Jesse Spencer's Blog

OKSS - Vanessa Knight

Vanessa Knight — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Wow that was really quick! Diverse CTI employees/techs are absolutely awesome. Everyone that I have had the pleasure of meeting or speaking to over the phone has always been pleasant and helpful! Even when I have just deleted a new voice message that was recorded by Tom ,he came back with a smile and made sure I didn’t touch the buttons again (just kiddin). He actually ran through them all for me even though I know he had a really busy schedule. I just wanted everyone (Tom,Bill,John,Janine,Ryan and Chris) to know that we really appreciate your very kind attitudes and excellent service! Other companies should take lessons!

Vanessa Knight

Without Routine The People Perish

Jesse Spencer — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT

There’s a wise old saying that says “Without vision the people perish,” or “Without vision the people cast off restraint.” Well, I’d like to draw a parallel which I think is just as wise. Without routine you will perish, or worse – cast off restraint. One of the keys to great and outstanding and memorable and profitable customer service is routine. Routine begins with you.

If you’ve ever had children, or been around the same ones for more than a day, you know that children thrive on routine. I guess the elderly do too, for that matter! If you mess up a kid’s routine you’ll get some pretty unexplainable events happening almost immediately. You’ll have crying, complaining, arguing, fighting, whining “I’m bored” little human beings until some semblance of order is brought back in.

Don’t think this doesn’t apply to you! And don’t be too quick to assume your routine is cutting it for you, either! True – the positive and negative effects of routine are much easier to see in children, but we adults are far from immune. I’m willing to venture that you have a routine problem. I bet that your problem is not the act of routine itself, but what you have chosen your routine to be. Over time we develop routines that may not get us where we want to go.

If you take the time to analyze and adjust your current state of routine, you will open the door to many new and positive and long lasting changes.

Consider how routine affects your customer service at all levels and let me know your thoughts!

Jesse Spencer

OneNote on your iPad!!

Jesse Spencer — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:18:44 GMT

First off - I realize everyone's brains DO function differently - and Microsoft's OneNote isn't for everyone - BUT you should SERIOUSLY consider OneNote! I'm more of a mind-mapping kind of person, but the linear layout of OneNote has some real advantages. For example, I recently had a bit of a mind boggler. I was aggregating all the info from from of the products we sell and was quickly getting over my head (not hard, I know!). I had multiple categories of items and sub items and options to consider. My goal was to put all of this info into a format that I could easily browse through, both for my education and future reference. I ended up putting all the info into OneNote. It worked out beautifully! Each item and option had a full color PDF, so I was able to retain all that wonderful formatting and info in one place!

I ended up with a problem. Almost all of my customer-facing and immediate reference materials are accessible to me through my iPad. I had no way to open the OneNote notebook on my iPad! A search through some Apps landed me at MobileNoter. MobileNoter allows me to sync my notebooks via the web or wifi! The formatting is very decent and I can even edit my notes with text, handwriting, photos and audio clips!

Here's a quick video from their website!

One of the best business decisions we have made!

Mark Hunt — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT

I just wanted to let you know that Eduardo did an excellent job on our trip to all our sites today. I had posted the list that you saw this morning, but he did so much more and solved many other problems than even I had not anticipated. He truly went above and beyond the call of duty.

Indeed, all of you at Diverse CTI have done a tremendous job since our switchover. I’ll be the first to admit that we as a group have ever changing needs (and wants), and are probably at times not the easiest bunch of folks to get along with. Dr. Penwell, Greg and I all come from different points of view when looking at our IT needs. And, each of us has different levels of understanding of the IT processes involved. We do all share the same common goal of having a robust system to handle our growing and ever expanding business. All of that to say this; I am so very glad that we were able to establish our partnership with your group. Thank you for taking the extra time to help us (and me) along this process. I think this is one of the best business decisions we have made since I have become involved with Immediate Care of Oklahoma. I just wanted to pass along my personal thanks.

-Mark

PDF Thumbnail Previews Gone???

Jesse Spencer — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:50:30 GMT

I have finally upgraded from Windows 7 32bit to 64bit. No - so far I've not noticed any real positive difference. As for the negatives...I can't preview pdf documents in my folders! Supposedly the issue is on Adobe's side and the good news is that there's a fix out there that works perfectly! But first - let me tell you WHY the previews are so handy for me! I keep all my customer and vendor data in folders on my PC. All my hand written notes, scanned documents, quotes - EVERYTHING - gets saved as a pdf. The ability to open a folder and visually search for what I am looking for is a big help. I just can't remember what's in a document by what I named it all the time! I have a large-ish monitor, so I can afford to view all my folders and items as "Extra Large Icons." Not being able to preview my docs was a huge blow!

So for the fix!

Thanks to my good friend Leo Davidson - he has put a lot of time and energy into a simple downloadable fix - OR if you like editing your own windows registry - he gives plenty of instructions. Me - I just downloaded the fix and ran it!

Here's the link to his site - comments?

http://www.pretentiousname.com/adobe_pdf_x64_fix/index.html

Rail Unlimited

Matt McDonald — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:16:35 GMT

Thanks to your whole team for the hard work over the past few months. We have already noticed the Diverse CTI difference and we are excited about continuing and growing the relationship with you!!

Google Voice and My Landline

Jesse Spencer — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:32:40 GMT

As a geek-wanna-be, I sometimes get my wife on board with me. More often than not though, I leave her in the dust... What I think is a simple two step (actually 4-5 step) process, becomes much more complicated when I actually consider each the little details that just come so naturally to me... SO - I've been able to SIMPLIFY the process of using Google Voice for my wife. This is really a very simply thing - nothing fancy - BUT a good way to use Google Voice!

I have an easy to dial speed-dial number on our phone with the pre-programmed pauses necessary to dial her Google Voice number, wait, press STAR to access the main menu and then 2 to dial a call. This way she touches two keys - the directory key and the dial key - and then is prompted to dial the number she wants to call followed by the # key.

This works great for her, because all call-backs ring BOTH her cell phone and our landline. She can use all of Google Voice's features, like call screening, free long distance, voicemail to text, etc to make her life just a little more simpler... well, I hope so, anyway...

Bucket List

Jesse Spencer — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:35:04 GMT

I sometimes get lost in all the priorities of life...

-I suspect I am not alone!

I recently discovered an app for my iPad called 2DoBefore. I found it searching for a way to organize the short-ish list of things that I really want to accomplish that are not directly work or family related. Kind of like a "bucket list." I'm discovering that time passes very quickly and I sometimes find myself loosing that "spark" of life that keeps things exciting! I can easily take care of the priorities - gotta pay the bills and keep the lawn mowed, BUT - what about that motorized wagon that I've been wanting to build - and if I'm ever going to become a decent welder, I need to start practicing now!!!!!

Collaboration in Implementation

Jesse Spencer — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:00:39 GMT

I think many of us have heard and adhere to the motto: “Prescription before diagnosis is malpractice.” I first heard this term in Dr. Tony Alessandra’s book, Collaborative Selling. This motto refers to the sales process that involves true collaboration to reach the sale. It’s a win-win sales process which takes a lot more time than the “I’m only out for me” technique of arm-twisting hardline sales (does anybody like to be treated this way??).

I’m not going to try and sum up collaborative selling, or even give you my viewpoints on it in this post. I only want to leave those of you who believe in collaborative selling with a thought:

How do you continue the collaborative process in the implementation of the product or service you’ve sold?

Chris Paine - Cole, Paine, Carlin Insureance

Chris Paine — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:21:41 GMT

After the last local disaster we were able to utilize the phone system to give a temporary auto attendant with special options in order to allow us to deal with the huge amount to claims coming in. It was awesome! Diverse CTI set it all up and trained us how to switch it around. Can't ask for better!

Nida - American Foot Clinic - Dr. Hall

Nida — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:32:55 GMT

The techs were so professional and took care of the problem. I really appreciate his knowledge of our system!

Click here to listen to her compliment !

Della - Pauls Valley Chamber Of Commerce

Della — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:42:43 GMT

We are so happy to have our new phones! Working with the Diverse CTI team has been a great, easy, and fun experience! Getting Google Apps setup with Jesse and the consulting from Jeff was wonderful! Even the installation by Eduardo was fantastic!

Ross Day - Day Realty

Ross Day — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:11:19 GMT

The installer did a great job!!

Connor - Ivy Energy

Connor — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:23:25 GMT

Your technician did a great job getting us setup and trained! Thanks for all your help!

How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Storm

Jesse Spencer — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:31:44 GMT

How much do demographics matter in your business? Do demographics dictate your sales volume directly? Are you currently marketing to Generation X? The Baby Boomers?

I can't imagine a single product that is not geared towards a certain demographical group or at least marketable in certain demographics. Many of us depend on the bulk of our sales from a specific demographic - assisted living centers, home electronics, car/truck sales, etc. You may have mastered the art of selling to your demographical group, but have you planned for the change in size of that group in the future? That is the golden question. Studing demographics can help you understand the outlook for your demographical group in the years to come. This forward-thinking book by Kenneth Gronbach will unlock a whole new outlook on the importance of planing for future demographic changes. It's a must-read!!!

This book is available from you local library, as a Kindle download or from your favorite bookstore.

If you have a chance to read this book, or have it read to you, please let me know if it changes the way you think about any of your market strategies! You can always comment here, or send me an email at jesse@diversecti.net.

Larry Denny - Aflac Oklahoma State Office

Larry Denny — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:23:57 GMT

I am impressed!

- Larry Denny

Unlimited Mobile to Mobile Calling - to Any Carrier

Jesse Spencer — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:10:01 GMT

Not only does Sprint have the fastest 3g network, they've now added the ability to dial ANY mobile number for FREE!

Released today, Sprint's Any Mobile Anytime coverage should make lots of happy fans!!!!!

Excited about Sprint

Jesse Spencer — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:51:08 GMT

Back to 1950's Computing!!

Jesse Spencer — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:30:51 GMT

1950’s Computer Networking is Back!

During the 1950’s in the advent of computer networks, companies were limited to dumb terminals connecting back to mainframe computers, which held all the data. Very little, if any, data was actually stored on the dumb terminals.

Computer networks as we know them have been rapidly changing ever since. While the dumb terminals still have their place, they are pretty much history by now. Modern networks are composed of multiple computers, each capable of processing and storing huge amounts of data. These individual computers are tied back to a series of servers which control permissions, security access, access to databases, etc.

The 1950's-networking model is coming back!!! The 1950's dumb terminals will be replaced with internet terminals and the mainframes will be replaced by the world wide web. I envision a time coming very soon when the majority of our data will actually be processed and stored online - on the internet.

Think about it! No more downtime from viruses! No more lost data due to hard drive failures! No more expensive equipment that is outdated the very moment you install it! As long as you have an internet connection, you will have access to everything you need. You can work from literally anywhere.

How will this happen? Cloud Computing. Software As a Service (SAAS).

See my newsletter article for more information on computing in "the cloud."

My Thoughts on the Palm Pre

Jesse Spencer — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:59:43 GMT

Multi-Tasking - Sort Of

Jesse Spencer — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:19:44 GMT

Have you ever wished you could view multiple browsers at one time, in one window without having multiple tabs??

So, maybe this is old news, but I've recently stumbled upon widexplorer. This is a browser that allows you to scroll through 7 different websites at a time. I use it to watch 7 of my LinkedIn groups' discussions at a single glance. You can also share the link to your widexplorer with others! Try this link: http://tinyurl.com/m2xlls.

Widexplorer - the future of browser homepages!!!

Early Beginnings Part 3

Jesse Spencer — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:12:03 GMT

In this series of posts, I am going to provide a brief history of the significant places I worked before I turned 20 (I will leave some of my work history out) and the life lessons I learned at each place.

Hooper’s Outdoor Center in Paducah, KY

I got hired at this specialty outdoor sporting goods shop after I put in a killer application (left my planner behind necessitating a call back to me!). The store had a mascot dog named… you guessed it, Hooper. He was a big ol' chocolate lab. I wrote on the job application my history of loving sales and my past two jobs, (the park job and restaurant job) which both had killer references, and that I would wash Hooper anytime it was needed. I had a love for the outdoors and owned some of the high-end gear that was being sold at the shop. I got hired on in general sales, but my main job was bike mechanic. I received my foundational business education here. I learned the enjoyable art of merchandizing, the grueling responsibility of fine-tuned accuracy in inventory counting and the value of product knowledge. I worked my way up in the company and began to learn the basics of day-to-day retail management in pre-season orders, pricing margins, customer service and relationships with our many vendors. I was very much affected by the managers of the store when I first started there, so I learned a lot from them. When they moved on I was able to carry on the feeling of the business and general principles that still keep Hoopers Outdoor Center the wonderful store it still is today.

LESSONS LEARNED: Retail sales success in merchandizing, pricing and product knowledge/selection.

Mike - Wellstar International

Josh Cochran — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:28:05 GMT

Eduardo did a great job installing the card on our phone system! Thanks!

Mike

Early Beginnings Part 2

Jesse Spencer — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:40:23 GMT

Sirloin Stockade in Murray, KY

Soon after high school I worked my first (and last) restaurant job. I wanted to work there because I had some friends already working there. During my interview, the owner of the restaurant told me how he worked his way up from a disher back in the day to eventually own his own restaurant. I actually sat there listening in awe, thinking “Man, this is what I could do!” I loved the idea of working my way up, finding out all there was to know about every position and then having the place as my own (by this time in my life I had business in my blood). I got the job and started dishing and bussing tables. The pay was decent for a high-school age kid and I earned some tips. I lasted all of a few months. I ended up hating the job because I wasn’t in constant contact with people I enjoyed being with. Initially, I thought the job would be great – working with friends…but it didn’t happen that way. I rarely saw my friends and I was stuck in the dish room with vulgar rap musing playing. Since the music wasn’t going anywhere (believe me…I tried!!!) I figured it would have to be me moving on.

LESSON LEARNED: Not enjoyable co-workers = not enjoyable job no matter the future opportunity or pay.

Let me know if you've had a similar experience!!!! I'll post all comments below!

A New Domain

Jesse Spencer — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:10:16 GMT

On my way home Friday afternoon I purchased a new domain - ravingfanpro.com - actually I purchased .com, net, and .info. I've got a few ideas for the site, and I'm excited about the possibilities! It's so easy to have a simple website with a blog, picture album or just some basic info... I've used Frontpage for years to edit another website I have (I know, Frontpage is old school and no-good... I still like it!). I'm thinking about running this site fully off of Google Apps Premier. I like the idea of being able to host my own video content and blog on there. We'll see if it actually takes off or not... I'm really excited to get my hands on the advanced calendaring and sharing tools that Google is offering....now, who wants to pay for a Ravingfanpro.com email address?? Haha just kidding.

Tracy - Express Employment Professionals

Josh Cochran — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:14:43 GMT

Can you please pass on a HUGE THANK YOU to your service team for all the work last night?

You guys are the best!

Tracy

Janice - Kidney Specialists

Josh Cochran — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:22:36 GMT

When I sat with you in that first meeting and you talked about wanting us to be "raving fans", I must confess that I thought that was a bit much for just getting a phone system; but let me just say that your company has saved us time and money in a lot of different areas. The guys are all great and extremely helpful. Jesse was emailing me at 6:30 the other night about a laptop he and Mason were trying to find. Not sure if those are their normal hours, but I would guess not. Everyone works so hard to exceed our expectations. I really can't imagine trying to make the move without you guys. Thanks for everything!!!

Janice

Early Beginnings

Jesse Spencer — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:12:42 GMT

In the next series of posts, I am going to provide a brief history of the significant places I worked before I turned 20 (I will leave some of my work history out) and the life lessons I learned at each place.

MURRAY-CALLOWAY COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION

This was my first real hourly scheduled job. I got the job because I knew the person in charge and he got me and my best friend Adam hired. Adam and I mowed the grass, worked with tractors, performed general maintenance, got gas in the trucks that never wanted to start back up, mowed grass even more, and of course—cleaned the public restrooms. If you think your bathroom has ever been a mess, I can assure you it was nothing like this... However, the bathroom cleanup never really bothered me because Adam and I were there together. How cool is that? We took lunch together every day and always got everything done that was needed. I even found the time to pack every single tractor and truck the park had into a 3 bay garage that took the morning crew hours to get out (I guess we should have worked a little slower during the day).I got to drive tractors and be a trash man so I checked the first two items off the list of childhood dreams.

LESSONS LEARNED: Enjoyable co-workers = enjoyable job no matter the mess.

Who is Jesse Spencer?

Jesse Spencer — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:58:59 GMT

So, who is Jesse Spencer, anyway?

I've been infatuated with business for my whole life. As far back as I can remember, I was always scheming up ways to make money. I suppose it's in my blood - my dad is a schemer and his dad takes the cake! My grandpa always had some business going - selling graveyard plots, working in his grocery store, opening up and running his own fresh Florida produce fruit stand…now that he's "retired" he's always got some new scheme he's putting his energy into. Well, all of that has certainly trickled down the family tree. I remember making zero profits painting my neighbor's sparkly white rocks for resale when I was just a child. However, I had a much more profitable experience in my pre-10's with door to door sales; I acquired a large quantity of nice fresh tomatoes for resale - and who wouldn't buy from a sweet little kid knocking at the door? I suppose my "supplier" gave me a recommended retail price, because I sure didn't know what a tomato was worth, but I sold the whole lot! I came home euphoric - "Look at all the money I made selling tomatoes!" My world was soon to come crashing down. My supplier actually demanded that I turn over a large portion of the profits! I had to give back some of my hard earned cash! That's when I learned my first lesson in business economics. After a quick count of my cash on hand, I realized that my supplier hadn't demanded the whole sum of what I'd made, so figured I came out ahead in the end. And I suppose I did - that lesson stuck with me and I was hopelessly hooked on "business." By high school I had come up with a few notebooks full of my greatest and best-schemed business ideas. I would analyze all the costs and figure up all the profits. The ones that worked on paper I pursued in real life - and I think one of those ventures may have actually worked, or maybe that was just on paper… I found the scheming and dreaming almost as enjoyable as the real thing.

Blair - Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

Josh Cochran — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:46:04 GMT

Eduardo was great! He put extra effort into the job and was very attentive. He took the time to make sure we had what we needed as well as kept me apprised of the work progress. He made the transition of the move actually enjoyable.

Blair