• What is call center training?;
• Importance of call center training;
• Types of call center training;
• Benefits of call center training;
• How to track the efficiency of your call center training program;
• The basic call center training methods;
• Top call center training strategies;
• Best practices for training call center agents;
• Call center training ROI;
• Call center agent training statistics;
• Best call center training courses;
• Train your call center agents to deliver high-level customer service.

What is call center training?

Call center training program is the specialized instruction aimed to empower customer service agents with essential skills and in-depth knowledge. It sharpens their abilities in areas like effective communication, troubleshooting, product familiarity, and managing challenging conversations, enhancing the overall customer engagement and satisfaction

Importance of call center training

For call center agents

Customer service training is not just essential but also transformative, both for call center agents and the business itself. Let’s examine how:

Addressing skill gaps:

Training provides an opportunity for agents to enhance their technical and soft skills along with phone etiquette. This includes improving communication techniques, learning about new product updates, and understanding customer behavior. It ultimately leads to agents becoming more efficient and confident in their roles.

Mitigating job dissatisfaction:

A well-trained call center agent is likely to experience increased job satisfaction. Understanding how to handle various scenarios and resolve customer issues effectively reduces stress and enhances job fulfillment.

Overcoming career stagnation:

Regular contact center learning can open up avenues for career advancement in the organization. Agents can take on more complex roles, enhancing their career prospects and contributing to the organization.

For business

Reducing negativity in customer relations:

Trained agents can handle customer queries and complaints more efficiently, leading to higher customer satisfaction levels. This directly influences customer loyalty and business reputation.

Fixes operational inefficiency:

Call center training programs help reduce errors and refine processes, contributing to overall operational efficiency. This can have a positive impact on service levels and response times, thus increasing productivity.

Lower staff turnover:

When agents receive continuous training and career development opportunities, it reduces staff turnover. Maintaining a stable, knowledgeable team saves on costs associated with recruitment and new staff training.

Types of call center training

Training comes in many flavors, each catering to specific needs and skill sets. Here’s a quick overview of the most popular types:

Soft skills training

This form of training focuses on developing interpersonal and communication skills, empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution. These soft skills are crucial for creating meaningful interactions and building strong relationships with customers.

Compliance training

Regulations and compliance standards are an integral part of any business. This type of training ensures that agents are well-versed in legal guidelines, industry-specific regulations, and company policies to avoid legal issues and maintain the company’s reputation.

Inbound sales training

For inbound call centers, sales training is vital. It provides agents with techniques to upsell and cross-sell, convert leads, and improve customer retention. It also focuses on developing a thorough understanding of products or services.

Technology training

Call centers use a variety of technologies, from basic software to advanced CRM systems and AI tools. Call center technology training helps agents efficiently navigate these tools, reducing handling time and enhancing service quality.

Product knowledge training

An in-depth understanding of the products or services being offered is key to effective customer service. This type of training equips agents with comprehensive knowledge about the product/service features, benefits, and potential issues, enabling them to resolve customer queries accurately and swiftly.

Multichannel support training

With customers reaching out via different channels (phone, email, chat, and social media), agents need to be proficient across all these platforms. Multichannel call center training program outline equips agents to deliver consistent service quality, irrespective of the communication channel.

Stress management training

Call center work can be stressful, with agents often dealing with challenging customer interactions. Stress management call center courses help them cope with pressure, maintain composure, and continue delivering high-quality customer service.

Each type of training plays a distinct role in shaping a competent call center agent and, consequently, a successful call center. The appropriate mix would depend on the specific requirements and goals of the call center.

Benefits of call center training

1. Enhanced brand representation: A well-trained agent becomes the voice of your brand, portraying it in the best light possible. They are better equipped to personify the company’s values and ethics in every interaction.
2. Informed decision-making: Contact center training aids in the development of agents’ decision-making skills. Empowered with the right information and skills, they can make quick, efficient, and informed decisions that positively impact the business.
3. Adaptability to change: Regular training prepares agents to adapt to changes, be it in technology, processes, or company policies. This adaptability ensures smooth transitions and uninterrupted service to customers.
4. Increased sales conversion: Call center training technique programs can equip agents with effective up-selling and cross-selling strategies. This not only enhances customer service but also increases sales conversion rates.
5. Risk management: Comprehensive training, especially in areas like data security and regulatory compliance, helps mitigate risks. It ensures agents are well-versed in the protocols to handle sensitive customer data and abide by industry regulations.
6. Improved customer satisfaction and loyalty: Effective training programs not only focus on technical skills but also emphasize customer relationship management. Well-trained agents are adept at understanding customer needs and providing personalized solutions. This leads to higher customer satisfaction, fostering long-term loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

How to track the efficiency of your call center training program

By monitoring specific call center metrics, you can assess the impact of your call center training ideas and identify areas for improvement. Here are some crucial metrics:

1. First Call Resolution (FCR): An increase in FCR indicates well-trained agents who can solve customer queries at the first point of contact, reducing call-backs and improving customer satisfaction. For example, if the rate of issues resolved on the first call increases from 60% to 80%, it signals effective training.
2. Average Handling Time (AHT): A reduction in AHT suggests that agents are effectively using their training to resolve issues more swiftly. If calls that used to take seven minutes now take five, your training is likely having a positive impact.
3. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): A rise in CSAT reflects enhanced customer service, often a direct result of an effective call center training strategy. If customer ratings climb from 3.5 to 4.5 out of 5 post-training, your program is making a difference.
4. Agent Turnover Rate: A lower turnover rate signifies increased agent satisfaction and effectiveness, typically fostered by comprehensive training. If agent attrition drops from 20% to 10% after implementing training, it’s a sign of success.
5. Call Quality & Call Abandonment Rate: Regular call quality assessments can measure how well agents apply their call center learning in real-time interactions. An improvement in quality scores after training indicates its efficacy.
6. Sales Conversion Rates: If your training includes sales techniques, an increase in conversion rates can indicate its effectiveness. For instance, if your conversion rate jumps from 10% to 15%, your sales training is probably working.

MightyCall offers advanced analytics and reporting features that can help you monitor these metrics with ease. Our system allows you to track call center agent performance, providing you with the insights you need to assess the efficiency of your call training program and drive continual improvement.

The basic call center training methods

Choosing the right method to deliver training is crucial in a call center environment. The ideal approach can vary depending on the specific needs of your team. Here are some common training methods and when to use them:

1. On-the-job training

On-the-job training is a hands-on approach where trainees learn by doing tasks in a real work setting under the supervision of a seasoned agent or a call center trainer. This method is best for providing practical experience and immediate application of new skills, especially for newly hired agents who need to understand their role quickly.

2. Classroom training

Classroom training is a traditional method that provides a structured and interactive learning environment. Instructors can deliver theoretical knowledge, explain processes, and answer questions. This method is best for introducing new concepts, systems, or policies to a large group of agents.

3. Online/e-learning

Agent training in a virtual call center or e-learning offers flexibility, as trainees can learn at their own pace and revisit the material when needed. It can include video tutorials, interactive quizzes, and webinars. This method is best for geographically dispersed teams, or when agents need to acquire new skills without disrupting their work schedule.

4. Role-playing

Role-playing is an interactive method where trainees act out scenarios they are likely to encounter on the job. It provides a safe space for call center representatives to practice dealing with difficult situations and receive feedback. This method is best for improving soft skills such as empathy, communication, and problem-solving.

5. Coaching and mentoring

Call center coaching and mentoring involve one-on-one instruction from a senior agent or coach. This approach offers personalized guidance and feedback, focusing on the specific needs of each trainee. It is best for continuous skill development and addressing individual performance issues.

Top call center training strategies

Building an efficient and customer-oriented call center requires effective training strategies. Here are some top-tier strategies that can enhance the employee experience and boost the performance of your call center agents:

1. Utilize a mix of training materials

Don’t limit your team to just one type of call center training material. Mix and match videos, audio clips, presentations, and hands-on activities to cater to different learning styles. For instance, visual learners may benefit more from videos, while auditory learners might prefer audio tutorials.

2. Engage a qualified trainer

A qualified call center trainer, knowledgeable about the call center industry and adult learning principles, can deliver training effectively. Their professional expertise and experience can provide valuable insights and real-life examples that will enrich the learning process.

3. Regular feedback sessions

Continuous feedback and call center training tips help agents identify areas of improvement and track their progress. Make it a point to conduct regular feedback sessions where constructive criticism and positive reinforcement are offered.

4. Foster a supportive environment

A supportive environment encourages agents to ask questions, share experiences, and learn from each other. Promote call center team collaboration and open communication to enhance the learning environment.

5. Ongoing training and development

Training shouldn’t end once agents are on the floor. Regular upskilling sessions can help agents stay updated with the latest industry trends, new technologies, and company policies.

6. Use real-life scenarios for role-playing

Role-playing exercises using real-life scenarios as call center training tips can prepare agents for real-life customer interactions. This hands-on approach allows agents to practice their communication and problem-solving skills in a safe environment.

7. Utilize technology

Incorporate the use of technology into your training. For instance, an e-learning platform can make training for call centers more accessible and convenient. Agents can learn at their own pace, and training can be tracked and managed more easily.

8. Incentivize training

Motivate your agents to engage in training by providing incentives. This could be in the form of rewards for high performance, opportunities for call center career advancement, or recognition among peers.

9. Adapt training to individual needs

Not all agents are the same. Some may need more training in certain areas than others. Tailoring your training to suit the individual needs of each agent can make the learning process more efficient and effective.

10. Incorporate soft skills training

Soft skills such as empathy, active listening, and problem-solving are crucial in a call center. Ensure these skills are incorporated into your training program to help agents deliver exceptional customer service.

Best practices for training call center agents

Training is an essential part of building a successful call center. Below are some top practices to consider while training your call center agents:

1. Set realistic and specific goals

Having clear objectives gives your training direction and helps agents understand what they need to achieve. Make sure the learning goals are attainable, relevant to their role, and time-bound. This approach ensures that call center agents know what is expected of them and can strive to meet these expectations.

2. Track and measure progress

Regularly having a performance review will help your agents’ progress and can provide insight into the effectiveness of your training program. Use metrics such as call handling time, customer satisfaction scores, and first call resolution rates to gauge progress. This data can help you adjust your training strategies as needed.

3. Encourage self-learning

Promote a culture of continuous learning within your call center. Provide resources and call center training tools that agents can use to learn at their own pace. Encouraging self-learning not only enhances agents’ skills but also fosters a sense of autonomy and initiative.

4. Create a safe learning environment

Agents should feel comfortable making mistakes during training. A safe learning environment allows them to learn from their errors and improve their skills without fear of repercussions. This fosters an open atmosphere that encourages growth and development.

5. Use real-time coaching

Immediate feedback during a live call can be very effective for reinforcing good behaviors and correcting mistakes. This method offers contact center agents the opportunity to learn in a real-world context, enhancing their learning experience.

Call center training ROI

Investing in call center training brings quantifiable rewards, enhancing both productivity and employee retention. According to the Harvard Business Review, 94% of employees say they would stay longer at a company that invested in their career development.

Moreover, a study revealed by Glint shows that a significant 97% of employees wish to either maintain or expand their learning opportunities. This demonstrates that learning and growth have become the strongest drivers of work culture.

Financially, the effects of comprehensive training programs are striking. As reported by Forbes, companies with formalized training programs yield 218% higher income per employee than those without. These companies also enjoy a 24% increase in profit margin. Thus, implementing robust online or in-house call center training is not just an investment in human resources—it’s a strategic move towards greater profitability.

Call center agent training statistics

Effective call center agent training is a key factor in call center performance and customer satisfaction. Consider these compelling statistics:

• According to a report from Calabrio, a whopping 70% of consumers believe that call centers should focus more on agent training instead of adding more channels like chatbots.
• The American Psychological Association reveals that customer-facing roles experience high levels of physical fatigue (53%), cognitive weariness (44%), and emotional exhaustion (40%). Proper training can equip contact center agents with the skills to manage such challenges.
• The APA also states that adults aged 25–42 want their employers to encourage time off, provide mental health resources, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Training plays a crucial role in fostering such a supportive environment.
• An improvement of just 1% in First Call Resolution (FCR) can reduce a call center’s operating costs by 1%. Moreover, contact centers that measure FCR through Voice of Customer (VoC) can anticipate an average ROI of 450%.
• Statistics show that inclusive training in call centers is crucial for retention: Hispanic and Black employees, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with disabilities are significantly more likely to seek new employment due to discrimination experiences, emphasizing the need for diversity and equity-focused training.

Best call center training courses

Here are some well-regarded courses:

• Customer Service Fundamentals by Coursera: This course provides a comprehensive call center training guide to management, customer service, and team leadership.
• Inbound Call Center Certification by The Call Center School: An in-depth program focusing on customer service skills and inbound sales strategies for call center agents.
• Managing Difficult Customers by ICMI: Offers a complete understanding of contact center strategies for conflict resolution and stress management.
• Customer Service Skills by Alison: A free course that teaches excellent service skills, ideal for call center agents.
• Mastering Call Center Skills by Udemy: A course focusing on operational excellence, team management, and improving key performance metrics.

These call center agent training programs will help to enhance your agents’ skill set and increase their proficiency in call center operations.

Train your call center agents to deliver high-level customer service

Investing in call center training not only enhances your agents’ skills but also bolsters customer satisfaction and overall business performance. From mastering various training types, leveraging effective strategies, to tracking progress with the right metrics, it’s essential to harness these tools for success. With MightyCall’s multitude of call monitoring, analytics, and training features, you can better manage your call center operations and promote continuous learning among your agents. Start your journey towards a more skilled, confident, and customer-focused call center with us today.

The post Call Center Training: Full Guide for Making Your Agents Totally Skilled first appeared on MightyCall.

Today’s consumer-oriented economy lives in a state of heightened expectations and allows no “twilight zone”. You’re either on board the trend or are thrown offboard by a competitor. Companies vie with each other to provide omnichannel customer support.

Meanwhile, on the consumer side, it’s not just variety as much as speed, accessibility, and personalization that seal the deal:

• 66% of clients define time as the decisive factor in customer experience
• 90% of customers want an “immediate” response to their challenges– i.e. one that takes 10 minutes or less
• 65% of clients expect real-time help regardless of the customer channel used

As a result, only a unified and structured core of support channels can set the foundation of deep customer loyalty.

What’s the Optimal Number of Contact Channels for a Business?

With the plethora of service options available, you may be wondering – how many customer channels does my business really need?

Three factors are decisive when choosing contact channels:

• They are where your audience is – taking into account your TA’s age, demographics, and business growth strategy
• They don’t exhaust your team’s capabilities  – e.g. if you’re a solopreneur, managing many service points will result in poor service across all of them
• You plan to consistently keep, update, and develop the chosen channels

If you’re on the small business side, an optimal number of contact channels is about 3-4 well-serviced options. Larger businesses can opt for 5+ main contact points.

15 Customer Channels to Propel Customer Service

1. Phone support

There’s a reason the phone tops this list. At a customer satisfaction rate of 91%, it’s the customer contact channel that consumers naturally reach out for. Not only is the phone the most “humanized” and quickest to solve customer issues, but it’s also the first point of contact for multiple businesses.

However, phone support isn’t limited to a phone number and a customer service representative on the other end. A company phone that is a highly-rated service channel (not just a first point of contact) needs to have:

1. A business phone number that’s either local, toll-free, or vanity
2. Informative and professional voicemail and on-hold greetings
3. A simple call flow that reduces waiting time to the minimum

The last point is particularly poignant: 33% of customers admit they’re downright “frustrated” with on-hold waiting and having to repeat their issues to agents from various departments, so make sure your business phone system supports IVR and visual call flows (you can read more on that here). On the business side, phone support grows your customer base, makes remote support incredibly easy (your support agents can work from home), and fits virtually any industry.

Best for: Local businesses, e-commerce, technology services/product companies, non-profit organizations

2.AI Chatbot

Chatbots are now so advanced, they’re able to handle 69% of chats from start to finish, providing satisfactory CX without taking up any time on behalf of the business.

Think of a chatbot as an automated FAQ section on your website. It’s a neat and handy solution for industries like online businesses where most of the questions your site visitors have (e.g. pricing, particular offers, availability, etc.) are non-technical and repetitive in nature.

Really smart chatbots aren’t “out of the box” solutions. They must be trained to know your business inquiries and needs, so make sure you understand the specifics of setting up a chatbot or hire a professional to do the job.

Best for: Online service businesses, travel & hospitality, e-commerce

3. Multilingual chatbot

Chatbots are indispensable for answering FAQs without constant input on the business side. This saves a business tons of time and resources on employees. But for an international business, chatbots are also smart translation assistants that can secure otherwise lost leads.

Multilingual chatbots are indispensable for handling customer requests in the international market. Go for multilingual chatbots that offer AI-powered real-time translation and can automatically translate input from a variety of languages to the bot’s “native” tongue.

Best for: International e-commerce, international services, international travel & hospitality, etc.

4. Live chat

As runner-up to phone support, live chat wins the heart of 85% of customers in terms of customer satisfaction and functionality.

Our product managers constantly mention the importance of live chat  – it’s our favorite customer service channel. If AI chat/chatbots can solve the frequently asked questions of online business clients in the non-tech sector,  companies selling and servicing SaaS products cannot underestimate the importance of live chat.

Train your specialists to solve frequent tasks in live chat, but in the case of more serious issues, instruct them on quickly delegating the problem over to phone agents. (By the way, this is simple with a feature like Conference Calling/ Consultative Call)
Best for: Digital/technology companies, e-commerce, online businesses

5. Social media platforms

For Millenial and GenZ audiences as well as e-commerce businesses that primarily market their products through social media, develop social media as one of your primary points of contact.

According to Microsoft, 74% of millennials report that their perception of a brand improves when it is clear the company responds to customers’ social media inquiries (and nowadays, that’s clearly visible on the profile page).

But social media isn’t just about answering messages from potential clients. It’s a useful practice to incorporate customer support into your wider social media strategy and answer frequently asked questions in your stories or posts on a regular basis, in this way turning your profile into a customer reference channel in itself.

Best for: E-commerce businesses, online services, hospitality, digital businesses

6. Business messengers

With over 2 billion active monthly users, WhatsApp is where the world (or at least a quarter of it) chats. WhatsApp Business is a newer business offspring, but many new businesses already choose it as their two-in-one virtual storefront + contact point.

E-com businesses, in particular, can showcase their online storefront and communicate with customers directly through business messengers like WhatsApp. Moreover, you can integrate WhatsApp Business with your business phone number so customers have a single contact point for your business but many possibilities!

Best for: E-commerce, online services, bookings, digital businesses

7. Business SMS

Reports show that one-third of customers attempted to seek assistance via SMS sent to the company number. Easier than finding the company’s profile on social media etc. this is a fast option for anyone who already knows your business number – and that’s a lot of people!

For a business that hasn’t included business SMS into their customer strategy, customer satisfaction may be lost (not to mention opportunities for SMS marketing). If you aren’t sure how to start with business SMS, this business texting etiquette guide will help you get started.

Best for: Local businesses, online businesses, bookings, hospitality

8. Google my Business

​​When searching for a local business online, a Google My Business listing will be the first thing a prospective customer sees. If you don’t have a Google My Business listing yet, are a local business without a storefront,  or don’t know if your business needs one, check out this handy post.

If you already have a basic listing, be sure to add key information like a complete profile, reviews, and even blog posts. For example, Google My Business now offers live messaging so people can contact you right from the listing, turning it from a reference point into a customer interaction (and satisfaction) tool.

Best for: Local businesses

9. Video chat

Think back to the last time when a support technician attempted to explain to you over the phone how to troubleshoot an issue (e,g, connect those pesky TV or PC cables). Wouldn’t it have been so much faster and more satisfying to have them show, not tell?

If over the course of that conversation you felt completely stuck, you’re certainly not alone. Reports show that 23% of consumers seek out a face to face interaction when troubleshooting more complicated issues like tech ones.

If you’re a tech company, just imagine how many customers will leave positive reviews after a quick visual solution instead of a lengthy lecture. This option may not be highlighted on your web page, but be technically capable of and ready to provide it on demand.

Best for: Technology companies; digital/SaaS products

10. Email

In the age of social media, email may seem almost old-school, but it’s still a classic channel for servicing clients. In fact, 57% of customers say they prefer email, along with social media, as a communication channel.

Email is a particularly useful service tool for clients checking up on less urgent requests, bookings, and appointment scheduling as well as foreign/international customers who are most comfortable contacting the business via writing.

Best for: Local businesses, travel & hospitality, professional practices (e.g. medical, law, etc.), international businesses, e-commerce, non-profit organizations

11. Online groups and communities

People turn to internet communities  – from Reddit and Quora to business and tech groups, to solve the widest variety of problems. Often when deciding on a product or service, they’ll voice their concerns in an independent online group or community, rather than ask a company’s “subjective” opinion.

That’s why it makes particular sense to have your support agents invisibly present in the online world. For example, set up Google Alerts for free so that when your company is mentioned anywhere across the web, you are first to know and offer help in a timely fashion.

Best for: Online businesses

12. Web contact form

Why have a “Contact Us” form on your business website when you have e-mail? While the difference is truly slight, Contact Us buttons and forms may be placed on different pages of the website and are simple to spot.

That said, contact forms do have a much lower conversion rate than other channels discussed above. This means that contact forms can definitely be an auxiliary help means for your customers (and if you have one, don’t forget to check it regularly – these do tend to get abandoned), but feel free to not focus on them as a primary service channel.

Best for: Online service businesses

13. Site forum

If you’re in a membership-based industry where there’s communication going on between different members, a forum is a useful form of community support. Although the conversation is going on between members of a club and sometimes they will feel more comfortable asking each other for help, these interactions are still a part of the “customer experience” and should be monitored. Ensure that any important questions members have are addressed and resolved by your team members.

Best for: Membership-type businesses and online clubs

14. FAQ

According to Forester, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of a business website is the most frequently used self-service option for customers. As a quick reference point, most customers check this section out as a first option when they have a question to address.

Businesses should ensure that the FAQ page is clearly visible to website visitors. It should answer the most frequent inquiries from previous customers and be constantly updated to match changes in products/services.

Best for: online service businesses, digital/tech businesses, e-commerce, travel& hospitality, international businesses

15. Support pages

Why create these if you already have FAQ and other multi-channel support options set up across your website? With 77% of customers using self-service portals and the DIY trend augmented by Millenials and GenZ, the more of these your business has, the better.

While Support pages are not necessary for many types of businesses, they are essential for digital and technology product businesses. For example, our company has detailed instructions on setting up various features of our business phone system. Whatever your product, create a knowledge base on using it and regularly update it.

Best for: Tech/digital businesses

Tips on Choosing Customer Service Channels

Now that you have a shortlist of options fitting your industry (based on the above recommendations) let’s eliminate the unnecessary options. To do so, we’ll paraphrase the ancient Delphic oracle and follow two commandments:

1. Know thyself

Discuss the following questions with your team. They will help evaluate and brainstorm your customer strategy.

• How many customer representatives are on your team?
• How many customer support channels can they comfortably attend to and develop?
• What technology or tools from the shortlist are they comfortable with? What’s new?
• What new means are you willing to integrate into your help strategy?

2. Know thy customer

Your target audience (TA) determines your customer strategy across many points. To understand more about how your customers (prospective and existing) wish to reach you, answer the following questions.

• What’s the primary first point of contact for your business (website, social media, local listings, ads, etc.)?
• How many support requests do you handle per day?
• The demographics of your audience (age, geography)
• Is your audience tech-savvy? (low, average, professional)

If you’re hesitant about your audience’s needs, including the customer platforms your TA needs you to be present on, always ask. Ask customers how they want to talk to you, what matters for them, and listen to why it’s important. Feedback is what keeps the world of business rotating.

3. Prioritize channels that align with your brand image and values.

• Which customer support channels align with your brand image and values, such as email, phone, or chat?
• How do your brand values and image impact the choice of customer support channels?
• Which customer contact channels, such as social media or local listings, are most effective for reaching your target audience?
• How can you integrate these channels into your customer support strategy?

4. Assess the cost of each channel.

• What are the costs associated with each customer support channel, including technology, staffing, and training?
• Which channels are most cost-effective for your business?
• How much resource allocation is required for different customer support channels and customer contact channels?
• What is the cost-benefit analysis of investing in each channel?

5. Provide multilingual support.

• Do your customers speak different languages, and how does this affect your customer support strategy?
• What are the language requirements of your target audience, and how can you provide support in multiple languages?
• Which channels are most effective for providing multilingual support, such as phone, chat, or email?
• What tools or resources are needed to provide multilingual support across different channels?
• Can you partner with a translation service provider to assist with customer support interactions?

How to Improve Existing Customer Service Channels

If you want to additionally (or entirely) focus on existing points of contact with your customers, here’s what you can do to improve communication.

1. Revamp existing customer service channels

Reinventing is often better than reinvesting. Most probably, you already have several channels for contacting customers. The reason you’re here is that you are looking to expand on that. But before you do that, see how you can improve what you’ve got.

Here are a few questions to ponder:

• What channels are my customers actively using?
• What channels have been “ghosted” by my customers?
• Am I still investing time/effort/money into rarely used support channels?
• What are some actionable points to improve the top 3 service points that I will prioritize? (e.g. what business features does my phone support lack; how well do I use social media as a help point; what’s the success rate for my chatbot and how can I improve it?

2. Evaluate the quality of service you provide

Omnichannel support is terrific. But it’s not just the quality as much as the quality that your audience is after.

If you have a team of several people or are a digital/tech or e-com company with several departments, the easiest means to evaluate the level of support is to actively monitor it. In this respect, we suggest call recording.

Call recording is a perfectly legal and safe way to up your game in terms of service. It can be used as a tool to evaluate your support team’s performance, make adjustments, and take note of customer questions and concerns to improve other channels.

Customer Service Quality Isn’t Expensive – It’s Priceless

With modern, cost-cutting technology like a business phone system, AI or Live Chat systems, and online communication platforms, even the smallest business can roll out a strong support strategy. No big investments needed.

Add to that a strong feedback loop and the goal of turning business interactions into a personalized, caring, human-to-human experience, and 5-star reviews from loyal customers will be merely a natural side-effect of your enviable support strategy.

The post 15 Customer Channels to Propel Your Customer Service first appeared on MightyCall.

Who Are Fitpreneurs?

Fitpreneurs are the fit and energetic entrepreneurs who manage to keep up a six-pack while managing a seven to eight-figure business. These are the leaders who shrug shoulders at the mention of their already packed schedule and say, “If Mark Zuckerberg can fit in a workout, so can I”.

Indeed, it’s no secret that the owner of Facebook is super punctual about his workout sessions and even openly shares them with the world. But outside the framework of Silicon Valley, is fitpreneurship more than a fashionable high-end trend?

What does it take to be a ‘fitpreneur” when you’re running a small business? How does a healthy lifestyle inspire productivity? What does it take to get started and exactly how much time should you be prepared to give your most important business asset — your health?

We asked five small business CEOs who also happen to be fitpreneurs, why exactly fitness makes all the difference in their lives — and how it can change yours.

Meet Our Fitpreneurs

“We spend about 120 hours a week awake. Dedicating 3 of them to fitness isn’t asking a lot.
— Dmitry Lepikhov, CEO,  MightyCall“

In the world of IT, innovation sparks a perpetual race to exceed not only your competitors but your own achievements. Nowhere do things change on such momentary notice as in software development where a sharp mind is more vital than ever.

Dmitry Lepikhov, our very own CEO at MightyCall, knows how to stay ahead of the competition and inspire the whole team by bringing his most productive self to work.

“Sports is what makes my working hours incredibly more productive,” says Dmitry. “When I go for a run after work, it’s a great way to shift gears so I can easily fit another 2-3 hours of work in the evening. Even if I’m not working later on, my body is incredibly refreshed and grateful for that exercise.”

Dmitry likes to keep his fitness training diverse, that’s why he’s particularly enthusiastic about triathlon. “I do triathlon training for one hour, three times a week,” Dmitry shares. “Triathlon is a multisport race made up of running, cycling, and swimming, so you’re doing something different during each workout. I’m not in it for the Ironman race, but for the satisfaction that comes from endurance sport and the fantastic competition drive.”

“Don’t think about what you have to give up, think about what you’ll gain.
— Lauren McManus, co-founder, Create an Go“

For many, the ability to manage a business while traveling the world seems like a dream job. However, when you’re the co-founder of a million-dollar-per year business blog, traveling is also part of the job. In fact, it’s as simple to get glued to a plane seat and laptop as it is for the regular CEO to get glued to their office.

For co-founder of Create and Go Lauren McManus, a healthy lifestyle coincided with becoming an entrepreneur. Or perhaps, that was no accident?

“When I was still in a 9 to 5 work environment, I used to watch people coming back from lunch completely exhausted and unable to do anything for the rest of the day because they ate garbage on their break,” says Lauren. “That’s why when I finally took the leap to start my own business, health and wellness was always at the forefront of my mind…The days I was eating the most healthy foods were the days I got the most work done.”

In addition to healthy nutrition, Lauren prefers exercise that can be flawlessly integrated into her workday. “A few times a week I’ll take a walk through the town or a hike in the wilderness,” Lauren shares. “When that’s not an option though, I’m doing yoga and other similar strength-building exercises.”

“The hour it takes for me to go to the gym saves 2 hours in work time.
— Kean Graham, CEO, Monetize More“

Running an ad tech company with 100+ team members plus traveling for 12 months of the year may seem enough of a workout for a healthy, young leader.

Kean Graham, CEO of Monetize More, thinks differently. Without waiting for tomorrow, he’s making an investment into his future health and feeling the benefits of a fit lifestyle.

“I’ve played sports all my life, so staying active has always been a habit,” Kean shares. “[However], it’s not till later in my life [that I] really started to value the health benefits. I am so much more physically and mentally capable than people my age…because I eat well and stay active.”

Kean’s fitness method combines regular sports activities including squash, tennis, soccer, basketball, beach volleyball and golf. However, he says it’s the simple but intense activity between work that affects his productivity most. “I fit in intense activity 1 – 2 times per day intertwined with my work schedule,” Kean shares. “I only work in 3-hour stints max and take breaks with physical or social activities.”

“Work-out time is non-negotiable.
— Kristin Marquet, owner,  FemFounder”

As the owner of a business consultancy for femalepreneurs, a boutique PR company, and a fashion/lifestyle magazine to boot, NYC-based CEO Kristin Marquet has a lot on her hands at any given moment.

If founding and running three different businesses isn’t enough of a multi-tasking feat, wait till you hear how Kristin gracefully balances her business schedule with en pointe classes.

“I always led an active life from childhood and wanted to maintain those habits as I’ve gotten older,” Kristin explains. “I love working out…[it helps me] think more clearly and be more productive at work.”

Kristin’s favorite activities include running five days per week and en pointe practice twice per week. These ballet classes go back to her childhood immersion in dance. “If I miss workouts for a week or more, then my mind gets foggy and I feel sluggish,” Kristin says, adding that she spends “anywhere from four to ten hours per week” staying active and fit.

“An open attitude towards a healthy lifestyle is contagious.
— Michael Landsberg, CEO, Landsberg Bennett Private Wealth Management”

His name isn’t Elon Musk and he’s not the Tesla CEO and father of five who works up to 100 hours per week, but he’s a father of three and CEO of his own private wealth management company.

Michael Landsberg may well embarrass all business-parents out there who sigh, “You’re kidding, right?” at the mention of sports.

“To fit workouts in, you sometimes need to be creative,” Michael explains. “Like a lot of children, my children play sports, and there are a lot of practices. After dropping [them] off, I see most parents will either be on their phones or talking…I make sure to bring my running clothes and shoes. While my soccer-playing son is practicing on one field, I can run 6-8 miles circling all the soccer fields. It makes complete sense to use the time wisely for something productive.”

Michael also takes care to inspire a healthy lifestyle among his team. “I’m in business to help people,” Michael says, “and to help them, you must be able to work at a high level. [In] the office, we converted one of the storage rooms into a fitness center complete with a treadmill, an elliptical, and a peloton bike. … It dramatically increases morale and workplace satisfaction.”

Become a Fitpreneur

Exercise is beneficial not only for your health but also for your business’s success. Daily physical activity, such as active walking, increases brain cell connections, enhances memory capacity, and cultivates crucial leadership qualities like resilience, courage, and inspiration.

Incorporating regular exercise into your routine is simple and can include activities such as gym workouts, yoga classes, or running with your pet. Prioritizing your physical fitness can help you thrive in the business world by fostering valuable characteristics that are essential for successful leadership.

For on-the-go communication with your clients, you can always use MightyCall’s virtual phone system for small businesses. Stay connected from anywhere and take advantage of our limited-time offer to equip yourself with the tools to tackle any business challenge and become a successful fitpreneur.

The post 5 Fitpreneurs on How a Healthy Lifestyle Fuels Productivity first appeared on MightyCall.

Working collaboratively is a staple of the medical field, but it’s a major understatement to limit it to the healthcare industry. As modern professionals in sectors as varied as business, education, legal, research, and even the travel industry share, the rewards of professional collaborative practices embrace both the experts and their clients.

Below, we’ll explore how interprofessional partnerships maximize professional output and will give actionable tips for everyone at the table to leave their differences behind and reach productive solutions.

Navigate:

• What Is Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC)?
• Interprofessional Collaboration Examples
• Benefits of Interprofessional Collaboration
• Intercollaboration Drawbacks
• Main Barriers to IPC
• How Do You Develop Interdisciplinary Collaboration?
• IPC Is the Synergy We Need to Succeed

What Is Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC)?

Interprofessional collaboration is a mode of professional cooperation where experts from two or more industries or backgrounds work together on a set task. The unique expertise that each member brings into the group allows for faster and more insightful solutions. Intercollaboration is highly important in medicine, education, business, research, legal practice, and practically any field that can benefit from the exchange of ideas.

Think of team members as individual working parts of a big machine that, with interprofessional collaboration, keep the wheels turning. When it comes to ideas and efforts […] this type of teamwork creates a common goal that your entire organization is working together to achieve.

– Trey Ferro, CEO, Spot Pet Insurance

Interprofessional Collaboration Examples

Interprofessional partnerships are a common aspect of healthcare. The synergized work of medical professionals can make a life-changing difference for a patient. However, it’s harder to find an industry that would not benefit from interprofessional relations. As renewable energy resources entrepreneur Alan Duncan reminds us, ‘If you want to be successful, you need to bring together the best and brightest minds from different fields.”

Healthcare

Interprofessional collaboration in healthcare is a practice where different specialists work together to diagnose and treat patients – most often, those that require input from several medical experts. Since time is a critical factor in medicine, interprofessional collaborative practice can reach solutions that doctors would’ve taken months to accomplish on their own, thus saving lives in the process.

Examples include:

• Interprofessional practice between different departments and/or clinics assessing a complex patient
• Doctors working in close alliance with nurses and technology specialists and making patient rounds together
• Cross-department education for healthcare students and interns
• Simplified information sharing between departments and medical clinics

Collaboration is very useful in my field. Neurologists, physical therapists, and ENTs can all provide very useful information, which gives more context to a particular patient’s symptoms and can help to elucidate a complex constellation of symptoms and provide insight.

– Dr. Amy Sarow, Doctor of Audiology 

Business

How does interprofessional collaboration work in a business context? You may hear it referred to simply as “professional collaboration”. Usually, companies focus on internal collaborative practices. One such example is an agile working structure with cross-functional teams. Instead of handing the project back and forth between departments for review, teams work together in a single space and solve issues on the go. However, companies may also interact with each other through knowledge sharing. This is an important and highly effective partnership opportunity.

Examples include:

• Cross-functional teams, also known as multidisciplinary teams, where specialists from different fields work together on a common task
• Open partnership between experts within a single organization
• Knowledge sharing between companies and employees
• Several experts attending to customer needs

Our team members collaborate and set their goals for selling products within a specific time limit and find ways to improve customer retention. In the e-commerce industry, this helps to achieve sales targets and retain customers. 

– Angus Chang, Founder, Iupilon

Education

Collaborative alliances in the education system occur in both student learning and between teachers to improve educational practices. Another aspect is interprofessional education (IPE) – when students from different departments study and work on projects together to deepen their learning.

Examples include:
Interdisciplinary learning for students and interns
Extracurricular activities for students from different fields
Knowledge exchange between teachers in shared learning environments, classrooms, collaborative workshops and seminars

Legal

Legal practices can encourage the exchange of ideas with professionals from complementing fields. The purpose of such interprofessional communication is to streamline services and provide a holistic approach to customer concerns.

Examples include:

• Attorneys cooperating with accounting, finance, estate planning, and tax experts
• Learning exchange between legal and finance experts
• Solving complex client cases together

A comprehensive business retirement plan will likely require the services of one or more of: an estate attorney, a financial planner, a business valuator, a business attorney, a business broker, a CPA, a tax attorney, and perhaps others. My role as the exit plan architect is to provide business consulting expertise to complement the other specialists that may be required, as well as to lead the team. Leading the team ensures that we all understand the retiring business owners’ goals and values, that all our work is coordinated and synchronized with each other, exit plan components are delivered on a committed time basis, and to design, develop, and deliver the exit plan. It’s a highly collaborative, consultative process.

– Don McCrea, Ph.D., Family & Small Business Exit Plan Architect, Your Business Legacy 

Research

Once upon a time, the double helix structure of DNA was discovered through interdisciplinary collaboration between four experts from different backgrounds. In the same way, we recently saw modern researchers working together on COVID vaccines to ease the global crisis. When done with respect to the intellectual property of all parties, collaborative research drastically speeds up scientific developments and sparks discoveries.

Examples include:

• Cross-departmental partnerships within one facility
• Interdisciplinary research and shared projects between research facilities across the country or even across the world
• Learning opportunities between researchers and other experts

Benefits of Interprofessional Collaboration

When several qualified people bring their minds to a specific task, things are bound to work faster, smoother, and a common solution is sparked.

Think of a crew team being stranded in a still lake in a boat where all the oars are attached on one side. No matter how hard they work, they’re going to go around in circles. The benefit of IPC is you have someone coming at the challenge from another side, which is their expertise. That perspective, which is outside of your experience, will help you get to where you want to go.

– Melinda Marcus, Psychologist, President, Influence Advisors 

Here are the advantages our experts mentioned when talking about their collaborative experiences.

• Efficient brainstorming – collaborative teams bring rich and diverse ideas to the table. In this respect, the more diverse your experts are, the more fun you’ll have during the brainstorming session.
• Skill development – knowledge sharing is powerful in developing interdisciplinary skills. Find yourself spending time with an expert in a complementary field, and your own skill set will naturally expand.
• Increased productivity – interprofessional teams work faster while adding quality, thus saving each other time.
• Wide access to information – with input from people who think in different ways, you are presented with a greater scope of knowledge
• Increased team competency – the sense of camaraderie between experts develops communication, empathy, respect, and other soft skills bound to bring value to the workplace
• Energy preservation – Combined teams solve errors faster than one expert alone can do. This conserves resources and propels solutions.
• People-oriented, result-driven work – In all fields, the focus of cooperation is to bring the most value to the end result – whether that is the most effective treatment for the patient, new life-saving discoveries, business growth, or customer care.

Intercollaboration Drawbacks

The definition of interprofessional collaboration implies lots of communication. But as any interaction between people with different backgrounds and experiences proves, listening doesn’t always mean hearing.

One of the biggest challenges is managing different personalities and egos. When you have a lot of people with different opinions working together, it can be difficult to keep everyone happy. If teams are not properly coordinated, it can lead to confusion and frustration.

– Alan Duncan, CEO, Solar Panels Network USA 

Take a look below, and you’ll notice that most of these “cons” have something in common: the inability to hear each other.

• Conflicts of opinion – When alliances occur on a wider level, such as several experts coming together to resolve a problem, opposing professional opinions may clash. At this point, the outcome depends on your ability to keep the end goal in mind (who/what you are doing all this for), mediate, and come to a common denominator.
• Power struggles – In an environment where two or more people are experts in their field, who has the final word? Power and domination struggles may occur in collaborative environments where people are more concerned about status than solutions.
• Professional jargon – Many industries have a specific language which is second nature in their own field but incomprehensible and quite a nuisance to outsiders. Limit jargon in reports and during conversations with specialists outside of your field.
• Interpersonal differences – We’re all human, and when working with another individual or group, interpersonal relationships may get in the way of effective work. The most common clashes are on the level of ego and criticism, so focus on empathy and watch out for impulsive behavior.

Main Barriers to IPC

We already talked about the possible drawbacks you may experience when working on a shared task with other experts. However, experts that encountered them point out that each of these are reversed through paying attention to the environment that your interactions are brewing in.

As psychologist Melinda Marcus points out,

“Drawbacks arise when the problem-solving sessions are not facilitated by someone who knows how to make sure every voice is heard and nobody dominates.”

Eliminate the following roadblocks, and you’ll eliminate most challenges:

• Poor organization – Interprofessional communication isn’t just an informal brainstorming session between two experts. It needs a clear organizational structure. When the role of each person in the room and their input is poorly defined, interaction becomes chaotic and results in conflict.
• Miscommunication – According to experts, poor communication is one of the most frequent barriers to successful interaction on an interprofessional level. Miscommunication includes both the inability of the parties to clearly and respectfully communicate their point of view, and the lack of technology to keep conversations and ideas organized.
• Undefined goals – If one of the parties doesn’t know exactly why they are in the room, what the common goal of the project is, and importantly, what the goal of their personal participation is, they become the spoke in the wheel of your project, impeding the progress of others.
• Unprofessional mindset – Each member should have an equally professional approach to the task. People may be from different professional backgrounds, but make sure they have similar professional standards and values. Unprofessionalism may result in anything from disrespect to violations of intellectual property.
• Different workplace cultures – The overall company or organizational culture has a huge influence on the collaborative environment. Some organizations are agile and have cross-functional teams. For them, interaction with an outside expert is just an extension of everyday practices. Others have a strict vertical structure. When two and more different workplace cultures clash in one environment, solutions are more difficult to achieve.

How Do You Develop Interdisciplinary Collaboration?

You can eliminate many problems by foreseeing them ahead of time. If you want to start cooperation with another expert (or several) off the right foot, start with a clear agenda. You can always adapt things on the go, but being clear on expectations is key to a successful start.

Having a set list of things you want to achieve …is the best way to make cooperation effective and efficient and ensure [it] is done with a purpose and both parties gain something. For example, I do this when collaborating with retailers.

– Keith Terell, Founder and CEO, Backpacks Global 

1. Identify barriers – Do any of the barriers we discussed above apply to your environment? And if you’re already in the middle of talks, what main challenges are you experiencing? Write down any personal barriers as well and see how you can facilitate their resolution.
2. Establish clear values and objectives – It’s best to do this at the planning stage, but it’s never too late to update your partner(s) on your values and goals if you’re swaying away from them.
3. Be patient – Several different opinions and points of view may be difficult to process and harmonize, but they widen your perspectives. Stay patient and respectful, and you’ll come to a common denominator sooner than you think.
4. Use technology to close communication gaps – People who have access to digital tools are up to 17% more satisfied with their job and workplace culture. When engaging in interprofessional teamwork, rely on visual project management software like Trello to keep everyone on the same page and a modern business phone system like MightyCall to keep the conversation flowing on all devices. Employees can have their own extensions and easily access their work conversations, messages, voicemails, and transcripts from any mobile device, not just their desk phone.
5. Plan your time – Separate brainstorming time from vetting ideas and making decisions. Remind everyone that criticism will not be tolerated during brainstorming which is a conflict-free time for exploring solutions.
6. Identify a mediator – A clash of opinions is bound to happen occasionally. Mediators help keep everyone focused on the goal of the problem-solving session and keep the atmosphere professional and neutral.
7. Rethink your workplace culture – Employee turnover rates decrease by 50% in collaborative-minded workplaces. Even if this isn’t a staple of your organization, improved internal relations are positive for everyone.
8. Inspire and reward co-workers – If you’re a company or organizational leader, encourage teamwork skills like open communication, respect, problem-solving, and horizontal leadership. You can also try virtual team-building activities for a simple and stress-free way to bond on a human level.

IPC Is the Synergy We Need to Succeed

Global industrial leader Ratan Tata once said, “If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together.”. Interprofessional collaboration is about the synergy that not only solves a problem but sparks unprecedented ideas and discoveries that could have never been achieved by one mind.

Synergy united to purpose is one of the greatest drivers of historical breakthroughs – in healthcare, science, business, and practically any field of ideas. Such efforts expand each individual’s core competency and put selfless service first – be it through helping a patient, client, or organization. Achieving this through direct, respectful communication and an unprejudiced mind is what will take us both fast and far in solving any challenge.

The post Understanding Interprofessional Collaboration: How It Works & Why It’s Important first appeared on MightyCall.

More importantly, it’s the laptop lifestyle that has changed the game of how we do business. Here, we’ll be going over just exactly how you can benefit from these changes. In particular, we’ll be focusing on how small businesses have had to adjust and the new possibilities and technologies which have emerged to help businesses do so.

In this post:

• What is the laptop lifestyle?
• How does the laptop lifestyle help businesses?
• How do you start a laptop lifestyle?
• Tools needed to start a laptop lifestyle

What is the laptop lifestyle?

The laptop lifestyle is the offshoot of the digital revolution, allowing business owners to run a business from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

You’ll be surprised today, but in the beginning, when laptops just came out (in 1982), folks were extremely skeptical. Those primitive laptops were so bulky, heavy, and featureless that no one would consider them as a ticket to business freedom. They were extremely basic word processors or complex calculators, neither of which one needed desperately at the time.

Jump forward twenty years, and you have a massive shift. In 2005, laptops outsold desktops for the first time ever. Another 15 years later, when Cloud services came to fully replace software and made business collaboration a breeze, the laptop lifestyle has entered its Golden Age.

Becoming increasingly popular and closely bound with the digital nomad lifestyle (with many countries going so far as to provide Digital Nomad Visas), the laptop lifestyle is basically your ticket to freedom from offices and permanent business locations. In light of the COVID pandemic, the laptop lifestyle is becoming doubly relevant, providing entrepreneurs not just with freedom but with safety.

How does the laptop lifestyle help businesses?

One of the things we touch upon in this blog a fair amount of time is flexibility. And that’s because it is genuinely important for small businesses. Especially now, when businesses have been so disrupted by the pandemic, forcing entrepreneurs to find new ways of doing things.

The worst possible situation in the midst of a pandemic is being tied to an office when it’s illegal to work in your office. Coronavirus accelerated these changes, but they were already in the works for some time. Leaving all of one’s work up to a slow desktop that couldn’t be moved away from your work desk was a pain. You couldn’t even move it to a conference room!

The laptop lifestyle is perfect for businesses that don’t even have a central location (businesses that rely on things like co-working spaces, or fully remote businesses). The laptop lifestyle is safe, convenient, and perfect not just for young business people on the go, but families and anyone who doesn’t want to be tied to their office (or to tie their employees to one). it’s perfect for businesses of all sizes, except large companies.

How do you start a laptop lifestyle?

The laptop lifestyle is a life of flexibility. Of being confronted with challenges and having the tools and abilities to be able to bend with all sorts of craziness, while also being able to use those same tools to take your game to the next level.

To start the laptop lifestyle, all you need are:

• A remote/digital business (if you’re looking for digital business ideas you can create and sell from home, look at the amazing list right here. If you have a business already, read on)
• A laptop (dah!)
• An internet connection or Wi-Fi
• Essential Cloud tools/services needed to manage your business remotely (e.g. Cloud-based business phone system for talking with clients, accounting tools, CRM, marketing, collaboration tools if you have a team, etc.)

Tools needed to start a laptop lifestyle

We mentioned essential Cloud tools and services, so let’s go into a little more detail about that. Essential tools for leading the laptop lifestyle will be based on your type of business (one set for bloggers and another for e-com, or an IT company) but all of them will need these 3 essential tools. We suggest getting both the web and mobile apps of these tools.

Payment/Accounting/Finance tools

If your business does any type of selling/transactions online, it’s necessary to always have your finances in order. Wherever the laptop lifestyle takes you — whether just out of state or out of the country, your payment, accounting, and finance tools need to be cloud-based and always at hand.

Pricing: If you’re a solopreneur or very small business, you can try Wave Accounting. It’s a free service that provides basic accounting.

Cloud-based business phone system

With a business phone number through a company like MightyCall, you can easily make calls with your phone, of course- but also with your laptop, from anywhere in the world. As an internet-connected device, making calls on it is a snap.

Likewise, for those entrepreneurs who are starting off with far-flung employees, the central web panel allows everyone to work together in one centralized page where you can keep notes on callers, keep track of who is calling, and take advantage of tons of other features, including toll-free and local numbers, visual voicemail, call recording, and unlimited extensions. All of these things can be accessed from your laptop, wherever you are- in a café, a co-working space, or any country in the world.

Pricing: MightyCall has three plans for businesses of different sizes. Plans cost from just $29.99 per month (that’s just $1 a day for professional business communication!) with free trials on all plans. There’s both a desktop client for your laptop and a fantastic Mobile App.

Customer relationship management (CRM) tools

If you’re an established business, you’ll need digital CRM tools to keep track of your customer contacts base and grow it. A good free service for very small businesses leading the laptop lifestyle is Hubspot Free CRM. Although this is the free version for beginner entrepreneurs, it can help you get hold of your first customers.

If you’re looking for something even simpler, try MightyCall’s built-in CRM. This is a lite CRM system built into your business phone (or laptop). This is incredibly useful for remote teams, since it allows teams to have a single client contact base that automatically syncs when anyone adds information or updates information about clients.

Pricing: Professional Hubspot plans start from $45, but you can get their Free plan if you’re a small business that’s starting out. You can also opt for MightyCall’s built-in CRM which comes for free with MightyCall’s business phone system.

Final word

The laptop lifestyle is the way of the future. But truth be told, it’s not about the laptops- indeed, one day they’ll be left behind for newer technologies which we can’t even dream of. It’s about what they represent: to have the flexibility and freedom to chart your own path, instead of being tied down to older technologies. To seize your own destiny, seize the day, wake up and smell the roses- you get the idea. However, you prefer to phrase it, go and do what you were meant to do. And let the laptop lifestyle and MightyCall help you out.

The post Living Life Lightly: What is The Laptop Lifestyle and is It Right For You? first appeared on MightyCall.

In business since 2016, the Denver-based NPO faced troubling times in spring 2020 when COVID-19 forced it to close doors from March to May 2020. Far from breaking its spirit, however, the pandemic eventually brought only a few adjustments to the organization’s operations. These included social-distancing guidelines, mandatory sanitizing of equipment, and PPE for staff and visitors.

In today’s customer spotlight, MightyCall customer and South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet Founder Donna Ralston shares insights about starting an NPO versus a standard business, finding inspiration in human values, and garnering the team power to fulfill her mission. Discover her story below!

“Everything came out of the wish to help people.”

Every business starts with connecting the dots between supply and demand. But with an NPO, connecting the community’s needs with its capabilities to serve people is a lot more than a mission statement. It’s what the whole organization revolves around.

Launching the “Loan Closet”, as it is known in the neighborhood,  Donna found a way to perfectly match the supply and demand for used medical equipment in her city through charitable funding.

“South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet came out of a wish to help people who are recovering from surgery and couldn’t afford to buy various medical equipment for rehabilitation. Because unless you’re a veteran, a member of a church, a senior center, or on Medicare, you have no way of getting this equipment with financial help. And then, why would you even buy equipment that you need for only three weeks?”

Looking to the other side of this gap, Donna saw a group of people who could quickly meet the demand given just a bit of organizational help. It was then that things began coming together.

“A lot of people I knew had equipment in their attic or basement or garage. It was just sitting there, and I thought —  why not “recycle” and get it to the people who need it short term? Our policy is established to help people borrow what they need for up to three months, and when people return [equipment], we ask them to donate to us to help us serve other people. About 70% of our borrowers make a contribution. That enables us to pay our expenses.”

NPOs run on people power

As the saying goes, “One head is good; two are better.”  When building an NPO, people power accounts for 90% of what you’re doing, from administration to daily management. The founder’s role is the ability to filter people’s skills based on where they can be most useful, and organize different teams to work as one.

Clarity of thought and organization is something Donna is really good at. Nevertheless, she credits the deeper success of her organization to the volunteers who make it all happen.

“We do everything by volunteers. There are about 25 of us who volunteer a couple of days a month. There are people who answer the phone since MightyCall transfers phone calls to everyone’s cell phone, so we can all work from our separate locations; people who help with donations of equipment; people who update our inventory; people who help us pick up and move equipment, or do repairs.

“We have volunteers who don’t all live within the neighborhood. They drive over to help. These people are looking for ways to utilize their background, skills, and knowledge at the same time helping people even if they’re retired. When COVID is over, I’d like to once again invite all the volunteers over for a pot-luck and just socialize and celebrate the fact that we made it through without closing down!”

It’s not just the volunteer part of Donna’s organization that runs on people power. Community networking fuels the smooth operations of South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet. As Donna explains, an NPO is about reaching out rather than conventional marketing.

“Calling on your friends and knowing a lot of people really helps. For me, things started from my church, and from there, it was that ripple effect. We’ve also had tremendous support from Rotary clubs in our area. Our goals are so aligned with their mission statement that they feel we’re part of the community, and they support our project.

“We promoted our organization through rehabilitation centers, hospitals, senior centers, so we try to make all those people who’re involved, especially in the surgical part of the medical field, to be aware of us. We get a lot of calls from people who are in the medical field. When they’re discharging a patient from rehab, the rehabilitation nurse would often refer people to us and so our network is growing.”

Who can start an NPO

We could safely say that starting an NPO without a deep wish to make a difference in people’s lives is a waste of time and will lead to loss of credibility within your community.

If you’re thinking about how to start a non-profit organization, you’ve got to be deeply devoted to putting the needs and time of others ahead of your own. As to business skills, organizational or managerial experience will be a huge bonus, Donna says.

“I was an executive director for several non-profit organizations for over 20 years and used the skills I had to establish and operate this organization. So I was able to organize the activity, the paperwork, the insurance, the legal stuff, and coordinate the training of volunteers so everyone has a good idea of what they’re supposed to do.

“Anybody who has organizational skills could do what I did. You have to recognize volunteers for their effort,  their skills, and the time and effort they put into assisting the organization. Our volunteers are very faithful and dedicated, and they really like doing the jobs they’ve chosen to do. A lot of our volunteers are occupational therapists, or physical therapists, or even nurses. They like using their skills to help people in a recovery situation. Using the skills of your people and building on them is a big advantage in making an NPO organization work.”

Finding anchor in values

When building a non-profit organization, business skills run hand in hand with deep personal values. It’s these that have served an essential role throughout Donna’s life. In fact, they are the reason that Donna’s organization has been successful where many others could have failed.

“Being a Christian, I really believe you should do good for as many people as you can, in as many ways as you can, as often as you can, for as long as you can. That’s been my motto. I’ve had a lot of mission trips overseas and mission projects locally. South Metro Medical Loan Closet evolved out of my passion and the mission to help people.”

For Donna and her volunteer team, inspiration lies in the joy of bringing a bit of sunshine into the lives of people who’re going through tough times. This goal finds its greatest and sometimes only reimbursement in words of gratitude and happy, relieved smiles: the kind of simple gratitude that makes both life and work worth it.

As Donna sums up,

“When people bring the equipment back, they often tell us it was a lifesaver. They show us how our work fulfills a deep need in the community and that makes me so glad we’re there to help.”

South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet is on Facebook. Learn more about them today!

The post NPO South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet: “Do good to as many people as you can, in as many ways as possible.” first appeared on MightyCall.

As someone who admits to being motivated by critical thinking, Atse is achieving his goal of improving quality while reducing operational cost through clear thinking, apt management, and timely digital services.

These attributes gave Fortecho a head start in the highly competitive logistics industry and allowed his company to survive the throes of the pandemic. Today, Fortecho is a growing business that does car shipping, facilities management, and truck load shipment across the country.

In our customer spotlight, Fortecho Founder Atse Onuwaje shares insights that propelled his business from the first months on, and explains how MightyCall proved a vital solution for Fortecho well ahead of the 2020 work at home revolution.

“Working from home is easy on the team and cuts costs”

The first years after launch are ground-setting for a business. According to Investopedia, 20 percent of new businesses shut down in their first 12 months. The top reasons remain ineffective business planning and management.

Launching with clear business goals can become a safeguard against starting your business off the wrong foot, Atse explains.

“Fortecho is a company in the transportation and facilities management industry so there’s an engineering side and a logistics side.
“The transportation side is a big side of our business. [That’s why] one of our immediate challenges was to reduce our costs of operations so we can give our clients a [very] reduced price in doing business with us.”

Several years before the COVID pandemic shut down offices across the globe, Atse understood that the fastest way to cut costs was to ensure remote work for his nationally-distributed employees.

“Working from home is much easier for the team, and the cost of operations becomes more reduced. With digital infrastructure in place, my staff werewas already working from home when the pandemic hit, so we didn’t have to cope with the new idea of remote work.”

Regardless of outside circumstances, remote work is proven to cut about $4,000 per year for workers and from $11,000 for businesses that let employees work from home even part-time. And that’s not even mentioning office rental costs which amount to thousands of dollars per year.

“MightyCall has really improved the costs of doing business”

For a transportation company to properly function, every detail of every day must be synced between clients, managers, and drivers down to the minute. Nowhere is timing as critical as with logistics.

With the greater part of operations and service done via phone, one of the pillars of a transportation company is a business phone system with advanced features that brings the whole team “under one roof”.

“Since we’re a logistics company, it was very important that we have the call recording feature as default. When you look at the price range, most companies don’t offer the call recording feature by default. That was very important for us because we need to have our calls documented. What is also very impressive about MightyCall is the long time that the call recordings stay on the server. We found that very useful.”

For Atse and his team, MightyCall VoIP with its dozens of small business features also made it easy to work remotely. And not just across town, but across the globe.

“With the VoIP phone system from MightyCall, we were ahead of the game when the pandemic started. With call transfer to any team member anywhere, I can take my business calls from home and I can transfer calls to someone else in another country. Likewise, a team member in another country can take calls and transfer them to me.”

“You’re always involved in quality”

Every aspiring business owner wants to provide standout quality for their clients. But not every business knows how to connect the dots between team care and client care.

“[From the beginning] you have to present yourself as a very competitive company. One of the major influences in offering a very competitive price is lowering your own cost of operations while maintaining quality standards.
“As soon as possible, if you can develop ideas to reduce operational costs, that is the best start for a growing business.”

Atse recommends a business to brainstorm savings while still in the preparatory or earliest stages of launching. For example, you can easily save up on staffing with outsourcing, skip office rent with a virtual office environment, and let go of hardware thanks to mobile technologies.

“There are various digital services that can help you reduce the cost of operations. Use them to make your business competitive. The rest is endurance and patience.”

“I’m motivated when I think about overcoming a task”

Like every small business in the nation, Atse’s business has suffered the scar of COVID-19, including a troubling spring quarter in terms of finances.  But his entrepreneurial spirit remains unshakeable.

This is what Atse owes to his “ability to take on new tasks” with curiosity and critical thinking.

“I pride myself as someone who likes to think. I would say I draw inspiration a lot from the things around me. If I’m involved in something where I need to think, to pull out resources from my brain, I get motivation from that.”

With the same quantity of “water”, i.e., business resources, seeing the glass as half-full or half-empty depends only on the business owner’s mindset.

In the end, the difference between the business owners who close shop in those first few challenging 12 months and those who stick around for the next 20 years is seeing challenges as opportunities. Even better, transforming each challenge into an opportunity.

As Atse sums up,

“In everything I do, when I’m struggling with it, I always see that as something to make my life interesting. And as long as life is interesting, I think life is good.”

Learn more about MightyCall

For all small business owners out there, we’ve created an out-of-this-world fast, mobile, and budget-friendly business phone system. We’ll help your team talk anytime, anywhere, and about anything, at a stunning price.

Our 50% offer makes it even easier to join. Take a look below or learn more about VoIP!

The post Fortecho LLC: “Reduce Cost of Operations While Maintaining Standard” first appeared on MightyCall.

54% of employees link happy emotions and a sense of community within the team to long-term employment, preferring happy workplace culture to higher salary rates (GoGusto).

This means if you’re a manager or business owner, you should once in a while lift your head from all the work and ask the simple question, “Is my team happy?”

Unlike answers to most business questions, this one comes free. Because no matter how small or big a team is,  virtual team building activities are some of the simplest and the most fun ways to unleash the smiling employee in all of us. They’re also a reminder that in troubling times we all have each other’s back not just on a business, but on a human level too.

Not sure how to get started?

Scroll down for 30 fun virtual team building ideas —  tried and tested by business owners and managers across the world wide web!

1. Guess the office

Jayson DeMers

CEO, EmailAnalytics

“Play a little game called Guess the Office. Have each person take a photo of their home office and send it to you. Then, have your team members try to guess whose office is whose. It’s a fun game that will result in some surprises and lots of laughs. You can conduct the game over a Zoom meeting! Your team members will learn a bit about each other from this game; you can tell a lot about a person from their desk, their photos pinned near their desk, and their overall home office setup!”

2. Picture it

Christine Wang

Founder, The Ski Girl

“My favorite remote team building activity is having every team member send a picture of their life, town, or country each week. Since we all live in different locations, this has been a fun way to get to know one another as well as learn something about a different culture and connect in a way that’s not directly related to work. This has been a little different with the pandemic, but I would recommend it as a good team-building exercise.”

3. Virtual Show and Tell

David Adler

Founder and CEO, The Travel Secret

“Virtual Show and Tell is a team-building activity that every team can use for free and works particularly well for teams with new hires is a virtual show and tell where team members have to fill a short period of time with anything they choose from book excerpts, to songs to jokes—anything goes. Having that much freedom to choose while having to share it with the group can help new members build confidence talking to their new team about something they’re very familiar with and teams can build bonds through learning more about each other and finding similar interests.”

4. Enneagram personality test

Erica McMannes

COO, Instant Teams

“We have found great team building in participating in Enneagram personality assessments! Remote work requires deep, purposeful understanding of each others’ nuances in communication, flow, learning styles, so this has been a great foundation. The most FUN have been themed social sessions on Zoom or trivia nights!”

5. Icebreaker questions

Michael Alexis

CEO, TeamBuilding

“In addition to Mister Rogers, one of my favorite remote team building activities is icebreaker questions. These questions are a super simple way to get started with team building, as it only takes five minutes or so at the beginning of a meeting. You can see more of my favorite virtual team building activities here.”

6. Bi-weekly happy hour

Monica Eaton-Cardone

Co-Founder and COO, Chargebacks911

“One of my favorite team-building activities has been a bi-weekly happy hour on Friday nights. I’ve personally seen a marked improvement in morale, and it’s been a welcome distraction for teammates to gather in a relaxed setting and spend time together outside work.”

7. Virtual awards show

Nick Brucker

CEO, Sparq Designs

“One of the most fun things we did this year was holding the inaugural Sparqy’s which was our own virtual awards show. Everyone was encouraged to dress up and tune in on video to receive awards such as ‘The Priorities Under Budget’ Award and ‘Record-Breakin  Performance’. Everyone won something and the whole evening was filled with laughter.”

8. Virtual deserted island

Carla Diaz

Cofounder, Broadband Search

“My personal favorite team building activity is the “deserted island scenario”. Basically, you put teams together and propose they are on a deserted island with three objects. They then need to come up with a solution to being stranded by using these objects. It’s a great way to inspire creativity and get people working together, and you can usually relate it to an upcoming project to teach everyone something in the process.”

9. Trivia time

Keith Myers

Managing Editor, TheHempire

“Private Virtual Media is one of the best team building for remote workers. This is done by testing the knowledge of everyone about different topics including arts, music, history, and more. This may sound boring but it’s not, this activity is fun and can be very interesting. Each time we conduct this activity, it gives us more knowledge and better understanding, not just what new things we learn during this activity, but also every individual involved in it.”

10. Scribble.io

Charli Burbidge,

Co-Founder, Petz

“Each week we pick one fun activity and play as a team. My favourite was Scribble.io! It’s essentially an online competitive Pictionary and is completely free. It is always funny to see how bad at drawing my colleagues are!”

11. Monthly Book Club

Loren Howard

Founder, Prime Plus Mortgages

“We do a ‘University’ book club once a month where we all cover the same book and discuss it as a team. We also cover 3 positives in our personal, professional, and family life to help grow closer as a team. We take turns leading sessions letting people take their own spin on it.”

12. Donut.com

Raphael Allstadt

Co-Founder & CEO, tl;dv

“We love Donut.com [the digital team-building platform for virtual coffee with colleagues] for coffee chats a lot. Apart from that, we are organizing bi-weekly team events with different fun exercises, such as quizzes or sharing fun-facts.”

13. Tiny campfire

Jenna Carson

Marketing Director, Music Grotto

“Team building activities have obviously changed since we started working remotely, but we’ve still made them a priority. We [are] usually trying to take inspiration from team members’ interests or passions, but my favorite was Tiny Campfire. They send out a little package to each team member’s home, with things like s’more ingredients and a candle, and there are things like icebreakers and ghost stories. It’s just a fun way to spend an evening amongst colleagues!’

14. Typeracer contests

Neal Taparia

CEO of Solitaired

“We have our team compete on Typeracer to see who is the fastest typer, and we broadcast this via s screen share on zoom. Almost all our team participates, and there is fun and hilarious commentary watching the competition. For top seeds, we give them challenges to start the race a few seconds later. We are thinking of new simple games to mix things up as part of this Friday tradition.”

15. Meet the family

Samantha Moss

Editor & Content Ambassador at Romantific.com

“The best among [virtual] team building activities we’ve done so far is when we get to meet our colleagues’ family members and get a tour of their house. This activity made us learn more about each other and I believe it made our bond stronger. ”

16. Can You Understand Me Right Now?

Dr. Vikram Tarugu

CEO, Detox of South Florida

“Can You Understand Me Right Now? is one of the coolest team-building games online. In a simulated conference space, you play this game and appoint one person to be the host, and the rest are musicians. The speaker uses a random picture generator to create an appropriate picture, and the aim is to explain the image in such a way that the artists will draw it.”

17. 1-minute overview

Rex Freiberger, CEO

Gadget Review

“We’ve found that a weekly call is a great way to brainstorm new ideas and be more engaged as a team. Our favorite remote team-building activity is to all give a one-minute overview of something interesting that has happened in our lives or that we’ve read that week. It’s fun and lets us learn more about each other.”

18. Show me!

Sonya Schwartz

Founder, Her Norm

“Our favorite [virtual] team-building activity is a “Show Me” activity that we do via a video call, where each member of the team shows any item that they want to show and say something about it. So far, we’ve shown a lot of items to each other already, but I am confident that this we’ll never run out of things to show.”

19. Monday morning mood setters

Dan Bailey

President, WikiLawn Lawn Care

“One of our favorite remote team-building activities is to all send a funny GIF, image, or quote on Monday morning as a way to lighten everyone’s mood. It has become a weekly tradition we all look forward to.”

20. Game night

Sandra Hurley

Operations Manager, Hayden Girls

“We’ve been organizing the occasional game night over Zoom and it’s been really fun. We play Charades, Mad Libs, and anything that can easily be done at a distance and we have a blast. The best part is that after enjoying the office happy hour, you don’t have to go home, because you’re already there.”

21. Weekly check-up

Lewis Keegan

Owner/Operator, SkillScouter.com

“One of my favorite [virtual team building activities] is when we take time at least once a week to check up on each other and talk about how everyone is doing. This encourages strong camaraderie between team members and helps everyone to be more open and to work as a team.”

22. Informal newsroom

Adam Sanders

Founder and Director, Successful Release

“We have a very geographically distributed team and have had a lot of success getting to know each other’s culture and events better with a weekly news roundup. We have each team member share some of the big news that happened in their area this week as well as some context behind it. Team members get to ask questions and even if the speaker doesn’t know the specific answer they will get back to them the next week. It’s a great way to get everyone talking, learn about each other, and keep up with global news.”

23. Sharing time

Sarah Jolly

Co-Founder, Jolly Creative Agency 

“Our team-building and culture is not established by a single event but grown daily by dedicating one channel of communication (via Slack) to anything personal. We encourage our employees to share their accomplishments, children, pets, milestones, or hobbies with the whole team. This creates a personal feel to our virtual office, where we can invest personally with one another and partake in the day-to-day water-cooler culture.”

24. Virtual parties

Alex Chamberlain

Team Manager, ERA Environmental Management’s Digital Communication team

“One thing we’ve increased this year is being part of digital conferences. We used to fly the team out to a few conferences each year which was also a good way to connect in person, but this year we’re attending those conferences digitally.  [Another] thing we have done is celebrate events together like birthdays and baby showers on video chat – we book an hour to just celebrate the event, play a few games, and send each other virtual cards.”

25. End of week Happy Hour

Lauren Kleinman

Co-Founder, The Quality Edit 

“Our favorite remote team-building activity is an end of week Happy Hour. At least once a day, I make sure to ask my team how they’re doing, unrelated to any business objectives. It’s important to understand that everyone has very unique working from home situations and not all things are equal right now. As managers and leaders, we have to understand our team’s emotional needs too, being especially flexible, sensitive, and meeting them where they’re at.

26. Guess that Tune!

Martin Seeley

CEO, MattressNextDay 

“I have been trying my best to manage my team wherever they may be, and that we can provide them the best possible set up amidst these tough times. Our favourite fun activity via Zoom will be the ‘Guess that Tune’ game because everyone loves music and they are all excitedly and attentively participating throughout.”

27. Mapping the Mates

Ashwini Rao

Co-founder, PMExperto

“We usually plan a [virtual] team-building activity towards the end of the week. Where team members come up with different ideas each week. The most favorite of all the activities is mapping the mates, where all the teammates try and learn about other teammates by mapping and guessing other team members’ culture, cuisines, their native place, etc. this way all our teammates get to know each other and enjoy the time together.”

28. Anything Goes Meetings

Ross Kimbarovsky

Founder and CEO, Crowdspring

“Monthly virtual Anything Goes meetings on Zoom which are purely for checking in socially and getting to know each other. We can talk about anything – except work. This replaces one of our regular weekly team meetings to ensure that we can always fit it on everyone’s schedule. Topics range from time travel, to food, to music, to the pandemic, and more. There’s no set structure so each conversation is unique and fun.”

29. Virtual Margarita Fridays

Katie Maurer

Executive Director of People and Development, Media Minefield

“We encourage Miners (aka Media Minefield employees!) to reach out to someone they haven’t talked to in a while, say ‘hello’ and catch up with one another. We also facilitate team building with all-company Margarita Fridays via Zoom every other week. During this time, we usually ask a culture question and then go around the ‘room’ giving each person an opportunity to answer it. These all-company lunches are a welcome break from the workweek and also allow us to laugh together and learn more about one another.”

30. Friday Fun newsletter

Leigh Smith

People Director UK, AnywhereWorks

“Our Friday newsletter is my favourite. We choose a new theme each week, often focused on one of the various cultures that make up our team! We ask for contributions to competitions so everyone can participate, and every newsletter comes with a quiz around a particular theme. It’s great for showing the more human side of the team.”

Discover more

Have you picked your favorite virtual team-building activity yet?

If that’s a yes, save and complement this guide with more serious freebies for small business: Best SaaS Tools for Small Business.

And check out our out-of-this-world fast, mobile, and budget-friendly phone system for small business. We’ll help your team talk anytime, anywhere, and about anything —  at a stunning price.

The post 30 Virtual Team Building Activities Shared by Business Owners first appeared on MightyCall.

After meeting his wife Catherine Tobsing in 2002, Mitch helped propel her avian supply shop into an international e-commerce site shipping worldwide. Over the next two decades, the couple grew into a global online business, survived a fire that nearly shattered their business, an economic meltdown, and a pandemic.

In today’s customer spotlight, Mitch Rezman talks about rising from economic crises, building a 400k+ social media following with minimal marketing costs, and nurturing a business mindset that moves mountains.

Join us on this exciting trip from ‘the Windy City’ — Chicago, hometown to Windy City Parrot, to Lowell, Indiana where the bright duo now manages their bustling online business and local boutique.

Spreading wings

Before he donned the VP cap of Windy City Parrot and perched those exotic cuties on his shoulders, Mitch got his 20-year fill of sales and operations experience in several industries.

But it was his online match with Windy City Parrot’s President Catherine Tobsing (both poster children for online dating back in its ‘02 cradle) that channeled their individual experience into a common cause.

“My wife started the pet bird business in 1993 as an avian supply vendor. She started the business by attending bird shows and by the time we met in 2002, had launched Windy City Parrot.

“She felt the pet bird supply business needed a retail presence, so we acquired several spaces in Chicago and in a few years had grown to 10,000 square feet.

“Having a retail space, launching an internet business, hosting seminars, and attending bird shows, we were working 7 days a week by that point.”

Meet Mitch and Catherine’s birds in their home habitat

How to spring up from the ashes: a lesson in overcoming challenges

It was the summer of ’05 and business was booming when a tragic blow uprooted its future. A fire that lasted 4 days in the facility burned everything to the ground: from stock to hardware and infrastructure, essential for running the business.

You can say at that point, life put Mitch and Catherine onto the first of several crossroads and offered the choice to go on or give in.

“We needed to fulfill orders for the next day, but the fire changed all that. So we went away from Chicago for ten days to forget about everything.

“When we got back to the city, we realized we’re out of shape mentally and are [spending a lot of time] feeling sorry for ourselves. But then we thought — we still have our internet business. And if we have our business, we will stay in business.”

Age-old wisdom teaches us to look for meaning and unexplored opportunities when life beats us down. Entrepreneurs like Mitch and Catherine embody concrete examples of how to spring up.

“[After the fire] we rented temporary space, three garages, and began dropshipping more than 1000 SKUs. We are now a prolific drop shipper, so much that I want to put together an online course on dropshipping to share my experience.”

It’s safe to say that such a doubling of effort into dropshipping and e-commerce may not have occurred if not for the pile of ashes from which Mitch and Catherine saw their ‘phoenix’ (and other pet birds) rise.

As a result, they survived the 2008 recession which took countless small businesses across the U.S., including their own, by surprise with many shutting their doors.  3 commercial landlords later, while Chicago and Illinois were degrading at every level, it was time to pivot once again.

In 2019, Mitch and Catherine got “Windy City Parrot” out of Chicago (pop 3,000,000) and moved both residence and online business to Lowell, Indiana, a town of 10,000 surrounded by cornfields.

“MightyCall has given us total freedom”: Doing business on the move

Besides Windy City Parrot, Mitch has a web development business with a different name, website, and phone number. Finding a single technology that could handle both businesses in different states was a priority.

In their research of telecommunications tools, MightyCall’s virtual phone system won the couple’s loyalty early on.

“We’re currently on the Standard plan [and that] includes five business numbers. For my development business, I took an 800 number and a local number and for Windy City Parrot we have an 800 number that we ported over.

“[We kept the] local number for Chicago and also created a third number for Indiana so we could have a presence there. It has worked out spectacularly.”

But what Mitch calls  “pretty powerful stuff” behind MightyCall’s VoIP is mobility. Whether Catherine is taking “customer service calls and orders while driving across Indiana” with her husband at the wheel, or Mitch riding his motorcycle or doing deliveries with business contacts tucked into his pocket, “MightyCall has given us total freedom,” he sums up.

“It’s work to take it seriously”: How to get 400k social media fans and skip pay-to-play

In times of economic recession from the COVID-19 pandemic, marketing can be a matter of life and death for small businesses. With a limited budget and a pressing need to prevent a business from sinking, is pay-to-click the only way to stay afloat?

“Marketing is a huge disconnect between people who are on the Internet for the most part and those who want to sell on the Internet.

“I’m seeing it because, in my spare time, I volunteer for an organization called SCORE. We mentor small businesses for absolutely free. I have five clients in the eCommerce space [and] the biggest problem all these people have is to know where to get the [web] traffic.”

There are “all sorts of things a small business can do” to market better, Mitch adds. “But the biggest thing they don’t have to do is spend a lot of money.”

“We have 265,000 organic fans on Facebook [and] about 400,000 thousand people together including Twitter and Pinterest and 25 additional social media platforms I dip my toes in.

“I see lots of people say [that] to get engagement on Facebook you’ve got to buy ads and boost posts.

“And then I show them a 28-second video of a cute bird saying “really” into the camera that garnered 1.8 million views in 7 days.”

Watch Mitch and Catherine’s viral video

It doesn’t matter how many fans you already have. If you want to keep the growth, “you never stop marketing” Mitch stresses.

Windy City Parrot partners Mitch and Catherine write “2,500 to 10,000 words of fresh content weekly” driving  40000 unique [web] visitors. They haven’t missed a week in seven years, and deploy this content via 25,000 newsletters dispatched every Sunday at 7:00 a.m. sharp.

The newsletter is branded as “Your Sunday Birdie Brunch”. It only shouts out a single product or category but has at least 8 links to original bird care content and 6 curated links with newsworthy global articles.

Keep your hand on the pulse

If a new business could surface from every complaint employees vocalize, startups would spring up like mushrooms after the rain. The reason that never happens is the long way from words to action.

“Some people get up in the morning and dream about big things. Other people get up and do it. If you don’t like what you’re doing now, walk away.

“Don’t go work for somebody, get a job, and come home and badmouth the boss with your significant other all day long.”

Mitch points out that in business, the only dead-end is self-remorse and self-pity, saying that from a place of ‘been there, done that’. So what’s the alternative path? According to Mitch and Catherine, it’s versatility.

“Be prepared to pivot. If something isn’t working out, look in a new direction. Don’t try to bang your head against the wall while repeating mistakes of the past.”

There’s no time like now, when things are being “invented and reinvented” at a rate never seen, due to the pandemic and its aftermath. While certain companies, including some biggest names in each industry, have shut down, it’s the versatile businesses that may bend but will not break during economic crises.

One such business is that of Mitch Rezman and Catherine Tobsing, who are already building up their international online presence through new digital pathways like courses and unique content.

As Mitch sums it up,

“Examine the challenge, see what you can do, and take it to the next level. Maybe explore the path you’re on, or —  which is how I met my wife —  remember that sometimes, you just have to change your path.”

Learn more about MightyCall

For all small business owners, MightyCall created a phone system that’s out of this world fast, mobile, and budget-friendly. We’ll help your team talk business anytime, anywhere, while saving up to 60% off landline costs. Our special 50% off offer makes it even easier to join. Check it out below or learn more about VoIP!

The post Windy City Parrot: “Be Prepared to Pivot” first appeared on MightyCall.

One day during the Christmas break, my mother and her friend Maria were sitting at the kitchen table, reading glasses on and hunched over a rarely used Acer laptop, laughing their heads off. You couldn’t escape the laughter, especially in a modestly-sized house, so I went to see what was going on.

On the screen were photos of advertising materials for a new real estate agent trying to break into the business. Those materials amounted to him plastering his face everywhere he could—the local newspaper, fliers, social media. Without context you might think here was a man going through a mid-life crisis, giving it once last shot at becoming a male model.

Maria, a real estate agent for more than 20 years, told us that none of her colleagues took the guy seriously, and to be frank, it was hard to. Even in a field like real estate where your image is likely the most important part of your success, this guy overdid it.

In any industry where the idea of the individual supersedes everything, there will be people who flock there. Traditionally, these industries have resided in the cultural sphere—literature, music, and film most predominantly. People who achieve success in these hyper-social industries become gods. Think about Ernest Hemingway, and Elvis, and Kurt Cobain, and Tom Cruise. Superstars, all of them—you know their names, and even the mention of them brings a hundred thoughts and opinions to most people.

But do you know the Google founders? How about the Yahoo founders? How many of the world’s 50 richest people can you name? If you’re struggling to answer those questions, that’s normal. Very few people rise out of the anonymity of the business world and embed themselves into cultural consciousness. But when someone does, it happens with the subtlety of a nuclear bomb.

What do you think about when you hear the name ‘Steve Jobs’? What do you think about when you hear the name ‘Elon Musk’? Jobs, and more recently, Musk, have reached levels of international fame never before seen by entrepreneurs.

In the past, monopolists like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockerfeller had clout because of their political importance, which has been retroactively taught as a cultural impact. With Jobs and Musk, we can see their importance to global culture in real time. No politics, just two guys charming and intriguing their way into the zeitgeist. This is not to diminish the brilliance of Jobs and Musk, who are both visionaries. However, society only notices a fraction of the visionaries that exist or have ever existed.

The complete reverence that we have for Elon Musk and the late Steve Jobs has changed the game. Now that people know such recognition is possible in the entrepreneurial world, the way that younger generations approach advertising and themselves has shifted. Millions of people have launched tech start-ups with dreams of being the next visionary—of being a superstar.

Maybe this progression has always been inevitable, that a wider variety of industries would be able to springboard someone to larger, even national or global, recognition. Maybe in the age of social media and selfies, the increasing amount of narcissism is a better explanation for more people attempting to market themselves not just as employees, but as brands.

But what’s strange in the face of this wave of people trying to sell themselves rather than their ideas is that we’ve seen the founders of companies use themselves as their company’s brand before. Colonel Sanders is the face of KFC (despite hating what it became after expansion), Dave Thomas used his daughter Wendy’s name and likeness for his fast food restaurant, and Orville Redenbacher was frequently on television telling you how great his popcorn was. This isn’t a new idea, as there is a history of both good and bad (and astonishingly bad!) case studies using this tactic.

As more and more companies begin using this advertising tactic however, one has to wonder why they’ve chosen it. Is it cheaper to run ads where you only essentially need yourself and a camera (perhaps why so many small local businesses advertise this way)? Is there some kind of SEO that makes this more effective than other approaches? Or is it something else?

Yes, the technological boom that started in the 90s and has only accelerated in recent years can certainly explain a lot of the economic factors that drive small businesses and their advertising, but Steve Jobs was a pioneer of the modern technological boom, and Elon Musk figures to be at the reins of future innovation. Both men are inherently a part of the engine that powers modern life and the way our society reveres these men and credits their companies’ successes almost entirely to them is not going away, as witnessed by the media coverage of the Falcon Heavy’s successful launch this February.

Perhaps the prevalence of self-plugs as advertising has increased as a subconscious—or even more acknowledgeable—effect of living in a culture that seems to have bought in hook, line, and sinker to The Great Man Theory of Leadership. If we appreciate the individual over the company, we’re setting a dangerous precedent that could skew our country’s understanding of how businesses actually begin and succeed. Simply put, no one should not be using their business to plug their ego or to bring themselves exposure.

I’m not suggesting a real estate agent could ever reach national fame or even that the poor guy with his face plastered everywhere imagined he’d be famous, but the thought process of equating yourself to success isn’t all that dissimilar, especially when adjusting for local scales.

Advertising like that may be cheap and easy, but you must have a broader perspective on things whenever you consider your brand. If you are an entrepreneur and you happen to be your company’s brand, that’s fine—if handled carefully and done for the right reasons. That reason can never solely be about you, but about what your company does, what separates your product from the rest, how your product can help the customer, or dozens of other ideas.

Your motivation for starting a business will be a significant factor in how well your business does, because that motivation is the largest deciding factor in how much time and effort you put into your business. If your motivation for starting a business is self-promotion or self-realization, you will inevitably find yourself in the future fighting not for your company, but for yourself, and that’s a bad recipe for sustaining something serious.

The post Problems with Brand in an Era of Narcissism first appeared on MightyCall.