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have substantial difficulty recognizing that cus- tomers can either help or hurt a business. If you want proof, just visit any nearby store or speak with almost any "customer service representa- tive." A customer of a neighborhood supermarket that's part of a large chain responded to an elec- tronic message asking for comments about the store, indicating that there were personnel is- sues and problems with the freshness of the pro- duce. When the information got back to the store manager, the produce department changed dramatically and personnel improve- ments were quickly evident. What's interesting is the store'smanagement teamhad long been aware of these particular is- sues, but nothing happened –– until a customer became involved. "Our neighborhood needs a supermarket where we want to shop," said the customer to the manager. "And we want to help." 6. People who avoid using jargon. They may not be the worst words in the world of busi- ness, but they'll do until something else comes along. Here they are: "I thought I would reach out to you." What's wrong with "reach out"? It's pompous. And the list is endless –– bleed- ing edge, core competency, best practices, leverage, scalable, robust, and impact. There are many others, but you get the picture. The problem with jargon is that the words don't have concrete meaning. Jargon is a sub- stitute for clear thinking and communicating accurately. When you see or hear it, it should be a red flag, indicating that the person using it is incompetent. If you insist on being part of the jargon crowd, go ahead and use it. You have permis- sion to embarrass yourself. 7. People who work without earbuds. Many workplaces have gone silent, compared to the way they were even in the recent past. They've become "quiet zones." There's almost no talking and the phones gather dust, thanks primarily to email and texting. And it's not all bad, to be sure, particularly if you work in an open office environment that's home formost of us during the day. But that's not all. There are the pervasive earbuds, which send quite a different message, consciously or unconsciously. They are the new "Do not disturb" or "Leave me alone; I'm in my own little world" signs, replacing the closed of- fice door that sent the same messages. We feel as if we're invading the UPCOMING ISSUES This issue is a look at the Financial Institutions and their programs. Material deadline is August 15, 2012 This issue will feature the upcoming shows in 2013. Material deadline is October 15, 2012 SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Louisville Show Special This issue is an overview ofthe Show with complete list ofexhibitors. Additional circulation for this issue. Material deadline is November 15, 2012 32nd Anniversary Issue This issues celebrates The Journal's 32nd Anniversary. Material deadline is September 15, 2012 Show Preview Issue Financial Focus Issue privacy of those wearing earbuds and we feel guilty as they yank them off, as if to say, "Why are you disturbing me?" It seems that more and more of us want to be left alone, to be isolated from everything and everyone else, particularly when working. Earbuds may be a way of asserting our inde- pendence or expressing disdain for what we are required to do on the job. While much office chatter was totally trivial and wasted time, the opportunity for interac- tion through "conversation" could be stimulat- ing, an effective way to understand each other better, and a contributor to increased produc- tivity, something that's suffering today. Well-honed skills are more essential than ever. Yet, certain personal qualities are also critical for creating star performers in every job and profession. T J John R.Graham ofGrahamComm is a marketing and sales consultant and business writer. He publishes a monthly eNewsletter, "No Nonsense Marketing & Sales." Contact him at johnrg31@me.com, 617-774- 9759 or johnrgraham.com Quick, Neat, Inexpensive Permanent, Safe Revolutionary Flex-Mend Flex-Mend,a mendingproduct that matches the appearance and texture of bottom closure materials used by most manufacturers in the mobile home industry today. Flex-Mend currently meeting all requirements for use as bottomboard by the mobile home indus- try. It has been solid-coated with specially formulated high tech adhesive, and has an easily removed paper release liner. It goes on like a band-aid! *Free Shipping Flex-Mend™ is now available in 28" wide by 25', 50' & 100' rolls (233 sq. ft.) or in convenient tape form 4" x 180 feet or 6" x 180 feet. For the name of your nearest distributor call 1-800-462-1775 No. 17 on Get It Quick Page JULY 2012 25 THE JOURNAL