Have you ever heard of a Sleepy Hollow Chair?

We are in the process of finishing our lower level, completing a 1200 sq feet area, a big project for 2 people who are still working full-time.

One fault that I will admit to having, is once the creative ideas start flowing for a new decorating project- I tend to branch out into the existing areas. So, not only am I managing the lower level  project I started changing the main level too!

 I just mentioned to my husband  in passing I would SOME DAY like to change the paint colors up stairs (I probably should have waited until the lower level was done)  You ladies know what I mean, just rearranging the furniture and maybe adding a few new things.......
 
My poor husband is trying hard to keep up with me.

After picking out a new color pallet- I always start with color.  I saw an accent chair on Craig's List, that I just had to have, it matched perfectly!

They called it a "Sleepy Hollow Chair".  Here is what I found out about the history of  Sleepy Hollow Furniture.

Grand Rapids, Michigan is known as the furniture city and many of the best upholsterers can still be found there. These craftsmen continue to create or recreate many antique and modern pieces of furniture.
One of the more exceptional pieces of leather furniture is the beautiful antique sleepy hollow chair. A chair made famous by the West Michigan based upholsterer Francisco Melendez. He revolutionized the antique upholstery business in the state of Michigan where many leather sleepy hollow chairs grace Grand Rapids homes. This style of chair was introduced by Francisco Melendez to Puerto Rico in the late 1990s; and can be seen in a number of upscale homes. The chair, a beautiful work of art, is tufted with buttons and is usually accompanied by an antique leather ottoman. Still, more than 40 years after his introduction to upholstery, Francisco Melendez continues to create art in the form of upholstered antique and modern furniture.

 

I bought the chair and matching foot stool on Craig's List, in pristine condition for $75.00.  I know mine is a genuine sleepy hollow by the markings.  I also was able to call the furniture store on the label of the chair they verified the authenticity of the chair. The color of the leather is a beautiful soft gold. More like a taupe- the photo looks too yellow.

 I am totally in love with my new/old chair.

 The chair is more like a buckskin color- above photo is too yellow- below  photo is too cream:  I LOVE the color of it:) 

 It is in perfect show room condition and a very comfortable chair. I think it is an amazing find.

I am going to redecorate my entire living  room around it.

Old Fashion Phone Etiquette, Is it lost art?

I am sorry this is a really long blog. If you use a phone in your business (who doesn't?) 

I hope these tips help your business grow. 

The word etiquette is a French word meaning ticket.  The rules of the court were written on tickets and given to the lords and ladies in the court to observe and obey.

A recent study indicates that 91% of dissatisfied customers/clients never complain about personal discourtesies, they simply take their business elsewhere.  Companies now recognize the need to sharpen business etiquette skills as an element of professional development.

The use of telephone manners has never been taught in our schools, despite the fact that using the telephone to communicate is one of the most crucial skills needed to succeed in business.   The telephone is also the first significant contact many people have with a business. It can be a very important image builder and a powerful medium for establishing a good relationship and trust.

Companies today, spend a large amount of their resources on staffing, advertising and marketing to bring the clients to them. Training on how to receive and retain the customers is vital to the growth of your business.

BEWARE THAT THE TELEPHONE IS A HIGHLY PERSONAL MEDIUM FOR COMMUNICATIONS. 

Intrusion- always be sensitive that people resent even a brief loss of control over their lives

Language- keep your language simple, there is no immediate way to tell if the listener understands what you are trying to communicate

Voice Power-the voice is a great reflector of the inner feelings that we can communicate, regardless of the distance

Excessive Intimacy-when you invade someone else’s ear- at least do so with good manners.

Speed- the ease of use and speed of connection can lead to hasty discussions-with misunderstandings likely to result. Slow down and think before you speak.

Energy- extra energy and effort are required to make a conversation successful. If you are not up to making an important call, perhaps it may be better to wait until you feel more confident and refreshed.

Body Language- Be mindful, as there is no body language-- your voice says it all. 

Answering the Phone

-Try to answer by the 3^rd or 4^th ring (2^nd is better)

-Always identify yourself “Good Morning, this is___________ at ___________ how may we help you?”

-Smile- this makes your voice more bright and pleasant

-Speak slowly and distinctly- do not use slang

-Do not chew gum or eat during a conversation

-Inflections in your voice help you to sound capable and interesting, do not talk in monotones

Transferring a Phone Call

-Let the caller know they are being transferred and if voice mail is available to them. If they do not like voice mail, take a personal message.

-Take ownership of the message; see that it gets to the right person. 

Placing Call on Hold

-Always ask permission to put a call on hold. “Can you hold please?”- Then wait for their answer.

-Always thank the person for holding when you pick up the call again.

-Always use the “on hold” button do not just lay the phone down.

-If they have been on hold a long time, pick up the call and say “I am still checking for you, would you like to continue to hold or have me take a message?”

Screening Calls

Sometimes it is necessary to screen calls in order to work more efficiently. Do so politely and briefly. Do not make callers feel they are being screened. Have a plan of how you are going to handle the callers in a positive manner.

-Do not say “Who’s calling?” or worse yet “Who’s this?”

-You could say something like “May I tell_______ who is calling?”

-If your employer is only available to certain individuals or is only taking urgent request.  If they want to take the call, you can say something like“________ just became available, I will transfer you now.”

-If they are not available, take a message or offer voice mail.

How to Handle Unavailability

This is one of the most important areas of phone etiquette.

-Always offer a positive explanation of why someone is unavailable. Here are some possible options

“He is in a meeting right now”

“She is on another line”

“She is working off site right now”

Never give out personal information, like they are on vacation or sick.  Here are some wrong ways to explain why someone is not available.

“He has not shown up yet”- I used to call a business that said that all the time- not good!

“They are not taking calls “

“They have another day off”

We never want our clients to think we are not available. The person they are looking for maybe out of the office but they are available by voice or e-mail, a personal message or another qualified employee can fill in.  The goal should be to meet the needs of the client even if the person they are asking for is unavailable at that time.

Most callers do not need to know your employer or fellow employee is on a day off or vacation. They only need to know their call is important and will be handled or returned as soon as possible. 

Taking Messages

Telephone messages in any business must be taken carefully and delivered promptly.

-Be polite and professional

-Record all facts correctly

-Make sure the message is delivered to the correct person

-Name and phone number, reason, company time & date and a brief reason for the call should be included.

Proper message taking shows concern for your customers. Most calls should be returned within 24 hours. One of the biggest complaints in business today is that calls are not returned. 

-Follow up when necessary to make sure the client was taken care of. 

Handling Rude, Aggressive Customers or Complaints

-Stay calm, be diplomatic and polite

-Be loyal to your employer or fellow worker

-Show a willingness to resolve the problem

-Remember your customer needs your help and you need your customers

-Try not to use the words, no or never, leave the door open for a resolution

-Take ownership and see it through to resolution

-Know your companies policies in handling issues

Resolving conflict can be the beginning of a long term relationship.  A conflict handled correctly builds trust.

Voice Mail Messages

If you are leaving a voice mail message please included the following

-Name and company

-Keep the message simple

-State the time and date

-Repeat your name and the phone number 2 times in the message

-End with a positive statement- “Have a great day”, or “I look forward to talking to you soon.” 

Speaker Phone

A lot of people do not like speaker phones. It is best to let the person know you are using a speaker phone.  If you are calling somewhere with a client, you should always identify yourself and let them know the client is listening.

“ ________ I am sitting here with Mr. & Mrs. _____________ can you please look up their account?”

This will alert the person that you are on speaker phone and the client can hear the conversation.

Conclusion

The use of the telephone, voice mail and our conversation can be a powerful tool.  Attitude and the desire to improve your skills will determine your level of success. We do have control over how we communicate. Learning these skills will benefit us in our relationship with all of the people we come in contact with every day.

It has been my experience that if we practice the etiquette of proper communication our work atmosphere improves.  Communication is fundamental to seeing a job well done.

Loyalty is a gem that can enhance the work place. Practicing these skills can become a very positive influence in your life.

Have you been to the phone store lately?

I stopped at the local mobile phone store tonight and bought a new phone. I should clarify it is a new phone but not one of the greatest and latest (4G) phone.

I have a really cheap rate plan and cannot go to the newest & coolest with shelling out a lot more money each month.  Probably some day I will but not until I have no other option.


I need to give you a bit of history.  I worked in the mobile phone industry from 1995-2000. It was a crazy job. Being in the middle of the growth of a new industry was really exciting.

The phone service (coverage) was terrible and they where EXPENSIVE to buy and use.(No free  phones back then) Most families only had one phone to share. Then we added one for mother, then one for the kids who left for college....now little kids have them.
 I bought a "real" phone for my  granddaughter's 4th birthday a few years ago-it was she asked Grandma for:) When I asked her why she wanted a phone, she said to call her "friends". I had a lot of fun calling her on her own cell phone.

In 1995 most people bought a "bag phone". It was a  phone in a bag, it plugged into your cigarette lighter.  Hard to believe people where excited about getting a phone like that:)

Or a "brick phone"  below. This is the first "handheld" phone. Brick describes it perfectly!

Then they came out with the "flip phone" (The black thing beside it, is the charger.). We could not keep them in stock--  light grey, dark grey or black where the color options back then!

 My daughter's claim to fame is they where one of the first "people" to have cell phones in their high school. The teachers did not even have phones. My girls did since I worked at the local phone store.

The rate plan they had cost $24.95 per month.
 It included 20 day time minutes, 20 night time minutes...and $1.00 a minute if they went over the 40 minutes per month. 
(If you take the 40 minutes and divide by 30 days = 1.3 minutes of talk time per day)

No text messaging- (not even heard of yet)
No free nights
No free weekend
No free long distance
No free mobile to mobile

(Take a look at your teenager's bill- how many text messages per day are they doing? How many minutes are they using per month?)

It is a amazing how far the technology has come & how much we depend on our "mobile" phones.

I just had to write about it! ~~~Amazing trip to the phone store, I see the new technology, it is crazy what is available.

Do you remember getting your first mobile phone?