Colleen Rickenbacher

Biography

A native of Pennsylvania, Colleen Rickenbacher is no stranger to the hospitality industry. With over 35 years in customer service and creating events, this background gives Colleen the edge to understand your company and the business world. She started her own company in 2001 after 20 years with the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau to focus on her presentation and writing. Over the past 12 years, Rickenbacher has had speaking engagements, including a seminar for the Certified Meeting Professional program in Florence, Italy and Singapore, a guest lecture at Cornell University School for Hotel Administration in New York, and a customer service presentation to 150 government officials in Zimbabwe. As you can also see under her List of Clients her expertise and client base is varied and expansive. Rickenbacher has served on many Boards of Directors including the Board of Advisors for the International Association of Protocol Consultants, Convention Industry Council, Meeting Professionals International, Religious Conference Management Association and both the Dallas Chapter and on the international board of the International Special Events Society. Rickenbacher also served as the president and chairs in various associations including past chair of the Certified Meeting Professional Board and the first (and second) president of the Texas Chapter of the Association of Event & Convention Professionals. She was named one of "The 25 Most Influential People in the Meeting Industry" by Meeting News magazine. Rickenbacher was recognized as the "Meeting Partner of the Year" by the National Speakers Association and received the Marion N. Kershner Award from Meeting Professionals International for motivational leadership. The Colleen Rickenbacher Leadership Award created in her honor annually recognizes an outstanding leader from the Meeting Professionals International Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter. She also is honored by TxACOM with the Colleen Rickenbacher Scholarship Award which is presented to a college student or member of TxACOM to advance their education. Rickenbacher graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northwood University where she earned a BS in business administration and a minor in International Business.

Publications

Even in today's more casual workplace, it is imperative that we still "mind our manners." Are there any rules on cell phone use for business? Now that we have e-mail, is a hand-written thank-you note necessary or even expected? How do you begin a conversation at a business cocktail party? Who sits where at a business dinner? What do the items on your desk tell others about you? What do you wear to a trade show? Do any of these issues matter today? In our fast-paced business world, they matter even more than in the past. We don't have the luxury of time to get to know each potential contact we meet on a more personal level. We do judge others by first appearances. Colleen Rickenbacher helps you navigate the tricky and not-always clear rules for a professional in this easy-to-read book of etiquette on every facet of business: travel, dress, communication, tipping, entertaining, dining, networking, and organizing.

Titles

•Business Etiquette and Netiquette Are you one of those people that everyone gets upset with when your phone rings in a restaurant, theater, or church? Communication technology is becoming more advanced, portable, and commonplace, and issues about using it are escalating. Learn proper etiquette for e-mail, phones, and fax machines. •Business Dress: Or is it Business Casual? You don't have to look like a model to be professionally dressed and make a good impression. Learn to coordinate your apparel and be prepared for whatever setting you encounter-the office, a reception, or a night on the town. Get sensible tips to fit your style, shape, and budget. •How to Network a Room When you enter a reception room, do you automatically seek out someone you know? Nice for friendship, but disaster for new business. Learn how to mix with the right people, keep a conversation going without doing all the talking, and use business cards to your advantage. •Dining Etiquette: Steps to Confidence Which fork do I use? Is that your bread plate or mine? Learn the basics and be comfortable in the most formal dining settings. Table etiquette and hosting skills should be second-nature to anyone who entertains clients. Make an impression as host or guest. •Client Service: Secrets of Taking Care of Business As we move at a faster pace, we often forget the basics of taking care of clients. Learn how to give good service from start to finish. Discover little acts of kindness that will make you memorable to your customers, achieve differentiation, and build your business. Great service is the key to keeping clients. •The Virtual Office: Working from Home Learn how to succeed in today's non-traditional workplace from someone who has done it herself. Discover whether you have the discipline and personality it takes to do it from home. Learn the costs and the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting or running a business from home. •Motivation With the pace of modern technology, business needs continue to change. Through Colleen's motivational tips, help your staff cope during difficult times of low morale, high employee turnover, or just plain burnout. •Travel Safety Do you take all the necessary precautions while you are traveling, shopping at the local mall or walking from your office parking lot? Learn facts and statistics on a multitude of safety issues travelers are potentially exposed to when traveling. •Packing for that Trip Did you forget something, pack the wrong clothes, or bring too many suitcases? Plan and prepare for recreational travel as well as business.