What do customers want, anyway? The answer to this question need not be a mystery. As important as it is to deliver results that meet requirements and are delivered on time and within budget, it can be even more important to focus on how you treat your customers. Strikingly often, it is this human element of service delivery that has the greatest impact on whether customer satisfaction is at the top of the scale or slithering toward the bottom.

Drawing from my psychology background, research, and extensive experience working with both providers and customers, I’ll offer insight into the customer perspective and describe policies and practices that help to generate a high level of customer satisfaction.

Sometimes, your customers’ expectations of you seem unreasonable. And sometimes, your expectations of them seem just as unreasonable (in their eyes, that is). The problem is that these mismatched expectations can lead to misunderstandings, frayed nerves, and ruffled feathers. More seriously, they often lead to flawed software, failed projects, and a drain on productivity, budgets and resources.

Expectations are difficult to control and impossible to turn off. But by understanding the vital role they play, you can do a better job of managing them, and in the process, dramatically improve the quality, impact and effectiveness of your services.

In this serious, yet light-hearted presentation, I’ll offer information and recommendations useful for anyone who wants to manage expectations and deliver superior service. I’ll address such issues as building a strong foundation, communicating with care, avoiding conflicting interpretations, and understanding the customer's perspective. My stories, ideas and advice will help you become a successful Expectations Manager.

The introvert/extrovert dynamic is a complex one. Introverts and extroverts typically exhibit significant differences in behavior, interaction preferences and work style. And the two often differ in what, when, and how they communicate. Such differences often lead to confusion and frustration. Worse, they can create misunderstandings, reduced productivity and flawed results.

This presentation is for anyone who would like to improve their effectiveness in working with their more introverted or extroverted colleagues, customers, and teammates. We'll take both a serious and a light-hearted look at the introvert/extrovert dynamic, so as to:

• Broaden the understanding each has of the other
• Dispel misconceptions and stereotypes
• Understand the positive and negative perceptions each has of the other
• Determine what each would most appreciate from the other
• Examine techniques for working together productively

A service level agreement is a highly effective tool for helping providers and customers manage expectations, clarify responsibilities, and objectively assess service effectiveness. Unfortunately, however, the SLA efforts in many organizations have been unsuccessful. In some cases, the SLA doesn’t function as the parties to it had hoped. In others, the SLA never even reaches completion.

In this presentation, I’ll explain what causes SLAs to fail or fall short, and offer recommendations and guidelines to help you succeed with your own SLAs. You will learn:

• What an SLA can and cannot accomplish
• Key elements that well-written SLAs include
• Important considerations in developing and managing SLAs
• Crucial details that are often overlooked
• Common pitfalls and problems to guard against
• What you must do to be successful in establishing your own SLAs