Ein guter Jahresbericht vermittelt ein authentisches Gefühl für eine Organisation und ihre Arbeitskultur. Die Kategorien für Jahresberichte und andere Publikationen würdigen herausragende Leistungen in den Bereichen Geschäftsberichte, Broschüren, Marketing- und Vertriebspakete, Newsletter, interne Publikationen (Unternehmenszeitschriften) und andere Publikationen, die seit dem 1. Juli 2018 veröffentlicht wurden.

Sie kennen das: am Ende des Jahres stehen Sie vor der Frage, ob schon alles für den Jahresbericht zusammengesammelt ist. Es gilt, interessante Ereignisse, Daten, Fakten und Zahlen zu erfassen, um neben internen Gruppen vor allem diejenigen über Ihre Tätigkeiten zu informieren, die Ihre Organisation unterstützen. Schließlich fungiert der Jahresbericht als aussagekräftige Visitenkarte und Erfolgsbericht des Unternehmens, in den viel Mühe und Zeit investiert wird, um Investments für Aktionäre wirklich greifbar zu machen. Da weder Text, Layout, Grafiken oder Bilder vorgegeben sind, kann bis ins kleinste Detail frei bestimmt werden, wie der Jahresabschlussbericht aussehen soll. Dies ermöglicht einen einen großen Spielraum in Bezug auf dem Marktauftritt und bietet diverse Differenzierungsmöglichkeiten zu Konkurrenten.

Haben Sie mit Ihrem Jahresbericht gezeigt, was sich durch Ihre Tätigkeit zum Besseren geändert hat?  Haben Sie wichtigen Zielgruppen in Ihren Jahresbericht eine positive Image-Botschaft zukommen lassen und haben durch Form und Layout überzeugt?

Dann sind Sie in den Kategorien für Jahresberichte und andere Publikationen genau richtig: in diesen Kategorien werden Geschäftsberichte, Broschüren, Marketing- und Vertriebspakete, Newsletter, interne Publikationen (Unternehmenszeitschriften) und andere Publikationen, die seit dem 1. Juli 2018 veröffentlicht wurden, ins Rampenlicht gerückt.

In diesen Kategorien können Sie Nominierungen einreichen:

• Bester Geschäftsbericht
• Beste Marketing- und Vertriebsbroschüre oder -paket
• Bester Newsletter / Beste interne Publikation
• Bestes E-Book
• Bestes Wirtschaftsbuch
• Bestes White Paper oder bester Forschungsbericht
• Bester Unternehmens-Podcast
  

Ausgezeichnete Berichte und Publikationen

Im letzten Jahr wurde die Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG mit einem Gold Stevie für den  besten Geschäftsbericht Print ausgezeichnet. Zielgruppe des Geschäftsberichts des Experten für sicheres Mail-Business und sichere digitale Kommunikationsprozessen waren Investoren, die Fachpresse sowie Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter der Führungsebenen. Die Zielsetzung der Publikation: Vertrauen ins Unternehmen und dessen Strategie bei Stakeholdern und Fachpresse herstellen. Dabei wurde das Thema "Dynamik" in verschiedenen Lebensbereichen beleuchtet und das Unternehmen als dynamisches Unternehmen gezeigt. Entsprechend der Unternehmensvision, nach der Francotyp-Postalia mit seinen Produkten und Dienstleistungen den Kunden das Leben erleichtert und ihnen dadurch Zeit und Freude in ihrem Alltag schenkt. Die Schweizer Broschur mit partiellem UV-Relieflack überzeugt mit einer Klappe sowie mit dem offenen Rücken als Besonderheit.

Der KolibriGames Firmen-Blog konnte die Jury 2020 in der Kategorie Bester Newsletter oder beste interne Publikation überzeugen.  Seit August 2018 publiziert das junge Berliner Mobilegames-Unternehmen Kolibri Games auf seinem Blog regelmäßig Inhalte. In 26 Blogposts seit Erstveröffentlichung, hat es die Firma geschafft ihren Lesern einen Einblick in alle Bereiche der Spieleentwicklung, sowie die Arbeit in einem jungen Startup und vieles mehr zu vermitteln. Die sorgfältige Arbeit an dem Blog hat sich für das Unternehmen in vieler Hinsicht gelohnt. Über das Medium konnte das Team Transparenz bezüglich ihres Bewerbungsprozesses schaffen, die eigenen Arbeitsweisen und den Arbeitsalltag an potenzielle Bewerber vermitteln und diesen Tipps zur Bewerbung geben. Dies wirkte sich positiv auf das Recruiting aus: viele Bewerber und Neueinstellungen erzählten, der Blog hätte ihnen enorm geholfen. Darüber hinaus wurde die Publikation auch intern zu einem wichtigen Medium um Erfolge der Firma und die Arbeit einzelner zu feiern: Mitarbeiter freuten sich darüber, über ihren Job zu berichten zu können und waren stolz ihr Unternehmen öffentlich repräsentieren zu können. Die Qualität der Blogeinträge, ohne Fokus auf Eigenwerbung sondern stets darauf bedacht, informative Inhalte zu vermitteln, wurde von einschlägigen Games-Medien anerkannt, die diese mehrfach wiederverwendeten.

„Einfach loslegen, die Leute kommen schon von selbst.“ Wenn das nur so einfach wäre... Doch von der Idee bis zur Umsetzung ist es bei der Ausrichtung eines Live-Events ein langer Weg, bei dem es auf gute Planung und Know-How ankommt. Die Kategorien für das Beste Live-Event bei den German Stevie® Awards 2021 zeichnen herausragende Live-Events aus, die seit dem 1. Juli 2018 ausgerichtet wurden.

Welche ist die konkrete Zielgruppe des Events? Wie viel darf die Location kosten und wie viel wird für Catering und Rahmenprogramm kalkuliert? Bietet die Location alles, was auf dem Programm steht? Barrierefreiheit? Parkplätze? Wissen alle Bescheid? Fragen über Fragen, die es zu beantworten, zu klären und zu lösen gilt, bevor ein Live-Event starten kann. Die Organisation einer Veranstaltung ist mit viel harter Arbeit verbunden. Ob für ein Kick-Off-Event für ein neues Projekt, ein besonderes Rahmenprogramm für eine Tagung, eine Betriebs- oder Weihnachtsfeier - zunächst gilt es für Ort und Anlass die passende Idee zu finden, um Unternehmenswerte erlebbar zu machen und das Gemeinschaftsgefühl zu stärken. Es gilt eine innovative Idee und ein passendes Konzept in ein außergewöhnliches Erlebnis umzusetzen. Dies ist mit viel Engagement und Herzblut verbunden. Für den Erfolg eines Events, sei es für Vereine, Verbände, Unternehmen oder einer Großveranstaltung, ist eine durchdachte Organisation und ein gutes Marketing von fundamentaler Bedeutung.

Wir bei den German Stevie Awards wissen, wie viel Arbeit, Mühe und Nerven hinter einem Live-Event stehen und honorieren diese großartige Arbeit in den Kategorien für Live-Events. 

Da im letzten Jahr leider nahezu alle Live-Events wegen der Auflagen zu COVID-19 abgesagt werden mussten, haben wir den Leistungszeitraum erweitert, sodass Sie nun Nominierungen für Veranstaltungen einreichen können, die seit dem 1. Juli 2018 stattgefunden haben. Außerdem können auch Nominierungen von virtuellen Live-Events eingereicht werden. 

Vom Markenerlebnis bis zur Parade

Die Kategorien für Live-Evens bieten ein breites Spektrum für Veranstaltungen an, für die Nominierungen eingereicht werden können. 

In diesen Bereichen können Sie sich bewerben:

• Kunst, Kultur und Unterhaltung
• Paraden, Kunstveranstaltungen usw.
• Marke & Erlebnisse
• Nachhaltigkeit
• Konferenzen & Tagungen
• Unternehmen & Gemeinschaft

Eine vollständige Liste der Kategorien finden Sie hier.

Diese Events hatten es in sich!

Mit dem vielversprechenden Namen „Die 90er Live – das Azubi Projekt“ ging die Johannesbad Hotels Bad Füssing GmbH 2020 an den Start. „Unsere Azubis können was“, sagt das Unternehmen und übergibt in jedem Jahr ein Projekt an Auszubildende, das sie eigenständig planen, organisieren und umsetzen. 2019 holten die Jugendlichen die Band SNAP! nach Bad Füssing und feierten mit hunderten Gästen eine große 90er Jahre Party. Die Organisation wurde vollständig von den Auszubildenden selbst übernommen. Sie organisierten sich in Gruppen mit verschiedenen Zuständigkeiten (z.B. Sicherheit, Kommunikation Gemeinde/Feuerwehr, Buchung/Betreuung Band, Food&Beverage, Marketing, Pressearbeit etc.). Bei regelmäßigen Treffen tauschten sich die Auszubildenden über den aktuellen Stand aus und trafen gemeinsam Entscheidungen. Auch auf kurzfristige Herausforderungen, wie beispielsweise die schlechte Wetterprognose wurde souverän reagiert und spontan ein großes Festzelt organsiert. Mit rund 1.000 Gästen können die Auszubildenden auf ein erfolgreiches Azubiprojekt 2019 zurückblicken. Die Johannesbad Hotels Bad Füssing GmbH setzt viel Vertrauen in Ihre Nachwuchskräfte und wurde dafür gleich mit zwei Gold-Stevies für die beste Musikveranstaltung und das beste Live Event 2020 ausgezeichnet.

Die ZIEHL-ABEGG SE räumte ebenfalls einen goldenen Award bei den German Stevie Awards 2020 ab. Mit dem Company Trail – der Lauf durch Büros, Lager und Produktionshallen für die ganze Familie richtete das Unternehmen ein Event aus, bei dem 870 Läufer quer durch Hochregallager und Produktionsbereiche von Unternehmen im Gewerbepark Hohenlohe liefen. Dabei boten die Firmen zahlreiche Stationen an, die von Familien mit Kindern und ganzen Abteilungen von Behörden wie Unternehmen besucht wurden. Mit mehr als 600 Erwachsenen und weiterer zahlreicher Kinder und Jugendlichen, die die Laufstrecke von gut fünf Kilometern bestritten, was der Lauf durch Unternehmen ein voller Erfolg.

Eine vollständige Liste der Gewinner finden Sie hier.

Auch Sie haben seit dem 1. Juli 2018 ein herausragendes Live-Event ausgerichtet? Dann bewerben Sie sich jetzt noch bei den German Stevie Awards um eine der begehrten Stevie Awards Trophäen. 

By popular demand, the Stevie Awards have announced a general entry deadline extension for Middle East & North Africa Stevie ® Awards sponsored by RAK Chamber, UAE. Entries will now be accepted through February 24. Details are available at http://MENA.StevieAwards.com.

The Middle East Stevie & North Africa Awards are the region’s only awards to recognize innovation in all its forms through the workplace. The awards are open to all organizations in 17 nations in the MENA region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

All individuals and organizations - public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - may submit any number of nominations to any number of the categories.

There are no entry fees in this awards program. Organizations may submit as many nominations as they’d like, without cost. Instead, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners will pay a “winners fee” for each successful nomination.

Winners of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards in the competition will be announced on March 24, 2021, and celebrated during a gala event in Ras Al Khaimah at the Waldorf Astoria on May 15.

There are two new category groups for 2021. The COVID-19 Response categories will recognize the contributions of individuals, groups, and organizations that have worked valiantly over the past months to keep us safe, healthy, employed, and informed. The Achievement categories will recognize singular innovative achievements in areas such as customer satisfaction, growth, international expansion, and more.

Nominations citing innovative achievements will be accepted and judged in both Arabic and English, in more than 100 categories across the following category groups:

• Apps & Websites
• Achievements
• Annual Reports & Other Publications
• Company/Organization
• Corporate Communications & Public Relations
• COVID-19 Response
• Customer Service
• Human Resources
• Live Events
• Management
• Marketing
• New Products & Services
• Technology

 

Winners of the 2020 edition of the awards included Al Dhafra Region Municipality, BEKO, Birevim, Boehringer Ingelheim, Çelebi Aviation Holding, Cisco Systems, Coca-Cola Içecek, DHL Express, Dubai Health Authority, Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC, RAK Transport Authority, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone and many more.

 

The 2021 competition will be judged by more than 150 professionals around the world.

 

Interested in entering the 2021 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards?

In 1990, Jane Johnson launched a technology consulting business; and, like most entrepreneurs, she eventually decided to sell it.

Then came the proverbial “wake up call”: just because you want to sell your business does not mean you will. Most U.S. entrepreneurs - 85% - decide at some point to sell and only 15% can do so.

Enter Johnson, who in 2013 inaugurated Business Transition Academy (BTA), the first U.S. business dedicated to educating business owners on how to prepare themselves and their businesses to sell - at the right time, to the right buyer, for the best price and without the anxiety, poor advice and high fees that usually come with it.

As Johnson knows, the missing link is education and a strategic exit plan.

“Without a plan, success on your terms is unlikely and consequences can be pretty serious. It’s not unusual for that free time you’ve dreamed of to be replaced by a job working for someone else because you didn’t get enough for your business.”

It was Johnson’s experience selling her own company that inspired her to spend her life helping others avoid the pitfalls of exiting. In Johnson’s case, the business broker she had hired withheld information during the negotiation so that she and her partners would sell quickly for a lot less than the business was worth.

Johnson fired the broker; the sale was ultimately successful; and Johnson’s passion to help owners avoid this and many other pitfalls was ignited.

Enter BTA, which stands alone in taking a “holistic” approach to a business sale at a time when the norm is for owners to hire multiple experts – a broker, wealth manager, attorney and/or CPA - each of whom handles one aspect of it. All BTA exit plans are multi-faceted; and if you are working one-on-one with Johnson, there’s a quarterback to execute the plan for you. If you need an expert, Johnson will tell you and if necessary, recommend the best one(s).

And while the norm is often to get a fast commission, Johnson takes the time to recommend whatever you need. Many times – and especially during COVID-19 – owners need to rebuild their businesses before they can sell on their terms and timeline. Johnson is there for you throughout the process, even if that means five years from start to closing your deal.

As for that future filled with free time, Johnson knows that your life choices are a critical and possibly the most important part of your exit planning. For that reason, every BTA client begins by answering questions related to their exit goals. If you choose to retire, do you know what you want to do next? “Without answering this fundamental question,” emphasizes Johnson, “you can easily wind up with seller’s remorse.”

And, if you are in a family-based business, Johnson will ask you this to prevent serious “damage” that may take place down the road: do you know how to split the assets between adult children who are in the business and those who are not so as to avoid the “sibling strife” that often results, and can sometimes linger for generations? Johnson does.

BTA has a 100% completion rate. Every client can construct a strategic plan that results in a sale – to either insiders or an outside third party.

And at a time when many owners cannot afford to pay the usual $20,000 or more in advisory fees an exit can cost, Johnson had the foresight (right before COVID) to launch the country’s first digital platform aimed at giving owners everything they need – an “exit education” and the templates - to construct a strategic exit plan.

The first level of membership – 100% free-of-charge - helps you, in six steps, understand everything you need to do to exit; the next gives you what you need to put together your own exit plan. As Johnson says, “I care about owners – especially now when opportunistic buyers are ‘dialing for dollars’ in search of businesses to acquire for pennies-on-the-dollar.” During COVID, sign-ups for the free level soared.

As 2021 dawned, Johnson added another crucial program to the digital platform: an interactive “Expert” level that gives small groups of owners everything they need to plan and execute their individual strategic exit plans under the watchful eyes of Johnson and BTA transition mentors who have successfully gone through the process themselves - to advise and answer questions.

This new CEO peer-group offering features live webinars three times/month with Johnson centerstage teaching best practices, answering owners’ questions and interviewing innovative entrepreneurs who have successfully sold their businesses to insiders as well as to external third parties.

You may be wondering – as Johnson admittedly does every day - how is it possible in 2021 that the entrepreneurs who make up this country’s innovative business landscape know so much about business and so little about the one thing they will all seek to do one day – Exit?

With Johnson at the helm, those days are on their way to fading away.

For more information on exit planning and BTA’s educational memberships, please visit BusinessTransitionAcademy.com. Visit the home page for a free copy of Johnson’s Book “Cashing Out of Your Business” and upcoming live webinars showcasing the six steps to exiting well and achieving your goals.

Jane Johnson won a Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Business Services in the 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Interested in the 2021 Stevie Awards for Women in Business?

Winners in the 15th annual Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, recognized as the world's top customer service awards and sales awards, were announced today. Stevie Award winners will be celebrated at a virtual awards ceremony on April 14^.

The complete list of Stevie Winners by category is available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/Sales.

More than 2,300 nominations from organizations in 51 nations were considered in this year’s competition. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 160 professionals on nine specialized judging committees. Entries were considered in 136 categories for customer service and contact center achievements, including Contact Center of the Year, Award for Innovation in Customer Service, and Customer Service Department of the Year; 62 categories for sales and business development achievements, ranging from Senior Sales Executive of the Year to Sales Training or Business Development Executive of the Year to Sales Department of the Year; and categories to recognize COVID-19 response, new products and services and solution providers.

Sales Partnerships Inc of Broomfield, CO, USA won 14 Gold Stevie Awards, the most of any organization this year. Other top winners of three or more Gold Stevies include IBM, Armonk, NY USA (11); DP DHL, worldwide (10); ValueSelling Associates, Rancho Santa Fe, CA USA (9); Druva, Sunnyvale, CA USA (6); UPMC Health Plan, Pittsburg, PA USA (5); Cinch Home Services, Boca Raton, FL USA (4); Paylocity, Schaumburg, IL (3); Princess Polly, Los Angeles, CA USA (4); Support Services Group, Waco, TX USA (3); and VXI Global Solutions LLC, Los Angeles, CA USA (3).

Winners of two Gold Stevie Awards include Achievers, Toronto, ON Canada; Carbonite (an Opentext Company), Boston, MA USA; Cisco Systems Inc, San Jose, CA USA; Datasite, Minneapolis, MN USA; EFG Companies, Irving, TX USA; FIS, Jacksonville, FL USA; Kucukoglu Holding, Istanbul, Turkey; Learning Pool, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; RAIN Group, Boston, MA USA; Purpol Marketing Limited, Chippenham, United Kingdom: and SoftPro, Raleigh, NC USA.

Other organizations winning four or more Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie Awards include Allianz Global Assistance, Richmond, VA USA; Assurant, Atlanta, GA USA; Broadvoice, Los Angeles, CA USA; DigitalOcean, New York, NY USA; IndiGo, Gurgaon, Haryana, India; Linode, Philadelphia, PA USA; Mailchimp, Atlanta, GA USA; Nationwide Title Clearing, Inc., Palm Harbor, FL USA; Nuance Communications, Boston, MA USA; OneCause, Indianapolis, IN USA; Optima Tax Relief, LLC, Santa Ana, CA USA; POWERHOME SOLAR, Mooresville, NC USA; Pushpay, Redmond, WA USA; SmartLinx, Iselin, NJ USA; Spinnaker Support, Greenwood Village, CO USA; TransPerfect, New York, NY USA; TTEC Holdings, Inc, Englewood, CO USA; VIZIO Inc., Irvine, CA USA; Vodafone Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey; WNS (Holdings) Limited, Mumbai, India; and Yapi Kredi Bankas, Istanbul, Turkey.
The top 10 most-honored organizations in the competition will receive Grand Stevie Award trophies. Those winners will be announced the week of February 15.

Beginning today through March 5, the general public may vote for their favorite providers of customer service in the People’s Choice Stevie® Awards for Favorite Customer Service. Voting is open at http://peopleschoice.stevieawards.com. Winners of the People’s Choice Stevie Awards in multiple industries will be determined on March 8.

One category in the awards will continue to accept entries through February 26.  It is the Sales Partnerships Award for Ethics in Sales, which will recognize organizations for best practices and achievements in demonstrating the highest ethical standards in the sales industry.  Entry requirements for this category are outlined at https://stevieawards.com/sales/nominate-2021-sales-partnerships-ethics-sales-award.   Winners in this category will be announced March 22.

Sponsors and supporters of the 15th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service include Sales Partnerships, Inc. and ValueSelling Associates, Inc.

 

The customer service department plays an integral role in the relationship between a brand and its customer. The customer advisor is tasked with assistance, whether that is answering a query or resolving a product complaint, requiring skill and sensitivity.

The handling of this interaction will impact the customer’s perception of the brand, yet often, organizations find poor customer service experiences affecting client retention and acquisition. Thus, it is important to cultivate customer relationships carefully.

A major way in which customer relationships are cultivated focuses on digital customer engagement: how businesses deliver customized experiences to customers, specifically. But whether your customer services are personalized or not, there are steps you can take to make the process smoother for customers and advisors.

Below are some ways to avoid and resolve common customer service complaints:

Training staff/agents

When we talk about customer satisfaction, the quality of interactions is a crucial factor.

Customer service involves a variety of emotions. Feelings of frustration or anger are particularly tricky to handle for the customer and call agent alike. Misreading a situation or failing to provide the right response can result in complaints and increased dissatisfaction levels. 

To fully solve customers’ issues, agents must be able to listen well, process complex information quickly, and exercise their critical thinking skills. Creativity and resourcefulness also play a part in problem resolution. 

Whilst reading emotions does require intuition, continuous training and support are imperative in call centers to ensure all agents are equipped with the right empathy skills. Training will help employees to understand the best language to use, to build up a rapport, and to best remedy upset customers. 

                                               Source: Pixabay

Holding regular workshops further encourages collaboration and communication within the workforce, helping to create a positive environment where employees feel supported to share tips and past experiences. 

Happier employees will result in happier customers and vice versa. An engaged workforce is truly a reflection of the customer journey.

Additionally, it would be a big help for your agents if you can build a knowledge base that contains all the information they could need, be it about your products, services, or processes. This database should be accessible to all frontline call center reps, to easily provide the answers a customer may be looking for.

Training staff in project management apps such as the power dialer maximizes agent productivity and minimizes worries of idle time. 

Customer self-services 

More and more consumers now prefer to look for solutions to their issues on their own.

When customers need answers to quick questions, human intervention may actually be unnecessary. In these instances, self-service options are best. Hence, it is important to provide them with an online platform equipped with information resources such as FAQ pages, product manuals, how-to videos, and IVR menus. This way, you widen your customers’ options for resolving the issues they encounter.

With this option, you can also include short surveys for the customers so as to get their feedback on which areas to improve your services.

Anyone conducting a web search about you should be able to find the answers they’re looking for, but make sure to connect them to a customer care platform just in case.

Improved FCR rate

Spending hours on hold waiting to speak to an advisor has become a hallmark for the negative customer service experience.

Customers naturally like their issues resolved quickly. They are satisfied when their questions are sufficiently answered or issues promptly resolved on the first call. Happy customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand, a factor that drives future purchases.

                            Source: Pixabay

First contact resolution (FCR) is a metric that is dangerous to ignore as it is a critical determinant of customer satisfaction in call centers. It is vital for the success of your call center.

By analyzing your call traffic, you can gain valuable insight into the volume of callers and peak call times, helping contact centers to timetable the right number of staff to deal with customers.

A smart IVR system makes the keypad selection process easier so that the caller can be quickly connected with the most suitable agent. This can also be programmed with automated messages so that customers receive a response whenever they call. Equally, an intuitive automatic call distributor (ACD) will make sure that incoming calls are sorted appropriately amongst the call agents.

Make use of your CRM tool 

One of the top complaints customers often cite is having to repeat their personal details multiple times and to different agents. 

By analyzing previous transactions that your contact center has handled, you can spot recurring patterns or trends among customer complaints. This lets you predict the problems that may emerge, letting you strategize beforehand on how to tackle them. 

                                              Source: Pixabay

For this, you need to use your customer related management, or CRM software, that keeps customer information updated in real-time. This way, agents from different departments can add notes that will help the next employee serve the customer.

Collating the information will also equip your call agents with vital customer context so they can have more productive interactions, all whilst using inventory management software.

Provide omnichannel support

An omnichannel strategy is an approach stemming from the spread of various web-enabled devices. With many gadgets finding their way into the mainstream market, there are massive changes in people’s expectations when it comes to customer service. 

In this age, the brands that succeed are those that can leverage multiple customer touchpoints—social media, onboarding emails, live chat, and phone, without compromising speed and efficiency.

By deploying this digital customer support strategy, you get to catch more requests or queries. It empowers consumers with the ability to interact seamlessly with brands across multiple channels, enhancing customer experience competencies. 

Omnichannel customer service is fantastic for giving customers greater flexibility, with live chat and messaging services allowing customers to ask for advice at any time and on any platform. 

Maintain your voice channel

Voice interaction is still a must-have in customer service to ensure each individual has an enjoyable customer experience.

Customers still want the option to communicate with a human agent, particularly those who are trying to explain a complex query or are perhaps less familiar with digital channels. 

The voice channel conveys the customer’s tone and emotion better than a digital mode of communication hence allowing human advisors to provide more empathetic and instinctive responses.

                                  Source: Pixabay

Over time, as customers’ expectations change, the definition of customer service also evolves.

With customer service awards being held yearly, this should encourage brands to put their best foot forward.

Bio:
John Allen - RingCentral US
John Allen, Director, Global SEO at RingCentral, a global UCaaS, VoIP and fax software provider. He has over 14 years of experience and an extensive background in building and optimizing digital marketing programs. He has written for websites such as Revenue River and Tapfiliate. 

RingCentral won a Gold Stevie Award for Award for Innovation in Human Resources Management, Planning & Practice in the 2020 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Interested in entering the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards this year?

• Cirrus consults with clients around the globe to create powerful behavioral and organizational change 
• Company-wide performance is boosted by positive leaders and positive culture
• During the pandemic, Cirrus implemented virtual learning to consistently lead leaders despite global uncertainty

About Cirrus

Cirrus is a talent and engagement consultancy that blends expertise in leadership, talent and engagement to assess, engage and develop people across organizations– creating powerful behavioral change that has a positive impact on performance. With offices in the UK and Australia, Cirrus has worked in partnership with over 200 international client organizations across 60 countries in 25 languages since it was founded in 2010.

Cirrus’ philosophy is that better leaders create better businesses and better lives. Their mission is to create powerful adjustments that boost performance and change culture. Cirrus’ core values (Connected, Courageous, and Creative) bring their goals to life. They consistently deliver success and innovation within their sector, including: 

• 200,000 leaders transformed across 200 organizations
• 11 industry awards in the past three years alone
• Publication of CEO Dr. Simon Hayward’s thought-leading business books, Connected Leadership (2016) and The Agile Leader (2018)
• Asia-Pacific operation since 2014
• Employing more than 65 global team members and 200+ associates in the past 10 years

Cirrus’ COVID-19 Response

When the pandemic lockdown began, Cirrus’ face-to-face learning (58% of their business) stopped immediately. While competitors were downsizing, furloughing en-masse, and struggling to survive, Cirrus chose to be ambitious instead. While keeping employees safe and engaged, and keeping customers satisfied, Cirrus reinvented the business by focusing on the virtual delivery of learning. Clients who attended Cirrus’ new virtual learning are giving an average satisfaction score of 4.1 - a substantial achievement given that Cirrus’ service was previously focused on classroom delivery. They have secured business with both new and existing clients. 

Cirrus’ business has grown year-on-year despite the sector being decimated by COVID-19. Their research and connections within the industry suggest they are the only major player to have achieved and maintained such growth. 

Cirrus won a Gold Stevie for Company / Organization Categories - Company of the Year - Business or Professional Services and a Bronze Stevie for COVID-19 Response Categories - Most Valuable Corporate Response in The 2020 International Business Awards®. 

Interested in The 2021 International Business Awards?

Kreative Köpfe gesucht! Die German Stevie® Awards zeichnen in den Kategorien für Kreative ideenreiches Können aus.

Das kreative Potenzial von Personen, Gruppen und Systemen zu identifizieren, zu aktivieren und zu entwickeln und die kreative Leistungsfähigkeit auf allen Ebenen zu fördern, wirkt sich positiv auf die zukünftige Leistungs- und Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Unternehmens und der Menschen in Organisationen aus. Ob guter Content, Werbetexte, Art Direktion oder Design: Kreativteams und -abteilungen erfinden, formulieren, begeistern, überzeugen, gestalten und schöpfen kreatives Potenzial voll aus.

Die Kategorien für Kreative 

Dieser Ideenreichtum wird bei den German Stevie Awards in den Kategorien für Kreative belohnt. Ausgezeichnet werden die Leistungen aus den Bereichen Kreatives Management, Copywriting, Art Direction, Redaktion, audiovisuelle Produktion, Animation, Illustration, Fotografie u.v.m.

In diesen Kategorien können Sie sich und Ihr Team nominieren:

•  Werbe- oder Designagentur des Jahres: Diese Kategorie zeichnet die gesamte Werbe-, Marketing- oder Designagentur mit all ihren Mitarbeitern und Mitarbeiterinnen aus.
• Kreativabteilung des Jahres: Alle Mitarbeitende einer Organisation aus, die im kreativen Bereich arbeiten, werden in dieser Kategorie ausgezeichnet.
• Kreativteam des Jahres: Diese Kategorie zeichnet eine Gruppe von Personen einer kreativen Organisation aus, beispielsweise das Team für Animationen, Videos, Event-Produktionen oder ein Kunden-Kreativ-Team. Das Team kann multidisziplinär sein, sich über mehrere Organisationen erstrecken (z. B. Ihre eigene Organisation, Kundenorganisationen und Agenturen oder Lieferantenorganisationen). Es kann ein festes Team oder ein temporäres Team sein, das nur für eine bestimmte Aufgabe oder einen bestimmten Auftrag zusammengestellt wurde.
• Kreativmanager*in des Jahres: Diese Kategorie zeichnet die Leistungen einzelner kreativer Führungskräfte aus.

Das Kreativteam des Jahres 2020: CROWDCONSULTANTS 360 GmbH

Im Sommer 2019 entwickelten yeaHR und CROWDCONSULTANTS gemeinsam eine Kombi aus augmented reality-basiertem Arbeitgebervideo und regelmäßigem öffentlichen Webcast, mit dem die Personalisierung durch Integration mit LinkedIn/Xing-Bewerberprofil stattfindet, typische Bewerberfragen früh im Funnel "persönlich" beantwortet werden, ein authentisches persönliches Kennenlernen des Teams ermöglicht und das ein „Fun-to-work-for“-Teamerlebnis realisiert. Das durchweg positive Feedback der Bewerber sprach für sich und die Leistung des Kreativteams wurde mit einem Gold Stevie ausgezeichnet.

• The United States’ projected future deficit of over 1 million health care workers created a need for drastic change in how nurses are hired
• Career matchmaker reverses roles and has employers (hospitals) apply to employees (nurses), resulting in happier nurses and patients and an improved healthcare system
• Incredible Health began offering a free continuing education unit (CEU) specifically during the pandemic to help retired nurses reenter the workforce

About Incredible Health 

Incredible Health is a career marketplace for permanent health care workers. Unlike traditional job boards, employers such as hospitals apply directly for potential employees like nurses. This is the first and only platform in the industry that focuses on permanent employees rather than contractors. As proof of traction, Incredible Health is already being used by over 150 major California hospitals, including Stanford Healthcare.

Proactive Problem-Solving 

Healthcare workers make up the United States’ largest labor force, and unfortunately it’s the industry that’s believed to experience the most burnout. Within the next five years, the United States will face a shortage of over 1 million nurses. As a result of understaffing and nurse burnout, hospitals experience a 20% annual turnover rate. Understandably so, high stress leads to unhealthy living and unbalanced lives. Exhausted nurses increase the chances of errors with patients’ medication by 20% and patient-to-nurse ratio errors by 13%. Even worse, overworked, fatigued, and understaffed nurses are 2.5x more likely to quit, leaving patients and hospitals in a difficult position at the most inopportune times. 

To make up for the lack of nurses, hospitals often expect nurses to work longer shifts, resulting in burnout symptoms such as increased stress levels, lower energy and emotional tolerance, sleep deficiency, and physical injuries. Burnout also affects patient care: When nurses are mentally and physically exhausted, medication errors skyrocket by 20%. Hospitals also see an increase in patient readmission and patient death. For every additional patient added to a burnt-out nurse’s care, the probability of patient mortality increases 7%. 

However, the challenge isn’t solely burnout and short turnover rates; it’s an inefficiency in how hospitals scout talent. Incredible Health set out to solve the $1.6 trillion labor problem in healthcare, starting with 60% of the market: nurses. 

By reimagining the career marketplace for permanent nurses, Incredible Health expedites the hiring process and helps hospitals hire great staff at a fraction of the cost (previous average: $20K per new hire). The ideal outcome: Maintain healthier nursing staff to help ensure higher quality patient care. Incredible Health is striving to provide better outcomes for everyone, starting with those who care for us every day—nurses.

This career matchmaker puts nurses in the driver’s seat. Once they sign up online, they can sit back and relax as hospitals apply to hire them. With Incredible Health, nurses receive an average of a 17% salary increase and a 15% commute time decrease. This is the only platform in the industry that truly cares on an individual level. They provide career and personal support via a dedicated career coach to ensure that the nurses are hired into a position that meets their, and the hospital’s, needs. These coaches are former RNs who help with every step of the process, from resume building and interview prep to salary negotiation. The company also offers free wellness events because the people who care for others need care, too. 

Incredible Health’s COVID-19 Response

In March 2020, this platform launched a first-of-its-kind free offering to help nurses across the United States obtain or renew the licenses required to practice. This continuing education unit (CEU) offering was specifically launched during the pandemic to help retired nurses reenter the workforce and ease the financial burden that practicing nurses face when their licenses are close to expiring. Since the launch, tens of thousands of nurses have signed up for the course, and more than 26,000 courses have been completed. 

Incredible Health also recently shared the results of a data report that provides firsthand nurse insights into the impact of coronavirus on the nursing landscape and hospitals. 

Recent Accomplishments

Since launching the beta in 2017, Incredible Health has earned an average of 200% growth month-over-month, making it the fastest-growing hiring platform for nurses today. Other accomplishments include: 

• Employers hire applicants 25x more efficiently than through traditional channels, a testament to the custom talent matching and automated screening technology
• Nurses who use Incredible Health are hired 3x faster than through traditional channels (25 vs. 90 days)
• Nurses hired through Incredible Health receive an average of 17% salary increase and a 15% reduction in commute time
• Application time is reduced by 90% from 45 to 5 minutes
• 96% of hired nurses recommend Incredible Health to friends or colleagues
• Incredible Health is used by over 150 California hospitals and is expanding nationally

Incredible Health’s goal is to help health care professionals live better lives and do their best work.

Incredible Health won the Gold Stevie for Startup of the Year - Business Services Industries and the Silver Stevie for Health care Technology Solution in The 2020 American Business Awards®.

Interested in entering The 2021 American Business Awards?

• StarCompliance is a global provider of financial compliance software
• CEO Jennifer Sun’s experience in the industry has propelled StarCompliance to the forefront of the industry
• Jennifer’s dedication to the company and its employees puts people first

About StarCompliance

StarCompliance is a leading provider of compliance software to the global financial industry. Their scalable, easy-to-use solutions provide a 360-degree view of employee and business activity to help firms monitor and reduce risk, meet regulatory obligations, gain efficiencies, and drive employee adoption.

Star has over 20 years of experience supporting a global client base in more than 83 countries and across a range of financial service disciplines—including asset managers, broker-dealers, private equity firms, insurance providers, investment banks, and diversified financial institutions.

A well-timed agile transformation at the beginning of 2020 allowed Star to pivot quickly to the new remote-work environment of COVID-19. Their software has helped compliance teams stay globally connected. While the pandemic has forced many companies to take a wait-and-see approach, Star’s leadership team and CEO Jennifer Sun have continued to drive the business forward by rolling out even more new products, creating successful virtual events, and publishing the only survey to date that has specifically delivered insights around financial compliance and the challenges of COVID-19. 

About Jennifer Sun

CEO of StarCompliance, Jennifer Sun has more than 20 years of experience in traditional finance and fintech and a passion for helping companies reach their ultimate potential. She began her career as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs. After a few years, Jennifer left Goldman to help launch Epoch Partners: a technology-enabled investment bank. After just 18 months, Epoch was acquired by Goldman Sachs. For the next 17 years, Jennifer dedicated her knowledge of the industry and fast-growth tactics to Ipreo: a global provider of software solutions, data, and analytics to investment banks, PE firms, and venture capital firms. In search of a new opportunity where she could again make a significant impact, Jennifer joined Star in September 2018, excited by the growth opportunities and potential she saw in Star and its employees. 

By putting employees first, Jennifer Sun helps guarantee Star's continued success. Every Star employee knows how the company is performing financially and knows why decisions are made. Jennifer’s frequent Town Halls and firm-wide communications ensure that important information is passed along to everyone. Her continued focus on streamlining internal operations is making Star a well-oiled machine that transcends geography and time zones.

StarCompliance won a Gold Stevie for Company of the Year - Business Products and a Bronze Stevie for Female Executive of the Year - Business Services - 11 to 2,500 Employees in the 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business®.

Interested in the 2021 Stevie Awards for Women in Business?