The day-to-day processes of your business can be disrupted when client information is not kept up to date. It is best to have regular reviews of such materials as it only takes one miscommunication to a client to cause confusion. To maintain a professional and reliable relationship with your company’s patron, the process of updating client information should start internally. The first step to updating client information is to look at your past communication logs with your client. These logs might include phone calls, emails, or physical documents. There may be conflicting communications that you have received from different client contacts, so it is best to make notes...

A core part of human resources management is being on top of employee engagement. Disengagement is a common risk, which is why it is important for leaders to identify signs of engagement versus disengagement and how to improve the latter. Individuals engaged in their work may be optimistic, selfless and solution-oriented. They may go above and beyond what is expected of them and show a consistent passion for learning. When credited with praise, they pass that credit along to other team members. When they are in the wrong, they are accountable and accept constructive criticism.   Disengaged individuals tend to be pessimistic, self-centered, negative and egocentric. They may...

The very first email was sent in 1971, and since then the world has grown to use email as an effective means of communication in the workplace. Over 300 billion emails are sent daily, with the average worker receiving 121 emails per day. With so many emails going back and forth, its important that the message you are sending stands out from the rest so it can be noticed, read, and actioned as needed. Tailor you email to your audience – Before sitting down to write out your email, spend some time thinking about the recipient and what kind of communication they would expect. You might need a...

Acknowledging and rewarding an employee’s good behavior is a great way to increase motivation, improve performance, and retain top talent. Recognition comes in many forms, but when looking at ideas for rewarding your team, why not give extrinsic and intrinsic motivators a try? Extrinsic rewards are tangible motivators, like offering pay raises, bonuses, and benefits. Monetary benefits can instantly motivate some employees to work towards the reward, especially since money directly impacts one’s quality of life. As nice as they seem, these kinds of rewards tend to have short-term effects, and can be costly if expected to be continuously given.  This may also be difficult for some smaller...

Organizing a meeting with your team is a great way to problem-solve, collaborate, and make group-based decisions; however, the point of sitting down together may be moot if the meeting itself is ineffective or inefficient. If a meeting is to be the best use of everyone’s time, then it should be used to convey information, answer questions, brainstorm ideas/problem solve, network, or sell a product, idea, or service. Before gathering the team for a meeting, you should determine if it’s necessary to sit down together at all. Prior to scheduling and organizing, ask yourself the following questions: Why am I booking this meeting? What do I want to...

It’s time to present your service solution and pricing to a prospect! It is a very exciting part of a sales cycle, but before you present slow down and ask yourself: do you understand your prospect? Does your potential future client feel that you do know exactly what they are looking for? It is key to go through a check list internally to ensure you are presenting the appropriate solution. You should know the answers to the following questions before getting ready to close the deal: What is the prospect’s problem or issue? Often, the prospect is aware of their own issues, but wants to make sure that...

Unfortunately, resignations are unavoidable in the workplace, and can be uncomfortable for both parties. Knowing the rules of resignation can make these conversations much easier for both the employee and employer and may avoid a potential claim to the organization. An employee’s resignation is usually clear and is not normally subject to interpretation. It can be as simple as “I’ve decided to stay home for the next few years to take care of my family”, or simply “this job isn’t working for me”. In situations such as these, the conversation won’t likely leave room for ambiguity, however if this conversation is not followed by a written letter of...

Halloween is right around the corner, and as we get closer to the end of the year, it may feel like unfinished projects and pressing deadlines are rising from the grave! If you are new to project management, the thought of only having two months left in the year will leave you screaming, and knowing that new projects are coming down the pipeline is enough to give you the chills. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that reviewing and refining your project management skills on a regular basis will keep your spirits lifted throughout the year. As there is no single method to follow when it...

“Cold Calling”, or reaching out to a potential customer with no prior interaction, can be one of the most daunting aspects of sales. So much so that it often keeps good people away from the profession! The question almost everyone asks when diving into a sales role is “Do I have to do cold calling?” There is a wave of thought that believes the era of cold calling is dead. Networking seems to be the way to become successful in sales, as this is where all the big deals take place. Senior-level contacts will often not accept cold calls, and the only way to meet them, connect, and...

American companies expanding into Canada may initially believe that co-employment, or employer of record-type services, may be their best option. However, there are multiple advantages to managing your employees under your own Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business Number. Co-employment can blur the lines in an employer–employee relationship. In Canada, whoever directs the day to day activities of the employee is deemed to be the true employer of record. When embarking on a co-employment relationship with employees, you may be subject to higher fees for Workers Compensation (WCB). Your premiums will be based on the industry classification of the co-employer, as all employees are pooled together. The rates will...