I grew up on a grain and cattle farm in central Alberta. Coming from a family farm business and rural community has always been something of which I am particularly proud. During my regular visits back to my family farm to work and sometimes play, it is interesting to note the surrounding farm operations. Some…
This month’s CROPS Report has a focus on customer satisfaction.
Guest Blog by Nicolle Germain, MBA As summer comes to a close and the leaves begin to change colour, we slowly begin to settle back into the work groove.
We all like to laugh, smile and enjoy a great joke with our peers, friends, family members and sometimes colleagues. However, often times we are only able to enjoy this simple life pleasure after we leave the office or work site. Imagine that you are in the middle of a workshop, team-meeting, corporate retreat or…
Guest blog by Nicolle Germain, MBA The foundation of effective communication skills starts with listening. In this edition of the X5 Video Blog, we discuss how to listen with purpose. Learn why Paying Attention, Being Courteous, and Providing Feedback are key elements in Active Listening and why they make a difference in understanding the communicator’s message.
This month’s CROPS Report has a focus on sales in relation to professional golfers.
Guest blog by Nicolle Germain, MBA When was the last time you set a personal or professional goal for yourself? More specifically, when was the last time you challenged yourself – mentally, physically, intellectually, or emotionally?
The team at X5 hopes that you, your family and your business are in the middle of a fantastic summer. An Albertan summer represents many opportunities to build relationships, spend time with family and allows us to re-energize and focus on our personal and professional priorities. However, sometimes some of us have so much on…
Welcome to the X5 Management Audio Series: The 5 Greatest Opportunities Facing Alberta Businesses
This month’s CROPS Report has a focus on people. What are you doing to motivate and engage your people?
Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA. Yesterday I read a book summary from SUCCESS magazine called “Get Clients Now!” It’s a book that defines a simple, focused structure for mapping out a marketing plan. The author, C.J. Hayden, draws on tried and true methods and identifies smart, tech-savvy tactics in her 28-day marketing program. She…
By guest blogger Nicolle Germain, MBA Well, summer is finally here and this brings us to a relevant topic – vacations. Vacations are defined as a period of time that is devoted to pleasure, rest or relaxation. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be somewhere exotic, but more or less, vacations are a break from…
In the latest X5 Video Blog, learn how your daily habits influence many aspects in your personal and professional life. What are your goals? Learn how your habits play a part in achieving them.
Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA This month’s CROPS Report has a focus on operational efficiencies and customer service.
Have you ever broken a promise? Most of us have at some point in time (whether you are open to admitting it or not). The dictionary defines the word Commit to Your Commitments ‘promise’ as a declaration that something will or will not be done. You might describe people that always keep their promises as…
Last week I attended an Edmonton Chamber of Commerce event welcoming new president and CEO James Cunning to the Edmonton Chamber. It was a very well attended event (which James credited to the complimentary beer and wine) that brought together a diverse group of business professionals to celebrate the accomplishments of our business community and city.
Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA In this month’s X5 Video Blog, Dennis Bridges explores Protecting Your Time. Are you capitalizing on your most limited resource?
This month’s CROPS Report has a focus on risk management. What are you doing to mitigate your business risk?
Guest blog by Nicolle Germain, MBA Danke! Merci! Gracias! Maholo! Arigatô! Grazie! The word “thank you” can be said many ways – literally and figuratively.
Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA I had an interesting conversation the other day with a friend of mine who owns a small business. His company currently has 10 employees who are all busy generating revenue through a variety of different tasks.
This past week I was fortunate to take part in the Edmonton Synergy Network Oil Sands & Fort McMurray tour. Having never visited Fort McMurray or the Alberta Oil Sands, I was not sure what to expect or what the tour highlights may be. Driving through Ft. McMurray and touring Syncrude’s production site revealed firsthand the scale and…
In this month’s Video Blog, Mike Mack highlights the 4 P’s of Effective Sales Management. Learn how Planning, Promoting, People, & Prioritizing affect your success in sales.
Guest blog by Nicolle Germain, MBA The world of consumerism is changing. Find out what you can do to combat the challenges associated with customer service in April’s X5 CROPS Report. Customer Satisfaction This month’s feature article is: The Customer Service Evolution (listed below). Risk Management A major aspect of managing risk is ensuring you are delivering…
I grew up on a grain and cattle farm in central Alberta. Coming from a family farm business and rural community has always been something of which I am particularly proud. During my regular visits back to my family farm to work and sometimes play, it is interesting to note the surrounding farm operations. Some…
Guest blog by Nicolle Germain, MBA Effective teamwork is vital in and out of the workplace. The power of a group far surpasses the strength of one person alone.
Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA Last week my colleague Matt Graff wrote ” Prep for the Big Win ”, a great article about the correlation between preparation and success. The article was inspired in part by Pro Basketball player Kobe Bryant and Darren Hardy’s Super Achievers presentation at X5’s event on March 5th.
I’m sure most of us have experienced a really great business presentation, witnessed athletes overcoming great odds, or taken in an unbelievable musical performance. Often times we are awestruck at what these successful individuals accomplish and are capable of. You may hear things like, “that person is a natural” or “imagine what I could…
I’m sure most of us have experienced a really great business presentation, witnessed athletes overcoming great odds, or taken in an unbelievable musical performance. Often times we are awestruck at what these successful individuals accomplish and are capable of. You may hear things like, “that person is a natural” or “imagine what I could do…
Guest blog by Nicolle Germain, MBA Earlier this week, X5 Management was privileged to host Darren Hardy, a sharp business guru and Publisher of SUCCESS magazine, who stopped by Edmonton to share his personal stories about becoming a Super Achiever. One topic that resonated with me was when he described how failure and success are…
2013 continues to be a great year so far for X5. We are looking forward to hosting Darren Hardy on March 5 for his session on “Productivity Strategies of Super Achievers”. Customer Satisfaction When was the last time your customers connected with you to inform you of how satisfied they are with your product or…
Those of us in business who rely on a committed and consistent customer base understand that customer satisfaction is critical to business success. However, we live in a fast paced economy where keeping up with daily commitments is a struggle. Finding time to develop the overall customer experience has to often be put on hold. …
Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA Building your network of friends, colleagues, mentors, and others in your professional industry can help you further your career development. In this week’s video blog, Dennis Bridges explains the importance of following up after the initial contact with a new person. Sending a quick email or thank you note can make…
In our latest video blog, Matt Graff talks about the importance of providing value to your customers, even before you’ve closed the sale. By proving your worth to current and potential customers, you gain their trust, this paving the way for a great working relationship. In the times when many businesspeople are hesitant to share and communicate…
Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA Today happens to be my birthday, another year gone by full of work, play, learning, and everything in between. At the mark of another year gone by, I like to look back and reflect on what I’ve done and where I stand. Hopefully I will be able give myself…
Guest blog by Kelsey Jones SUCCESS Magazine is a great resource for business owners and professionals who want to learn strategies from those who are successful in their field. Besides their print version, which is available by subscription and on newsstands, they also have a great website with articles from the magazine, as well as…
Aloha from Kauai, Hawaii!! What an amazing place to welcome 2013! Last week, my family and I visited the Benzai Pipeline on Oahu’s north shore, home to ultimate surf competitions and the most dangerous waves in the world. I asked locals about the Pipeline and how some of the greatest master this location. I repeatedly…
Guest blog by Nicolle Germain, MBA Have you ever found yourself saying: “Hindsight is 20/20”? I have definitely said it a few times in recent memory and this popular phrase sheds light on a great life lesson – the importance of reflection.
Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA In the first video in our X5 Business Accelerator Series, Dennis Bridges talks about what to look for when searching for a business consultant.
Guest Blog by Kelsey Jones When businesses and individuals are trying to up their game when it comes to marketing, many may hire a consultant or outside professional; others may buy a ton of marketing books on Amazon, only to never open them as they collect dust on a bookshelf on their office. There is a…
Guest blog by Christy Whelan To be successful, your business must operate like clockwork. Every process drives a specific outcome for your business, which emphasizes the need for internal processes to be streamlined and more efficient. Streamlining a business process needs to be done strategically. When you look at the process think of ways that…
As we make our way into December more and more people are distracted from their daily activities by everything that accompanies the holiday season. Employees are planning their family functions, holidays, dinner parties, Christmas shopping, etc. not to mention taking a few days here and there to cope with the stress. How will lack of…
Guest blog by Sawan Kapoor The ultimate test of your effectiveness is the performance of your team in your absence! So the real questions becomes how do you create a team where performance is guaranteed without regard to your presence… easier said than done, as I’m sure many of you would agree.
