Austen Read-McFarland, Author at Wildix Blog

19 December 20199 January 2020 by Austen Read-McFarland

Four Simple Strategies to Reduce Office Stress

As discussed in a previous post, stress in the workplace is no small concern. The fact that it doesn’t feel good is the least of its problems: beyond simple headaches, stress leads to a startlingly dire spectrum of physical, mental and emotional issues.

Worse, office stress is on the rise worldwide. According to Korn Ferry, in the span of 30 years employees have become 20% more stressed about their jobs. Similarly, the American Institute of Stress points to the combined topic of work issues as the leading cause of anxiety.

While fixing office stress will take definite effort, for now, you can at least keep yourself sane through the workday with these tips. Continue reading “Four Simple Strategies to Reduce Office Stress”

(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

13 December 201913 December 2019 by Austen Read-McFarland

Dealing with DoS Attacks in VoIP

Every industry has its “common cold” — their own unique threat that seemingly has no cure.

In cybersecurity, that problem is quite possibly Denial of Service attacks. Continue reading “Dealing with DoS Attacks in VoIP”

(4 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

1 November 20191 November 2019 by Austen Read-McFarland

Bacteria on Phones? Healthcare Facilities Can Do Without It

In a hospital or care center, communication equipment is vital. If there’s an emergency at the front desk, or if a patient’s condition worsens, doctors and nurses need technology that lets them know about it immediately.

At first glance, smartphones seem to fill this role effectively. They bring traditional call capabilities in a fully portable format, putting them in contact with their team anywhere.

The problem is, smartphones also bring bacteria. Continue reading “Bacteria on Phones? Healthcare Facilities Can Do Without It”

(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

30 October 20191 November 2019 by Austen Read-McFarland

What to Avoid When Managing Conflict

And What Strategies to Use Instead

There’s nothing fun about a fight in the workplace. Flaring tempers, harsh language — these problems last well after the moment they arose, carrying into the workday and rupturing any sense of company unity.

And as bad as that clash may be, poor conflict management will only make it worse. Handled improperly, attempts at mediation can end up stoking the argument you tried to quell. One side may feel unjustly attacked. The other may not see any reason to improve their own behavior.

To avoid that outcome and maintain a sense of unity in the workplace, you’ll want to steer clear of these conflict resolution mistakes. Continue reading “What to Avoid When Managing Conflict”

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

28 October 201913 February 2020 by Austen Read-McFarland

Considering Customer Service by the Numbers

How Contact Center Metrics Add Value to PBX

In the digital age, every company should operate on the understanding that speedy customer service counts for a lot.

The reason for that is a story told by statistics. Although sentiment toward customer service is positive on the whole, over 50% of consumers will cancel a purchase if they aren’t given good service, with 40% want that service performed “quickly.” Furthermore, 90% of consumers consider “immediate” responses in customer service important to their experience. Continue reading “Considering Customer Service by the Numbers”

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)