Viafield Voice
August 2013
Viafield Voice The
Nine TIps For Providing Excellent Customer Service - Page 1
Filling The Bucket: Two Viafield Team Members Have High Flying Adventures - Page 2
September is National Preparedness Month - Page 3
Nine Tips For Providing Excellent Customer Service Excellent customer service can create loyal customers for life who are willing to refer your business to friends, family, and colleagues. Providing customer service starts with a genuine desire to delight each and every customer, but you also have to think beyond selling your product or service. You need to consider the cumulative experience your customers have when
they visit your store, your website, or any other company branded location. How do they think and feel, and what you can do to make it better? Here are nine ways you can start to create a pattern of excellent customer service at your location. 1. Know Your Product/Service In order to provide good customer service, you need to know what you’re selling, inside and out. Make sure you know how your product or service works. Be aware the most common questions customers ask about your products, and know how to articulate the answers. 2. Be Friendly As they say, customer service starts with a smile. When you are in a face-to-face
situation, a warm greeting should be the first thing your customers see and hear when they ask for help. And even when handling customer service requests via telephone, a smile can come through in your voice, so make sure you’re ready to be friendly. 3. Say Thank You Gratitude is memorable, and it can remind your customers why they shopped at your store or hired your company. Regardless of the type of business you have, saying thank you after every transaction is one of the easiest ways to start a habit of good customer service.
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4. Train Your Team It’s important to make sure all of your team members, not just your customer service representatives, understand the way they should talk to, interact with, and problem solve for customers. Provide efficient training that gives your team the tools they need to carry good customer service through the entire customer experience. 5. Show Respect Customer service can often involve emotions, so it’s important to make sure you and others you have handling your customer service tasks are always courteous and respectful. Never let your own emotions overtake your desire to see your customer walk away happy. 6. Listen Listening is one of the simplest secrets of customer service. Listening means hearing what your customers are saying out loud, as well as what they are communicating non-verbally. Watch for signs that they are displeased, as well as what they say to you directly.
Filling The Bucket
7. Be Responsive There may be nothing worse than nonresponsiveness to a customer who is trying to get help, resolve an issue, or find out more about what you’re selling. It’s important to respond quickly to all inquiries, even if it is only to say you are looking into the issue and will be back in touch. Some response is always better than none so the customer doesn’t feel ignored. 8. Ask for Feedback You may be surprised what you learn about your customers and their needs when you ask them what they think of your business, products, and services. You can use surveys, feedback forms and questionnaires, but you can also make it a common practice to ask customers first-hand for feedback when they are completing their orders.
regularly review feedback, identify areas for improvement, and make specific changes in your business. Good customer service often comes down to consistently checking in with your customers and making sure they are happy with not only the products and services you’re selling, but also the process of purchasing, ordering, working with you, etc. If you do that successfully, you are on your way to becoming known for providing excellent customer service. Adapted from The Small Business Information Guide by Alyssa Gregory
9. Use Feedback You Receive You need to do something with the feedback you receive from customers in order to make it useful in your customer service process. Take time to
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” - Ferris Bueller
Two Viafield Team Members experience unique adventures We all know time doesn’t stop for anyone, no matter how much money a person has, or how prominent they are, the clock keeps ticking. It truly is what we do with the time that makes our life worth living. Recently a couple of Viafield team members were able to cross an item off their “bucket lists”. We asked them to share their pictures as they were “flying high” above our communities. Doug Groshens, Grain Operations in our Rudd facility, had the opportunity to fly a powered parachute (PPC), something he has longed to do for many years. A powered parachute flies at speeds of 25-35 mph and can go as high as 18,000 feet but typically stay around the the 500-1000 foot range. Doug has now been able to do this more than once as he enjoys the freedom in the air. Duane Horn, Arlington Location Team Leader, has always wanted to float amongst the clouds in a hot air balloon. He was able to check that wish off his bucket list this summer when his kids made arrangements for a 2 hour ride over Cedar Rapids.
ViafieldVoice 2
SAFETY CORNER
Are You Prepared?
S
eptember is National Preparedness Month. Across the United States, workplaces and communities will promote emergency preparedness. The National Safety Council supports these emergency preparedness efforts and encourages all Americans to take action.
You can join the effort by following four steps: 1. Build a Kit 2. Make a Plan 3. Stay Informed 4. Get Involved Get an Emergency Kit An emergency kit includes the basics for survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth. You should have enough supplies to maintain your family’s comfort for at least three days or throughout an extended power outage. Review the items recommended for a disaster supply kit. Make an Emergency Plan Make plans with your family and friends in case you’re not together during an emergency. Discuss how you’ll contact each other, where you’ll meet and what you’ll do in different situations. Ask about planning at your workplace and your child’s school or daycare center. Be Informed Being prepared means staying informed. Check all types of media – Web sites, newspapers, radio, TV, mobile and land phones – for global, national and local information. During an emergency, your local Emergency Management or Emergency Services office will give you information on such things as open shelters and evacuation orders. Get Involved Look into taking first aid. Get emergency response training and learn how to participate in community exercises, and volunteer to support your community’s first responders.
Producers Have Questions, We Have Answer Plots This year’s Winfield Answer Plot Day was held on July 25. The event provided a great opportunity for the Viafield team to meet with producers, talk about their crops and educate them on new products and technologies. Viafield will also be holding events at our plots in the coming weeks. Sumner Plot Day - Sept. 18, 2013 3 PM - 6:30 PM West Union Plot Day - Sept. 19, 2013 11 AM - 2 PM Arlington Plot Day - Sept. 19, 2013 5:30 PM - 7 PM ViafieldVoice 3
New Uniform Vendor for 2014 Have you used all your uniform allowance for this year?
The end of this fiscal year is quickly approaching, not only does it mean that we are all busy with year end activities, but also that our uniform program is complete for the year. Please be sure to finish out this fiscal year uniform account with Matt Parrott as you will start with a new $300.00 on September 6, 2013. Not only are you receiving your allowance, but you will be experiencing a NEW vendor as well, Corporate Recognition out of Owatonna, Minnesota. Human Resources gathered your feedback and researched several potential partners. We know our team members need a company who understands customer service, ease of internet account use, and more clothing vendor choices we haven’t been exposed to in the past. We heard you say “quicker turnaround times” and depending on when you order, you will see sooner shipments. Here are a few details surrounding the transition to our new vendor. Please continue to provide feedback to HR, as this change was a direct result. 1. On Friday, September 6, 2013 your new on-line uniform account will be available through the team member section of the website. 2. You will have new log-in information, but it’s easy to obtain and instructions are on the front page of the new web-store. Your username is the first initial of your first name and your last name. If your user name matches another team member, try adding a 1 or a 2 at the end of your last name. Your password is IA and the last 4 digits of your SSN. For example: jsample IA5689 3. We have developed two step-by-step instructional sheets; one with pictures and one without pictures. These are loaded on our website under the document area of the Team Member section for future access. 4. You are able to see your account history going forward, pay with a credit/debit card if you go over $300.00, and see the selection of colors more easily. 5. You will NOT have to enter your name/shortened name as it will show at the end of the order, along with the shipping address information. Just like the shipping process now, there are only 3 sites the uniforms will be delivered; Arlington, Charles City, and Northwood. If something doesn’t look right, add a note in the comment section or contact HR as you submit the order. 6. Most of the items before are still available plus some new ones, including a variety of Men’s shirts with snaps. We will be able to review utilization more often, so new items can show sooner and more frequently than once a year. New items are easily found in a separate category.
ViafieldVoice 4
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Andy Schuster - Trucking Andy Schuster was hired to drive for the trucking operations and will be working out of Marble Rock, Rockford, Rudd, Manly, Northwood, Grafton, Carpenter, and London depending on need. Andy comes to Viafield with a solid background in driving semi as well as strong mechanical and welding skills. He has experience with floaters and sprayers and he knows the ins and outs of the grain and fertilizer business. Welcome aboard Andy! We’re happy you decided to bring your talents to our growing team.
Andy Schuster
Best of Luck To This Year’s Interns This year’s group of summer interns have completed their time with us and are off to start another year of college. We had another great group this summer and wish them all the best as they continue their education towards an exciting career in agriculture. See some insight from the interns. Visit the careers section of the Viafield website then click on internship program to the lower left.
t n e r r Cu gs n i n e Op
Back: Nic Schiltz, Jake Fedeler, Alyssa Schwarck, Caileye Koch Front: Luke Fober, Nick Henn, Alisa Zbornik, Regina Hoffman Not pictured: Courtney Bartz
Applicator, Agronomy Division - Randalia Agronomy Account Relationship Manager - Arlington Grain Operations - Northwood Regional Operations Leader
The Viafield Family Keeps Growing Darwin and Diann Tabbert are 1st time grandparents to a little girl named, Addilynn Marie, born on July 23, 2013. Darwin is a Location Team Leader for our Carpenter, Myrtle, London, and Grafton grain facilities. Darwin says his son’s family is doing fine as they get used to being 1st time parents. Congratulations!
ViafieldVoice 5
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! A number of Team Members will be celebrating their birthdays in September. Here’s your reminder to send them best wishes on their special day. Molly Hess Teresa Frerichs Kristine Wilberding Kent Appler Lexi Frieden Darren Petersen Bill Hayes Alan Behrends Mike Vagts
September 1 September 2 September 11 September 17 September 18 September 18 September 19 September 22 September 27
We thank the following team members for all they have accomplished while working at Viafield! Barnes Toresdahl - Northwood Erika Brincks - Elgin Loren Hanson - Manly Duane Horn - Arlington Kent Appler - Charles City
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0
Duane Smith - Rudd years Brad Foster - Manly
5 years 10 years 15 years 15 years 15 years
5 3 years
UpcomingEvents September 3, 2013 - Pre-Harvest Agronomy Meeting - Central Office - 9 AM - 3 PM September 4-5, 2013 - SST Training - Central Office - 9 AM - 4 PM September 11, 2013 - LTL Meeting - Central Office - 9 AM - 3 PM September 13, 2013 - Fall Safety Training - Northwood Office - 8 AM - 4 PM September 18, 2013 - Safety Meeting - Northwood Office - 9:30 AM - 11:30 PM September 27, 2013 - All Sales Meeting - Central Office - 12:30 PM - 3 PM
Stay in touch with your cooperative through our social media outlets. Copyright © 2013 Viafield, a cooperative. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express written permission of Viafield is prohibited.
ViafieldVoice 6
Viafield Voice The
Nine TIps For Providing Excellent Customer Service - Page 1
Filling The Bucket: Two Viafield Team Members Have High Flying Adventures - Page 2
September is National Preparedness Month - Page 3
Nine Tips For Providing Excellent Customer Service Excellent customer service can create loyal customers for life who are willing to refer your business to friends, family, and colleagues. Providing customer service starts with a genuine desire to delight each and every customer, but you also have to think beyond selling your product or service. You need to consider the cumulative experience your customers have when
they visit your store, your website, or any other company branded location. How do they think and feel, and what you can do to make it better? Here are nine ways you can start to create a pattern of excellent customer service at your location. 1. Know Your Product/Service In order to provide good customer service, you need to know what you’re selling, inside and out. Make sure you know how your product or service works. Be aware the most common questions customers ask about your products, and know how to articulate the answers. 2. Be Friendly As they say, customer service starts with a smile. When you are in a face-to-face
situation, a warm greeting should be the first thing your customers see and hear when they ask for help. And even when handling customer service requests via telephone, a smile can come through in your voice, so make sure you’re ready to be friendly. 3. Say Thank You Gratitude is memorable, and it can remind your customers why they shopped at your store or hired your company. Regardless of the type of business you have, saying thank you after every transaction is one of the easiest ways to start a habit of good customer service.
Continued on page 2
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4. Train Your Team It’s important to make sure all of your team members, not just your customer service representatives, understand the way they should talk to, interact with, and problem solve for customers. Provide efficient training that gives your team the tools they need to carry good customer service through the entire customer experience. 5. Show Respect Customer service can often involve emotions, so it’s important to make sure you and others you have handling your customer service tasks are always courteous and respectful. Never let your own emotions overtake your desire to see your customer walk away happy. 6. Listen Listening is one of the simplest secrets of customer service. Listening means hearing what your customers are saying out loud, as well as what they are communicating non-verbally. Watch for signs that they are displeased, as well as what they say to you directly.
Filling The Bucket
7. Be Responsive There may be nothing worse than nonresponsiveness to a customer who is trying to get help, resolve an issue, or find out more about what you’re selling. It’s important to respond quickly to all inquiries, even if it is only to say you are looking into the issue and will be back in touch. Some response is always better than none so the customer doesn’t feel ignored. 8. Ask for Feedback You may be surprised what you learn about your customers and their needs when you ask them what they think of your business, products, and services. You can use surveys, feedback forms and questionnaires, but you can also make it a common practice to ask customers first-hand for feedback when they are completing their orders.
regularly review feedback, identify areas for improvement, and make specific changes in your business. Good customer service often comes down to consistently checking in with your customers and making sure they are happy with not only the products and services you’re selling, but also the process of purchasing, ordering, working with you, etc. If you do that successfully, you are on your way to becoming known for providing excellent customer service. Adapted from The Small Business Information Guide by Alyssa Gregory
9. Use Feedback You Receive You need to do something with the feedback you receive from customers in order to make it useful in your customer service process. Take time to
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” - Ferris Bueller
Two Viafield Team Members experience unique adventures We all know time doesn’t stop for anyone, no matter how much money a person has, or how prominent they are, the clock keeps ticking. It truly is what we do with the time that makes our life worth living. Recently a couple of Viafield team members were able to cross an item off their “bucket lists”. We asked them to share their pictures as they were “flying high” above our communities. Doug Groshens, Grain Operations in our Rudd facility, had the opportunity to fly a powered parachute (PPC), something he has longed to do for many years. A powered parachute flies at speeds of 25-35 mph and can go as high as 18,000 feet but typically stay around the the 500-1000 foot range. Doug has now been able to do this more than once as he enjoys the freedom in the air. Duane Horn, Arlington Location Team Leader, has always wanted to float amongst the clouds in a hot air balloon. He was able to check that wish off his bucket list this summer when his kids made arrangements for a 2 hour ride over Cedar Rapids.
ViafieldVoice 2
SAFETY CORNER
Are You Prepared?
S
eptember is National Preparedness Month. Across the United States, workplaces and communities will promote emergency preparedness. The National Safety Council supports these emergency preparedness efforts and encourages all Americans to take action.
You can join the effort by following four steps: 1. Build a Kit 2. Make a Plan 3. Stay Informed 4. Get Involved Get an Emergency Kit An emergency kit includes the basics for survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth. You should have enough supplies to maintain your family’s comfort for at least three days or throughout an extended power outage. Review the items recommended for a disaster supply kit. Make an Emergency Plan Make plans with your family and friends in case you’re not together during an emergency. Discuss how you’ll contact each other, where you’ll meet and what you’ll do in different situations. Ask about planning at your workplace and your child’s school or daycare center. Be Informed Being prepared means staying informed. Check all types of media – Web sites, newspapers, radio, TV, mobile and land phones – for global, national and local information. During an emergency, your local Emergency Management or Emergency Services office will give you information on such things as open shelters and evacuation orders. Get Involved Look into taking first aid. Get emergency response training and learn how to participate in community exercises, and volunteer to support your community’s first responders.
Producers Have Questions, We Have Answer Plots This year’s Winfield Answer Plot Day was held on July 25. The event provided a great opportunity for the Viafield team to meet with producers, talk about their crops and educate them on new products and technologies. Viafield will also be holding events at our plots in the coming weeks. Sumner Plot Day - Sept. 18, 2013 3 PM - 6:30 PM West Union Plot Day - Sept. 19, 2013 11 AM - 2 PM Arlington Plot Day - Sept. 19, 2013 5:30 PM - 7 PM ViafieldVoice 3
New Uniform Vendor for 2014 Have you used all your uniform allowance for this year?
The end of this fiscal year is quickly approaching, not only does it mean that we are all busy with year end activities, but also that our uniform program is complete for the year. Please be sure to finish out this fiscal year uniform account with Matt Parrott as you will start with a new $300.00 on September 6, 2013. Not only are you receiving your allowance, but you will be experiencing a NEW vendor as well, Corporate Recognition out of Owatonna, Minnesota. Human Resources gathered your feedback and researched several potential partners. We know our team members need a company who understands customer service, ease of internet account use, and more clothing vendor choices we haven’t been exposed to in the past. We heard you say “quicker turnaround times” and depending on when you order, you will see sooner shipments. Here are a few details surrounding the transition to our new vendor. Please continue to provide feedback to HR, as this change was a direct result. 1. On Friday, September 6, 2013 your new on-line uniform account will be available through the team member section of the website. 2. You will have new log-in information, but it’s easy to obtain and instructions are on the front page of the new web-store. Your username is the first initial of your first name and your last name. If your user name matches another team member, try adding a 1 or a 2 at the end of your last name. Your password is IA and the last 4 digits of your SSN. For example: jsample IA5689 3. We have developed two step-by-step instructional sheets; one with pictures and one without pictures. These are loaded on our website under the document area of the Team Member section for future access. 4. You are able to see your account history going forward, pay with a credit/debit card if you go over $300.00, and see the selection of colors more easily. 5. You will NOT have to enter your name/shortened name as it will show at the end of the order, along with the shipping address information. Just like the shipping process now, there are only 3 sites the uniforms will be delivered; Arlington, Charles City, and Northwood. If something doesn’t look right, add a note in the comment section or contact HR as you submit the order. 6. Most of the items before are still available plus some new ones, including a variety of Men’s shirts with snaps. We will be able to review utilization more often, so new items can show sooner and more frequently than once a year. New items are easily found in a separate category.
ViafieldVoice 4
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D
D
I
T
I
O
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S
Andy Schuster - Trucking Andy Schuster was hired to drive for the trucking operations and will be working out of Marble Rock, Rockford, Rudd, Manly, Northwood, Grafton, Carpenter, and London depending on need. Andy comes to Viafield with a solid background in driving semi as well as strong mechanical and welding skills. He has experience with floaters and sprayers and he knows the ins and outs of the grain and fertilizer business. Welcome aboard Andy! We’re happy you decided to bring your talents to our growing team.
Andy Schuster
Best of Luck To This Year’s Interns This year’s group of summer interns have completed their time with us and are off to start another year of college. We had another great group this summer and wish them all the best as they continue their education towards an exciting career in agriculture. See some insight from the interns. Visit the careers section of the Viafield website then click on internship program to the lower left.
t n e r r Cu gs n i n e Op
Back: Nic Schiltz, Jake Fedeler, Alyssa Schwarck, Caileye Koch Front: Luke Fober, Nick Henn, Alisa Zbornik, Regina Hoffman Not pictured: Courtney Bartz
Applicator, Agronomy Division - Randalia Agronomy Account Relationship Manager - Arlington Grain Operations - Northwood Regional Operations Leader
The Viafield Family Keeps Growing Darwin and Diann Tabbert are 1st time grandparents to a little girl named, Addilynn Marie, born on July 23, 2013. Darwin is a Location Team Leader for our Carpenter, Myrtle, London, and Grafton grain facilities. Darwin says his son’s family is doing fine as they get used to being 1st time parents. Congratulations!
ViafieldVoice 5
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! A number of Team Members will be celebrating their birthdays in September. Here’s your reminder to send them best wishes on their special day. Molly Hess Teresa Frerichs Kristine Wilberding Kent Appler Lexi Frieden Darren Petersen Bill Hayes Alan Behrends Mike Vagts
September 1 September 2 September 11 September 17 September 18 September 18 September 19 September 22 September 27
We thank the following team members for all they have accomplished while working at Viafield! Barnes Toresdahl - Northwood Erika Brincks - Elgin Loren Hanson - Manly Duane Horn - Arlington Kent Appler - Charles City
3
0
Duane Smith - Rudd years Brad Foster - Manly
5 years 10 years 15 years 15 years 15 years
5 3 years
UpcomingEvents September 3, 2013 - Pre-Harvest Agronomy Meeting - Central Office - 9 AM - 3 PM September 4-5, 2013 - SST Training - Central Office - 9 AM - 4 PM September 11, 2013 - LTL Meeting - Central Office - 9 AM - 3 PM September 13, 2013 - Fall Safety Training - Northwood Office - 8 AM - 4 PM September 18, 2013 - Safety Meeting - Northwood Office - 9:30 AM - 11:30 PM September 27, 2013 - All Sales Meeting - Central Office - 12:30 PM - 3 PM
Stay in touch with your cooperative through our social media outlets. Copyright © 2013 Viafield, a cooperative. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express written permission of Viafield is prohibited.
ViafieldVoice 6
