Training Focus Archives

June 2009 - Be the Leader Your Team Needs
In an uncertain economy where layoffs seem to loom everywhere, managers must provide a different kind of stimulus package: security and reassurance to promote high morale and productivity at your centers. These days your team members are looking to you for guidance, direction, and support. How can you offer all this in a stimulus package truly stimulates positive action? The ALLIANCE Academy provides a few guidelines on how to be the manager your team needs in these troubled times. Read more

April 2009 - Don't Settle for a Slowdown
When business takes a slump, it does not mean that your team should sit idle. A busy center attracts activity and new business opportunities. Keep your team busy and show them how to own their time and their impressions on the clients. Here are a few Academy-recommended suggestions to keep your center busy with activity. Read more

February 2009 - Four Easy Ways to Manage Your Website for Maximum Marketing Impact
We all know that the Web is the best way to get the most bang for your buck. But what are the specific trends you need to follow to make sure you're getting as much publicity and free marketing as possible? In this issue of Training Focus, we'll teach you four of the the hottest – and easiest – methods ALLIANCE recommends for you to manager your website for maximum marketing impact. Read more

December 2008 - Making Sound Business Decisions at Your ALLIANCE Center
Managers need a strategic mindset to be successful in today's serviced office environment. They must also be able to gather and process large amounts of information and then efficiently sift through masses of detail to obtain facts required for sound decisions. In this area of rapid change, managers must also be creative and resourceful to keep ahead of the competition. To make the most of limited resources, they must be able to effectively balance creativity and resourcefulness – to decide whether to start from scratch or build upon what already exists. This series will present development activities in the following four areas of thinking skills. In this issue we will focus on Thinking Strategically. Read more

October 2008 - Turn Clients into Fans at Your ALLIANCE Center
In our current downward economy, defining and focusing on your business's priorities is more important than ever. There are countless aspects to running a successful ALLIANCE center - from staff training to general management, taking care of your web site to promoting your virtual office services, and scheduling and keeping appointments. With so many different parts to your business, how do you figure out what is your foremost priority? The answer is simple. To be successful, you need to have satisfied clients. To keep clients happy and at your center, you need to do everything in your power to help their business succeed. Your greatest priority must always be your clients and their needs. Read more

August 2008 - Five Sins of Employee Discipline at Your ALLIANCE Center
The duties of being a good manager don't end after hiring and training your carefully selected employees. Many managers believe the word "discipline" has to do with punishment. Actually, it doesn't. Discipline pertains to improving employee performance through a process of assisting the employee (at least at first) to learn so he or she can perform more effectively. Here are the five most common sins managers make regarding disciplining employees, and what ALLIANCE recommends about them. Read more

June 2008 - Performance with a Purpose at Your ALLIANCE Center
Today's marketplace is incredibly competitive, not only in our industry, but in every industry around the globe. The competition can make it hard to stand out and difficult to thrive. Does your ALLIANCE center have what it takes to succeed? We've taught you about hiring the right people and how to train them, what tools to use, and what opportunities to provide to encourage their professional growth and development. Now what? Read more

April 2008 - Handling Price at Your ALLIANCE Center
To maximize revenues and retain clients at your office business center, you must have a team with strong skills – client relations skills, interpersonal skills, and sales skills. Training your team members to have excellent skills in sales and enabling them to handle price is especially critical to the success of your ABCN center. Read more

February 2008 - Improving Client Service Skills at Your ALLIANCE Center
Strong relationships with clients are part of the foundation for a successful business center. With the day-to-day operations and dealing with team issues and service partners, it can become easy to forget that the clients must always be your priority. The following ALLIANCE-recommended tips will help you improve your client service, and thereby improve your business and revenues. Read more

Training Focus 2007

December 2007 - The Right Way to Say "Thank You" at Your ALLIANCE Center
You've spent the year pushing your team to work harder and more efficiently, encouraging them to do their best work for the benefit of your ALLIANCE center. You've provided training and mentorship, leadership and guidance, and demanded your employees give 100% to match your own drive. Now at the year's end is prime time to recognize and thank your employees for being a critical factor in the growth and success of your business. Just as there are correct ways to motivate and give criticism, there are some ALLIANCE-recommended best-practice guidelines to follow when thanking your employees. Here are some quick tips to follow to ensure you effectively communicate your appreciation. Read more

October 2007 - SFA and CRM at Your ALLIANCE Center
A critical part of the formula to success in the OBC industry is the ability to make sales. Being a personable and effective salesperson can bring you prospects who become clients who refer their friends and colleagues to your center. But sometimes even the best salespeople find themselves unable to beat the competition. It's important to recognize that no matter how good a salesperson you are, if you don't have a selling system, you can't compete. This issue of Training Focus will give you pointers on developing a selling system with sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management (CRM). Read more

August 2007 - Mentorship at Your ALLIANCE Center
As a business center operator, you invest in the critical fundamental requirements for running a successful office: real estate, technology, furniture, just to name a few. Perhaps the most important investment you can make, though, is in your staff. A mentoring program requires more involvement than just sending new employees to initial training. Mentorship requires hard work from your team and especially from you – development depends on mentors. Read more

June 2007 - Stay Ahead of the Competition: Step Up Your Client Relations Game
Next to real estate and location, what are arguably the most critical aspects of our industry are client relations and customer service. We know that in our competitive markets, our special brand of ALLIANCE customer service can be a deal maker and keep clients coming back for more. This issue of Training Focus discusses guidelines for treating clients the right way, so that they return to you for services and keep referring your NETWORK center. Read more

APRIL 2007 - Hiring How-To: How Do You Attract the Best of the Best?
With the industry in its current growth mode, finding and hiring the right people to join your team is highly critical. How do you make sure you get the employees who best fit your center and positions? Attracting the best candidates means putting out the right words geared towards the right people. Here are ALLIANCE's recommended guidelines for making sure your job ad brings you the best of the best prospects. Read more

FEBRUARY 2007 - What Makes Training Work at Your ALLIANCE Center?
Through ALLIANCE's training tool, Training Focus, we have coached you on the importance of training your team to engage in healthy conflict, to cross-train so all your bases are covered, and to motivate your staff through constant communication, among other points. But what is it exactly that makes all this training work, and what are the costs of not training effectively? Take a look at the guidelines below to find out how engaging in the right kind of training brings your company success. Read more

Training Focus 2006

DECEMBER 2006 - Taking Care of Difficult Clients
As an ALLIANCE center manager, you are able to keep undesirable situations at bay and handle clients' situations easily, for the most part. But there are times when a client is angry and worked up when they come to you. What do you do then? While dealing with an angry client can be difficult, it doesn't have to be impossible. Following a few guidelines can help you keep the situation under control, and allow you to satisfy your client without compromising your center. Read more

OCTOBER 2006 - Motivating Employees with Constant Communication
It's important for ALLIANCE managers to keep center employees motivated in order to optimize staff performance and maximize results and profits. One way to keep your employees motivated is through constant communication. On a regular and consistent basis, team members need to know what they are doing well and where they need improvement. Here are tips on using constant communication to motivate your center's employees. Read more

AUGUST 2006 - The Leader Your ALLIANCE Center Needs
As a manager at your ALLIANCE center, you know that your job doesn't really let you have a day off; you're on call 24 hours a day to ensure everything is running smoothly and that your clients are getting excellent service. It's no news that you must maintain these work methods to maintain your rank and be a good leader for your staff. But while working at the top and managing your staff, there are some things you might forget. Read more

JUNE 2006 - Conflict: An Agent for Success at Your ALLIANCE Center
It’s important to recognize that while conflict is usually uncomfortable, all conflict is not bad. In fact, conflict is necessary for effective problem solving and for effective interpersonal relationships. When people can disagree with each other and lobby for different ideas, your center is healthier. Disagreements often result in a more through study of options and better decisions and directions. Knowing how to raise issues and participate in meaningful conflict is critical to your center's success. Read more

APRIL 2006 - ALLIANCIZING Your Center
You've already made the biggest step toward your goal of filling up office space and maximizing your revenue potential: you've joined the ALLIANCE NETWORK. While simply having membership does not guarantee meeting your goal, there are steps you can take to truly ALLIANCIZE your center and services. ALLIANCE has developed exclusive tools and resources specifically to empower you and help you grow your business – all you have to do is make sure you use them all! Read more

FEBRUARY 2006 - Cover All Your Bases with Cross-Training
At ALLIANCE, we know that it’s important for your center’s employees to be cross-trained. When your employees are cross-trained on the many varying duties at your center, your operations will run smoothly, no matter what situation may arise. This practice is especially important at smaller operations, where the absence of one staff member can make a great difference. Read more