The FT Word

The FT Word is a free monthly newsletter with support management tips. To subscribe, click here. The subscription list is absolutely confidential; we never sell, rent, or give information about our subscribers.

Welcome

Welcome to the February 2013 edition of the FT Word. Topics for this month:

61%. Are you part of the sad majority of companies that do not include learning and knowledge-sharing proficiencies in annual reviews? (I am optimistic that support organizations do better on this count!)
Upselling training. Are you fantasizing about well-trained support contacts? Fantasize no more (about this topic, at least): convince your support contacts to get the training they need.
It’s ok to say no. You don’t have to agree to everything customers ask for, but let them down gently. Learn the powerful “saying yes to say no” technique, one of many covered in our Tech Support Skills workshop.

FT Works in the News

New Email Distribution Format

Subscribers to the email distribution list of the FT Word are now receiving it through MailChimp and the look-and-feel of the newsletter will morph a bit over the next few months. Please voice your opinion on the new look in the comments.

ASP’s Website Awards

The Association for Support Professionals has opened its 2013 “Ten Best Web Support Sites” contest. I will again be one of the judges. Apply now — or improve your website with a makeover by FT Works.

New Article about Communities

TSIA included an article I wrote entiteld All Together Now? Why Communities Rule—And How to Make Them Work for You in the January, 2013 issue of TSIA News. Read it here.

Curious about something? Send me your suggestions for topics — or add one in the comments — and your name will appear in future newsletters.

Regards,
Françoise Tourniaire
FT Works
www.ftworks.com
650 559 9826

About FT Works

FT Works helps technology companies create and improve their support operations. Areas of expertise include designing support offerings, creating hiring plans to recruit the right people quickly, training support staff to deliver effective support, defining and implementing support processes, selecting support tools, designing effective metrics, and support center audits. See more details at www.ftworks.com.