The first thing that you are going to want to do, here, is be sure that you are equipping your workers with some super comfortable chairs.  I mean, let us face it, reader.  Your workers are going to be getting a lot of mileage out of their chairs.  If your office is anything like my office, then your workers are pretty much sitting down all day long.  Of course, by providing them with nice, comfortable chairs, you can rest assured that they are not going to become angry or irritated throughout the day.  A comfy chair is perhaps the most important thing that you can buy for your workers when it comes to showing them that you care about their wellbeing.

Moving on, here, you are going to want to be sure that you are buying ergonomic products for your workers.  Ergonomic keyboards, for example, have been proven to combat the dreaded carpel tunnel syndrome, which is actually much easier to develop than you may think.  When your workers are sitting there typing away, they are actually putting their fingers and arms through quite a bit of stress.  By buying them some ergonomic keyboards, you are going to be able to guarantee that they are not hurting themselves too badly.

Of course, you are also going to want to be sure that your break room is nice and comfortable, too.  When your workers take their breaks, they should be able to relax fully and regain their morale.  As such, your break room is going to have to be equipped with the sorts of things that your workers need to relax.  Stick a nice, comfy couch in there, and for the sake of morale, do not make it against the rules to take a little cat nap in the break room.  Also, be sure that you equip your break room with a TV, so your workers can take their minds off of their projects for a few minutes at a time.  While these all seem like small changes, they are going to make a world of difference when it comes to keeping your workers happy and efficient.

I have written several blogs on the subject, now, so you should be able to tell that comfort is a pretty important issue when it comes to the overall morale of your office.  If you do not take comfort seriously when you are designing your office, then you are going to see your mistakes reflected in the faces of your workers.  And when it takes so little to make them happy, why not follow through and make sure that you are doing it?

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Are you sick and tired of feeling tired at the end of the work day?  Do you wish that you could give yourself a little bit more energy without drinking all of that coffee throughout the day?  Do you wish that you could get more into your work so that the time would pass faster?  Boy, do I know what you are talking about!  That much being said, I would like to offer you some advice as to how you can make the time pass a little bit faster when you are at work.  Do not worry, reader.  None of these things are going to get you in trouble!

First and foremost, you are going to want to figure out if you are any good at multitasking.  That is, you are going to want to figure out if you get distracted easily.  If you are not concentrating on your work, and if you are not getting very much work done, the time is going to pass much more slowly.  By keeping yourself active and engaged in your work, you are going to watch the hours fly by when you are at work.

Of course, it never hurts to appeal to a little bit of outside entertainment.  If you are not distracted easily, then you can put on some music to help you get your work done in a timely fashion.  One of my favorite things to do when the work day is dragging is put on a nice, entertaining classical station.  I find that classical music helps set the mood for working, and dually, it does not offend any of my coworkers.  If you have never tried this before, then I would suggest that you do so.

Now, if you know that you are REALLY focused, and that you are REALLY hard to distract, then you may trying listening to a podcast while you do your work.  These, of course, are going to be a lot more distracting than something like classical music, because people are going to be talking in your ear all day long.  If, however, you know that you are going to be able to handle it, and that it is not going to distract you too severely, then by all means, give it a shot.  I really love listening to podcasts while I work, personally.

Finally, reader, remember that it is very important that you take breaks throughout your work day.  Do not take more breaks than your employer permits, but take them when you need them.  Especially if you are doing a lot of typing or data entry, it is important that you get up, stretch, and rest your fingers for about fifteen minutes every two hours.  This is a medical fact, reader.  Just ask your doctor and he will tell you the exact same thing.  If you do not abide by this rule, then you run the risk of developing repetitive motion injuries.

As you can see, reader, it is not all that tricky to make your work day fly by.  You just have to keep yourself in check and be sure that you are doing all of the little things that keep you happy.  Once you commit to this kind of routine, you are going to find that your work days are flying by faster than you ever thought possible.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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There are many factors which need to be considered before you are thinking about furniture storage . The first thing that you need to think about is that, you need to store your furniture on short term basis or long term basis. If it is for a shorter duration then planning may be different, but long term planning needs some more considerations. For long term warehousing, you need to look for warehouses which have climate controlled options. Excessive heat, dampness or chillness may cause permanent damage to your furniture. Moreover, if you are residing in areas of severe climatic conditions then temperature controlled units become necessary. Besides this, you need to see that the place you choose for furniture storage is secured. Usually many companies have their warehouses located far away towards the outskirts of cities. These companies need to be checked with respect to their security measures and accessibility options too. It may happen that being remotely located transportation is a problem or safety may be a problem. It is best to take references from friends and relatives about these places, specially related to security and accessibility. But it is best to choose a facility that is near residential areas or similar places, since in such conditions your commutation costs can be reduced to a great extent.

When you decide to store your furniture think about the packing phase also, when all your furniture has to be well packed in boxes and crates. Many people prefer to pack the goods themselves while others take the help of professional experts. Professionals can do the best packing for you since they are trained and to a certain extent experts in packing. They can best advice you on packing materials, which items need to packed first, on the placement of items and also their specific placing when they are loaded on trucks and transportation vehicles. Furniture storage experts also advice you on their work procedure and method of warehousing so that you can be assured that

Furniture storage professionals take care of your worries from the beginning since your plan to move is conveyed to them and by the time their services are hired. The first task that most of the companies do is assessment of goods that need to be packed. They usually visit the client premises to make a physical verification of goods that need to be packed. Once this is done, they make a plan of the entire process and consult you for final approval and suggestions. Once they are confirmed your storing woes are reduced and many a times completely gone as you know your furniture is well stored.

Self Storage Prices

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Here are some reasons we don’t do call ahead orders; our food is made to order and never sits under any heat lamps, it’s not fair to the other customers who are waiting patiently for their food that they ordered when they got there. I really wanted to call him back and asked if we got disconnected, but I didn’t. Then, he shows up and it took all my power not to walk up to him and let him know that it was very rude to hang up on someone.

A day doesn’t go by in PhoneSmart’s call center that our representatives will be hung up on. One of reasons our self storage phone script contains a price stall is that some people are really just shopping around for prices and as soon as they get the price they are done with the phone call and sometimes will hang up. It’s a shame that some people can’t just end the call, they have to hang up.

Where are people’s manners? My only advice is to roll with the punches and don’t let it get you down. Just be positive and hope the next call will work out better.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive and business blog writer. Thanks for visiting PhoneSmart’s self storage blog, a blog about the self storage industry. PhoneSmart , your offsite sales force call center, located in Columbia, Missouri. Your local self storage unit provider in 2403 Rangeline, Columbia MO 65202 Total Quality Assurance Services Your all in one Quality Assuarance Portal

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Welcome to the Phone Smart self-storage blog, and inside view from the self-storage call center industry

PhoneSmart Your Offsite Sales Solution

Property Management Blog

Self Storage Search Engine Storage in: New York

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Well! This is supposed to be a slow time of year but at Phone Smart things are jumping.

We are all involved in some training, trying to hone our skills. There is the Secret Shopping and Evaluations and new stores are coming our way thick and fast. ( It’s all enough to turn a poor country girl’s head)

It seems that the new year has just begun but we are already thinking about February schedules. It has been unseasonably warm here. While other parts of our nation are recovering from devastations of last year and there are wildfires on the prairies, we have fared much better. We always have our share of wind and lightning but it seems that Missouri dodged the bullet pretty well last year.

There is a tingle of excitement here. New people are coming in; there are more Spanish speakers available. The new stores bring new learning experiences with them and the future seems to be only upward.

Somewhere in the last year and ½ that I have been here I have stopped thinking of it as
“just” storage. A good friend of mine here posted last month about her need to place her belongings in a safe place while she looked for a new place to live. She put a human face on the storage units that was not there for me before.

Most people going into storage are experiencing some problem or situation that leaves them with the possibility of losing things that precious to them during their discomfort. We offer to them a friendly voice and real help with their storage needs. We answer many questions that we feel are a good service to our store managers i.e. “what time does the gate close?” “What time can I get in tomorrow to pay my bill?” “are there bigger/smaller” units available?” “Will they be open on the holiday?”

We are here to serve and aim to please. We work hard and even find time to share a friendly moment with a co-worker. We keep moving. As my Father always remarked “Ain’t no flies on us”

KAY

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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On the next call we talked to a lady who said she was Jane
Who talked so slowly that she could drive you insane.
But she needed a 5×15 by this Thursday
And she needed to get it confirmed in the worst way.
So we took her numbers and set up her rez
And just toward the end of the phone call she says,

“Nick and I are trying to get all prepared
get the reindeer in shape and the tires on the sled all aired.
We need your unit to get ourselves staged
Since the hurricanes, tsunamis and flooding that raged
had displaced so many of the best girls and best boys,
That we need distribution points to deliver our toys.
We used to be able to do it all from home.
Last year we needed some help from a storage place in Nome.
And this year we are renting units in 27 different cities
Because we must have all the toys to all the kiddies
…By Christmas morning”

Well our call center rep did not know how to answer,
So she said, ”Give my greetings to Donner and Prancer
And of course Rudolph and the rest of the deer.’
To her surprise what was the next thing she did hear,
But a jolly deep voice in the background that shouted with might
“A merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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We will be closing the call center at 6:00 PM central time on Friday the 16th to allow all our employees to attend. All calls will be going to voicemail for your properties during this time. This is the first time we have ever closed the call center to have a celebration. And what a celebration it is going to be. Our staff decided the best way to get everyone to attend was to “Roast” me and have some fun at my expense. The first thought was actually a dunk tank, so everyone could throw balls at me and dunk me in cold water. Since it was close to winter time I thought a roast sounded warmer. I am sure I will be thoroughly embarrassed and that everyone will have a few good laughs.

We are also using the roast as a fund raiser for The Rainbow House in Columbia, MO.
( www.rainbowhousecolumbia.org ) The rainbow house is a shelter and service provider for children in difficult circumstances. Some children my have been removed from abusive households. Some are the children of a single parent who has recently become incarcerated. Some come from families who have recently become homeless and could no longer provide basic necessities.

We have been very fortunate. We have incomes, even though most of us would like to be able to move the decimal point on our pay checks over one space to the right. We have a place to call home, even if we don’t have enough room for our stuff and need a storage unit to help get organized.

Please go to the Rainbow house web site and make a contribution. It will make you feel better.

Five years is a big deal. Most new businesses never see a fifth year anniversary. There are always bumps and challenges in a new business. We rode them out and turned them into opportunities. We continued to hold on to our core mission, which is to provide excellent service to our internal and external customers while making money hand over fist for our clients and ourselves. We have met with a good deal of success. We are well known as a great company with very competent and very friendly sales people. We are also well known for the profits we create for our clients.

It has been my privilege to lead PhoneSmart through its early years and to work with all the great team members and clients along the way. I will also be recognizing some of our long term employees at the roast. Ten of our 25 team members have been with us for more than 2 years. Six have been with us 3 years or more. Our lead supervisor, Dana, will have her 5 year anniversary next week. This means we have a wealth of experience with which to serve you.

We wish you and yours the very best for this holiday season and for the new year!

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Many times a call forward order that sends your missed calls to us will evaporate when the telco is doing some other kind of work on your account. If you put in a work order, make sure the rep you are speaking with knows to maintain your call forward orders.

After the work is complete, check the lines to make sure the call fowrard orders are actually working.

thanks, Tron

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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My childhood sweetheart is inscribed on the very first panel. He left right after high school graduation with a promise that we would marry as soon as he fulfilled his obligation. He was struck down 5 months later, victim of sniper fire. (Rest in Peace my love)

A good friend of my younger brother, a goofy kid with a slightly crooked grin, a combat Marine, is listed slightly to the west of my darling. He fell to hostile ground fire 2 years later. (Semper Fi, little buddy.)

A young soldier listed as missing in action for 36 years is named a bit farther west on the wall. I had his POW bracelet since 1972 and have prayed for his return these many years. In July, 2005 he was finally positively identified and sent home. He was buried July 16, 2005 in his home town with full military honors. Some 1,800 Americans are still missing from this war alone. Do not miss the opportunity to stand and place your fingers on the names of our fallen and missing.

Today, once again our young men and women are in peril, giving all they have to insure our freedom. We take many calls here at PhoneSmart from military personnel who are being deployed to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq. We can’t all join the battle, but there is something that we can do for them and their families. When we help them with their storage needs, we can remember to tell them that we appreciate what they are doing for all of us. It may seem like a small thing but the soldiers and their families always express their thanks for the good word. May they come home soon.

-Kay

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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We had some unforseen challenges last night and this morning due to the carelessness of an excavator.

Sprint lost all its T1 lines in a large portion of the state of Missouri last night, but we are 80% recovered and should be 100% recovered any minute now.

According to the story that was told to us, last night a contractor laying water lines near Jefferson City Missouri cut the main bundle of cables that connects Sprint’s T1 lines for a big portion of the state of Missouri. So Sprint clients like us with T1 lines were completely S.O.L. We all lost phone and data service. This is the worst case scenario that is completely out of our control. All our redundancies would have come into play under just about any other scenario. The good thing about this kind of crisis is that there are some very big customers Sprint needs to take care of.

The lines that went down served the state government offices, the National Guard headquarters and some very large commercial customers. Our usage is teeny, tiny compared to some of them. So it is nice to have that kind of clout on your side when a large company like Sprint needs to get motivated.

Most of the repair was completed last night. The fix is not 100 % completed, but we had about 80% of our lines working by 10:00pm last night. We are transferring the paths of the remaining lines so they will be functioning any minute now. Thank you for your patience.

I know we are all glad we will not be receiving the repair bill that the excavator will be receiving from Sprint. You would think contractors have all heard enough horror stories like this that they would be more careful. The state of Missouri spends tons of money educating homeowners and contractors about these kinds of issues. You can usually get a utility line spotter to come out to a work site on the same day you call.

A few years before PhoneSmart opened a contractor cut data lines that served the entire downtown portion of Columbia, Missouri, our home town. It took two weeks to completely restore phone and data service and the contractor paid a huge fine. About one month after we opened an excavator laying fiber optic cable cut the T1 line that runs our side of the road. It didn’t take long for Sprint to wire around the break, but again, the contractor paid a huge fine.

Our redundancies can handle the local cable loss, but a state-wide event is beyond our capabilities. Perhaps when we grow to the next level and move some of our reps and some ouf our equipment into the virtual realm, we could just swing all our lines to our reps in other states.

I want to thank all our clients who have been patient and understanding during this difficult time. It is busy season and neither you nor I want to miss a single revenue opportunity.

thanks,Tron

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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