All articles written by Craig Price

Getting a Grip on Negativity

They say that, with a positive attitude, you can do anything. Is that true? I mean, is it really true? I know that, no matter how hard I work and no matter how positive I am, I can never be Miss America. It’s a fact. Never going to happen. Why? Well, for one there is an age limit: You need to be between 17 and 24 years old, and those days have long passed me by. For another, I’m married (sorry, ladies, I know how disappointed you must be). So I can’t be Miss America. Maybe I can be Mrs. America instead. That would be great. If only I was a woman. So Mrs. America is out too. Maybe Mr. America will work. Then again, maybe not. I know what you’re thinking: “Craig, you delicious piece of man candy. Of course you can be Mr. America.” Well, I appreciate that, but let’s be honest and realistic. For me to enter a nationwide beauty contest … well, things would not end well. Let me put it this way: I don’t scare small children and I don’t need meat around my neck to play with dogs, but I am under no illusion that I have beauty pageant looks. Click here to continue

Managing Negativity in the Workplace

There are a lot of various programs and books out there that claim they can eliminate all negativity. And while they are all well intentioned, they cannot deliver on that promise because negativity is a natural, ingrained thought process. You can't get rid of it. Not completely, anyway. Even if you are able to miraculously suppress all your negative thoughts, negative things will still happen to you. It would be like claiming they can eliminate all sickness, war, and death from the world. It's just not possible. But you can manage the negativity in your life. To manage negativity you need to admit that it exists and that it's a part of life. Stuff happens. How we deal with that stuff is the key. Life isn't always going to go as planned, so we need to learn how to play the cards we're dealt, not hope and wish we had different cards. So how can we manage negativity? Click here to continue.

Complain in the neck: Handling the complainers in your life

I am so sick of complainers. Aren't you? Don't they just irritate to the very bone? I can't believe they can just whine and moan about everything without an end in sight. Complainers are such big … oh. Wait a second. Am I complaining about complaining? Looks like it to me. There's no getting around it. Complaints and complainers are everywhere. I complain. You complain. If you don't complain, check your pulse. We all, at one point or another, complain. Some more than others. Some even more than that. But it's our ability to understand the complainer's point of view and the reason for the complaints that will make life a tad smoother. Click here to continue.

Customer Disservice: What ever happened to customer service?

Remember the good old days, way back when businesses treated you like you were actually important to them? When their employees recognized that you were vital to the company’s well-being and should be treated accordingly? Ah yes, days gone by.

While many companies still provide excellent customer service, more and more treat their customers as account numbers instead of people. Have you encountered employees who treat you like you’ve interfered with their lives because you’re simply looking for an item? They brush you off with “That’s not my department” or, my favorite, “I dunno.” You don’t know? You work here! I don’t know either but I don’t have the snappy embroidered shirt with the cool company logo on it to draw unsuspecting customers into my web of ignorance and frustration. Why wander the store, looking so helpful? Are you shopping too? Click here to continue

Get the cell off the phone!

In this technologically advancing world, the electronic leash we call a cell phone has become vital for many businesses. Many people can’t live without their cell phone. But with the new tools of business come new dangers as well. Most salespeople would rather cut off an arm than give up their cell phone. Contact with customers is life!

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to answer a cell phone every time it rings — particularly when in the car. (What? And lose a sale!?) Here are a few things to remember when driving and using a cell phone: Click here to continue

©Craig Price and Price Points 2006-2009