or get to know people who have the same creative outlet as you.
Determine Who Will Make a Good Connection
A good contact is someone who would find value in working with you and seems genuinely interested in what you do. People should be comfortable with you before you give them your pitch. If they like you, they’re more likely to want to learn more about you and about your business.
Follow up With Potential Customers
Put potential customers’ information in your contacts list as soon as you get a chance. Send them an email to follow up if they’ve expressed interest in working with you, or even if you just want to say how great it was to meet them.
Market Yourself Online
Compose smartly crafted newsletters and keep a valuable blog up to date with fresh, new content. The more people who subscribe to your platforms and pay attention to your company, the better. Also leverage the power of social media. More and more people these days use social media to learn about a topic or a business. Social media can help you reach people you normally wouldn’t interact with on a daily basis. So, take advantage of the many networking sites available online.
Be Mindful of Your Potential Client’s Needs
Once you have made a first impression on a new contact do not overstay your welcome if you notice they are busy or rushed. Offer a friendly good-bye after you’ve exchanged contact information, and then be on your way. Don’t flood them with too much information. Be aware of the queues your contacts give you such as time constraints. You will be better off leaving your contacts wanting to know more about what you have to offer at a later time rather than forcing a conversation when is not the right time.
So, tell us, do you use casual conversations to discover new customers? what techniques do you use to find new customers in creative ways? Post your story on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Professional development is a process that improves your job skills through ongoing education and training. As you study and as your skills improve, you will have greater mastery over your assignments. Cydcor encourages investing in professional growth for our employees and sales associates. Your confidence will grow and you will become a better and more valuable employee.
Download a podcast application to your phone to make it easier to find, subscribe, and listen to your podcasts. Several podcast apps are available for iPhones and Androids. Imagine having an entire professional development library on your phone! Here are some of our favorite podcasts for professional development:
Todd Henry has spoken to tens of thousands of people around the globe in a range of industries. He and his guests will teach you how to bring creativity and passion to your work. You will learn new strategies for solving problems while achieving a healthy work and life balance.
Erik Fisher interviews experts who have solutions for problems you face every day. If you’re determined to complete your to-do lists, then this podcast is for you. Recent guests include Chris Brogan, a bestselling business strategy author, and Dave Delaney, an authority on problem-solving skills.
Michael Auzenne and Mark Horstman are management experts. Career Tools will teach you how to build business relationships and networks. You’ll discover your leadership skills and you will learn to use them wisely. You’ll learn practical suggestions for gaining recognition and career advancement.
Harvard Business Review IdeaCast
Hear cutting edge ideas about management and innovation from Sarah Green, the editor of Harvard Business Review. Her Harvard connection gives her the clout to attract guests like Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Alphabet, Inc., Google’s parent company.
Podcasts for professional development are an inspiring resource. Try to have a pen and notebook nearby while you’re listening. You never know when inspiration may strike—and you don’t want to lose a great idea.
What are your favorite professional development podcasts? Listen to those that we’ve suggested and then let us know which ones you like best. Post your story on Twitter, follow us @Cydcor, and share this article with your friends to start a conversation with your community.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
About Getting There: A Book of Mentors by Gillian Zoe Segal
What makes a good mentor? In Getting There: A Book of Mentors, Gillian Zoe Segal interviews thirty leaders in their fields to provide tips and tricks on how they were able to make it to the top. These potential role models describe hurdles they had to overcome in life, setbacks they had to handle, and the lessons they learned even in their lowest moments. The mentors give practical career advice as well as wisdom they’ve acquired over the years. Getting There is the perfect read for anyone attentively focused on their future or facing challenges in getting to the next level in their career. Finding success is never easy, but a great mentor can make the path toward achievement easier to navigate.
Cydcor decided to review this book after discovering an excellent Forbes.com article on door-to-door selling as the first step to billions.
Why Cydcor Reviews Recommends This Book:
Segal interviews people from many different fields: art, politics, science, and business. Each mentor walks the reader through their journey of making it big, explaining that the path isn’t always easy. Failures happen and difficulties arise, but it’s not impossible to outlast these complications. Almost all of the mentors in this book have experienced a moment that let them transcend these challenges.
This isn’t a book filled with research or studies. Instead, it offers narratives that put an emphasis on being human, and how that allows people to face anything. The advice the book Getting There offers is top quality, from real people who started out ordinary and became extraordinary. Although these people may all be from different fields, the advice is still sound and applicable for anyone looking to make something of themselves. It’s truly a great and inspirational read.
Our Favorite Part
Of all the different mentors interviewed in the book, John Paul DeJoria (co-owner of Patron Spirits and Paul Mitchell US), Sara Blakely (owner of @SPANX), , and worldwide recognized artist Jeff Koons have the most insights applicable to the business and sales industries. All three began their careers as door-to-door salespeople, and that experience made an impact that affected them permanently. Like the rest of the book, these chapters feel like an intimate one-on-one talk where wisdom is easily absorbed. The struggles these mentors faced can help shed light on many of the challenges everyone faces while trying to build a successful professional life.
What do you look for in a mentor? Tell us about the qualities you value when searching for a role model. Share a photo on Instagram and follow us @Cydcor
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Get motivated by the stories of these legendary entrepreneurs who started with nothing and achieved success with hard work and determination.
If you take small, determined steps and focus on your goals, you will not allow anything to stand in your way to success. These 7 entrepreneurs, when faced with roadblocks, found a way to win. Let these stories of success strengthen your determination to never give up, and get you on the path toward being a great entrepreneur.
Selling fax machines door-to-door taught Blakely that persistence was the key to success. This experience gave her the strength she needed during the development process of her Spanx business. Initially, every manufacturer she met refused to help her. But, she didn’t stop until she found someone who liked her idea. She persisted despite hearing too many no’s. Eventually she sold 8,000 pairs during the first 6 minutes of her appearance on QVC, the home shopping channel.
Jin Sook and Do Wong Chang moved to the United States from Korea in 1981 with close to nothing. While working multiple jobs to make ends meet, the couple decided to open a clothing store in 1984: Fashion 21. Their store emulated Seoul, Korea’s fast and affordable street fashion, and customers loved it. Within one year, sales at their innovative store reached $700,000. Today, Forever 21 has 480 stores across the country and is known for its unique, stylish, youthful, and affordable apparel.
Rowling was a single mother living on state benefits when she received a $3,000 advance—after a dozen rejection letters—to write her first Harry Potter novel. She finished the manuscript for the first novel on a manual typewriter, not being able to afford a computer. Even though it seemed like her dream wouldn’t come true, the author persisted, never giving up on her dream. To date, the series has sold over 400 million copies.
Schultz grew up in a Brooklyn housing project and was able to attend college on a football scholarship. His early years in Brooklyn, college, and at Xerox taught him that perseverance was a key to success. Schultz worked his way up the corporate ladder, leading Starbucks onward and upward to its massive success today. His passion for accessible and tasty coffee led to more than 20,000 Starbucks Coffee shops opening worldwide.
Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi, but became the first African American television correspondent in Nashville when she was just nineteen. The Oprah Winfrey Show was launched in 1983 and was the foundation for Winfrey’s media empire in movies, radio, and publishing. Oprah’s story has inspired millions of women to overcome adversity, shoot for the stars, and carve out their own niche in the world.
Do you find inspiration in the struggles faced by other entrepreneurs? Tell us who inspires you to work harder in order to achieve your goals. Post your story on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
About The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo is a cleaning consultant from Japan. Her best-selling guide to organizing, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, is the result of years of study and experimentation. Kondo discovered her passion for tidying up when she was a child. Her book describes an early fascination with finding ways to create order out of chaos. Like Kondo, Cydcor believes that a well-organized workplace inspires creativity and increases productivity—and Kondo is a great teacher of these values.
Kondo’s descriptions of her struggles and successes have an emotional punch. Her writing reveals a universal truth: most of us have a clutter problem at work and at home. And it can’t be solved with a conventional cleaning strategy. Why should you read this book? It’s simple—Kondo’s solution to your clutter problem is permanent.
Why Cydcor Reviews Recommends This Book:
Kondo provides a simple solution to improve the quality of your work life and home life. If you carefully follow her instructions, you have a chance of finally getting your life in order. Kondo is determined to get you to try her life-changing magic. Her process is simple, and the detailed instructions she provides are easy to understand. The author writes with conviction, and just like Cydcor, she provides solutions that work.
Our Favorite Part:
Kondo insists that you tidy by category. Start with your papers and move on to supplies and then your files until you’ve gone through everything. Our favorite part of Kondo’s technique is that it requires no special tools. There is only one simple rule to follow: once you start tidying up, don’t stop until you’ve gone through all of your possessions. Unwanted items go into trash bags to be donated, recycled, or discarded. In just under 200 pages, Kondo shares her simple secret; the life-changing magic of tidying up allows us to find joy at work and at home, pure and simple.
Do you need to get control of the clutter that’s getting in your way? Let us know your favorite tips for staying organized. Share your ideas on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
These words of wisdom will inspire you to overcome any obstacle in your path.
An inspiring quote is the perfect tool to use when you find that an obstacle is blocking your way forward. We’ve collected 20 inspirational quotes for you to read when you need encouragement. At Cydcor, we teach our employees and sales representatives to embrace optimism. You will find an optimistic, positive perspective within the quotes we’ve selected.
Find a quote that is meaningful to you, then take a few moments to reflect on how it applies to the obstacles you face. Write it down on a piece of paper to become more familiar with the words and wisdom it contains. Display it in a place where you’ll see it regularly. Read the quote out loud whenever you need inspiration. Reminding yourself every day of what inspires you, of what pushes you to achieve greater things, is a powerful tool for maintaining your professional progress.
Is there a special quote you turn to when you’re facing an obstacle? Post it on Twitter, follow us @Cydcor, and share it on your social media platforms. We want to know what motivates you when need it the most.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.