#cat61rcc

The records management chapters have helped me better understand how to manage my records and electronic records in the following ways:

Have a discard system in place: determine if record is “legal, financial, historical, or daily operations” related and set a discard system in place. Do not keep records indefinitely if not required by law or business need

Findability is key! Clutter and poor file structures will impeded findability

Index appropriately based on file type, name, subject, number, or geographic location

An over-cluttered computer desktop is the same as a poorly managed desktop: create folders, subfolders, and more subfolders

Maintain your electronic records! Create backups, backups for your backups, and more backups for your backups’ backups.

Name files logically and with connection to their purpose! “File 1″ just won’t cut it

1.    Complete – by using and asking yourself the “W” questions Why, What, Who, When, and Where?

2.    Clear- make sure the reader understand the purpose, your words should espress instead of impress

3.    Correct- the communication should be correct and facts

4.    Concise – say what need to be said, keeping it short and clear

5.    Courteous – be respectful

Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become your character.

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny

Reflections on my writing

“This chapter has helped me to recognize that I can strengthen my written communication in the following ways:”

Use concise writing. When I am irritated or avoiding a subject I use superfluous language to dance around an issue. But I recognize that concise writing is stronger and more to the point.

I need to maintain a clear goal or purpose; a “call to action”

I need to remain courteous. As tempting as it may be to slide into more colorful language, I know I must refrain from doing so.

I should fact check for correctness: when I wrote the above-pictured letter, I caught 1 significant error in the dates listed.

I need to eliminate passive statements and be more ‘active’ in my language.

What it should really be called is ‘Overall Respect and Consideration for Each and Every Individual Service.’ I’m a firm believer of any interaction with someone else is to be treated as a two way street. Though the original topic is asked why customer service is important to the customer/clients, I did just throw a little of my huffy, puffy two cents in there to add on to my response. 

I understand that well constructed customer service provided to the customers and clients within a working environment is important because that’s how companies/products grow and expand. Developing this type of relationship with the ones who wish to be consumers of a particular branded company, or with a specific product; it’s important to not only keep that one customer, but us humans like to pass on through word of mouth and demonstration, ‘a good thing.’ You could be selling the absolute most amazing, innovative piece of technology that you are ONLY going to find within the grasps of your fingertips, but there is no way you are going to be able to promote that piece if you don’t have the right attitude. Then, thereafter, you may also say goodbye to your job/career as well as go ahead and lose the bridge behind you.

To those who care about what they do, more than likely also enjoy it and in return have more customers that will return to them and will be loyal because of their service. I have not held a job to where I didn’t have to socialize with another individual, whether that person is a client or a co-worker, and develop a working relationship. No, we don’t have to sell ourselves to anyone, however in certain situations such as ‘customer service’ you have to know how not only show a degree of respect for the customer/client involved; and as for yourself to represent not only yourself, but also for the well being of your employer. The skills learned developed through these interactions are assets that may be used in every day life. 

When we provide quality customer care, it doesn’t go unnoticed. How you make a person feel when they ask you a question, and how you respond to them is vital. They’ll listen to you if you can show that you know what you are talking about (even if you don’t, but seeing if that’s your job then you should at least keep a mental note to learn more). Honesty to, respect for, and being genuinely compassionate towards the customer/client are factors they will remember, let alone the actual product presented. At restaurants, customers won’t return to an establishment even it’ the best food they have ever tasted -- if they don’t receive quality service also. I won’t go back into a certain store in the mall if I have had enough bad experience with them. If I really wanted to donate my money to their company, I can find another location or even buy what I want via the internet. It’s that simple today. How you act will always be important in every viewed aspect for your personal and the company’s sake.