People Skills You Need To Succeed At Work

Do you think you’re qualified for a particular job, fit to lead a team, or entitled to a promotion because you have extensive experience and highly developed technical skills? Well, it turns out that while those things are crucial to your professional success, it’s imperative that you also have great soft skills–more commonly known as “people skills.”

People skills are, in short, the various attributes and competencies that allow one to play well with others. While on the surface these may be summed up by notions such as ‘likeability,’ or having a ‘good personality,’ when you start to look at what makes one ‘likable,’ for instance, you’ve opened Pandora ‘s Box.” But more often than not, these attributes come in the form of effective, accurate and persuasive communication, he says.

People skills come down to how people interact with each other, from a verbal and/or non-verbal perspective; they are non-technical in nature. When we think of people skills, words such as personality, empathy, and tonality come to mind.

UCDU Gives Back To The Community

Board members and staff from the UCDU had the opportunity to play Santa this week just before Christmas. Donations were collected from dealers who buy and sell at Brasher’s Salt Lake Auto Auction from Thanksgiving to Christmas The donations were then matched by Brasher’s Salt Lake Auto Auction. This money was delivered before Christmas to fill the great need in our communities.

Checks for $5,000 were gratefully received from Utah Food Bank, The Adoption Exchange and KSL Quarters for Christmas. A check for $2,500 for Make-A-Wish was also delivered. More will be delivered after the New Year to other organizations.

Utah Food Bank will be able to leverage the $5,000 donation to nearly $35,000 in benefits to help families and children who go hungry each day. Make-A-Wish donation will help them reach a record goal in 2016 of granting more than 181 wishes for children in Utah. The Adoption Exchange will be using the donation to help at risk children to be adopted by a family in Utah. Quarters for Christmas will be buying shoes, sox, coats and more to children all year.

For nearly 20 years, the Board and staff of the Used Car Dealers Association has the opportunity to deliver these checks. “This really helps make Christmas better for a lot of people” said Clint Martin, owner of 4K Cars and President of the Association. “This is a great opportunity for us as well to feel the spirit of Christmas and help those in need” said Randy Sugahara of SS Auto Brokers in Ogden. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could do this all year long?”

Thanks to many dealers who donate to help those in need. The used car industry has collectively contributed a lot back to the communities they are in. Each has helped in their own way. If you did not get a chance to give back to your community, it is never too late. Look around and you will find a need.

A special thanks to Rob Brasher at Brasher’s Salt Lake Auto Auction for collecting the money and getting checks ready to deliver and more importantly matching the funds dealers donate. It makes the money go a lot further in helping others in need.

The Art of Thank You Note Writing

Gratitude is a virtue every man should cultivate. Yet gratitude means nothing if you haven't mastered the art of expressing it. A person should use every opportunity to express to those around them how much they appreciates their love, support, and generosity. One of the key ways of expressing gratitude is the thank you note. Unfortunately, many people today completely overlook this aspect of etiquette and consequently. Everyone should be knowledgeable of the whens and hows of writing thank you notes. Being a frequent and skillful writer of them will set you apart. 

When to Write a Thank You Note

• When you receive a gift.
• When someone performs an act of service for you.
• When someone goes above and beyond what is asked of them, whether at work or in a friendship.
• After a job interview.
• When you stay overnight at someone's home.
• If someone shows you around their town or city when you're vacationing there, regardless of whether you stayed at their home or not.
• When someone has you over for dinner.
• When someone throws a party or event for you.
• Anytime someone does something extraordinary that warms your heart. Don't be stingy with the thank you note. There's never a wrong time to write one.

Some Ground Rules

1. Always write the note as soon as possible. Send it within two weeks of attending the event or receiving the gift.

2. Send it through the mail. Email thank yous are certainly convenient, but except in response to very small things, they are not appropriate. Some may say, "Well, a thank you is a thank you. Why does it matter what form it takes?" Sending a thank you note through the mail shows effort. It shows that you took the time to put pen to paper, addressed an envelope, and bought a stamp. It's tangible; they can touch it, hold it, and display it on the mantle. It makes your thank you far more sincere.

3. Use real stationary. Having to run to the store to buy a card every time you need to write a thank you note will make you drag your feet about writing them. So invest in some nice looking stationary. It doesn't have to be fancy; buy something with a neutral, conservative theme so that the cards can be used for a variety of occasions.

How to Write a Thank You Note

1. Begin by expressing your gratitude for the gift/service. Your opener is simple: "Thank you very much for ______________." If the gift was money, use a euphemism for it. Instead of "thank you for the dough," say "thank you for your kindness/generosity/gift."

2. Mention specific details about how you plan to use a gift or what you enjoyed about an experience. If you are thanking someone for holding an event like a party or dinner, be specific about what you enjoyed about it. If you are thanking someone for a gift, tell the note's recipient how you plan to use it. This is true even for a monetary gift; tell the giver what you plan to spend it on or what you're saving for.

3. For some recipients, add some news about your life. This isn't always appropriate; obviously if you're writing a thank you note for say, a job interview, you don't want to tell them how you recently caught a two-foot bass. But if you receive a gift in the mail from people who see you infrequently and who would like to know more about what's going on in your life (read: your grandparents), give a brief sketch about what you've been up to recently. 

4. Close by referencing the past and alluding to the future. If the person gave you the gift at a recent event, write, "It was great to see you at Christmas." Then say, "I hope we all can get together again next year." If the person sent the gift in the mail, and you see them infrequently, simply write, "I hope to see you soon."

5. Repeat your thanks. "Thank you again for the gift," makes the perfect last line.

6. Valediction. Valedictions are the words or phrases that come before your name. The hardest part of a thank you note is often choosing a valediction that appropriately conveys the level of your relationship with the recipient. "Love" can sometimes seem too gushy and "Sincerely" can seem too formal. If your affections fall somewhere between those two expressions, here are some neutral valedictions that can fit a wide variety of situations and relationships:

• Yours Truly
• Truly Yours
• Kindest Regards
• Warmest Regards
• Best Regards
• Respectfully

Thank you 

Ellen Reddick

801-581-0369

Ellen@impactfactoryutah.com

NIADA Connect Dealer Program

NIADA is pleased to introduce a new enhancement to AutoZone's Connect Dealer program. Service Drive powered by ALLDATA is a software integration that provides OEM safety recalls and technical service bulletins for ALL makes and models. This integration allows you to import up to 250 VINS at one time to retrieve all recall information, associated customer letters and TSBs in real time directly from the OEMs.   Service Drive powered by ALLDATA also provides labor estimates for all makes and models. Service Drive's labor estimates include accurate maintenance schedules with standard hours and warranty times provided by ALLDATA. Service Drive estimates also include OE part numbers for automatic usage with your repair orders.   Service Drive powered by ALLDATA is designed to boost your shop's efficiency and improve sales with: A more efficient inventory recall evaluation process Accurate, real time daily updates to enhance the timeliness of the data and corresponding transparency with customers Better evaluation of trade-ins, auto auction and dealer-to-dealer vehicle purchases Decreased risk of unattractive inventory to potential buyers Increased customer trust by providing full disclosure with the most timely and high quality OEM recall notices available Special NIADA member rate of $29.99 per month over half the normal rate! To learn more and enroll today, visit http://www.niada.com/autozone_service_drive.php

CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU CAUTIONS MILITARY LENDERS AGAINST ILLEGAL MILITARY ALLOTMENT PRACTICES

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sent letters this month to several companies that sell retail goods to military servicemembers, advising them to review their websites and other advertising for potentially misleading marketing and to review other practices related to payment by military allotment. Active-duty servicemembers are not permitted to use allotments to pay for personal property such as vehicles, appliances, and consumer electronics. The CFPB is concerned that companies that are still advertising repayment by way of military allotment may potentially be violating federal consumer financial protection laws.   

“Companies that are still advertising repayment via military allotment may be violating the law,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “Companies should give consumers accurate and reliable information so they can make the best decisions for their own financial situations. We will continue our work protecting servicemembers and promoting a fair and transparent marketplace for all consumers.” 

CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REACH RESOLUTION WITH HONDA TO ADDRESS DISCRIMINATORY AUTO LOAN PRICING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Department of Justice (DOJ) resolved an action with American Honda Finance Corporation that will put new measures in place to address discretionary auto loan pricing and compensation practices. Honda’s past practices resulted in thousands of African-American, Hispanic, and Asian and Pacific Islander borrowers paying higher interest rates than white borrowers for their auto loans, without regard to their creditworthiness. As part of today’s order, Honda will change its pricing and compensation system to substantially reduce dealer discretion and minimize the risks of discrimination, and will pay $24 million in restitution to affected borrowers. 

“The CFPB is committed to creating a fair marketplace for all consumers, and other auto lenders should take note of today’s action,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “Honda’s proactive decision to move to a new pricing and compensation system demonstrates industry leadership and represents a significant step towards protecting consumers from discrimination.” 

Networking at Conference or Events

As we approach the Summer months where there are often events, conferences and more consider taking this approach at your next event. This comes from Ellen Reddick with Impact Factory Utah, a firm that provides strategic consulting, executive coaching and speaking services.

"The prospect of walking into a business networking event or conference can be both exciting and daunting. By utilizing a few key social skills for business, these events can become more manageable and allow for real growth for you personally and your client list. 

The first step takes place before you even arrive at the convention center or conference hall. The promises of legendary speakers and hoards of contacts often leave attendees overwhelmed. Go in with realistic expectations: you won’t be able to meet all the attendees, and nor should you. Rather, you should focus on meeting a handful of people from similar businesses and try to build meaningful relationships with these individuals. Your goal should not be to collect a stack of business cards but to make real contacts that will further your career.