Category Archives: XNews

The Game Of Telephone

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Did you ever play the game of telephone as a kid? It was fascinating to see the evolution as one kid would say, “Your grandma wears army boots.”, and after passing that sentence through 6 or 7 sets of ears it came out to be, “Your pajamas are ugly”. The game of telephone may be happening in your office or department right now. Information and solutions are being passed from one set of ears to another and at the end of the day each person has a slightly different version of the original message that was sent. The game of telephone plays a big part in the quality of the customer service you deliver and the morale of your team.

How can you determine if the game of telephone is being played in your office?

  1. Take a look at each person’s workstation. What do you see posted on the walls around them? Is the information outdated? Is there a lot of clutter?
  2. Ask to see the department manual which many fondly refer to as their bible. It should include not only the detail on your product or service, but it should have the answers to any question one of your employees would have. Check the date on it. It should be updated regularly.
  3. Compare each person’s copy of the manual to see if they are the same.
  4. Ask each person individually who gives them updated pricing, changes and other pertinent information needed to help the customer. You may find that each person has a different contact which will open the door for inaccurate information.

What should be in you Customer Service Manual? Here are some ideas for you to either spruce up your existing manual or to develop one. The example below is specific to transportation related industries, but it gives you a good idea of what to do.

Must Haves

  1. Create a tab for each town, city or county you service.
  2. Description of services, rules and regulations
  3. Rates for services
  4. Prices for bulky items
  5. How To Handle: new starts, cancellations, transfers, rate matches
  6. Screen shots showing how to do it
  7. Billing and Payments
  8. Billing Cycles
  9. Who is billed
  10. Processing payment
  11. Training materials
  12. Scripts
  13. Incentive program

Great additional information to include:

  1. Sales reps names, cell phones and their territories
  2. Driver names and routes
  3. Transfer and landfill information
  4. Policies on special situations
  5. Terms and abbreviations
  6. Pictures and dimensions of containers
  7. A copy of a new customer welcome packet
  8. Marketing materials a customer would receive

Making sure that you and your department have a dependable resource with all the answers will improve the quality of the customer service delivered. It will also help you develop a representative that doesn’t have to run to you or someone else to be told what to do and how to do it. In the end, your accuracy will be better and your department will be more efficient.

Three Ways to Build a Motorcycle

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Some people build custom bikes because they are cheaper than buying one. Others just want the I-built-that feeling as they look at it. Still others might want customization that they can’t get in an “off the shelf” model.

When someone decides to build a motorcycle, there are three paths to take depending on budget, mechanical skill, design aims, and past building experience. Those paths are custom bike kits, a rolling chassis, and building the whole thing from a collection of motorcycle parts.

Custom Bike Kits

The simplest choice for someone who has never built a bike before is to try one of the many custom bike kits out there. You get a box that has everything you need to build the bike from the ground up except the paint.

Kits are great for first-time builders. If you can follow instructions, you end up with a bike put together with your own hands. You don’t have to worry about picking the wrong parts or whether two pieces will work together. You will make mistakes along the way, but they will tend to be safe mistakes that won’t ruin the build.

The biggest downside is the cost. This is perhaps the most expensive way to build a custom bike. You are also limited as to how much customization you can do. Sure you can swap out the included parts with others of your choice, but that means throwing away pieces you’ve already paid for.

Rolling Chassis

A rolling chassis is a partially assembled bike that you can customize. It includes the frame, handlebars, wheels, gas tank, and other basic parts. You need to add an engine and a transmission then finish it off with custom pieces.

This is a good middle-of-the-road choice. A rolling chassis is cheaper than one of the kit bikes while keeping the advantage of pre-selected parts that work together. Since all you have is the underlying framework, you still have lots of customization options.

Building a bike from a rolling chassis requires more skill on your part, since you are going to have to choose the other parts yourself.

A variation on the rolling chassis is to take an existing bike, cut it down to the frame, thus producing your own chassis. A used bike will probably cost less than a rolling chassis and you will be removing the parts that have seen the most wear and tear such as the engine.

Building from Scratch

The ultimate in a custom bike is one that you select all the motorcycle parts yourself. The bike becomes a true expression of your personality because every nut and bolt was hand selected. Needless to say this build is beyond most first-timers and even most second-timers.

You can either go cheap, cannibalizing parts from junk bikes, or expensive, buying high end custom chopper parts. This is truly a blank canvas and the ultimate challenge for the bike builder.

Hints and Tips on How to Install Made to Measure Wooden Blinds

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When you are thinking about buying made to measure wood blinds there are several different things which you will need to take into consideration first. As well as deciding on what style of blinds you want you need to also think about how they are going to be mounted. Below we take a look at the things that will have to be considered when you are going to be installing made to measure wood blinds.

Firstly you need to decide on what kind of mounting you will be used for the blinds as there are two types to choose from. There is the mount that sits inside the window recess and there is the type that you fit outside it. For a more uniformed look and to hide all the hardware the mounting that fits inside the window recess is your best option. However, using this type of mounting could show any imperfections in the windows shape and this is why many people prefer to use the outside mounted blinds.

If you decide upon going for the second option of the outside mounted wood blind then you will have to make sure that you have enough hardware to install them with. Plus you must make sure that when measuring the windows you provide enough length to allow an overhang on each side of the window. However, if you go for made to measure wood blinds where they are mounted inside the window recess then you need to ensure that there is sufficient space for the hardware used to put them in place.

Once you have made the decision as to what type of window blind mounting you are going for you now need to measure the windows where they are to be installed. It is crucial that each window where wood blinds are to be fitted are measured separately and in a number of different parts. As well as measuring the length of each window on both sides you also need to measure the width across in several places.

The measurement that you will use when it comes to ordering made to measure wood blinds is the longest height and width as this will ensure that they fit correctly. Plus don’t forget if you are going to mount the blinds inside the window recess then you need to measure the width across the top from the window to the internal part of the wall. When it comes to getting made to measure window blinds that fit properly no deductions must be made from one measurement to another.

When it comes to measuring window blinds where the mounting is outside the window you don’t have to concern yourself with measuring the depth of the recess. However, you will need to include an additional few inches to the width measurement of the window to allow for an overhang. So if for example your windows measure 62 inches then add a further 3 inches on each side to allow for the hardware to be installed.

Also when it comes to made to measure wood blinds that are fitted on the outside of the window you have to make sure that you add an additional two inches on to the height measure for the hardware. So if your window measures 50 inches in height then you should purchase ones that measure 52 inches.

In this article we have shown you what you will need to do when you want to measure the windows in your home to purchase made to measure wood blinds that fit inside or outside the window recess. If you make sure that you get your measurements correct then installing the new blinds you have purchased should not be a problem.

Get the Cheapest Car Insurance Using These Simple Ideas

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It is the requirement of the law that you have car insured by some type of car insurance policy. There is a variety of premium rates offered by many car insurance providers that are also influenced by specific factors depending on the type of insurance policy of your choice. Although it is a must for drivers who own cars to have car insurance, know that it is possible for you to get one at the cheapest rate. Keep reading to find out some ideas that you can use to get the cheapest car insurance.

Evaluate rates offered by contacting a number of different car insurance providers over the phone or by using the Internet. The phone book can be used to find for local insurance agencies and the rates that they offer. Price comparison should be done accurately by selecting insurance with similar coverage and policy details. Online web sites can be used to do car insurance comparison by filling up your information to get quotes within a day, so you can pick the cheapest one that works for you in no time.

Make modifications to your vehicle and policy to get the cheapest rate. You can do this by adding theft devices to ensure your vehicle’s safety, and reducing the annual mileage. Owning several type of insurance such as home insurance or life insurance that is offered by the same company will get you entitled for discounted rates that can help you get the cheapest car insurance too.

Get lower amounts of coverage or higher deductibles. If certain coverage is not necessary, you can modify your policy by lowering or removing some parts of it which include tow services, rental or collision, comprehensive storage coverage, and no-fault coverage. Get a consultation with your insurance agent to find out more options on how to get the best cheapest offer for you car insurance.

Enquire about the multiple car discounts as sometimes the cost for insuring two cars can actually be the same for the insurance for one car. Find out with the insurance company about the details regarding multiple insurances for more than one vehicle. The same thing can be done online, as you can always ask for discounts if you are going to insure more than one car, while you get your insurance quotes. Even if there are plans to sell the second car, you can always maintain the car as liability so you can benefit from the multiple car discount rates.