Software Tips & Tricks Enable and Lock Form Fields in Access

By Laura Noble

In an Access form you may have fields that should not be edited or copied. Disabling or locking these fields will speed data entry and guarantee that these fields do not change.

Changing the Enable property of a field from Yes to No will dim the field control as shown in the sample below with the Client ID field. Data cannot be edited or selected/copied when a field is disabled.

After changing the Lock property of a field from No to Yes the field will have normal display, data can be copied but not changed.

Changing Enable/Lock Form Properties:

1. Open the form in Design view.
2. Right-mouse click on the field that requires the enable/lock change.
3. Select Properties.
4. Click the All or Data tab and change the Enable or the Lock settings.
   

To further speed up data entry remove the Tab Stop from the field by following these steps:

1. Open the form in Design view.
   
2. Right-mouse click on the field that requires the removal of the tab stop.
3. Click the All or the Other tab and change the Tab Stop setting from Yes to No.
   

Stay tuned to Networking Today in the coming months for more Software Tips & Tricks from Noble Software Solutions.

Laura Noble is the owner of Noble Software Solutions. Laura can be contacted at 519-680-2689 or by email at lnoble@noblesoftwaresolutions.com. www.noblesoftwaresolutions.com

Published in Networking Today, August 2005.

Recruit Your Way to the Top! Part Two

By John Boe

As mentioned in Part One of this article, finding the right recruit is essential to the success of your organization.

Here are my favourite eight interview questions:

1. Do you have written goals you want to accomplish and if so, tell me about them? You are looking for indications of maturity, focus, planning ability, and desire for achievement.
   
   
2. How did you earn your first paycheck, how old were you, and what did you do with the money? With this question you are probing to check their work ethic.
   
   
3. What are the top three leadership traits that you look for in a manager? With this question you are attempting to gauge their expectation and ascertain their preferred management style.
   
   
4. Have you ever failed at something and if so, why did you fail and what did you learn from the experience? This question lends itself to a discussion on resiliency, personal responsibility, and tendencies under pressure.
   
   
5. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses as employees. What are your strong points for this position? This question gives them the opportunity to tell you what assets they bring to the table and how they see themselves fitting into your organization.
   
   
6. What is the one thing you would improve about yourself? This question gives you an indication of his or her self- assessment capability.
   
   
7. Other than family members, who has been the greatest influence in your life and why?
   
   
8. If you were to fail in this business, what do you think the reason would be?
   

Temperament Profiling is an absolute must. A sales manager who lacks the benefit of temperament understanding is inclined to place too much emphasize on his or her gut-level feeling during the hiring process. Progressive organizations that understand the value of temperament profiling actively seek people with varied behavioral styles and thereby benefit from a richness and diversity of perspective. People with different behavioral patterns are more likely to complement rather than duplicate each other's strengths and serve in a check and balance capacity.

Managers frequently ask me which traits are the most important to look for in a prospective hire? In my opinion, there are two mandatory qualities any new hire should possess. The first quality I look for is loyalty. If a person is not loyal to their company, research indicates that they are more likely to violate company policies and procedures. Disloyal employees are also the first to leave when the going gets tough. Look for signs of job stability on the résumé and check his or her attitude regarding previous employers.

The second quality I look for is dependability. It makes absolutely no sense to invest huge amounts of emotional and financial capital training someone that you can't depend on.

The most effective people are those who know themselves, know the demands of the situation, and adapt strategies to meet those demands. Research indicates that career incompatibility is the major cause of personnel discontentment and costly turnover. The hidden cost of excessive personnel replacement is often measured through a decrease in customer retention.

Simply put, you want to hire a person that has a temperament profile compatible with the job opportunity. For example, some people are born analytical and have a temperament style that excels in administration and attention to detail. Others are more comfortable in a supportive role and are better suited for a customer service position rather than the uncertainty of commission sales.

The importance of matching the job description to the correct temperament style cannot be overstated. Temperament testing is not only advantageous for hiring and suitability but also as a management aid to assist in training and supervision after the hiring process. I strongly recommend that a temperament evaluation be administered between the first and second interview.

When a temperament evaluation is properly implemented and utilized in conjunction with other standard hiring and interviewing procedures, it ensures that applicants are treated fairly without regard to race, colour, age, religion, gender, or national origin. If a temperament evaluation is used as part of a hiring process, it shouldn't constitute the total basis for hiring or placement. I recommend that an organization establish and utilize a consistent standard hiring process. Information gathered in each step of the hiring process should be reviewed in total prior to making a final hiring decision.

You're Only as Good as Your Pipeline

While some turnover in your sales force such as retirement, promotion, and transfer is understandable and can be anticipated; the quitter is often unpredictable. With this in mind, recruiting must be thought of as a long-term strategy, not a knee-jerk reaction.

Perhaps the greatest mistake a manager can make is underestimating his or her turnover. If your personnel turnover is high, it's more than likely caused by improper recruiting, rather than inadequate training or a lack of incentives. Even if you're the world's best trainer and motivator, if you haven't recruited correctly you'll experience high turnover and may find your sales team bogged down with low morale. If your recruiting pipeline has dried up, here are four tips that will assist you in filling it back up with quality salespeople!

1. To have an effective recruiting program, it's imperative that your sales team be enthusiastically involved in the recruiting process. Let them know that their ability to recruit is considered a vital skill in leadership development and that their assistance is essential to the health of the organization.
   
   
2. Keep your sales team informed by focusing on recruiting as an agenda item at the weekly meeting. On the agenda show the status of each recruit, highlighting the salesperson that has recruited them.
   
   
3. Design and implement an incentive program for your sales force that places an emphasis on recruiting.
   
   
4. Consider inviting potential new hires out for lunch and cultivate relationships with clients that you think may be successful on your sales team. Make certain to include them in your company's social events when appropriate.
   

I hope I have inspired you to look at your recruiting program with fresh eyes and a renewed determination to recruit your way to the top!

John Boe presents a variety of training and motivational programs for meetings and conventions. John brings over twenty years of experience as an award-winning sales trainer to the platform. His programs are unique, consistently well received, and get results. Visit www.johnboe.com for more information.

Published in Networking Today, August 2005.

Networking, Connecting, Building Rapport

By Karen Susman

Being a networking nut, I'm always looking for new ways to make Remarkable Associations! Recently, I read a book called “How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less” by Nicholas Boothman. Some of Boothman's ideas that may benefit you are:

1. Realize your job in making connections is to reduce the fight or flight response in the other person. When you meet someone new be open, positive, approachable, non-confrontational, and aware of the other person's reaction to you.
   
   
2. Use metaphors to describe what you do. For instance, if you sell insurance, you might say using insurance is like planting a garden. Then explain what you mean. Using a metaphor gives your networking partner a picture of what you do.
   
   
3. Offer a reason why you want something. For instance, if you'd like an appointment with someone, instead of saying, "I'd like to meet with Ms. Jones on Thursday," say, "I'd like to meet with Ms. Jones on Thursday because my services might be able to save her a lot of money." Studies showed this worked when people butted in line. If they used "because," there was increased compliance.
   
   
4. Use positive language instead of planting negative thoughts. If someone asks you to do something, don't say "No problem." Say, "It would be a pleasure." If this sounds silly, please don't think about an elephant.
   
   
5. We've all heard of the elevator speech or the seven-second commercial that briefly tells what you do. Here's a step to take before you form your short promo. Come up with your "Big Idea." Your "Big Idea" is what drives you. For instance, perhaps your Big Idea is that you want to make a difference in the health of those in your community. Or, perhaps you want to make people's lives easier. You don't announce your Big Idea to people, but it propels you. Ask yourself, "Am I doing/living my big idea?" Thinking and acting your Big Idea will give you confidence, too.
   
   
6. Respond. When people are speaking to you, listening isn't enough. Encourage them with questions, statements or even "Hmmmm." These show you are engaged in what they are saying. You can encourage non-verbally, too. Lean in, make eye contact, nod appropriately, and mirror your facial expression to the speaker's.

Try some of these ideas. Importantly, keep in mind that your goal is to build rapport with others. Then you can build a relationship. Then you can get what you want.

Karen Susman is a Speaker, Trainer, Coach, and Author of 102 Top Dog Networking Secrets. Karen works with organizations that want to maximize performance. Programs include Humour at Work; Balance In Life; Networking Skills; Presentation Skills; and Building Community Involvement. Order new guidebooks on humour, networking, time management, and community involvement by calling 1-888-678-8818 or e-mail Karen@KarenSusman.com. www.KarenSusman.com. Published in Networking Today, August 2005.

10 Things Your Customers Won’t Tell You (But We Will!)

By Nancy Friedman

Most business owners know that customers will take their business elsewhere if they’re not treated as they’d like to be. But how does a business owner find out what the customer really likes or dislikes?

Your customers have told us what they are unlikely to tell you directly. Here are TEN things only a friend will tell you. (By the way, that would be us!)

Dear Telephone Doctor:

I’m not a person to be confrontational and cause a scene. However, there are several things that bother me when I call or walk into an establishment. If you pass this on to management, it couldn’t hurt and probably would help. Thank you.

Dear Owner/Manager:

• Nobody greeted me when I walked into your store. No one said, "Hello," no one asked if they could help me, and no one said goodbye when I walked out. Well, at least I wasn’t any trouble.
  
  
• Your sales staff looked tired. Yeah, they did. Otherwise why wouldn’t they greet me with a big smile and some enthusiasm? It didn’t look like they even wanted me in the place.
  
  
• I bought a lot. I couldn’t believe no one said, "Thank you." No one told me to enjoy my purchase. I did get a luke warm "Have a nice day." But it was said so perfunctorily, it didn’t mean anything to me.
  
  
• When I phoned for some information, my call was treated as an annoyance. I sensed very little desire to be of any real help. Know what I did then? I called a few more places until I found one who sounded as though they wanted me to come visit them right now.
  
  
• Whoever answered your phone never identified themselves. I happen to like to know who I’m talking with and when I don’t, it hurts any trust I might give your company.
  
  
• During the phone call, your staff’s voice sounded aggressive and challenging. I didn’t feel very welcomed.
  
  
• By the way, all your employees were talking and laughing amongst themselves and ignored me until I was ready to pay for my merchandise.
  
  
• There was no management around. Remember the old saying "when the boss is away, the mice will play." Guess what? They do!
  
  
• When I told your staff about my problem, which was important to me, no one sympathized with me. It was “business as usual” for them.
  
  
• Everyone looked angry. No one was smiling. Remember, sometimes it’s the things you “don’t do” that make me want to go elsewhere. Thanks for listening.
  

Signed, Your customer

We all know these are basic common sense topics, but we also know that basic common sense isn't too common.

Nancy Friedman is president of Telephone Doctor®, an international customer service training company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in customer service and telephone skills. She is a KEYNOTE speaker at association conferences and corporate gatherings and is the author of four best selling books. Call 314-291-1012 for more information or visit the website at www.telephonedoctor.com.


Published in Networking Today, August 2005.

Survey Finds Workers Average Only Three Productive Days Per Week

By Barbara Bartlein

Ineffective meetings, unclear objectives and lack of team communication are some of the top time wasters that workers say make them feel unproductive for as much as a third of the workweek. According to a new online survey by Microsoft, respondents also said that they struggle with the need to work longer hours while seeking better balance in their lives. They found that they rely on technology tools to assist in personal and professional productivity.

With responses from more than 38,000 people in 200 countries, the Microsoft Office Personal Productivity Challenge, rated workers productivity based on responses to 18 statements about their workplace. Some of the U.S. findings:

• Employees work an average of 45 hours a week; 16 hours are considered unproductive.
  
• Approximately 16% of participants relate their productivity directly to their software.
  
• Over 66% said that they don’t have work-life balance.
  
• Only 31% said they are using proven scheduling tools and techniques.
  
• Women had an average productivity score of 70% while men were at 68%.
  
• Workers said they receive an average of 56 email messages per day.
  
• The most common productivity problems are procrastination, 42%; lack of team communication, 39%; and ineffective meetings, 34%.
  

The results of the survey come as no surprise to many employees. Procrastination occurs when information is not clear, or the employee does not feel comfortable with the task. Workers frequently complain that objectives are muddy and information is not communicated effectively.

“Runaway meetings” are identified as the biggest time waster by more than a quarter (27 percent) of workers polled in a recent survey by Office Team, a staffing service specializing in skilled administrative professionals. Many companies continue to conduct meetings in the same format as years ago; inviting large groups of people, allowing excessive time, and often with no clear leadership of the meeting. With today’s lean staffing levels, there is a need to restructure meetings for greater efficiency.

Workers in Microsoft’s survey reported that they rely on technology tools to stay on task. Here are some things you can do in your workplace for better efficiency:

• Train staff how to proactively use technology instead of reactively responding. One reason that “time saving” devices often don’t save time is that we react to them rather than structuring their use. Plan your day with specific times to answer phone calls, check messages, and read emails. You lose efficiency when you rapidly move from one task to another.
  
  
• Use a system to find electronic documents quickly and efficiently. Use folders to organize your documents and important files. Make sure that the document names are descriptive and easy to find.
  
  
• Make sure all computer users back up important documents and programs. Don’t forget to back up programs on a regular basis. Back up on the hard drive as well as an external storage (CD’s, floppy’s) for extra safety. Nothing will slow you down quicker than a crashed system.
  
  
• Staff should be trained in basic computer maintenance such as cleaning up disk space and defragmenting to increase computer efficiency. These routine tasks do not need to be done by IT personnel or a tech person. Each user can easily be trained to program and monitor these routine operations.
  
  
• Establish spam filters and sorters to help manage email more effectively. There are increasingly sophisticated programs to filter emails and protect machines. Initiate a company wide filter and add one for your home computer.
  
  
• Set company guidelines on how email is to be used. One of the most common complaints of employees these days is “too much email.” Set procedures on who needs to be copied and on what. Train staff on email protocol including appropriate length, content, and tone.
  
  
• Train all staff in time management including a priority system. While employees may have had some training in time management, it needs to be refreshed on a regular basis to be effective. Make sure that employees at all levels know how to establish a priority system and time accountabilities.
  

Remember, time is the one non-renewable resource.

Sign up for Barbara's FREE email newsletter at www.barbbartlein.com.

Barbara Bartlein is the PeoplePro™. She helps businesses sell more goods and services by developing people. She can be reached at 888-747-9953, by email at: barb@barbbartlein.com or visit her Web site at www.ThePeoplePro.com.

Published in Networking Today, August 2005.