What book are you currently reading?
I always have several books on the go, a couple for business and at least one for pleasure.  Right now I’m reading Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff; I’m re-reading The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell, which made an impression when I first read it but now means a lot more to me; for pleasure I’m reading one of my favorite mystery novelists, David Baldacci, whose new book First Family has just come out; and I’m also reading Thomas Friedman’s Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America. Fantastic!

What was the last movie you saw, and would you recommend it?
The last movie I saw was Revolutionary Road.  A very sad movie, but well done and well acted.

What is your favorite sport or hobby?
I love the game of golf because it is a low impact exercise yet takes you to the most beautiful locations.

Who is your favorite historical figure?
I have to say I particularly admire women like Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher.  They paved the way for opportunities for women. These were women a girl could look up to and say: “I can be somebody one day.”

Who is your favorite living person?
That would be my mother.  She has had an enormous influence on my life, and still has today.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?
Probably a publicist or promoter.  I love marketing and sometimes feel I would love to brand people rather than products—to make people larger than life.

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Credit Solutions of Dallas, Texas won the Stevie Award for Sales Department of the Year in the financial services industry in the 3rd annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.

Over the past six years Credit Solutions of Dallas, Texas has helped set more than 200,000 customers on their path to debt freedom. More importantly, the number of satisfied clients has risen significantly during the same period, and this is due in large part to a concerted effort the company has made to enhance proactive customer engagement and to more clearly define customer expectations about its program.

Credit Solutions does more than just eliminate debt; it also prepares its clients on how to remain debt-free moving forward by empowering them to make sound financial decisions—and to make a habit of saving. That takes a 12- to 36-month commitment by the client.

Tools for Success
Many members of management have contributed to the company’s success, and have been responsible for ensuring that their departments have all the tools and resources at their disposal, and to be, in their words, “a raging success” at enrolling new clients. Lauren Harris, VP of Sales, defines the Credit Solutions sales mission as providing world-class customer service and focusing on results.  Joey Clapier, VP of Customer Service, attributes his department’s passion to “making it 100% about the customer, 100% of the time.”  

Recently, Credit Solutions has:

•           implemented a new leads system designed to reach customers within seconds of their completing an online inquiry;
•           installed state-of-the-art call-monitoring software and data-storage solutions designed to improve reps' response time;
•           instituted a new verification team to follow up and confirm the accuracy of all client data;
•           established a formal ethics policy to ensure that each rep is acting in the best interest of clients—all 90,000 of them; and
•           launched a new series of “Genius Videos” designed to foster best-practices among call center reps, who can play short video clips on their desktops and immediately implement showcased techniques while talking on the phone with potential clients.

Commented Harris on her job: “It's an awesome opportunity to wake up and be excited to have the day unfold.”

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Blogs, or web logs, are all the rage these days. Each month in this space we'll point you to several blogs and web sites that we think might be of interest to you.

Apology Matters: Blog by John Kador, author of Effective Apology: Mending Fences, Buidling Bridges, and Restoring Trust.
Gadgetwise: This New York Times technology blog recently provided some cautionary advice on the security of Twitter.
Aubrey's Blog: Tips on leading and managing from Aubrey Daniels of ADI.
Leadership Is a Verb: A community sharing ideas on leadership, mentoring, careers, and diversity.