Ways to Streamline an Internal IT Service Desk

Want your internal IT service desk to work quickly and accurately? If so, it's essential that your team knows how to offer solutions to every query that comes their way and keep employees as informed as possible. When they ask questions about their work, they need and deserve accurate, fast responses. Company employees who get excellent assistance from the service desk tend to be more satisfied in their jobs, more productive, and more knowledgeable. Making sure the desk runs well is part of a manager's core responsibility. Whenever your company's workers interact with the company in any way, they automatically become internal customers.

Company employees who get excellent assistance from the service desk tend to be more satisfied in their jobs, more productive, and more knowledgeable.

This is true whether they call the accounting department with a question about 401k plans, consult with IT security experts about a new logging system, or contact the service desk with a query about a computer app that's not working as it should. How well do you support your employees when they need quick help from the service desk? There are many ways to streamline the response process and boost accuracy of the information that is supplied to anyone who inquires. But a few factors stand out when you need to focus on making your internal IT service desk responsive, timely, and part of the solution for long-term company success.

Operate on a set transparent schedule

When employees need help and aren't able to get it because the human members of the service desk are not on the job, they become frustrated at having to deal only with knowledge bases, chat-bots, and AI-related assistance. One of the simplest things a manager can do to make a desk run smoothly is to publish a regular hours of operation schedule so that every worker in the organization knows when the service desk is fully staffed.

Wondering what other roles a manager takes on? Check out Modern Mentor's "What Does a Manager Do?" 

Inspire team identity

Even when you use a professional product to resolve your challenges like the SolarWinds Service Desk, it's imperative to let team members know that they are part of a unique group within the company. For instance, the IT staff who oversee the service desk need to realize that they are as crucial to the company's bottom-line profits as the sales force, marketing department, and production groups.

Remember to inspire technical teams who deal with support tickets by regularly reminding them...

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Grammar Quirks: Mary Gauthier Discusses Songwriting

Mary Gauther, author of "Saved by a Song" and the artist behind numerous albums, discusses the grammar she encounters while songwriting. 

Grammar Girl: What’s your favorite word and why?

Mary Gauthier: I love the word "boulevard" because of the way it sings; it has melody built into its DNA. I sing it a variety of different ways and can make it sound happy, sad, lonely, romantic, etc. It holds up every time. I use it in a lot of my songs. I might be in danger of loving it TOO much.

GG: What’s a word you dislike (either because it’s overused or misused) and why?

MG: I am not fond of the common usage of the word “whatever” when directed at me. It feels dismissive. I am unsure how to respond.  “It is what it is," when directed at me, also falls into that category. Both are conversation stoppers for me.

GG: What word will you always misspell?

MG: "Rhyme," "rhymer," "rhyme," "rhyming." The silent H destroys me.

Why Does the English Language Have Words With Silent Letters? Grammar Girl explains. 

GG: What word (or semblance of a word) would you like to see added to the dictionary? Why?

MG: I was once on a board of directors that got a new word added to the Webster's dictionary: "Americana"—a genre of American music having roots in early folk and country music. It took years, but the addition is there now, and wow, it’s a beautiful sight!

Check out Grammar Girl's article about "How Dictionary Definitions Change Over Time"

GG: Any grammar pet peeves we should know about?

MG: Well, I would like to turn this on myself and say that my partner Jaimee corrects me constantly when I say things like “expresso” or “I could care less....

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What To Know Before You Cancel a Credit Card

Kaitlyn O. says, “I'm a big fan of the Money Girl podcast and have been listening for years! A while ago, I racked up substantial credit card debt. So, I opened a balance transfer credit card and worked hard to pay it all off within the 0% APR period, which worked out great.

However, now I'm stuck with a super basic credit card that doesn’t offer any rewards. While I don't want to waste time with this card, I'm also really nervous about closing it and messing up my credit score. I'm thinking about closing it and requesting a credit limit increase on another card I have that pays rewards. What do you think about that strategy?”

Thanks so much for your question, Kaitlyn! As you mentioned, managing credit cards properly is an essential part of building excellent credit. Many people mistakenly believe that closing credit cards automatically improves their credit. But the opposite is true because canceling credit accounts can instantly damage your credit.

But that doesn’t mean it’s never a good idea to close a card. This post will review what you should consider before canceling a credit account, how to minimize hits to your credit, and tips for closing credit cards strategically.

Why having good credit matters

Before we get into the pros and cons of canceling credit cards, let’s take a step back and review why having good credit matters in the first place. Many people don’t understand that credit affects multiple aspects of your financial life. Please don’t listen to anyone who tells you that credit doesn’t matter.

Most people know that having good credit allows you to get the most competitive interest rates and terms on credit accounts, such as credit cards, mortgages, car loans, and personal loans. For example, paying 1% less for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage could save you over $100,000 in interest, depending on the total amount borrowed and how long you own the home.

However, even if you never borrow money to finance a home or car, or you choose not to use credit cards, having good credit improves your finances in the following ways:

•    Reducing your auto insurance premiums (in most states) 

•    Reducing your home insurance premiums (in most states) 

•    Offering more rental housing opportunities 

•  ...

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Can Zynamite Help You Build Muscle?

Long time Nutrition Diva listener Georgia recently wrote to ask me about an ingredient she'd run across called "zynamite":

"I follow several people on social media for inspiration…and one of them is Superman himself, Henry Cavill."

(For the uninitiated, Cavill plays the role of Clark Kent and his alter-ego Superman in the movie Man of Steel. He is, as the kids say, ripped.)

"Recently, he discussed his supplement regimen. One of them (Shatter) has an ingredient that I never heard of before: Zynamite. What is it? I'm not a body-builder like he is, but do I need it? And can I get Zynamite in my regular food?"

I'd never heard of "zynamite" either, but here's what I found out. 

What is Zynamite?

Zynamite is the trade name for a mango extract. But this isn't just any old mango juice; it's extracted from the leaves of the plant, through a proprietary patented process that promises a certain concentration of a polyphenol called mangiferin. 

So, no, this really isn't something you could get from your diet, unless you're planning to chew a LOT of mango leaves. It's marketed to supplement manufacturers as an ingredient to add to formulations that are designed to enhance brain function and sports performance.

According to the manufacturer, zynamite is an "all-natural evidence-based nootropic and sports performance ingredient," supported by seven clinical studies that have been published in peer-reviewed journals.  

Here are just a few of its puported benefits:

• Faster reaction time 
• Increased calculation performance
• Decreased fatigue during exercise
• Increased muscle power when fatigued
• Faster recovery

That's quite a pedigree!  So, let's take a look at all of this evidence.

What is the evidence to support Zynamite?

One of the published clinical studies is a toxicology study. (Good news: It's not toxic!) Another is a very preliminary study in rats. Let's bracket that one.

That leaves five human studies, but only one of them tested the effects of zynamite on its own, so let's start with that one.  A single large dose of zynamite led to small but statistically significant improvements in the scores on cognitive tasks like attention and recall. For example, those taking the placebo scored 62.5% accuracy on one of the standard tests and those taking zynamite scored just under 64%.  So you're probably not going to ace your LSATs on the strength of this ingredient alone. Some studying will still be requied.

The other studies all tested the effects of zynamite on various aspects of athletic performance but, again, all of these looked at zynamite in combination with other ingredients, such as quercetin or luteolin...

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8 Ways to Get Rid of Flies

If your home is being invaded by flies, we've got 8 ways you can show them who's boss. 

Use duct-tape to catch flies

Flying insects waiting to greet you every time you walk in the door? Tape five to ten pieces of duct tape to themselves (making a ring with the sticky side out), then hang them near overhead lights. When the bugs become stuck, simply throw out the tape and problem solved!

10 Things You Didn't Know Duct Tape Could Do

Spray to lead bugs astray

If flies or bees have invaded your home and you want to get them away from you fast, squirt a little hairspray into the air. They hate the stuff and will go elsewhere.

Give flies the brush-off

If you prefer not to use chemicals to get rid of flies, and you’re not the most accurate fly swatter, invest in a strong fan. Scientists say that flies’ wings are unable to operate in a breeze above 9 mph, so open the windows, turn the fan to full power, and they’ll soon buzz off.

This is also a great trick for an outdoor party—just aim a few fans at the center of the action instead of spraying down your yard with awful-smelling repellent.

Orange peel answer

You may find the smell of oranges delicious, but flies don’t! The next time you eat an orange, save the rind and leave it out on your countertop. It will keep flies away.

Fruit fly fix

Have a fruit fly problem? Add a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid to a bowl of apple cider vinegar and leave it where you see flies. The smell of the vinegar attracts the flies, while the dish soap breaks the surface tension of the vinegar and causes the flies to get stuck. 

A fresh way to fight flies

Giant horseflies can drive you crazy. Next time you go outside, rub mouthwash on your body and enjoy the serenity of a fly-free experience.

18 Ways to Get More Out of Vinegar

Keep flies away from your pool

There’s nothing more irritating than having flies and other bugs swarm around you while you’re trying to take a dip in the pool. We’ve had some luck keeping bugs away by applying a liberal amount of vinegar around the perimeter of the pool with a sponge.

Spice up your deck

Use this (almost) all-natural insect spray to repel mosquitoes as well as other insects like flies:

1. Chop 1 small onion and 1 head of garlic
2. Mix together with 4 cups water, 4 teaspoons cayenne pepper,...

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How To Tell Your Boss You’re Unhappy at Work

Earlier this year, I was having multiple conversations each week about feeling overwhelmed at work and burnout. It was such a pervasive experience. People were working like crazy to retain customers, to keep supply chains from breaking down, and to just not lose their jobs in scary times.

 

While burnout remains very present, I’m starting to hear a different storyline. Now that people have a chance to catch their breath and reflect, they’re realizing they just aren’t happy where they are. And they want to do something about it!

 

If you’re feeling unhappy at work—bored, underwhelmed, underutilized—it may be time to have a chat with your boss. Sound scary? It doesn’t have to be! 

 

Let’s talk about the critical components of a successful conversation that lets you air your grievances and delivers you a better outcome.

1. Be specific about your unhappiness

In the past few weeks alone, I’ve talked to three different people feeling generally unhappy at work. But when I asked each to articulate the specific source of unhappiness, I got blank stares.

 

I asked some leading questions and ended up with the following insights:

• Alex generally enjoys her team and her company’s culture, and she thinks the products they’re selling are pretty cool. But her work has become repetitive, mundane, and a little bit isolating. And she needs a new challenge.
• James feels challenged and excited by the work he is doing, but he’s feeling underappreciated and not valued for his contributions and thought leadership.
• Bashir just isn’t passionate about his company’s products, and he wants to feel more connected to a company’s mission and purpose.

There’s almost a pandemic of meh happening. A lot of people are feeling generally underwhelmed or under-excited, or underutilized in some way.  But you can’t solve a general feeling. You need to determine specifically what’s got you down.

 

Specificity is important because it either helps you know what you need to fix if you choose to stay, or it helps you identify what to look for if you choose to leave and hunt for something new.

 

So if you’re feeling like a sepia filter has settled over your career, do some reflecting on what specifically is driving that feeling. Telling your boss “I’m not feeling very challenged, and growth and development is...

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A Song of Fire and Ice

My name is Henry Gee. I’m a paleontologist and evolutionary biologist. I’m also a senior editor at Nature and the author of several books. My newest book, A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth, comes out this November from St. Martin’s Press.

Just like this podcast, my book aims to make science easy to understand and exciting to listen to. So the publishing team behind both my book and the Ask Science podcast thought you might like to hear a bit of it.

So, over the next 5 weeks, I’ll be taking over the Ask Science podcast for a special, limited series about the evolution of life. You’ll learn about the full, rich history of life on this precious planet—from the earliest single-celled organisms to the complex creatures we share the planet with today and all the catastrophes along the way.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to this podcast, I think you’ll love this short series.

A Song of Fire and Ice

Once upon a time, a giant star was dying. After burning hydrogen for millions of years, the fusion furnace at its core was running low. Nuclear fusion did more than make the star shine. It was vital to counteract the inward pull of the star’s own gravity. When hydrogen began to run low, the star began to fuse helium into atoms of heavier elements such as carbon and oxygen. By then, though, the star was running on empty.

The day came when the fuel ran out completely. Gravity won: the star imploded. The collapse took a split second and prompted a rebound so explosive that it lit up the Universe—a supernova. In the cataclysm of one star’s death was born the seeds of something new.

For more, listen to the full episode using the player above, or your favorite podcast app.

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