The Power of Lipstick

Did you know that in a bad economy lipstick sales skyrocket?

Did you know that Coco Chanel thought lipstick was the way to grab a man's attention?

Did you know that there is proper etiquette for wearing lipstick?

Lipstick is one of those makeup items that many consider to be a mature thing to wear. Many of us twenty-somethings resort to lip gloss or chapstick, but lipstick is making a comeback.

Lipstick sales skyrocket in a bad economy because it's seen as a luxury and a pick me up. Maybe it also has something to do with finding a man, like Coco Chanel thought. :) And it certainly doesn't have to do with people wanting to participate in proper etiquette. In the 1920s, it was appropriate for flappers to apply lipstick during lunch, but they could never ever be allowed to even think about doing that at dinner. It was a different world then...

So, what's all this hype about lipstick for? My mother always told me to never leave the house with putting a little something on...that it completes the look. It's taken me a while to get sold on this, but I agree now. :)

Does lipstick make you feel powerful? Does it make you feel like you could go out and conquer the world?

Customer Service: Silent Call for Help

When you think of going to the Post Office, you usually assume there will be a pretty long line, especially in a college town. Yesterday when I went to the Post Office, there wasn't anything unusual-there was a long line almost to the door when I arrived. One thing that was different, however, was that there was a sole man working the desk, immediately after lunchtime.

You could tell he was pretty exhausted, overwhelmed and tired. I've been to this post office before and he's been smiling, friendly and content with his job. Today, I'm pretty sure he would have rather been anywhere other than his job.

The people in line were anxious, frustrated and wanted to leave, but because they had to mail something, they had no choice but to wait. If the long line and single worker wasn't enough, there was a man in line who needed a passport, which the worker had to service.

The passport involved a significant amount of time as people grumbled, tried to leave and started to raise their voices. Even after the passport customer was serviced, the line continued to drag on at a slow pace.

All of a sudden, the postal worker brought out customer service cards. It seemed like a frantic move, his only way to bypass the frustration he knew he was up against in line. I call this his silent call for help.

He gave each slip to the customers in line with eyes like a sad puppy dog. For those customers who were clearly and loudly outraged, he told them quietly, "call this number and tell them what you think, give them a piece of your mind".

You could blame this on staffing, budget cuts or management...and all of that would be pretty fair to take an aim at. However, I see two major problems that some may overlook.

1)Customer Service Cards should ALWAYS be out! These aren't designed as a cop-out when things are going wrong, I'm sure companies want to hear about things going right more often anyway. Companies shouldn't be afraid to pass out customer service cards abundantly, after all, it's going to only help them grow.

2)Even if the time, type and circumstances of work are overwhelming, somethings are simply out of control and you always have the power to decide how you are going to act when treating a customer and facilitating your job duties. I remember working extremely long shifts at the front desk of a resort on a holiday weekend where the check-in line seemed endless and you would pray a room would be ready when the next guest came to you. Some days are harder than others, but you can never let the customer see that you are overwhelmed, apathetic or 'hopeless' when conducting your work and serving them. It's not their burden to bear. Again, you can't help the circumstances of understaffing, etc sometimes, but you do have the control to change the mood. By simply smiling, apologizing or showing some of his personality every customer in that post office would have been a lot more forgiving of the circumstance than him not saying anything at all.

There shouldn't be a need for a silent call for help such as this. Employees have the power to express real concern to management as well as the power to change the mood of customers and themselves when dealing with overwhelming situations. After all, at the end of the day each of us can only do our best.

Picture from:http://mytown.mercurynews.com/archives/campbellreporter/09.06.00/post-office-0036.html At this site there is also an interesting related article about understaffing at postal offices. Interesting!

Bow Down

Bow Down by Elizabeth Hebeler featuring studded handbags

Our Forevers, Go Together

In the midst of my weekend I'm devoting to studying Finance (HUGE exam coming up), I stumbled upon one of the cutest pictures I've ever seen.

Simple, elegant and meaningful the paper cut out saying, 'Our Forevers, Go Together' resonated with me.

It's what every girl wants, right? To find someone that they can be with forever. To feel loved, appreciated, wanted, needed and meant to be...together..forever.

I think it's hard in college when everything is a little crazy-and sometimes boys aren't in the same mindset as girls. Unfortunately there is a lack of the want to commit these days-I'm not saying it's everyone, but there are quite a few guys out there that don't really care about being with one girl right now...it's college..it's time to have some fun is what they think..what they say. And then there are the girls that I've talked to...frustrated with all of that and pretty heartbroken...just wanting to find a nice guy.

When I saw this picture-it reminded me of dear friends who are lucky to have found someone special in their lives. One of my lovely roomies got engaged a couple of months ago and I truly feel like their forevers, go together....there are people that just work, that are meant to be. You can see it when they are together-how they light up, how they just fit.

Remember that your meant to be is somewhere out there in the world...and your forever will match up with someone else's forever too....it may just happen when you least expect it to! Don't get frustrated or heartbroken, the best is yet to come.

Picture courtesy of: http://see-me-everywhere.blogspot.com/2010/09/our-forevers-go-together.html

Credit Card Craze

Credit cards have been around for a while-and almost everyone is aware of their sneaky gimmicks, the increased debt you'll have and all the fine print that no one ever reads that comes along with them. Children as young as a couple years old know that credit cards have a special value-they erase the limit you have to buy-they make all your dreams come true.

I've always been a complete skeptic of credit cards. I swore I would never get one-just like my Grandmother. Why do you need one anyway? You should only buy what you can actually afford. Right?

Well, I finally got reeled into it...and got my first credit card last week. A $500 limit, I can't do much damage...and I'm pretty sure it only works at one store. But that's fine with me. I got it because of the special deals-20% of your first purchase, money back after you spend a certain amount-it seems like more of a loyalty card than a credit card to me.....but that's just another gimmick.

I'm careful to pay it off at the store immediately after purchasing what I want with it. Surprisingly, the associates encouraged me to do this-they encouraged me to treat it like a point card. Maybe this encouragement decreases the debt owed to the company...maybe it makes people feel more responsible...or maybe it was just the personal opinions of the people I spoke with.

Regardless, I have one. And I pay it off right after.

It's kind of liberating in a way-to have a card with so much power (I know it's only $500 but you could do some quick damage). But there is such a threat to your finances if you don't use it responsibly. I know you've heard the consequences over and over again...but just remember, don't let the charges you make on your credit card sit there-get rid of them! Think of money on your credit card as a wall blocking your path-an obstacle on your ride to work...because sooner or later you're going to hit that wall if you don't keep knocking it down.

By the way, my credit card is from J Crew-my current favorite place to shop! :) Look at the picture for some of the perks..I'm not trying to persuade you, I'm trying to persuade you to be responsible if you do get one! :)
Check out: Jcrew.com for more information

Customer Service: Everyday Life

Customer service is a part of everyday life. We come into contact with different kinds of customers every day-teachers, co-workers, roommates, family, fellow club members, teammates, managers and even random people you see in the grocery store or pass in the hallways. Every single person that you interact with during the day is essentially a customer. And you have the chance to either make a connection or disregard an opportunity every time you meet.

Making a connection can mean understanding each other's goals, sympathizing and empathizing with a friend's feelings or even just sharing a smile or opening the door for someone.

Disregarding an opportunity can mean ignoring a phone call, forgetting about a friend's birthday or passing by someone who has just dropped their books.

Who is your customer? Who did you make a connection with today? Who did you forget?

Asking yourself these 3 questions can really bring to life the opportunities you have to connect with your customers....whoever they may be!

Picture from: http://www.oph.yr-community.com.au/members/Craig-M/files/cardboard-cut-outs-holding-hands.jpg.aspx

Customer Service: The Medical Industry

One thing I dread the most is going to a doctor, the hospital, the dentist or another medical provider. It seems like although they can make me physically feel better after my appointment, throughout my entire time at the office I'm crunching my teeth, sweating at the palms and bursting inside with frustration at the total lack of customer service. Often times, I wonder if customer service is a part of their vocabulary at all.

I know I'm not the only one that has had a bad experience in the medical industry.

Talking with friends, family and co-workers, I have found the common consensus to often be that a visit to the doctor ranked high on the unsatisfactory and unhappiness scale.

One thing that many people argue is that the medical industry doesn't need to worry that much about customer service. Due to insurance, some people are 'stuck' with certain providers until additional ones pop up on their approved lists. Due to location, some people are forced to go to whoever is near by. Due to financial situations, some people are able to get better medical care where doctors are not overworked and have fancy offices and top of the line equipment.

Well, do they need to worry about customer service?

Of course they do! (I personally think everyone needs to think about customer service, business wise or in their personal life.)

The problem with medical providers believing the myth that they don't need customer service since people will always need them is just that, a myth. The problem is, as soon as their customer (patient) gets a new insurance card or a new opportunity to switch to a different provider, they will most likely take the chance if the benefits outweigh the current frustrations with the present provider.

A typical response to this would be-well, the medical provider will have plenty of more customers (patients) to service, so that loss doesn't really matter to them.

Well, it does. One of the most powerful ways of gaining customers (patients) or losing customers (patients) is through word of mouth. If a medical provider is so bad, and there is even another medical provider that is a step above, most people would switch. Again, if the benefits outweigh the current opinion with the present provider, people will leave.

Even if those two points don't convince you, think about the employees.

With my past work experience, I have learned that retention of employees heavily relies on the happiness, satisfaction, feeling of connection and sense of accomplishment of the employee.

I have never understood why a medical provider secretary ignores customers (patients), hides behind a window, minimally reacts with customers (patients), and rarely smiles. I think it's both sad and unfortunate to watch these people go about their jobs, hating every minute of it. If a little customer service was involved, it would brighten not only their day, but the customers' (patients') day as well.

When employees feel better about their jobs and actually enjoy them, the feeling is contagious and passes on to the customer (patient). Why shouldn't you enjoy going to the doctor? Or, at least feel a little more comfortable when going to find out if something is wrong? People already feel bad when they come into the doctor, and they should walk out the door not only having the tools to feel better physically but they should feel better mentally and emotionally as well with the process and experience of their medical visit.

What do you think?
Have you ever had a bad customer service experience at a medical office? I want to hear it!

Picture from: http://www.campusexplorer.com/colleges/major/A432FE02/Healthcare-Administration/A4A83BB5/Medical-Reception-Receptionist/

Clothes Over 170,000 Years Ago

As I was perusing the UF student website this evening, I came across an article about humans, lice and clothes over 170,000 years ago. Gross? Maybe a little. Interesting? Definitely a yes.

Recently, David Reed, the associate curator of mammals at the Florida Museum of Natural History at UF, completed a 5 year study on lice. What he ended up discovering was data that concluded that humans wore clothes over 170,000 years ago. Because the clothes had no way to have lasted that long, we have no idea what they could have looked like! But research figured out that humans started to wear clothes around this time due to decreasing temperatures (the Ice Age occurred about 120,000 years ago. The man in the picture depicts what an IceMan would have been wearing) and because humans were starting to lose body hair. The assumption there is that we were really a lot like monkeys at one time!

Lice is strongly linked to clothing material, so it was concluded that because lice was around at this time, humans must have been wearing something to cover their bodies.

So, it makes me think...what have clothes done for us? Where have clothes taken us since 170,000 years ago? Sure, they may have started out as protection at first, but think about what clothes mean to us today.....

Clothes to me are a way of expression, stress relief (love to shop, but you already knew that), and a way to fit in to appropriate social interactions (you wear different things to different functions and places).

I wonder what I would have been wearing 170,000 years ago...I wonder if I would have cared.

What do clothes mean to you? How do you think they have defined history?

I'll be exploring this topic about the history of fashion and clothes throughout the year, I hope you enjoy!

Original newsletter from: http://news.ufl.edu/2011/01/06/clothing-lice/
Picture from: http://www1.american.edu/ted/iceman.htm

Balance Sheets and Income Statements

Over break, I had to do a lot of financial accounting. Not just for school, but for my own personal financial health as well. :) As a college student, I know what it's like to wait for my scholarship to come in and figure out how to buy the dress I've been wanting and have enough money left for rent. :) One of my New Years Resolutions is to be smarter with money-and it couldn't come at a better time, right? :)

Now, as I start my first semester in graduate school as a combined degree student-my financial health is only getting more and more complicated. Tuition and books are more expensive and the scholarship has special notes about what can be spent on graduate courses...and then comes the stress of figuring out what to do after college. Getting a job, making money, being out on my own...paying for my own things without a scholarship. :) Complicated.

Fortunately for us, we don't need to hire a personal accountant to make balance sheets and income statements and other financial statements reflecting our personal growing or shrinking bank accounts. And, we don't have to spend hours and hours keeping up a journal of every one of our transactions.

Mint.com can take care of all that. :)

If you have never heard of it, you should type in in google right now and set up an account! It's completely free and they will do cooler financial statements than you could ever do on your own. Check out your pie charts of transactions based on categories or stores-check out what all of your accounts have in them and what you can do to start thinking of paying back student loans. Or, check out suggestions about opening a CD and investing, or buying stock!

As a generation growing up during a time of economic waves, it's time we start to really understand our personal financial health. And, it's time you took responsibility and checked out this site. I've been using it for years-and trust me, you won't find anything better.

Picture from: http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2008/10/hands-on-mint-com-vs-quicken-online.ars

A Whole New Year! :)

So, during the last day of 2010, I have spent the day doing homework. Preparing for the semester ahead, I've taken many notes, watched some lectures (on financial accounting yay!) and tried to make plans.

There are so many different kinds of plans to make. Plans for the day, plans for tomorrow, plans for the week, the month, the semester, the year, and even plans for after graduation.....!
I'm definitely a big planner/organizer. If there is something to organize and develop an efficient plan around, I'll do it-and enjoy it. I plan usually every day.

But, I know I'm not the only one planning today. You probably are too. :) Goals for the day, plans for tonight, resolutions for the year. So much to do.....

During our time of planning, it's hard to know exactly how to plan since we are waiting to first hear other people's plans-what's the plan for the economy? the government? the family? the school? the world?

What are everyone's plans?

The key to making sure your plans work out, is making them specific, achievable, adaptable and exciting! The thing about plans is that they may not always work out the exact way you had written down, but by sticking to the original idea-your plan can adapt and become a great reality for the new year.

So, I want to know.....what are you planning? What are your resolutions?

I'm planning on having a great year. :)

Image from: pinkolive.com