By, Keith Rosen, Profit Builders It is believed that more than 60% of all problems within the workplace and within relationships are a direct result of faulty communication. Failure to identify or confirm with the other person the next step during a planning process, ineffective delegation, or the inability to actively listen for what the other person really needs can dramatically affect the results we seek to achieve during a conversation. It seems as if more people in the business community are spending a significant portion of their time handling customer problems.

by, The Small Business Knowledge BaseWe sometimes get only one chance to make an impression on someone either in our personal or business life. Therefore it is important to remember some basic things to do that will assure us of making the best impression possible. Here are ten of the most common things people can do to make the best first impression possible.Appear Neat And Dress AppropriatelyBeing neat in our appearance is something we can do regardless of whether we are trying to make a good impression on someone or not.

By Lisa A. Rozycki, Marketing Director, Reinsel & Company LLPIn a firm-wide marketing survey, employees were asked what would motivate them to market the firm’s services. Not surprisingly, the top two answers were "incentive compensation" and "recognition" for their efforts.Like many CPA firms across the country, we’ve had the standard commission structure on new business and cross-selling services to existing clients for a number of years. Three years ago, the paper forms that needed to be filled out for compensation almost never left the shelf.

Like most of us today, e-mail is a key communication avenue that sometimes can get out of hand. Like phone calls, you can't always respond immediately to the caller. If you receive an e-mail message in Outlook and you don't have time to respond to it immediately, but want to ensure a timely response, you can easily add it to your calendar and schedule a block of time when you will be able to reply.

Consultant, trainer and author Dave Stein shares some trade secrets on qualification and strategic competitive selling. Are you a salesperson representing a smaller company that competes against the "big guys?" If so, you probably find yourself feeling like the underdog in the age-old tale of David and Goliath. And-the story's biblical outcome notwithstanding-you've probably noticed that in today's hyper-competitive business world it's usually Goliath who trounces David. Sigh. Am I fighting a losing battle? you wonder.

We've all been there. You walk in to a business networking event, walk around a few minutes, glance at nametags to see who is there, and wait for a chance to jump in on a conversation as if you were entering onto a highway and waiting for traffic to slow down to let you in.Recognize from the start that you are not there to sell any services. You are there to purposefully get to know others and explore potential opportunities for mutual gain.

How can you make sure your business is more successful? Try a little E-Mail Courtesy. Many businesses who've established themselves on the Internet haven’t the faintest idea of how to address one of the most important issues online: Customer Service. Here are 10 tips to get you started: Answer your e-mail and answer it promptly. The Internet is FAST. It gives people information in a much shorter amount of time than having to go through a more traditional route of finding what they want. Customers expect FAST replies.

Today's business is plagued with stories of lost sales, eroded relationships, and missed opportunities that may have been caused by a lack of "soft skills." The phrase, soft skills, in this context, is synonymous with good manners, such as how to introduce your colleagues, how to butter your bread in a restaurant, and even how to carry your golf bag. A lack of proper manners and good etiquette can cost you business in today's competitive environment.

Collaboration, Change & Comfort Zones: 4 Ways to Help Your "Old Dog" Employees Learn Some New Tricks.If you want your employees to work together online, you must first help them break out of their comfort zones. Collaboration Architects co-founder John Darling tells you how.You know the time is right to join the ranks of those companies that are benefiting from online collaboration technology. Employees working together via the Web is clearly the wave of the future. And there are plenty of great software programs out there. Still, there is one major barrier to overcome: human nature.