First impressions. They are everything.
According to a Harvard study on communication, it only takes seven seconds to make a first impression on another human being. Seven seconds.
What are those first seven seconds like when someone contacts your customer service desk?
The service desk has always been one of the most critical elements of a practice’s IT. But in this technology-driven marketplace, it’s more difficult than ever to maintain.
A checkup with your general practitioner.
An emergency visit to an ER.
A radiology test ordered by a physician.
What do all of these have in common? Nothing if the data can’t be shared between EHRs. And unfortunately, that’s all too readily the case.
Have you ever thought about how much data exists in the world?
Have you ever thought about how much data is created on an average day?
The statistics are staggering, especially when you consider how far we’ve come in such a short period of time. For example, according to Forbes:
By 2020, over 6.1 billion smartphone users will exist throughout the world
By 2020, there will be over 50 billion smart devices developed to collect, analyze and share data
In 2015, over 1 trillion photos were taken, and billions of them were shared online
In 2017, over 80 percent of all photos will be taken with smart technology
Every single minute of the day, over 500 new websites are developed
We perform more than 40,000 search queries a second on Google alone
The total volume of data that the industry captures and stores doubles every 1.2 years
What do we do with that much data? How can we possibly use it to our advantage?
Big Data is a concept that seems to be popping up everywhere in the business world, no matter what industry you’re in.
Imagine getting a text that says “your daughter has been in a serious accident.” Of course, you go into panic mode. Adrenaline rushes in, and the only thing your brain can process is how to gain more information.
At times like this, we’re at our most vulnerable point.
Poorly managed conflict and disagreements can kill effectiveness and efficiencies within a workplace. Then fester, build up and completely overwhelm an office to the point where it stops you in your tracks.
Conflict is inevitable. But if you take a “head in the sand” approach, you’ll likely face even bigger problems down the road.
Before we do anything, we head online and search.
Want a restaurant nearby? Pull out your phone and search.
Dishwasher broken? Google comparisons before you buy.
Looking for a new doctor? Head online and search the reviews.
Today’s consumers are Internet-savvy; using online tools to find what they need is second nature.
Restaurants know it. So do contractors. So do carpet cleaners.
Not long ago, sites like Angie’s List and Yelp popped up, and a whole new way of reaching out to customers was born. They quickly learned that ratings and review sites could bring in a valuable customer base.
Every day we strive to learn a little bit more. It may be something simple, or a complex task.
But as we weave in and out of our daily practices, it all comes together in a unique way. We think differently. We understand how things fit together. We see the flow in an entirely distinctive way from others around us.
Leadership has its benefits.
It can also become one of the most difficult jobs to have, especially when faced with some of the toughest decisions of your life.
Things like firing someone, downsizing an office, or even canceling a project can increase a leader’s stress tenfold.
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I’ll just do it myself, it’s easier that way.”
We all have tasks that come across our desks that seem like they are fairly easy to do, and will only take a few minutes of our time. Why bother delegating it to an employee? Yet the harsh reality of it is the more you keep these tasks to yourself, the more they add up into a time-consuming and wasteful day.