‘Commerce with a cause’ and divine customer service

Reviewed: “LaserMonks: The Business Story Nine Hundred Years in the Making,” by Sarah Caniglia and Cindy Griffith, McGraw Hill, 2008, $21.95, 180 pages.

When your printer runs out of ink, wouldn’t you feel better buying a replacement cartridge from a business that gives part of your purchase price to good works?

That’s the story behind “LaserMonks: The Business Story Nine Hundred Years in the Making,” by Sarah Caniglia and Cindy Griffith.

It’s about a group of Cistercian monks in Wisconsin who run a mail-order ink- and-toner business so their abbey can be self-sustaining. They also believe in going the extra mile when it comes to customer service and donating to charities.

“In the next 10 years, the trend toward purchasing with a purpose will continue to grow. Consumers will demand that the goods and services they purchase come from companies that are actively involved in doing good works in the community,” write the authors.

The monks choose a “charity of the month” each month and announce it on their Web site. They also allow customers to choose additional charities to receive funds.

That quirky little premise was enough for me to give the book a read. That and the fact that they call their employees “MonkHelpers.” Weird, but cute.

Caniglia and Griffith are these two marketing geniuses who moved to Wisconsin to live with the monks to try to help make the business a success. They run MonkHelper Marketing, Inc., the company that manages LaserMonks.com on the monks’ behalf.

The two women developed a customer-service philosophy, along with their monk friends, that follows the Rule of St. Benedict: “kindness, hospitality, and charity above all.”

Treating customers well and continually seeking to improve the customers’ experience kept them coming back.

“We realized that rather than pat ourselves on the back for satisfying 98 percent of our customers, we needed to dig deeper into the two percent who had a less-than-stellar experience,” Caniglia and Griffith write.

The company now surveys customers quarterly to find ways to improve customer service.

“The more we do to care for our customers, the more they care for LaserMonks, which enables us to do more for the community at large,” the authors write.

Since the concept was developed in 2001, the LaserMonks’ business has grown to a $10 million per year venture, all the while keeping charity at the heart of everything they do.

This kind of story — monks in middle America running a successful online business and sharing their marketing secrets — isn’t published every day. Though it was a little dull and longwinded in parts, the core philosophy is unique and interesting.

The next time my printer needs ink, I’ll look to LaserMonks.com. Not just for the competitive prices and mission of charity, but for the knowledge that if I need customer service, I will be taken care of. That’s a rarity in today’s world, and especially in e-commerce.

Enter to win a gently used copy of “LaserMonks” by emailing your mailing address to mkaras@pottsmerc.com

Audiobook helps job seekers feel like they’re in the driver’s seat during an interview

Reviewed: “Nailing the Job Interview,” by Susan Leahy, The Freeway Guides audiobook series, 2008, $18.95, Audio CD, 80 minutes.

If you’re looking to brush up on your interviewing skills, The Freeway Guides audiobook “Nailing the Job Interview” provides some food for thought.
The well-paced CD is voiced by Susan Leahy, a self-described “job interview expert,” who co-founded The Freeway Guides series of audiobooks on topics including public speaking, wedding planning and healthy eating. Developed on the premise that people are spending a lot more time in their car, The Freeway Guides are simple and educational programs for those who want to “learn on the go.”
Consider that lost time you spend in your vehicle each day driving to and from work. For a previous job, I battled daily traffic on Route 422 to the King of Prussia area. During those tedious drives, I could’ve been listening to something educational, such as these guides, had they existed back then.
“Nailing the Job Interview,” is not something I’d recommend listening to as you are driving to your interview, however. The tips would be most helpful several days before a big interview. Leahy’s suggestions include coming up with a “portfolio” prior to the big day. It might include extra copies of your resume, cover letter and reference list as well as any major reports documents you prepared at a former job. Days before the interview, you should think about the “key messages” you wish to get across, she says. Key messages are ideas that you might repeat several times throughout an interview and illustrate with examples, possibly backed up with documents from your portfolio. Picking out and trying on your clothing before the interview is also suggested, as is covering your “toes, shoulders and tummy.”
“It may sound shallow, but clothes do count in an interview,” Leahy says. “A suit is usually safe.”
Practicing your responses to anticipated questions in front of a mirror or with a friend is also advised. If you tend to use filler words such as “um” and “like,” Leahy suggests taping yourself, and learning to take advantage of “the power of the pause.”
On the day of the appointment, make sure you eat something and don’t overdo the caffeine. A growling stomach will not help you put your best foot forward. Likewise, caffeine coupled with adrenaline (we’ve all been there) might not be the impression of yourself you want to leave.
Plan ahead with your transportation as well by leaving 20 minutes ahead of the time you think you need to leave, giving you time for any traffic snafu or failed Mapquest instruction.
“Being late is reason enough not to get hired,” Leahy warns.Here’s another good piece of advice: When you arrive at the interview, be nice to the receptionist. Sounds simple enough, but many people forget that the receptionist’s impression counts, Leahy says.
When you greet the interviewer, be energetic and smile. Offer a firm handshake. “No dead fish,” Leahy says. And no “GI Joe,” either.
The next tip took me by surprise: “Always say ‘yes’,” if your interviewer offers you some water,” Leahy says. Forget about the standard “No thanks, I’m fine” response to that offer.
Why? “It gives you extra time to get acclimated…And later on, if your mouth is dry, you’ve got water,” Leahy says.
During the interview itself, “Focus on the small stuff,” such as your tone and body language, she says, and don’t forget to let your personality shine through.
Follow up after the interview with a written or verbal thank you. If you do get a job offer, don’t be afraid to negotiate — especially women, who tend to be shy about salary conversations, Leahy says.
“You don’t have to take the first offer,” she says.
Amen to that. Now, in the words of Leahy, “Go in there and drive that interview.”

Enter to win a gently used copy of “Nailing the Job Interview” by emailing your mailing address to mkaras@pottsmerc.com

Book’s tips show how a hello and a handshake can further your career

Reviewed: “New Rules @ Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead,” by Barbara Pachter with Ellen Schneid Coleman, Prentice Hall Press, 2006, $13.95, paperback, 258 pages.

Author Barbara Pachter says it’s a good strategy, at a business event where alcohol is served, to order a drink you don’t much like and slowly sip it to make sure you don’t overindulge.
I (sort of) put this theory to the test at a recent after-hours networking event, when the bar had run out of the red wine or beer I would have preferred, and I had to drink (gasp!) light beer. But I don’t think that was exactly what Pachter was getting at. When the drinks are free, I’m not all that picky.
Pachter, author of numerous business books including “New Rules @ Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tool, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead,” states that when drinking alcohol in social/business situations, “Have a good time but…don’t forget your behavior always matters. Just because you are out of the office doesn’t mean that your behavior doesn’t count.
“Many workplaces don’t have a lot of rules — or may not enforce a lot of rules — when it comes to etiquette, or prescribed conduct, in or out of the office. “New Rules @ Work,” is practical and helpful in filling in the blanks.
Take the case of professional attire:Years ago, I was a contractor at a mutual funds company. Proper professional attire that included suits with conservative skirt lengths and certain types of shoes (no open toes, sneakers or clogs) worn with “proper hosiery” was required.
A lot of companies, however, opt for a “business casual” dress code. And in the heat and humidity of summer, those already casual rules may become even more relaxed, according to Pachter.
However, the author states, warmer weather doesn’t mean you can suddenly wear tiny skirts, skimpy tops or otherwise inappropriate clothing to your job.
“Sexy is not a corporate look,” warns Pachter.
She suggests, “If your company does not have a written policy, look at what other people wear, especially the more senior people, the more successful ones. They are often good role models.”
There’s also a chapter devoted to “e-mail embarrassments.”
“Of course, it is inappropriate to say negative things to coworkers about colleagues — past or present — whatever technology you are using. However, the risks multiply when you use e-mail,” Pachter writes.
Many of us have been on the receiving end of an inappropriate e-mail that was erroneously sent to “reply all” instead of just to the sender. Pachter advises avoiding potentially embarrassing e-mail situations by beginning a fresh e-mail rather than replying in the heat of the moment.
A chapter I found particularly helpful discussed handshakes.“You should be certain to shake hands when you: Greet someone with more than just a hello and when you say goodbye; are introduced to someone; are visited in your office by someone from outside the company — for example, a customer, client or vendor; encounter a business colleague outside the office; or feel it is appropriate.”
There are times when I first meet someone in a professional capacity and that person does not extend their hand for a handshake. It’s sometimes awkward and feels like a rejection. What I learned from Pachter’s book is that I, as a woman, should not hesitate to extend my hand first — something that I realized that I do sometimes hesitate to do.
The proper etiquette is that “a man should wait for a woman to extend her hand.” Also: “The higher-ranking person should extend his or her hand first.”
Another chapter I found interesting discussed saying hello to people at work. It sounds simple enough — greeting those you see every day or even returning a hello — but not everybody does it, according to Pachter.
“You would not believe how many people tell me they are frequently ignored when they say hello to colleagues they encounter in hallways, elevators, cafeterias and elsewhere in the office,” she writes.
Her guideline: “If you make eye contact with someone who is within 10 feet of you, you must acknowledge the person with a nod or a smile. At five feet you must say something: ‘Hello,’ or ‘Good morning’ will suffice.”
Even a simple greeting can make your boss, coworker or client feel a connection. Like Pachter’s other tips, this one might just help you “get ahead and stay ahead.”

‘12-step program’ pragmatic way to assess your career

Reviewed: “Stepping Up: 12 Ways to Rev Up, Revitalize, or Renew Your Career,” by S. Gary Snodgrass, Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2007, 87 pages, $13.95

When I have a big decision to make, I consult my personal short list of advisers: My mom, my sister and my best friend. The list widens the bigger the decision is, but those are my “Top 3.”
In career matters, however, sometimes what you really need is more objective advice. That’s where sources like “Stepping Up: 12 Ways to Rev Up, Revitalize, or Renew Your Career,” by S. Gary Snodgrass, come in.
This 87-page book, written by a human resources professional with 35 years of experience, offers a pragmatic approach to career moves.
Snodgrass’ resume includes 10 years as chief human resources officer for Chicago-based Exelon Corp., parent company of Exelon Nuclear, operator of the Limerick Generating Station in our own backyard. At Exelon, one of the nation’s largest energy companies with a work force of roughly 17,000, he led the corporation’s human resources, diversity, labor and employee relations and security functions. He is also the author of a previous book, “When Your Career Means Business.”
By its title alone, “Stepping Up: 12 Ways to Rev Up, Revitalize, or Renew Your Career,“ seemed like it might be an interesting and quick little read. And who doesn’t want to “rev up” their career?
I was a little taken aback, however, when I visited the author’s Web site (www.sgarysnodgrass.com), to find that he titles himself “Thought Leader and Consultant.”
Thought leader? I’m going to let that one pass.
The suggestions offered by Snodgrass could apply to those in their first “real job” as well as seasoned professionals.
“If you are searching for a new position or career, you should pursue an environment where the best employees are recognized and valued. It should be an organization that provides career growth, lifelong learning, and development opportunities. You also want meaningful work, an opportunity to contribute, and an environment that prizes new ideas and fresh perspectives,” Snodgrass writes.
He claims these types of organizations “abound.” (Well, perhaps they’re out there, anyhow.)
Snodgrass proposes taking control of your career path rather than simply going with the flow and letting it happen.
For example, in Guideline 5 — Evaluate Your Career Turning Points, Snodgrass states while a turning point can be something dramatic, such as marriage or a promotion, sometimes it will be “less obvious.”
“You may be disenchanted, or know in your gut that you’re not having fun any longer in your current position, place of employment, or even career field,” he writes.
Those are instances we should view “as a valuable opportunity for recharting the course” of our professional and personal lives, Snodgrass says.
And turning points, according to Snodgrass, are events we should embrace.
“If a turning point doesn’t come along, schedule one, and then reevaluate to determine your next step. For example, choose a memorable date such as your birthday or the anniversary of your employment to evaluate your work situation,” he writes.
In one of the book’s illustrative case studies, Snodgrass spotlights how John Mackey, founder and CEO of Whole Foods, knew he would have to compromise his once small vegetarian business and sell animal products in order to grow. Mackey decided to introduce humane animal-treatment standards and also placed a cap on executive compensation. His willingness to change his mindset ultimately helped to make “organic” a household word.
Each chapter has a similar nugget of wisdom for you to apply to your own work situation, with the goal of allowing you to “evolve to your highest level” at work as well as finding the organization that’s going to help take you there.

Buying this book won't solve your debt issues

Reviewed: “Debt is Slavery: and 9 Other Things I Wish My Dad Had Taught Me About Money,” by Michael Mihalik, October Mist Publishing, 2007, $14.95, 128 pages.

Michael Mihalik was inspired to write this little book because of his own struggles with debt after college.
Mihalik, an aerospace engineer when not penning books, proudly mentions several times throughout “Debt is Slavery” that he has overcome his early credit card debt and is so financially savvy now he was able to take six whole weeks off in order to write his book. Six whole weeks.
This is where I think to myself that I or pretty much anyone who can put pen to paper might be able to come up with 128 pages on any topic if given a month and a half.
When it comes down to it, I don’t think Mihalik’s experience overcoming his debt is anything remarkable. He overextended himself with credit cards while in college and it took a while for him to bail himself out. Well done, Mr. Mihalik, but I also learned that “easy credit” lesson the hard way. So did a few others I know.
While sound, Mihalik’s pointers to overcome your debt are far too general, to the tune of: Don’t buy things you don’t need. Um, OK.
“I came up with 10 basic ideas and rules about money that allowed me to gain control of my finances and pay off my debt,” Mihalik states. “They literally transformed my life.”
Mihalik was 13 when his father died, and the premise of the book is that Mihalik had to come up with his own rules for money because his dad never had the chance to teach him.
“That’s not the easiest way to learn. I wish someone had just taught me the rules, but fate had other plans for me,” he writes. “If you’re drowning in debt, if it seems like you’ll never get ahead financially, or if you’re forced to work at a job you dislike to pay the bills, this book has something for you.”
Something, yes. Something in the way of very general advice.
(Specific financial advice, let it be noted, should come from a financial services professional).
The author says that when he got out of college, armed with his engineering degree and several pre-approved credit cards, he soon found himself in roughly $20,000 of debt and living beyond his means. At the time, Mihalik said he searched for a self-help book but could find none that were short and to the point. There, his idea for this book was born.
“After I eliminated my debt and gained control of my finances, I wanted to help other people do the same, so I decided to write the book I wish had been available to me,” he writes.
It took Mihalik one “hellish year” to get out of debt, he says.
The core lessons of the book are sound: Debt is bad. Try not to get into it. Possessions won’t bring you happiness, so stop buying them. Find work you enjoy, and you’ll be happier. Don’t just save, invest in “income-producing assets.” Spend less than you earn.
Are these suggestions bad advice? Not at all. Did I need to read this book to learn them? Not at all.
The one piece of advice that piqued my interest was the chapter — I mean the three whole pages — on how to save 50 percent of your salary.
“If you save 50 percent of your salary, for every month you work, you will save enough to take a month off — without changing your lifestyle,” Mihalik writes.
Hmmm. Saving half my salary. I don’t think that’s even possible.
But Mihalik anticipates this reaction, and advises trying for a 33 or 25 percent total savings — over and above the maximum 401k plan contributions you can make at work, that is.
To save this quarter of your salary, you have to make a budget, he says.
I agree — making a budget is a great idea for anyone who has any debt at all. It helps you see where your money goes.
Additionally, Mihalik advises, you should budget for savings, trips and special purchases. Yes, all good ideas, but still super-simplified and general.
My advice is to save the money you would spend on this book and add it to your savings.

'Miserable' doesn't describe this book

Reviewed: “The Three Signs of a Miserable Job: A Fable for Managers (and their employees),” by Patrick Lencioni, Jossey-Bass, an imprint of Wiley, 2007, $24.95

When I received a review copy of “The Three Signs of a Miserable Job” at my office, I was intrigued enough by the title to take it home with me and let it set up shop on my nightstand. That night, as I flipped through and saw that it was written as a fable rather than in a stodgy, “business-y” kind of way, I started reading.
I was quite surprised, a couple of bleary-eyed hours later, to find that I had torn through half of the 272-page book in one night. Yes, that’s right, I tore through a business book.
Because author and business consultant Patrick Lencioni wrote the book as a fable (a story about a regular guy and his career), it’s easy for anyone to read and understand (you don’t need to be an executive or have an MBA). Anyone who’s been a manager or who has been managed, or mismanaged as the case may be, will enjoy the tale of the fictional character Brian Bailey’s career.
Owner of a management consulting business and author of New York Times bestseller “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” Lencioni relates the tale of the likable self-made Bailey, who goes from CEO of a fitness company to manager of a pizza shop in a matter of months. He finds that his theory of management, that managers can make a difference in how employees feel about their work, applies at both corporate and the small business levels.
A miserable job, according to Lencioni, differs from a bad job, which is in the “eye of the beholder,” because it’s “one that makes a person cynical and frustrated and demoralized when they go home at night. It drains them of their energy, their enthusiasm and their self-esteem. Miserable jobs can be found in every industry and at every level.”
In fact, studies have shown job dissatisfaction rates as high as 77 percent. Perhaps that’s part of the reason why Lencioni’s book quickly made the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek bestseller lists after being released in August 2007.
“Even employees who are well paid, do interesting work and have great autonomy cannot feel fulfilled in a job if their managers are not providing them with what they need on a daily or weekly basis,” he said.
Lencioni’s “three signs” of a miserable job — irrelevance, immeasurement and anonymity — aren’t in themselves compelling, but illustrated with examples over the course of one man’s career, they come alive. Anonymity, he says, is the feeling an employee has when they discover their manager doesn’t relate to them as a human being and has no interest in knowing them on other levels. Irrelevance, according to Lencioni, is avoided by taking the time to help people understand that their jobs matter to someone. Immeasurement, Lencioni said, is when employees don’t know how to gauge their progress in their daily tasks.
“Basically, a job is bound to be miserable if it doesn’t involve measurement,” Lencioni writes. “I’m not talking about feedback from a person, like an attaboy or attagirl. That’s something else. I’m talking about objective evidence that tells you you’re doing something right. Even supposedly exciting jobs get old when you’re doing something right.”
This book is interesting and thought-provoking — it makes you think about your own work situation, be it good or bad. It makes you think about how the way you’re managed affects the way you feel fulfilled — or unfulfilled — by what you do.
If you are a manager, the book might make you think about what you can do to motivate your employees, and to ultimately help your business.
“Most people really do want to be good managers,” Lencioni states. “By helping people find fulfillment in their work, and helping them succeed in whatever they’re doing, a manager can have a profound impact on the emotional, financial, physical and spiritual health of workers and their families.”
If anything, the book encourages you to take a look at your relationships at work. It brings to mind past relationships with bosses or employees that didn’t quite work, and offers a stab at why that was. This quick read is relevant to anyone who works, be that a cashier in a retail store or a corporate bigshot.