The ML Editor

As you know, volunteer work is a great way to strengthen community bonds as well as aiding the poor. But how do you schedule this? It’s a lot simpler to get involved when a professional has planned the event. And you’ll have more fun volunteering with your co-workers getting involved right along with you!

Accordingly, a number of companies are making themselves into initiatives to help their employees work for the community through volunteer activities. A leader in this field is Adaptive Marketing LLC who developed shopping programs such as BusinessMax (MVQ*BIZMAX). If you were asked for examples of company-backed volunteer work, you’d most likely talk in terms of giving blood, perhaps a Christmas call for donations, but that’s simply no longer true. The employees of Adaptive Marketing are regularly provided with the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of community initiatives requiring greater and lesser amounts of effort. For these events, the dates, times and locations of the events were announced, ensuring that employees knew what to expect, and how much time each event might really require.

Naturally, it’s important to let volunteers choose programs in line with their own preferences. Employees of Adaptive Marketing choose from among a great many local activities. There’s so much to be done; working with children, helping with green activities, or supporting local arts and culture to list a few that have already been tried. This provides Adaptive Marketing volunteers with the chance to find the most effective way to work and have fun participating in the process.

Usually a company-sponsored volunteer project — fundraising with a homeless shelter or assisting at a local school — is either for a one-off event or on a regular schedule to accomplish a bigger goal. What this means is if you’ve only got enough time to spare to assist at a Saturday morning park clean-up, it’s still possible to contribute.

Applying their expertise to the benefit of the community around them is a practice with a long history at many companies. The activities of the staff at Adaptive Marketing and other businesses create precious goodwill in their home town. One thing volunteer drives are certain to do is leave your staff feeling good about themselves, which leads to a motivated corporate culture. Putting the opportunities out there to help employees to volunteer is nothing but positive.

Have you taken note of the extent to which a computing revolution has dramatically revamped air travel and hospitality ? The man to thank is New Jersey native Mr Nicholas Bredimus. This renaissance man has been involved in a number of fields, from the luxury home sector through the essentials of air safety and software to save resources and time. And whatever he turns to, he will commit his full energy to it. His pedigree will reveal all you need to know concerning the source of his talents and the amount he has achieved. The clan can trace its origins all the way to the time of Rome’s glory and can boast of a wide background. The maternal line mingles Scottish and German stock. Luxembourg and England provided the origin for Bredimus’ paternal line, although the family emigrated at the end of the nineteenth century. After they arrived in America, they still strove to climb in the world. Born one of seven siblings — three boys and four girls — Nicholas was born to a father working as a mechanical design engineer and a mother who earned her living as a practicing nurse. He would live for many years in cities across four states. What did he do to capitalize on his upbringing and schooling? He would swiftly embark on a string of respected jobs, all as part of major airlines. These included the post of vice president for Hughes Airwest, Trans World Airlines (TWA), and Republic Airlines. Nevertheless, above all the airline industry has felt the need to thank him for services in the field of software programming.

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His insight into aircraft maintenance programs, now commonplace in the entire airline business though first coded for one specific company, resulted in what is still his best known piece. But this was just one of his essential designs for airlines. The reservation programs he invented are on their way to stand alongside the airplane maintenance program in its position as an industry standard, while his room booking routine provided the chance for many hotels to leverage the very first pc based system. Afterwards would come QuikTix, an automatic, networked system for ticketing which was an industry first.

He employed these achievements to move into positions unconnected to software development. Major roles with American Airlines and American Express followed, and as you may know he established his own business in the early 1990s.

These days he has withdrawn from his airline connections and from coding, although he’s still making use of his inventiveness. Presently, his inventiveness is on display in upmarket houses employing all of the most advanced technologies to be anywhere. It’s really astonishing how far spirit will carry you!

Numbered among the best known of the United States of America independent companies operating loyalty and club membership initiatives is a business by the name of Trilegiant. The company and Mr Nathaniel Lipman, its CEO, liaise with several service and retail brands chosen from the big dental, shopping, travel, entertainment, and protection organizations to improve the retail experience. The firm isn’t unknown, we should point out. Boasting more than three decades’ development across an expanding area — now up to half a dozen states — and a three thousand strong workforce, the firm from Connecticut has nothing left to prove. Over twenty-five million customers distributed throughout the United States of America employ the company’s initiatives at present. The reputation of this company comes from risk free packages, making it easier for customers to cut corners and obtain high quality services. Schemes such as Buyers Advantage, for example, give consumers easy access to inexpensive long term guarantees, return guarantee protection, and repair cost insurance to leave them safe in the knowledge that their purchases are protected. There are other programs on offer like HealthSaver — which promises cheaper healthcare with no drop in quality — just to look at a single example. You might find that it’s when it turns its attention to the home neighborhood that Trilegiant shows its true colours. Individual events organized inside the company by even limited factions of employees often raise charitable contributions of thirty thousand dollars in just 5 days — without question the sign of a commitment worth taking note of. Informing clients is additionally high on the list of priorities for Trilegiant. One fact that troubled the management was that, in 2005 alone, there were about 6,420,000 reported road collisions in the USA. And that’s just the recorded accidents — the number leaves out unreported fender benders and more serious accidents or road rage incidents which take place all year round.

No one intends for their own car to become part of these statistics, especially the nastier accidents, and since 2007 Autovantage car club subscribers have received copies of the firm’s annual “road rage” data. To improve your safety, the tips and information these factsheets contain are designed to make you aware of warning signs before you encounter them.

Caring for your clients and the community you come from is a good idea, even if most firms don’t realize it; Trilegiant is happy to be one of the firms who understand. With schemes created to enhance members’ retail experiences and a true dedication to important causes they demonstrate heart is in the right place. They’re precisely what you would want from a community-mind firm.

Trilegiant is one of the best known service providers in North America overseeing customer loyalty and club services. Working with several brand names, several major names in health, entertainment, shopping, consumer protection organizations in addition to many others, Trilegiant works to improve the buying experience.

The business is not by any standards. Hailing from Connecticut, the company began trading in 1973 and its growth since has reached influence in a full six states, eight major sites, and around 3000 expert members of staff. More than twenty five million customers all over the United States of America depend upon the business’ services as of now.

The firm made its name for creating risk-free packages which help subscribers to make savings, obtain high quality services and products, in addition to making your shopping simpler. Looking at one example, the Buyers Advantage service gives consumers cheap insurance on extended warranty, guaranteed returns, and the cost of repairs, effectively ensuring their peace of mind as regards their acquisition. Other optional initiatives like HealthSaver provide quality healthcare on a decent budget, and these are just a pair of the great initiatives that the firm promises. You might find that it’s when the firm turns its attention to the home neighborhood that Trilegiant shows its true colours. Individual fundraisers coming from inside the firm by even diminutive groups of employees have been known to raise charitable donations of tens of thousands of dollars in a mere five days - without doubt an accomplishment one can admire. Trilegiant also tries to help via research analysis. As you’re probably aware, each year public businesses in association with the American government acquire an incredible profusion of important data. Trilegiant examines these statistics with care to identify the essentials and then considers how to improve them. For a closer look at an example, the number of auto accidents in America every year is several million strong.

Nobody intends for their own truck to be included in these figures, particularly on the more serious side, and for the last two years Autovantage car club members have been sent the company’s yearly road rage surveys. In this data, Autovantage reveals essential and eye-opening information designed to raise public awareness about these important topics. Trilegiant stands as the ideal example of a company that takes into account the significance of its community. Their varied schemes improve the buying experience for subscribers, and their hard work for important goals and the drive to inform the populace about essential issues improves several aspects of the global community. They’re just what you might hope from a customer assistance-based firm.

Trilegiant counts itself as one of the most prominent third party service providers in the United States of America managing loyalty schemes. Through these initiatives, led by President/CEO Nathaniel Lipman, Trilegiant leverages its power and experience to work with several names of different types, retail, dental, entertainment, and customer protection services, all to help you get more out of your buying experience. No one would deny that Trilegiant has experience aplenty. With over three decades of development across a growing region — now encompassing a full six states — and 3000 staffers, the Norwalk, Connecticut company has certainly proven itself. This growth helps them support over twenty five million members throughout North America.

The fame of this company stems from risk-free innovations, enabling clients to save money and acquire excellent quality products. For example, inexpensive insurance for long term warranties, guaranteed returns, and repair costs which can be purchased through the Buyers Advantage service. Trilegiant also, of course, offer other programs such as HealthSaver — which offers cheaper quality healthcare — to look at one example.

You might find that it’s when the firm turns its attention to the home populace that Trilegiant really impresses. Single events coming from within the firm even by small-scale collections of the workforce can generate charitable donations of thirty thousand dollars in about five days — certainly an achievement not to be sniffed at.

They also aim to be of service using research analysis. As you’re aware, each year privately-held businesses in association with the US government acquire a remarkable body of statistical information. Trilegiant studies this data with diligence to isolate major problems and then debates how to improve them. To take one example, the number of vehicle collisions in the United States every year is about six and a half million.

Nobody intends for their own motorcycle to become part of these figures, especially among the numbers for human injury, and for the past three years subscribers to the Autovantage car club have received the business’s yearly “road rage” information. To keep you safe, the useful tips enclosed within are presented to raise your awareness. Mr Lipman’s Trilegiant stands as the perfect example of a business who perceives the significance of its clients and community. They merge hard work on behalf of the community’s goals and their desire to educate the populace with their projects to benefit subscribers’ purchasing experiences. Put simply, they are the ideal of a community based firm.

David Gransby appears to hold a grudge against someone who never did him any harm. Posting under the screen name of Halfir, Gransby has recently launched a poison pen campaign against a writer named Michael Martinez. Martinez, who accused Gransby of lying, points out that he and Gransby have had little to no interaction with each other. So why, then, would someone like David Gransby use unprovoked personal attacks to destroy someone else’s reputation?

Joining Gransby in his Web jihad is another person hiding behind the pseudonym Elenhir. Elenhir apparently holds the point of view that one can use stories written (but not published) decades prior to the publication of The Lord of the Rings to analyze how J.R.R. Tolkien intended readers to interpret a handful of paragraphs that deal with the fantasy creature known as the Balrog of Moria. This point of view, however, has been thoroughly discredited as there is no conceptual integration between Tolkien’s early writings and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien scholars (including his son Christopher) widely and broadly acknowledge that the author changed many things before incorporating them into The Lord of the Rings.

So why did Halfir and Elenhir single out Michael Martinez for personal attacks? It seems most likely that, given the immense weight accorded to Martinez’s essays explaining the truth about Balrogs, Halfir and Elenhir decided to discredit his more thoroughly reasoned, well-supported arguments by misrepresenting them. In one comment Halfir falsely alleges that Martinez does not cite sources. Martinez has a well-earned reputation for meticulously citing J.R.R. Tolkien and full context and detail. Neither Halfir nor Elenhir bother to link to any of Martinez’s essays, knowing full well that to do so would show their readers they are not telling the truth.

Most people don’t care about the amateur critics who try to make names for themselves by falsely discrediting more thorough and reputable critics. But this one-sided war has apparently spilled out onto multiple Websites as people speak out against the unjustified abuse directed at Martinez. Would-be analysts like Elenhir would do better to improve their research and rhetoric skills rather than vent their frustrations in front of the world.

In all likelihood you will have seen mention of Mr. Naveen Jain as the CEO & co-founder of Intelius, Inc. the predictive intelligence market leaders. Well beyond making the Forbes list “400 Richest in America” in 2000, this maverick businessman has gained an assortment of reputable awards, foremost the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the WSA Industry Achievement Award, and the Albert Einstein Technology Medal. But that is definitely not where it ends. Because Mr. Jain and his family are every bit as fervent about philanthropy and will attempt to help needy people whenever the opportunity arises. All our expectations for humanity’s future are contained in today’s young generation. Naveen Jain also views young people as constituting the very focus of his enterprises and he takes advantage of any chance available to aid them. This is the primary reason why he is always unfailingly leveraging every opportunity he can to assist them wherever it is even remotely feasible. In consequence, Naveen Jain, his relations and his workers at Intelius, Inc. devote their time to a whole range of charities for example TreeHouse, the Rotary Club, and the Vedic Cultural Center. They hand out significant monetary aid but most importantly, they devote their time and care to the most deprived and danger prone children. Furthermore, he sponsors the Children’s Hospital endeavoring to elevate children’s health. With Naveen Jain being an alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur and the Indian Institute of Technology, it is no surprise that schooling holds an exceedingly important status in his humanitarian outlook. This encompasses causes and aid organizations local, state, and nationwide. Therefore, Intelius and its CEO are aiding voluntary organizations and charitable agencies like the Children’s Hospital, the University of Washington and the University Preparatory Academy.

Getting foodstuffs to the malnourished of the world is another crucial goal to Naveen Jain and those around him and it makes no difference in the least to him whether it is a child in Dallas or Nepal, or an old man from Guadeloupe or Bruges in need of help. Although Naveen Jain is conscious that the job of locating food for all the world’s hungry is a titanic one, he also knows that the unattainable can indeed come to be reachable when the whole world labors together. If this entrepreneur gets his way, there will come a conclusive end to hardship and starvation everywhere in the future. One could probably be pardoned for imagining that being the leader of a wildly successful company as well as being a dedicated husband and father would leave him with no spare time for philanthropic engagements. All the same he ensures that each and every one of his philanthropic undertakings is given all the support he can feasibly donate. Indeed this untiringly idealistic entrepreneur is undoubtedly more than merely any ordinary business trailblazer. He is, in fact, a highly humane citizen and an exceptional community champion.

You have very likely come across Mr. Naveen Jain’s name as being the CEO and co-founder of Intelius, Inc. the information commerce market leaders. Well beyond making the Forbes list “400 Richest in America” in 2000, this prosperous business leader has won a number of distinguished awards, most notably the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Albert Einstein Technology Medal, and the WSA Industry Achievement Award. Even so things categorically expand out from there. For Mr. Naveen Jain and his family are equally as avid about their charitable deeds and will seek to help out as often as they are able to.

All our expectations for the years to come are contained in today’s young generation. Naveen Jain also regards children as being at the very center of his endeavors, and he leverages any opportunity available to aid them. This, of course, is why he is always unfailingly using every possibility he can to lend a helping hand wherever even remotely doable. Consequently, Naveen Jain, his relatives and his workers at Intelius give their time and efforts to a great range of charities as, for example, the University of Washington, the Rotary Club, and Child Rights and You (CRY). Naturally, they assign significant material assistance but even more importantly they pledge their time and care to the most needy and at risk children. Mr. Jain also donates to the Children’s Hospital in an effort to restore children’s health, as well.

With Jain being a former student of the Indian Institute of Technology and XLRI Jamshedpur, it’s hardly astonishing that schooling is also a critical pivot point in his benevolent operations. This also incorporates causes and charitable organizations that cover the entire spectrum from the local to the global. Thus, Intelius and its head are actively supporting voluntary bodies and foundations such as Hopelink, the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club and the Children’s Hospital. Getting food to the starving of the planet is another great objective to Naveen Jain and those around him and to him, it makes not a speck of difference. While Naveen is acutely mindful that the ambition to feed every starving person in the world can seem to be an insurmountable task, he also knows that the unattainable can really come to be attainable when everyone toils together. If this business leader should really have his way, there will come a final cessation to destitution and malnourishment everywhere in the future.

You would imagine that as the man in operative command of a very thriving enterprise on top of being a devoted family man would leave him with little free time for charitable works. But Naveen Jain ensures that all of his benevolent enterprises is given all the help he can feasibly muster. This doggedly visionary businessman is most definitely way more than merely a business leader. He is, moreover, also a perfectly unique personality and a real community champion.

You have probably heard mention of Mr. Naveen Jain in connection with him being the co-founder & CEO of Intelius, Inc. the predictive intelligence service company. In addition to having made the Forbes list “400 Richest in America” in 2000, this enterprising business leader has collected a number of distinguished awards including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the WSA Industry Achievement Award, and the Albert Einstein Technology Medal, to list merely only three. Nevertheless it certainly does not finish here. This is because Jain and his relatives are likewise as zealous about philanthropy and will endeavor to help people in need whenever they are able to.

All our anticipations for the years to come are held in today’s children. They are moreover a central focus of attention for this entrepreneur, and he tries to take advantage of any chance available to aid them. This is why he is so persistently exploiting every opening he can to lend a helping hand whenever it is even remotely possible. In consequence, Naveen Jain, his relatives and the employees at Intelius pledge their time and efforts to various charities as, for example, TreeHouse, United Way, and Hopelink. As one would expect, they provide significant monetary aid, but even more importantly, they commit premium time and care to the youth who require it the most. Moreover, Mr. Jain gives aid to the Children’s Hospital in an effort to restore children’s health as well.

With Naveen Jain being an alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur and the Indian Institute of Technology, it comes as no wonder that schooling has been assigned a particularly important priority within his philanthropic worldview. This encompasses deserving causes and charitable foundations that are local, state, and nationwide. Thus Intelius and its CEO are helping voluntary organizations and philanthropic institutions like Child Rights and You (CRY), the Rotary Club and the Children’s Hospital. Feeding the planet’s destitute is another critical objective to Jain and his kin and to him, it makes not one iota of difference. While he is acutely aware that the aim of feeding every starving mouth in the world can seem to be an impossible task, he also understands that the irresolvable can indeed become feasible provided the whole world labors in concert. If this CEO gets his way, the final curtain will definitely come down on famine and destitution all over the world at some time.

Observers would think that being the head of a very successful market leading business as well as being a committed family man would leave him with no free time for benevolent works. But in spite of that Naveen Jain ensures that each of of his charitable endeavors obtains as much attention as he can plausibly ramp up. To summarize, this high spirited man is undeniably a lot more than a simple trailblazer of commerce. In fact, he is an exceptional person and a true community advocate.

These Actions of Awesome Hospitality will help you manifest the power of approachability through your organizational front porches.

AWESOME ACTION #1: Go Beyond the Door
My friend, Pastor Bob Farr of the St. Peters Church of the Shepherd, told me about a man he encountered after the worship service one Sunday. Bob went into the lobby to say goodbye to some of his members. He noticed a man standing along by the coffee kiosk, so he approached him. He introduced himself and thanked him for coming.

In a reserved tone the guest said, “You know Pastor, I’ve been coming to this church for the past 9 weeks. I know I’m shy and all, but not one time has anyone said hello to me.”

“Really?” Bob asked, “You know, our staff works very hard to be hospitable and friendly to everyone - especially new members. I’m surprised nobody has approached you!”

“Well,” he continued, “I am usually greeted at the door when I walk in, but that’s it. Once I get through the lobby and into the service, I feel invisible. Anyway, this morning I told myself: today is the 10th and final time. It’s my last chance. And if nobody says anything, I’m outta here. But, thanks to your hospitality beyond the door, I think I’ll stick around.”

Have you ever felt this way - like someone made the initial effort to extend hospitality but their willingness trickled away after a few minutes? It’s kind of like ordering your food at a restaurant, getting the food delivered by your server, and never seeing her again until the check comes. (As if delivering the food was all that mattered.)

My good friend Shep Hyken, CSP who is a motivational speaker and author of The Loyal Customer and Moments of Magic, says that “someone’s assessment of excellent service is measured in proportion to the amount of time you spend after what’s basic, needed or expected.” So not unlike “Going Beyond Hello” in the Attitude of Awesome Hospitality, the first step in the Actions of Awesome Hospitality is also Going Beyond - beyond the door, that is.

AWESOME ACTION #2: Talk to Strangers
One of the reasons we have difficulty going beyond the door and extending ourselves to The New Guy is because we’re afraid of talking to strangers. We live in a culture of fear that tells us strangers are different, so therefore they will hurt us. (Ironic, isn’t it - hospitality means “the love of strangers.”)

This fear has a way of manifesting itself into our actions. Take public speaking, for example. It’s the number one most common social phobia of humans. Why? Because they’re afraid of being negatively judged by others - and their performance is a reflection of that fear.

But do you know what the second most common social phobia among humans is? According to the Social Anxiety Association, it’s talking to strangers. Lyn Lofland, in her book A World of Strangers, explained it perfectly: “Active avoidance of contact is constantly boosted by the fear of contamination from those are not like us.”

Wow. Contamination. That’s a powerful word. Combine that with our inherent fear of rejection - albeit by a person we don’t even know - and it’s no wonder people don’t feel welcome at so many organizations!

But as the definition says, a stranger is someone with whom you have not yet been acquainted. So people make it out to be a lot scarier that it really is. And in the process of becoming an effective and engaging communicator one conversation at a time, you must have the courage to transform a stranger into a neighbor and neighbor into a friend. That’s what hospitality is all about.

AWESOME ACTION #3: Dismiss Judgment
A few days before giving one of my Awesome Hospitality into Authentic Relationships programs, I had dinner with my best friend (and mentor) William Jenkins. I asked him what he thought the major challenges to organizations were, to which he replied with this story:

“Every year when I used to teach high school English, the administration would send us our student lists about a week before classes began. Some teachers - the moment they got their lists - marched right back upstairs and spent the next hour making roll changes. They selected specific students they didn’t want (or that didn’t seem to belong) in their classes and switched them out.

I, on the other hand, took that time to get a cup of coffee! In fact, I didn’t even look at my class list until the day classes began - because I was going to teach everybody the same.

Anytime someone new walks into the door, the room or the organization, dismiss your judgment about them. Even if they look like they won’t fit in - they still deserve your hospitality. And it all starts with that first step onto someone’s front porch.

AWESOME ACTION #4: Sacrifice Your Comfort
As I explained, the reason humans are so terrified of public speaking is because of the fear of being judged. But in addition to talking in front of scores of new faces, simply being in front of scores of new faces can be uncomfortable. And at every meeting of every organization, there’s a good chance The New Guy will experience this fear when they walk into their first meeting.

Let’s take your Professional Association, for example. Imagine your monthly meeting takes place on a cold, winter morning at your local banquet hall. All the board members, staff and veterans show up a few minutes ahead of time at about 7:45 A.M. (They gotta get the closest seats and the hottest food!)

At 8:06, when the program begins and most people have already sat down to eat, in walks Aly, a newly registered member. She’s already in a bad mood because she had to park seven blocks away. Huffing into a room full of strangers, hair out of place from the hike, she scopes out a place to sit. She feels terrible for showing up late and tries to be an inconspicuous as possible. To her dismay, there’s only one seat left: the one all the way in the front of the room.

Aly reluctantly makes her way up to the front, turning as beet red as everyone watches her every move. Finally, after whispering an apology to the speaker she was so excited to hear, she sits down and takes out her notebook.

Has that ever happened to you before?

It’s happened to me on a number of occasions. And not just because I have a non-existent sense of direction and couldn’t arrive on time if my life depended on it, but also because members are often unwilling to sacrifice their comfort for someone new.

So if you’ve been a member of an organization for six months, a year or five years - you’ve already become accustomed to the group. You’re all settled in. And you’ve had enough time to get comfortable. Now you must reinstate the Golden Rule for the sake of The New Guy and temporarily sacrifice your comfort. Extend awesome hospitality to that one person who so desperately needs to feel welcome; because if you don’t - they may never come back again.

And don’t assume other people - Greeters or otherwise - will do this. If everyone assumes someone else will take action, nobody will take action. That’s called diffusion of involvement.

Here some final Awesome Actions you can use to ensure the comfort of new members:

Give up your seat in the back

Park as far away as possible

Bring someone new into your conversation

Don’t buy a raffle ticket so they have a better chance of winning

Ask someone new to join your table

Invite them out with your group after the meeting

Allow the new person to talk as much as possible

© 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, “The World’s Foremost Expert on Nametags” and the author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He helps people MAXIMIZE their approachability and become UNFORGETTABLE communicators - one conversation at a time. For more information contact Front Porch Productions at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com.