CHO Club April: Stars Make Their Mark On The FSO Walk of Fame

"FSO loves nothing more than rewarding our hard-working and valued employees!"

Good Morning Folks,

The sign of making it in Hollywood is to have your hand prints make their mark by being enshrined in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The equivalent at FSO is being nominated to participate in our monthly CHO Club. The CHO club is just another example of going above and beyond to say thanks to the wonderful people who serve our clients each and every day. These monthly recognition meetings provide the perfect platform to award, recognize and incentivize our top performers.

Some thought that our March event, which I blogged about here, couldn't be topped. Well last night it was. I loved the night, loved the people and the people loved us. 

Today I write to say, THANK YOU for INSPIRING ME. Yesterday's CHO club was perfect, exciting, and most important INSPIRING.

I so enjoy when we have a casual time to chat, recognize your victories, listen to your ideas, wins, strategies and hopes for personal accomplishments.

I made it my business to speak to every award winner including Dianne who could not talk, but made it. Lol…

Commented an employee: "Just felt I needed to thank you once again for yesterdays CHO Club get together. It was an honor to be chosen and the venue was awesome. So many people work for companies and don't have the privilege of being able to interact with the President and Founders let alone share a drink with them after work! THIS is what sets us aside from the competition! These events are great because it puts us in touch with one another. The personal aspect of FSO is alive and well in this company."

The teams were on fire and it is so easy for me to see clearly our FLP, and MRP winners today and into the future.

I left with Chelsea last night so happy with your accomplishments and how that completely translates into our client experience. It was my highlight of the year so far and I am already thinking of cool new locations like last night for May's event

It's because FSO loves nothing more than rewarding our hard-working and valued employees! Our employees represent FSO with confidence, knowledge, professionalism, smiles and a spark. From myself and the Executive Leadership Team to all of our employees across the nation – we want to say thank you for always helping us to reach these goals and congratulations to all the winners from headquarters and the field. 

Spread the word. Our next next “thank you event” of the year is just around there corner. The CHO Club will be at the end of May. Membership in the club is awarded based on ideas, strategies and cost savings suggested to the client and kudos received from clients.

Good luck to all of our employees and see you there. 

Have a GREAT end to a GREAT week as I look forward to seeing all of you soon in my travels.

Hugs all around, 

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

PS. See more photos from our March CHO event HERE

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“I always strive to do better today than I did yesterday.”

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“We need to believe in the impossible and remove the improbable” ~~Oscar Wilde

"Permanent happiness comes from you choosing to be permanently happy. When you choose happiness, then you attract all the happy things as well. The happy things are the icing on the cake, but the cake is happiness" ~~Rhonda Byrne

Good Morning Folks,

Whether it is health, money, a loving relationship, material things, accomplishments, a job, or anything at all, the desire for happiness is the bottom line of all of them. But remember that happiness is a state inside of us, and something on the outside can only bring fleeting happiness, because material things are impermanent.

Regardless of your looks, skills or intelligence, or what struggles you have had in your life --  if you don’t have a good attitude, if you don’t believe that happiness is a “choice”, if you don’t believe you can accomplish great things then you will never achieve success.  

Look around you. You work for a HAPPY company, with a Chief HAPPINESS Officer at the helm - who truly wants you to be happy, who gives you all the tools, opportunities and support to grow and be happy at what you do. You know why? 

Unhappy people, negative people, uncooperative people, complaining people just attract more unhappiness, negativity and difficulty into their lives. Those people can never truly be PERSONAL, PASSIONATE and PRODUCTIVE. 

But... on the FSO side of the coin... happy employees are contagious. Happy employees create a great work environment, and happy employees create more opportunity.

Our Sales, Marketing, and Operations teams are firing on all cylinders! We have the competition on their heels, with more and more of their clients taking a serious look at FSO and deciding that we are the only real choice when it comes to outsourcing.   

The FSO Train is screaming down the track, exceeding our client’s expectations and delivering on our promise to love and nurture our most valuable asset, our employees!  

==>  FSO is the Fastest growing outsourcer in the Industry
==>  FSO is the displacing its competitors every day
==>  FSO is the best place to work in the industry
==>  FSO is providing thousands a chance to reach their goals
==>  FSO is the most sought out company in the industry to work

What a great thing to say about your job!  

I talk to a lot of prospects that have our competitors currently. EVERY time I speak with them I get a bit nauseas because they tell me they are marginally happy, that they do not get any ideas from the current provider, that the staff onsite isn’t happy, that the management from the current company has never been to the site or met with them, that the local manager never provides reports, and the list goes on. UGH! I have seen the great work we do on-site and I am a true believer that (re)Imagine is our differentiator. 

Every time we (re)Imagine we win! Do not underestimate the impact that wiping off finger prints on a glass door can have. Do not underestimate the impact of your smile on a customer. Little things like straightening up an unsightly lobby, helping to set up a conference room when it is not our service agreement, it is the kind words and great attitude and providing ideas and recommendations for improvements. 

Your career and your growth is top of mind for me every single moment of the day. We have excitement in our company and I want you all to be excited. 

YOU are always appreciated for what YOU do, being who YOU are and the role YOU play in the company. Without YOU there could be no FSO. 

Set your goals and expectations high but more importantly, achieve them.  

Have a great day and thanks for being a part of our amazing journey.

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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“Of all sad words or tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 
"It might have been!" -J.G. Whittier

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ABOUT FSO:

Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest growing companies and ranked among the top 25 of New York's fastest growing privately held companies by Crain's magazine,for three consecutive years, FSO can proudly boast: 

• 98 % client retention with ZERO displacements 
• 98 % employee retention – twice the industry average 
• 300+ years of industry experience residing in its Senior Leadership Team 
• 120+ corporate support staff supporting our national footprint (HR, IT, Analysts, Subject matter experts etc) 

Led by Mitchell Weiner, the co-founder and pioneer of onsite outsourcing, FSO was created to deliver what the industry has lost sight of – and everything you deserve: 

• An outsourcing experience powered by passionate people. 
• An intimate and personal approach to service. 
• A partnership based on care, trust and mutual success. 
• Involved owners listening to your needs and proposing customized solutions. 

To learn more, please contact our national direct line: 212.204.1193.

VIDEO:

Brief "corporate portrait" video shows who we are and what we can do for you HERE

Happiness Ahead: Welcome to Outsourcing Nirvana

"How good is it to be part of a family who really cares about you, where you go, what direction you take, give you opportunities to grow, and reasons day in and day out to be proud of who you are 

and who you work for." 

Good Morning Folks,

If nothing makes you happier than making other people happy, then you're in good company this morning.

It's simple: happy companies make more money.

According to recent research from WooHoo, "This means that happiness at work is no longer a luxury. It's an absolute necessity for any organization that wants to be competitive and successful."

The study concludes....

• Happiness at work is one of the 3 most important sources of happiness in life.
• Happiness at work is the best antidote to stress. Stress doesn't necessarily come from working too much but from feeling bad while you work.
• Your happiness at work is your responsibility. Not your boss's, not your co-workers' and not society's. Yours.
• Your boss and your workplace are responsible for creating a setting where it's easy to be happy at work. 

Our own Experience Director Joseph Yapp reflected on Happiness at our place of work in a recent internal communique:

"As the year comes closer to the end, I get reminded of our 2013 Awards Night.   

It was a powerful reminder of all the hard work, sweat and smiles that led into getting an award. And as a recipient of a couple of awards that night, it took passion, personal dedication and a productive smart approach to work to be nominated, just like my peers. Masters of our trade!! Everyone mattered. You are somebody and we all know who you are.   

How? Because here at FSO, we communicate!!! We let everyone know what we did!!! We send pictures!!! Management writes about us, talks about us and the Owners acknowledges us in emails, company meetings, newsletters, blogs, social media.   

Here at FSO, when you get recognized you feel like a celebrity, a VIP and YOU actually mattered!   

How good is it to be part of a family who really cares about you, where you go, what direction you take, give you opportunities to grow, become someone, carry a title and give you reasons day in and day out to be proud of who you are and who you work for.  

When I first joined FSO, I did not know the concept of a happy office nor understood the title “Chief Happiness Officer."   

As weeks went by, I realized that the title is also a way of life. HAPPINESS!!! That is the key to success!!! 

Happiness is when you want to do a great job for your client and provide that HOSPITALITY experience (remember that feeling of euphoria when you complete a job well done?) 

Happiness is when you can help your staff achieve their goals or even just helping them perform their jobs (that feeling of giving), happiness is being part of a bigger picture and that your contributions are just as equally important as everyone else.  

I can honestly say when you come to HQ, you feel that ENERGY!! the EXCITEMENT!! the PASSION and see the smiles in people’s faces.  People hugging?? Yes!! Where on earth do you see such happy folks?? Is this outsourcing nirvana?? Yes folks, it is. And all that happiness radiates nationally to the field, regions, states and even in New Jersey!!!  

When I first started with FSO, I was a newbie at this happiness concept, now you can call me an expert. Because I spread it to my clients, my staff, my peers and more importantly to my family (personal & FSO)."

You see Joseph, as the WooHoo study validates, "happiness at work doesn't come from the organization's policies, strategies, plans or values. It comes from the things that you and I do here and now."

"Happiness at work doesn't come from raises, bonuses or perks. It comes from two things: Results and Relationships, IE. doing great work together with great people."

"Happiness at work doesn't just happen. It takes a focused effort from management and employees together."

As your Chief Happiness Officer my job is to ensure all of us are showering you with all the happiness and hospitality you deserve. 

Nothing makes me happier than making you happy. All our clients feel it, our staff feels it, you feel it and I feel it. 

As I often say: LOVE Life! Because when you are loving life you are living HAPPINESS simply defined.

Have a GREAT start to a GREAT week as I look forward to seeing all of you soon in my travels.

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"When I was 5 years old my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down "happy". They told me I didn't understand the assignment. I told them they didn't understand life" - John Lennon

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Read more inspiring messages from our employees HERE

Inside FSO: The Making of a Memorable Guest Experience

“Since shifting from in-house to outsourcing the cost is better and performance has improved”

Good Morning Folks,

A picture is worth a thousand words. So today we take you inside FSO to show you the before and after ways we never stop (re) imagining a better way to work for you.

For example the centerpiece of a memorable guest experience starts with Our Informationalist Hub (known elsewhere as "Front of House")

The hub is staffed and managed by FSO’s specially cross-trained teams or “Informationalists” who provide a wide array of administrative services from Meet & Greet to meeting room bookings, supply management, invoice reconciliation, scanning and hot desk/hoteling management services behind the Front Desk. (The possibilities are endless!)

• FSO sees the Informationalist Hub™ as the future direction of The Guest Experience and has invested considerable time in research and development in forming the right mix of staff, technology and skills to make this an effective and cost efficient service model

• FSO Exclusive i-Kiosks  are designed to provide a flexible mix of any Administrative Services offerings based on your organization’s needs and desires: End-users can use to submit job tickets, track packages, receive updates and news and see the great things that are happening within your operation firsthand in an engaging and interactive format.  

• Innovative expansion of services includes: Social media support, remote worker coordination, help desk overflow services, presentation services

FSO is driven by fun, passionate people and the value they create. We hire, retain and assign people with that deep inner passion to perform — the spirit that gives them that fire in the belly, that twinkle in the eye, boundless pride in their work and the drive to succeed. New and legacy staff are always attracted to FSO and are inspired by our performance based rewards and opportunities for advancement. At the end of the day, passion is really important. You can’t fake passion—you either have it or you don’t!

Have  a look at how we are raising the bar for hospitality. Then jumping over it:

FSO will never stop (re)IMAGINING the possibilities that exist in the onsite outsourcing world. The way in which business is being conducted and communicated is being revolutionized by FSO. 

For example at mega ad agency Y&R: Y&R had spent nearly 90 years on 285 Madison Ave without having a personal concierge service. In addition, the shift of moving to a newer location felt dramatic, the primary objective and expectation was to have a solid "shoe guy" and "cleaner" in place.

Today Ben, our concierge extraordinaire, has transformed this function into  total service that makes employees lives easier by taking the errands and tasks off their backs and into our capable hands and also relieves stress with massages and other health and happy indulgences.

Says Ben, "I start very early, ready to rock at 8:00 a.m. with a gigantic smile, offering a friendly good morning to everyone who passes by the desk!  Quickly on, the first collection of personal mail trickles in. As the staff/employees begin arriving so do requests for repairs: ripped sweaters, jeans that need hemmed, shirts to be laundered, shoes to go out for sole repair and a quick shine don't forget! In the midst of these urgency's we track a lost parcel for someone, and a Creative Director has just appeared needing her watch cleaned and a battery replaced."

"It's in the great FSO spirit that makes me feel accomplished each and every day when I can make someone's life that much easier while at work. Our clients at Y&R are always on my mind, and servicing them is something I live, breathe, and FEEL, and I want them to FEEL it too!"

And other clients love what we are doing for them too:

“People show up and work gets done. The front desk changed to outsourced model and is very successful.” 

“They are like proactive, like a breath of fresh air. They’re well dressed, presentable and… cheaper!” 

“Since shifting from in-house to outsourcing the cost is better and performance has improved” 

“Always doing more to assist is what hospitality is all about.”   

“The way you anticipate needs and show the care and passion for what you do in commendable!” 

“We are convinced the did the right thing and picked the right company. Things are getting done that were overlooked before, because we have the manpower and expertise that was lacking and, as a result, improvements are being made all the time. I couldn’t be happier with my decision and to present this building to my staff”

These enhanced services and capabilities are just the tip of the iceberg of future enhancements and investments the company continues to make. 

So, if you'd like to turn those outsourcing frowns to smiles, talk to us, witness us. We'll   take you on a tour of client sites and and let you taste the FSO experience first-hand. You'll see how different life has become for some of the best known-brands in the world.

Call me personally at 212-204-1193.

Feel the FSO Experience - and ensure everyone around you does too. 

Here's to a wonderful day!

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"An apology is the superglue of life. It can repair just about anything." 

~~ Lynn Johnston

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Open Your Arms to Change, But Don’t Let Go of Your Values.

"Of the many problems we face today, some are natural calamities and must be accepted and faced with equanimity. Others, however, are of our own making, created by misunderstanding, and can be corrected. One such type arises from the conflict of ideologies, political or religious, when people fight each other for petty ends, losing sight of the basic humanity that binds us all together as a single human family. Often we cannot overcome our problems because we either do not know the cause or, if we understand it, do not have the means to remove it. This is not the case, for example, with the nuclear threat."~ Dalai Lama

Good Morning Folks,

Here is an extra dose of inspiration and fruit for thought as the harvest season, falling colored leaves and crisp fall air remind us that change is the only certainty in life.

At the turn of this century, the Dalai Lama issued the following eighteen rules for living.

Rule 1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

Rule 2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson

Rule 3. Follow the three Rs: 1. Respect for self 2. Respect for others 3. Responsibility for all your actions.

Rule 4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Rule 5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

Rule 6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

Rule 7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Rule 8. Spend some time alone every day.

Rule 9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

Rule 10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Rule 11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

Rule 12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

Rule 13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

Rule 14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

Rule 15. Be gentle with the earth.

Rule 16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

Rule 17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Rule 18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.



Thanks to Body Mind Soul Spirit for this selection and to you for listening. Please don't confuse this with a similar looking chain email which is a hoax that is pretty evident by the points being made about cooking and all kinds of things the Dalai Lama would never discuss.

And if you'd like to turn those outsourcing frowns to smiles, talk to us, witness us. We'll   take you on a tour of client sites and and let you taste the FSO experience first-hand where you'll see how different life has become for some of the best known-brands in the world.

Call me personally at 212-204-1193.

Feel the FSO Experience - and ensure everyone around you does too. 

Here's to a wonderful week!

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"Tough Times Never Last, but Tough People Do" ~~Robert H. Schuller

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At FSO, Imagination Is Always In Season

“When I might feel like I'm drowning in my work all I have to do is take a few deep breaths and remember this support system of 1300 people who have my back.“

Good Morning Folks,

How lucky we are to have an extended burst of great weather here in NYC. Everyone is back from the beach and rested. You can feel the excitement, on the streets, in the air and certainly here at FSO where great ideas to better serve our clients are always in season.

I must say we are so entrenched in strategy it's amazingly exciting. When a company grows it's imperative to constantly evaluate its needs, ambitions and competition. 

That is exactly how we've accelerated growth at a galactic pace thus far. And, at our upcoming regional and national meetings, we'll be rolling out even more programs to ensure that we are the best oiled and most innovative machine this industry has ever seen. 

Hospitality is our DNA.

Operational best practices continue to be our greatest asset. 

We invest in our people.

We Fulfill Dreams.

We put Promise to Practice.

The new ideas flowing, and the programs they spur are an investment in our most precious commodity… OUR PEOPLE!  We are committed to providing our talent force with time-tested, proven and yet consistently (re)IMAGINED tools and focus like: 

• Amazing Training              
• Incredible Mentorship                   
• Creative Approaches                      
• Awesome Workshops                   
• Real-World Application                  
• Dynamic Development                  
• Endless Opportunities

In business, we always want to differentiate ourselves from our competitors, and we've done that by investing in a very strong and creative infrastructure that most our competitors simply can't duplicate. 

That in mind, I want to give a shout of appreciation to Crystal, whose rapid career ascension on was profiled here on MitchWeiner.com and her post has already become one of our most-read stories. 

At FSO, I promise our employees a career, not just a job. An opportunity for anyone with >>SKIP >>Twinkle >>Fire and a willingness to work hard and learn and grow each and every day, the a chance to shatter glass ceilings and realize their full potential as has never been possible before. 

Crystal's story is a case in point. It personifies the essence of the FSO client and employee experience. If you haven't read that yet I encourage you to do so. 

Crystal's been slammed with her new workload and humbled by the warm welcome and support communicated to her by just about every employee from all walks of the organization. I very much appreciate that. In an email to me Crystal confided, "When I might feel like I'm drowning in my work all I have to do is take a few deep breaths and remember this support system of 1300 people who have my back.“ How many friends do you know that honestly feel that way about the culture of their workplace?

As a client we always have your back too. And we will never stop (re)IMAGINING new and better ways to make your workplace work better. So as the harvest season rolls around, you can expect a healthy crop of great ideas to power our sites into the most critical quarter of your year and beyond.

Kiss your loved ones and thank them for all their support as we continue to work hard to fulfill the biggest and brightest dreams and ambitions of clients and employees alike. 

Have a GREAT day as I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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“The future of sourcing isn’t finding people— 
it’s about engaging them.” 

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Read inspiring messages from our employees HERE

What An Amazing Place FSO Is. An Organization Build On Helping Others.

"When I look at FSO today, I see hundreds of lives transformed… people with careers, not jobs. People thriving, not just surviving."

Good Morning Folks,

How unfortunate to personally be stagnant in our careers, unable to take full advantage of an opportunity or even let one "slip" by due to unpreparedness. 

We provide so much to our field employees. We guide, mentor, teach, support them. We show them they are important, show them they matter, show them we care. We build relationships with them, friendships, comraderie. They are the future...us - and it is our obligation and pleasure to assist them reach their goals, progress, fulfill their dreams.

Most importantly - it is all of our jobs as leaders and managers to ensure that in our absence or promotion others can take the reins over and shine in doing so. 

To our employees, ask yourself - who at your site or department are you partnering with and developing? Who can you count on? Are names immediately popping up in your head? 

What an amazing place FSO is. An organization build on helping others.

We help them - let me help you.

You have all reached a certain level of success and growth... why stop there?

You each have strength and skills that have merited your current roles within the Division, within FSO. Let's reach HIGHER!

Let's self motivate.     Let's increase ourselves.     Let's GROW!

Reflect on the FSO career path:

Cheryl | A former mail clerk at groupm - now the Portfolio Manager to Durst
Glenda | A former internal messenger for VNO - now the Division Administrator
David | A former Lead at Sage - now the Portfolio Manager for Brookfield +
Mario | A former Supervisor at Conde - now the Portfolio Manager for VNO +

Then there is the rising star that was personally discovered by me a few years ago that I wish to give a special shout out and thanks to - Vivian! In Denise's absence, she rose above and beyond all expectations and shone in her capacity, commitment and smarts. She Denise to come back with a sigh of relief and joy. 

Vivian started with FSO as an informationalist a few years ago and has continued to rise and put her intellect and personality to invaluable use. Additionally Vivian is also working closely with me on "employee analytics" and keeping a close ear to the heartbeat of our valued staff across the country. 

Again this important role was borne out of care, concern and a passion to ensure that our staff are feeling and experiencing my brand, company culture and commitment to our staff's happiness and career growth. Thank you Viv for all that you do! 

WHATS NEXT?!     WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?!     WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?!

It doesn't matter if you are an ELT member or a site lead. We all bear the responsibility of nurturing and developing talent. 

When I look at FSO today, I see hundreds of lives transformed… people with careers, not jobs. People thriving, not just surviving.

How can I help you fulfill your dreams? When I fulfill employee dreams, I fulfill your dreams and ambitions as a client. It's a simple formula, but maybe not that simple because we seem to be among the few in our business that actually get this right.

Feel the FSO Experience - and ensure everyone around you does too. 

Here's to a wonderful finish to the week!

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"The things you learn raising a child are great skills for nurturing a team and bringing a project to life. You take obstacles out of the way, encourage them and set goals that are tough but can be achieved." ~~Denise Ngeow FSO SVP Strategy & Chief of Staff … and proud new mother to beautiful Scarlett

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