Cydcor Blog

Discover practical advice, inspiration, and insights to help you succeed in business and grow both personally and professionally.

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Cydcor Celebrates 20 Years; Looks Forward to Continued Expansion

May 9, 2014

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Cydcor marks 20 years of company growth and client satisfaction

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., May 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cydcor, the leading provider of professional in-person sales teams, announced the company is celebrating its 20 year anniversary – marking two decades of providing leading, professional outsourced sales solutions to clients in many diverse industries throughout North America.

Cydcor, founded in 1994, fulfills a unique niche for Fortune 500 and emerging clients. With robust capabilities and thriving organization of over 330 sales offices and more than 4,000 sales professionals and growing rapidly, the company provides clients with business-to-business, residential, and retail sales solutions to reach target customers. This expertise combined with their proven track record and long-lasting client relationships has helped Cydcor excel as the premier outsourced sales solution.

"The decision to use Cydcor has enhanced our sales capabilities while creating and developing a unique and valued partnership," said Chris Poshni, Vice-President, Independent Business Sales at Moneris.

What has Cydcor grown into?
During the last 20 years, Cydcor has defined a unique space for itself unmatched by others in the industry. From its humble beginnings to the pacesetting organization it is today, Cydcor has accomplished these notable milestones:

  • Named the "Global Leader in Outsourced Sales" by Datamonitor and the Black Book of Outsourcing
  • Named one of the "Best Places to Work" by the Los Angeles Business Journal for six years in a row
  • After beginning to aggressively pursue the retail sales channel, saw great success – and revenue soared
  • First Operation Smile medical missions to Rio De Janeiro and Mexico as a result of active fundraising by sales offices and the Cydcor internal team
  • As a result of monumental growth, Cydcor's corporate office scheduled a move to new space in 2014 – double the size of the company's current headquarters

Top performers
At Cydcor, top-performing, talented team members in all departments – ranging from Quality Management and Legal to IT and Finance – support the field of independent offices and their teams. In 2013, six field promotions to senior leadership positions demonstrated the ongoing opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Senior Executives – Their Insight
"We offer a unique expertise within our sales channels. Our clients know we deliver above and beyond our goals; the salespeople in the field are experts who understand the sales that the client needs. The offices band together as teams, working to help one another reach personal development goals that will catapult them to success." – President Jim Majeski

"We deliver proven results that make us the leaders in outsourced sales. This couldn't have happened without vision, tenacity, and commitment to achieving the best results for our clients possible." – CEO Gary Polson

"Our reputation as a leader in outsourced sales solutions stems from the fact that we are experts in our industry with the ability to be flexible for our clients. The ability we have to deliver outstanding results has catapulted us into a growing, successful company with an abundance of opportunity." – Chief Operating Officer Vera Quinn

Want to learn more? Like Cydcor on Facebook and follow them on LinkedIn.

About Cydcor

Cydcor is the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face Cydcor sales teams to a diverse client base of companies in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, office products, entertainment, energy, and financial services. Serving Fortune 500 and emerging market clients in the business-to-business, residential, and retail channels through in-store marketing initiatives, Cydcor works with a network of over 330 independently-owned corporate licensee (ICL) Cydcor sales offices, providing clients access to more than 4,000 sales professionals. The privately-held company is based in Westlake Village, California. For more information about Cydcor, go to www.cydcor.com.

Contact: Gail Michalak, Cydcor, 805-277-5500

SOURCE Cydcor

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How to Communicate Effectively with Potential Customers

May 8, 2014

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cydcor communication

Cydcor is a leading outsourced sales company. We specialize in dealing with people and convincing them we have the right product or service for them. While Cydcor knows the best way to win customer loyalty is to always do the right thing for the customer, new prospects are often suspicious of sales representatives. Beginning new customer relationships takes effective communication to help your prospect feel comfortable around you. Here are some tips for building an effective customer relationship from the very beginning.

DO:

Be upfront about who you are representing. Start the conversation with “Hello, my name is _______ and I am here to tell you about ________ company, offering you a great service.” Also add in details about the service or product that will pique interest, such as money saving deals or upgraded features.

Take an active interest in the customer’s needs. Know why you are selling your product and why you customer should want it. Be sensitive to new customers’ current challenges and see if you have something that will make their lives easier.

Assure them that they are getting the best you can possibly offer. New customers like to feel like they are getting special treatment, that because of their interaction with you they are getting something no one else has access to. You can do that by offering exactly what they want, as long as it is within the boundaries of possibility.

DO NOT:

Be pushy. If someone says no it is okay to offer one or two more pieces of information that may change someone’s mind, but it is important not to push customers too hard, or not only will you lose them, but they may get annoyed and tell others.

Lie. Do not tell customers you can give them something that doesn’t exist, or twist the facts around so that they will be disappointed. There is a fine line between emphasizing the positive and just making things up.

Get emotional. Stressing too much or getting upset when someone says no will give you a reputation for being unprofessional. Always be kind, courteous and gracious.

How to Lead a Successful Sales Meeting

Apr 23, 2014

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cydcor sales meetings

In a sales-driven environment like Cydcor, meetings are powerful tools. Bringing people together to share energy and announcements is a good team. Since our business focuses so much on building personal relationships, our team members benefit from face to face communication whenever time allows. Sales meetings are the best vehicles to unite and energize your team, and make sure that important information is conveyed.

So how do you conduct effective sales meetings for your business? You must start by defining the purpose and structure of the meeting. Time is an investment from your team, so it is important to make an effort to make the meeting worthwhile. A solid agenda and time budget will keep meetings productive and focused. Sales meetings should not last more than an hour in order to make sure all information is retained and your team has time to get back to serving clients. Always make sure to start the meeting on time instead of waiting for stragglers. If everyone knows the meetings always start promptly as scheduled, they will make sure to hustle. This will also reward punctual team members with respect instead of making them wait.

Start the meeting with a high energy, encouraging talk. Be sure to thank your team for being there, and incorporate positive reasons why the meeting works. This will wake people up and make them feel appreciated. Express gratitude for the stand out performers. Let your team know how your vision is being executed and celebrate the things that are good. Do not focus on the challenges during sales meetings, rather focus on the purpose of the meeting, which is to motivate the team.

Move down the agenda in a timely manner and then reserve 5-10 minutes for questions or appreciations.

What’s the best meeting you’ve been to? What did you like about it?

Follow Cydcor on LinkedIn for more tips and inspiration.

Cydcor Participates in second medical mission for Operation Smile

Apr 4, 2014

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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., April 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cydcor, the leading provider of professional in-person sales teams, raised and contributed funds for Operation Smile, a children's medical charity that provides life-changing surgeries to children internationally born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.

Their donation helped to fund a recent medical mission to San Cristobal, Mexico, which took place in March with five top fundraisers from Cydcor and the company's network of independently-owned offices. This year's mission came on the heels of the 2012 mission to Rio de Janeiro. During the Mexicomedical mission, 99 patients were operated on and 125 procedures were performed.

"Having our friends from Cydcor with us was an exceptional addition to the experience. Each participant showed true passion for all aspects of the events taking place, from helping and playing with the children and engaging with families, to taking a hands-on role in setting up for the medical mission," saidCourtney Kass, Operation Smile development officer. "Their energy, focus, and hard work extended through their fundraising efforts to the final days of the mission. We're proud to continue our partnership and thank Cydcor for all that they do to help children worldwide through Operation Smile!"

In 2013, Cydcor and their network of offices held the first-ever "Day of Smiles," which raised approximately $100,000 for the organization – surpassing their$90,000 goal. It was the single largest fundraising effort that helped to fund the medical mission to Mexico.

"We saw firsthand the positive impact that Operation Smile has on the communities they support.  In the short time we were on the mission, we developed bonds with the children and their families and we felt like we made a difference in their lives.  It was a truly humbling experience," said Jim Siegrist, mission attendee and senior vice president of business development at Cydcor.

"We're grateful that our organization can play a part in making a big difference," said Cydcor Chief Operating Officer Vera Quinn. "We are close to raising funds to support a third mission and take heartfelt pride in helping these families who otherwise would have no way of obtaining life-changing surgery."

To help support Cydcor's fundraising efforts, visit www.operationsmile.org/cydcor. For more information on Operation Smile's global efforts, visit www.operationsmile.org, follow @operationsmile on Twitter, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cydcor.

Want to learn more? Like Cydcor on Facebook and follow them on LinkedIn.

About Cydcor

Cydcor is the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face Cydcor sales teams to a diverse client base of companies in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, office products, entertainment, energy, and financial services. Serving Fortune 500 and emerging market clients in the business-to-business, residential, and retail channels through in-store marketing initiatives, Cydcor works with a network of approximately 325 independently-owned corporate licensee (ICL) Cydcor sales offices, providing clients access to more than 4,100 sales professionals. The privately-held company is based inWestlake Village, California. For more information about Cydcor, go to www.cydcor.com.

About Operation Smile www.operationsmile.org

Operation Smile, headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is an international children's medical charity with a presence in more than 60 countries, whose network of more than 5,400 medical volunteers from over 80 countries is dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children. Since its founding in 1982, Operation Smile has provided more than 200,000 free surgeries for children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. To build long-term self-sufficiency in resource poor environments, Operation Smile trains doctors and local medical professionals in its partner countries so they are empowered to treat their local communities. Operation Smile also donates medical equipment, supplies and provides year-round medical treatment through its worldwide centers.

Cydcor Heads to the Corporate Games for Operation Smile

Apr 2, 2014

0 min read

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., April 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cydcor, the leading provider of professional in-person sales teams, announced that the company is working with the Ventura Corporate Games to raise funds for Operation Smile, a children's medical charity that provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial deformities for children around the globe.

Cydcor and its network of independently-owned sales offices have been actively fundraising for Operation Smile since 2010 and have currently raised enough for two medical missions - one to Rio De Janeiro and the other to Mexico.

This year will be the sixth year in a row that Cydcor is participating in the Corporate Games, which are held in Ventura, California. Cydcor is a two-time winner of the JD Probasco Spirit Award, 2013 Division-C winner and proud sponsor of the Corporate Games.

For the first time, Cydcor will be sponsoring the game of "Corn Hole," which will raise funds for Operation Smile. The Corn Hole games will now be a Team Unity Award event with championship matches held during Closing Ceremonies on May 10. Corporate Games participants can enter the finals by attending one of the below qualifiers:

  • April 12-13 at Camino Real Park from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • April 26-27 at Barranca Vista Park from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • May 3-4 at Camino Real Park from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • May 10 at Harbor Cove Beach from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

"We're committed to fundraising until we reach our third goal of another medical mission," said Vera Quinn, chief operating officer. "The team members at Cydcor enjoy the Corporate Games. Coming together as a team to build relationships and continuing our efforts for Operation Smile are just a win-win."

There are three steps for teams to qualify for the Corn Hole championships on May 10:

  1. Pick a qualifying tournament listed above, show up, and play.
  2. Make a donation and play a match against another company or use the Qualifier Tournaments to select the team that will represent your company (divisions don't matter).
  3. Turn in your match scores to Cydcor to qualify your team for the Corn Hole Championships on May 10th at Corporate Games Closing Ceremonies.

To qualify a team for the Corn Hole finals, e-mail ksaville@cydcor.com.  To donate, go to www.operationsmile.org/cydcor and click "donate now."

Want to learn more? Like Cydcor on Facebook and follow them on LinkedIn.

About Cydcor

Cydcor is the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face Cydcor sales teams to a diverse client base of companies in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, office products, entertainment, energy, and financial services. Serving Fortune 500 and emerging market clients in the business-to-business, residential, and retail channels through in-store marketing initiatives, Cydcor works with a network of 390 independently-owned corporate licensee (ICL) Cydcor sales offices, providing clients access to more than 4,000 sales professionals. The privately-held company is based in Westlake Village, California. For more information about Cydcor, go to https://www.cydcor.com

10 Ways to Build Trust

Mar 28, 2014

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Cydcor how to build trust
Flickr CC- Robert Wallace

As a leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor knows how to create winning relationships with clients. Building trust is the foundation of a sales relationship. Trust takes time, effort, honesty and hard work for clients to feel comfortable with your delivery. Even in your career, moving up at work takes the ability to build trust and sell yourself to future managers or employers. Here are some tips from the experts at Cydcor for building trust in your professional life.

  1. Get to know your prospect. Ask questions and take an interest in what they are up to.
  2. Deliver on your promises. If something goes wrong, make up for it by offering a discount or added goods or services.
  3. Remember names, birthdays and specific client needs. It shows that you are thoughtful and care about them as people rather than just a source of money.
  4. Only offer what is good for your clients’ needs. Don’t sell anything just for the sake of selling.
  5. Be persistent without being annoying. Check in periodically with clients and ask if they need anything from you.
  6. Offer helpful advice to your clients. This will establish you as an expert and someone who is invested in their success.
  7. Be honest and open. Boasting or pretending to know something when you are not sure will only be taken as disingenuous.
  8. Think about the long term. Don’t focus on the instant gratification, but rather come up with plans and solutions that will make you and your prospects happy in the long run.
  9. Throw out unnecessary adjectives. Don’t play up your product so much that it sounds too good to be true.
  10. Respect the word no, and understand that it can also mean, “not right now.”

What are some ways that you build trust in the workplace? Tell Cydcor on Twitter!

Cydcor is in Mexico with Operation Smile this week!

Mar 13, 2014

0 min read

Last year, Cydcor raised over $270,000 for Operation Smile to help fund cleft palate surgeries for needy children around the globe.  In July, the fundraiser surpassed $150,000, enough to fund a medical mission to another country.  The mission involves sending doctors, volunteers and equipment to an area where access to healthcare is difficult, and provide screenings and surgeries for children.  Cleft palates often result in complications eating, drinking and speaking, and many infants do not survive.  Those that do often cannot attend school.  Operation Smile hopes to restore millions of smiles and give those children a better chance at thriving.

This week, Cydcor volunteers are in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico, meeting some of the people the money they raised are helping.  In 2012, volunteers made a similar trip to Brazil, where more than 600 surgeries were provided to children.  Cydcor is proud of their partnership with Operation Smile and plans to continue working with the organization in the future.

During the mission, volunteers have had the chance to spend time with the families of the children being operated on and see them through the transition of the surgery.  Part of the strategy of Operation Smile is to assist facilities in the field to achieve the ability to provide the treatment of cleft palates and other facial deformities on their own.

You can make a donation to Operation Smile today and support this great cause. Help Cydcor fund another mission!

Cydcor Operation Smile Mexico
Cydcor Operation Smile Mexico

Investing in Your Career

Mar 12, 2014

0 min read

Cydcor Career

When an entrepreneur gets an idea for a business, investments need to be made into the idea to make it a reality.  Investment is not only a reference to financial backing, but personal time, planning and energy.  At Cydcor, we believe today’s job seekers should look to entrepreneurship for inspiration on making career decisions.  Treating your resume like a business plan is the best way to create a career that is fulfilling.  Starting out can be overwhelming, so it is important to plan and build a winning resume that will get the attention of the employers you want to work for.

Start out by deciding on the job you want the most, then work your way backwards.  For example, if you want to be a chief executive officer of a sales and consulting company like Cydcor, then trace the step of the current CEO of the company you like and of its competitors.  Learn what skills you need, such as leadership, communication, finance and project management.  You can improve those skills through school or various projects.  Make a list of skills you need, and the various job titles that will get you the necessary experience, all the way back to the beginning.

Here are some tips on investing in your resume and creating the career you want:

  1. Keep a record of every accomplishment.  Certificates, projects, volunteer work can all help you showcase any skills you develop along the way.
  2. Join relevant professional groups.  Meetings of Young Professionals or other industry related associations can improve your network and give you more ideas about what career paths to pursue.
  3. Take initiative.  Start a website or club, write a book or organize an event to get the experience you want.
  4. Treat every job like it is the best job you’ve ever had.  Taking pride in your work will project reliability, good work ethic and capability to others.
  5. Read plenty of books by people in your field, keep up with industry news, and become an expert in your industry.

Want more inspiration, support or advice?  Check out Cydcor on Pinterest for our all of our posts, reviews and other things we like to share to motivate our community.

Using Social Media to Increase Your Influence

Mar 7, 2014

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logotwitter

In the digital world of today, most people are checking you and your business out online. Using social media can be an excellent way of building trust and supporting your brand. Cydcor uses a wide variety of social media platforms to reach various audiences and spread ideas. Here are some of our favorites and why.

Twitter is a great business tool. For no cost, businesses have access to a high performing platform to connect to your audience. As you work to establish yourself as an accomplished leader, with Cydcor or otherwise, social media can be a good tool to establish a strong network. Twitter is a great real time tool that will allow to easily spread news, ideas, blog posts and expertise to a wide variety of people. You can also use the # sign (a hashtag) to facilitate chats and answer questions related to a specific topic. You can follow Cydcor on Twitter here.

Facebook has a more relaxed feel to it. This platform is more about building community with people who already feel a connection to your brand. Facebook allows users businesses to post a variety of media and allows for each post to have comments, likes or the ability to share. Like Cydcor’s Facebook page.

logolinkedin

LinkedIn can be great for recruiting an excellent team and finding other businesses to partner with. Built to be a professional networking site, LinkedIn shows information about companies and the individuals’ work experiences. LinkedIn shows to have a higher rate of interaction if you are promoting your blog or business related articles. Connect with Cydcor on LinkedIn.

Pinterest is a great place to collect ideas, inspiration and blog posts and present them to an active audience looking to share save those ideas. Cydcor has a variety of career-related Pinterest boards that are fun and interesting. Check out the Cydcor Pinterest Page.

What’s your favorite social media and how do you use it to promote your brand?

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5 Creative Ways to Network

Feb 17, 2014

0 min read

As a sales company, Cydcor knows it’s a noisy world out there.  Creating a strong network for a sales business is hard work, and takes persistence.  It can be tough to generate leads, and to get in touch with people.  Sometimes, making a good impression means standing out from the crowd and being different.  Here are some interesting strategies to make sure you get what you are looking for in your professional life.

Using Google Ads.  A few years ago, a job seeker gained national attention through buying Google ads targeted at an employer he wanted to work for.  In 2010, Alec Brownstein targeted executives of ad companies so that the right people would follow links to his portfolio.  See the video of Brownstiein’s tactics on CBS News.

Introduce yourself to everyone.  Use the term “elevator speech” literally.  Meet people in line for coffee, in the elevator, at the grocery store.  You never know who you are going to meet, and talking to strangers has become an unusual practice, especially in big cities.  Being friendly could get you the exposure you are looking for.

Volunteer your time for a local charity.  Do not be afraid to use giving back to the community as a networking opportunity as well.  Volunteer for tasks that are suited to your skills, or for organizations that reflect your interests and values.  Meeting like-minded people is a good networking tactic, and it is work that you can add to your resume and LinkedIn profile.

Plan an event in your field.  Brainstorm to find an idea that would attract people in your field to you.  Giving a seminar, hosting a networking event or throwing a charity fundraiser would be a good away to get attention and help others do the same.

Write articles to pitch to media sites.  Craft an intelligent, informative article for a site like Huffington Post, Fast Company or an industry blog and pitch the article to the sites.  Getting published on a high authority site can increase your visibility online and thus have more chops to show potential employers or business opportunities when they search for you.

What was the best connection you’ve made in your career? Let us know on the Cydcor Facebook Page or Twitter.

How to Be More Professional

Feb 15, 2014

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professional cydcor

Professionalism is a way of behaving in a business or work setting that shows others you are reliable, knowledgeable and authoritative.  At Cydcor, we pride ourselves in instilling top standards of professionalism for our team members, especially when they are in the field representing clients.  Cydcor team members love to have fun at work but also know that basic professional behavior is a key to success.

Many employers refer to professionalism as “employability skills” or simply technical and verbal skills.  According to a survey by York College of Pennsylvania last year, many human resource managers reported that professionalism has decreased significantly in recent years.  Researchers cited that casual attitudes and a culture of entitlement are the main reasons why young people are coming off as less professional.

Generational gaps in the workplace may be to blame for the sentiment as well.  In the age of the start up, many young people are finding jobs where they can act as though they are spending time with friends instead of entering a professional setting, but that style does not work for every work environment.  Regardless of what is considered acceptable, being more polished and professional is always impressive, and it is advantageous to have a professional persona for business situations.

Being consistently on time and delivering expected results is the most important part of being professional.  Instilling confidence in employers and clients that you can be relied upon will improve your work performance and increase your good reputation. Being on time and delivering results are values that Cydcor champions for our workplace.

Wardrobe can be a touchy subject, but how you present yourself will say a lot about you to a client or employer.  Basic grooming and hygiene is important to appearance, but wearing quality clothes that fit well, are pressed and clean will also show that you take pride in your work.

Improving you vocabulary and grammar is also an excellent way to communicate that you are a skilled professional.  You can improve your speech by joining a local Toastmasters group and improve your writing skills with a class or by reading books such as E.B. White’s The Elements of Style.

Would you like to join the Cydcor fleet of sales professionals? Find us at the Cydcor Careerbuilder page for open positions.