Office Manager Tip: Fabulous

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Do you remember the Swiss trucks driving around that say “You can’t say ‘Swiss’ without a smile?”  This is because of the way our facial muscles move to form the “s” sibilance.

In an effort to cope with phone calls, a weakness of mine, I have developed a bit of a strategy based upon my (unscientific) testing and trial.  Not only do I have a mental script that I adhere to, but I have found that I always get a varied, yet great, reaction out of folks when my answer to “How are you?” is “Fabulous!“

The answer is unexpected; therefore, it is disarming.  This causes the other party to relax a bit (it breaks the ice), state how they are doing, and ask if I really am really fabulous.  I am then able to proceed with the call in friendly manner, having already established a rapport.

You may wonder why this tip is even remotely relevant.  Consider the following quote from Christine Knott’s article “How to use vocal pitch and pace on the phone” (2/25/09):

Put into percentage terms it equates to 7 per cent words, 38 per cent vocal characteristics, and 55 per cent body language.  This means that over half the message is transferred by our body actions and facial expressions, which are viewed in order to receive the content of the message.

When the transmission of our message relies solely on our voice, as in a phone call, there is a maximum of 45% communication resources available–less than half. Continue reading →

Fish Bowl Be Gone: Window Film is Here

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Are you tired of holding client meetings in a fish bowl? Do you like the concept of a glass-walled conference room, but feel that it lacks a sense of privacy?

Do you have a retail space with a storefront display that could benefit from the aesthetics of patterned, gradient window film?

We all want the benefits of natural light, yet we shudder to think of going back to using glass block reminiscent of Miami Vice episodes.

We may have a great solution that will satisfy your desire for natural light in your workspace while adding a great aesthetic.

Tsurgi 3M Decorative Window Film

Tsurugi 3M Decorative Window Film

Photo courtesy of Window Works

We are excited to announce that among our valued list of quality subcontractors carefully cultivated over the last thirty-four years, we now have a window film specialist: Window Works, a 3M Prestige Dealer.

Window Films, both decorative and sun control, have a lot to offer.  Call us to see how we can incorporate window film into your next design-build tenant improvement project.

Featured Tweeter #ImadNaffa

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Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

I’m sorry to say that Imad passed away September 6, 2011.  Imad had been such a great friend to me on Twitter, especially regarding our Riggins account. He was an inspiring and encouraging person and desired that the AEC community get on board the social media train before they were completely left behind.  He was the kind of person who was a friend to all.  As a Twitter user, he was a “virtual coworker” and part of my daily life.   He will be sorely missed.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @ImadNaffa
Twitter Bio: Atypical Civil Engineer, Tedx & Twitterologist. Info. for Building, Fire, Access/ADA & Const. Codes. Green, Eco, SM + Global Affairs.
Company Name: NAFFA International, Inc. 
City/State: Fresno, CA
Main Website: http://www.NAFFAinc.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/naffainc
Admin Name:  Imad Naffa
LinkedIN Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/imadnaffa
Klout Score: 71
Followers: 52,075
Following:Follower Ratio: 0.78

Imad Naffa of Naffa InternationalQuestions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

September 27, 2008

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

At first, I did not see the business benefit for using Twitter. I thought it was simply a social media platform for connecting with friends and exchanging trivial information, so I dismissed it. I did not understand how it worked in the beginning and where to start. So I opened an account and that went dormant for while.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I’m very active; for me, three to four hours a day, minimum. Some of this time is done early in the morning, throughout the day and late at night (PST). With followers located in over 12 time zones, to engage one-on-one in real time (not required, but great at times to experience) becomes a challenge! So it’s not for everyone and may not be possible or practical for most. Continue reading →

Featured Tweeter: @SanJosePlumbing

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Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @SanJosePlumbing
Twitter Bio: IceAgeAir & NewPipesNow:The South Bay’s Premier Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Specialists. Facebook:http://on.fb.me/erkRHC CSLB #906447 Tweets by @Carol_Stephen
Company Name: San Jose Plumbing/New Pipes, Inc. & Ice Age Air
City/State: San Jose, CA
Main Website: http://www.sanjoseplumbingco.com/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/SanJosePlumbing
Admin Name: Carol Stephen (December 2010 – June 2011)
LinkedIN Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/carolstephen
Klout Score: 55
Followers: 1,237
Following:Follower Ratio: 1.20

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

December 10, 2010

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

In the beginning, it was getting traction online. I spent a lot of time considering a good strategy for our potential followers. At first, you tweet into a vacuum. You write and no one writes back and progress is slow. That was the first month. Every month, tweeting becomes easier.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I tweet Monday-Friday and, occasionally, on Saturday. I’m always planning the next day’s tweets. I have a huge file of ideas and different strategies for each day. We tweet about furnaces, water heaters, air quality, do-it-yourself projects, and sometimes funny plumbing sites or ideas or pictures that I come across while researching tweets.

Ten to twenty of my tweets are automated through Tweetdeck and the rest are engagement where I write personal replies to our contacts, or “tribe.” I throw everything into a Word document and track our progress in an Excel spreadsheet. Each month, I choose five or six different areas of focus to track, such as number of followers on Twitter. Continue reading →

Berm

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vocabularySome construction jargon comes from the appearance of wildlife and, after consideration, makes sense, like the term “alligatoring.” While others like “girder” come to life from related words. In this case, I have no frame of reference for the term “berm.”

However, Merriam-Webster gives us the word origin:

French berme, from Dutch berm strip of ground along a dike; akin to Middle English brimme brim | First Known Use: 1704

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction alligatoring is defined as follows:

(1) An artificial ridge of earth, generally side slopes of a roadbed and commonly called the shoulder.  The space between the toe and slope and excavation made for intercepting ditches or borrow pits.  Berms are built to hold water on land that is to be flood irrigated. (2) In dam construction, a horizontal step or bench in the sloping profile of an embankment dam.

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