Communication Articles

Technology By Joe Dysart How to Beat Spam It is possible to take back control of your e-mail inbox. If you've been on the Web for more than 24 hours, chances are you're already familiar with one of its greatest scourges: spam. Offering everything from an inside track on Nigerian fortunes to instant solutions for various and sordid sexual dysfunctions, spammers sometimes make reading e-mail less f...

Instructor What not to say when cuing your class, and how not to say it. By L. Kae Graniel The Cuing Connection Is teaching your class a no-brainer? Do your participants readily comprehend your ideas? Effective communication begins and ends with you. If your cues aren't being understood, the problem may lie not in what you are saying, but in how you are saying it. Excellent cuing comes from foll...

Curbing the Chatty Cathys in Your Classes Q: A: What do you say or do when two (or more!) people in your class keep talking during the workout? These magpies are nice people, but they have no clue how irritating their conversation is to everyone else in the room. What can I do to retain class control without looking like a control freak? Marina Aagaard, Roende, Denmark other participants will ...

A Model for Communicating With Physicians Build credibility with physicians and allied health providers by furnishing essential reporting tools for the referral process. Consult Your Physician Before Embarking on an Exercise Program. How many times have you seen this disclosure pasted on a piece of exercise equipment or flashed on the television during an infomercial for a new exercise program or ...

How well do you serve your clients? Here are 20 ways for you and your business to provide outstanding customer service. Customer Service on a Platter By Sherri McMillan, MSc A few years ago an elderly gentleman walked into the gym where I worked and claimed he had never exercised a day in his life. Surveying the spread of our facility, the portly individual explained how he finally decided it wa...

C ustomer service problems in fitness facilities can challenge even the most conscientious owners and managers. No mat- carry a Fitness Group photo identification membership card and "scan in" when they enter the facility. We implemented the new system to ensure that individuals using our services/facilities were members in good standing. The Problem: One of our members refused to have her photo...

copy and pass along to your staff courtesy of IDEA How to Manage Angry Customers By Richard Gerson a statement that the person may perceive as placing the blame elsewhere or passing along the responsibility to resolve the issue. 6. Thank the Customer. That's right, say "thank you" to the individual for bringing the issue to your attention. Remember, only a small portion of your customers will tak...

When you stop to think about it, fitness professionals are highly skilled communicators. Whether you are working on the fitness floor with clients or addressing colleagues at conventions, you are translating highly technical information into understandable language that educates and motivates. For the most part, however, these skills have been honed in person and over the telephone. But what...

Envision the following scenario: You’re in a crowded room full of fitness professionals. Business cards are flying out of pockets as if possessed. Handshakes occur at a rate that makes a NASCAR race look like a slow crawl. There is a constant hum from the sound of voices weaving together in a cheerful harmony.

If you've followed this column since January, you've read about how savvy managers increase efficiency and avoid burnout by establishing work-related boundaries for themselves and their stuff. This final article in a series of five provides practical solutions for creating boundaries with three common categories of customers. When you skillfully reign in your most challenging and picky patrons, you boost productivity and strengthen customer ties. Here’s how to do it.