Suggestions for Working With Drywall Repair For All Contractors

With the paint, drywall can be a method that's really labor intensive, so the drywall repair contractors you employ should be experienced at their work, as any kind of imperfections will certainly begin to turn up as soon as all the job has been completed. That's why it's crucial that you take time when searching for drywall contractors near you, to find a person who can be relied on to do the work well.

You might not understand this, however mounting drywall is made up of 2 different work. Mounting the Sheetrock is the initial task, and also this entails shaping, cutting as well as setting the panels into location, rounding off by attaching them. Job number two is taping the joints as well as sealing them in addition to the screw heads, making use of drywall compound. The 2nd component of the job rotates around sanding as well as coating the surface areas up until the corners as well as wall surfaces are smooth, and also preferably, you are not able to tell where one sheet ends and the various other one starts. 

When you take into consideration all this, it must be clear that you require to take certain actions when hiring drywall repair contractors, to guarantee you work with the appropriate person for the job.

Just what is the Scope of the Project?

The initial point you should take into consideration before you begin seeking drywall repair contractors is to analyze the scope of the project. Any little drywall repair service jobs could normally be handled by DIY yet if you are looking at an extra considerable task that is composed of fixing one or more areas in your house, you should work with an expert drywall repair professional in your location. By doing this, you can be guaranteed that the job will certainly be managed swiftly and effectively.

Searching for as well as Hiring a Contractor

You could discover a drywall renovation contractor with a number of methods, including word-of-mouth, residence building shops, and also the web. Many of the moment, recommendations from credible celebrations are the most effective, as they can give you a concept of that is reliable as well as whether they are capable of getting the job done you intend them to do.

You could likewise see their website and consider consumer evaluations, though keep in mind that they will not be posting up adverse testimonials. Ask around Facebook or look at websites that have straightforward client testimonials.

Once you have discovered a few professionals that you think will certainly meet your needs, you could take the complying with actions to tighten down your selection.

1. Interview potential contractors

After you've done your on-line research, you have a concept of that the finest professionals are for your job. Any type of reliable specialist will find the time to chat regarding your job extensively, so you could figure out if they are ideal for the task.

Several of the topics that you can cover when you are interviewing them are the following:

— How long their firm has been in business

— Whether or not they are licensed as called for by the area or state. Make certain to consult the licensing workplace as well as the Better Business Bureau to ensure they have the proper license.

If they can supply evidence of insurance,

— How numerous individuals would be working with your job

— Tentative begin and completion dates

— References.

— The tools they will certainly be giving the job, and also whether they will provide clean-up.

You must maintain in mind that experts are not most likely to be angered by your inquiries, as they comprehend it's all component of the procedure. Doing a complete meeting will help you weed out the finest of the bunch. Any type of appropriate service provider will certainly be happy to show off their work and more than happy to place you in contact with their previous clients to receive referrals.

2. Make certain you have an excellent connection with your specialist.

It will be somebody you find easy to chat to when you locate the appropriate individual for the job. You and your professional should see eye to eye, so attempt to hire a contractor that has experience in the kind of work you're looking for as well as comprehends your goals.

You have to ensure you're able to deal with someone, so follow your gut sensation. If you get a great feeling regarding a specific specialist, it needs to consider into your choice, however it must not be the determining element.

Communication is vital for a successful task, and also making certain you as well as the service provider are on the appropriate wavelength will assist ensure a smooth process, and also you will really have the ability to inform them just what you want. You should firmly insist on normal get in touch with by message messages, phone, or email, The job staff could manage all the day-to-day job, yet an once a week update from the foreman is constantly a good idea.

3. Acknowledge that rate will certainly reflect high quality.

Speak with your service provider about their referrals for just how the job ought to be finished. Consider if it is worth cutting edges just to fix something temporarily, and also realize that the most affordable quote will certainly not constantly be the ideal one. Request a created summary of all the needed products for the work, as a tiny bid might be a sign that the professional is using low-quality materials. A lot of accurate propositions will certainly remain in the mid-price variety.

4. Ask for references.

We formerly covered this subject, however it's important that you request for recommendations from all possible contractors. As quickly as you get the referrals, contact them as well as obtain described info regarding the job they had actually done by the business, consisting of timeline, any delays, as well as any feasible problems that turned up during the job.

5. Avoid obtaining scammed.

You are well on your method and also could prevent being scammed by any type of dodgy professionals when you get recommendations and also do the appropriate study. Demand an authorized solution agreement listing all project details prior to relocating ahead with any drywall contractors.

6. Obtain a written quote.

Obtain a written quote from them as soon as you've narrowed down your feasible professionals. You should make certain to get it in writing, as if they are collaborating with a number of customers they might puzzle your bid with one more job, or they could have a short memory. It's fine to give a preliminary down payment to secure their solutions, but never pay for the total task up front.

Your estimate ought to have all the details, consisting of begin as well as end days, however realize that there may be some unanticipated organizing problems or hold-ups, so you must be flexible.

7. Request for a created contract for your drywall repair or restoration job.

The contract you get need to be outlined, and also it needs to include the following: the names of all involved events, a detailed description of the task, the license number of the professional, settlement plans, total expense, a detailed timeline as well as how extra costs will be dealt with.

Be attentive, if you do not get a routine for the completion of the work, this might be an indicator that the professional is presently doing various jobs, as well as could not be able to finish your job in the time stated. You have to monitor all the important details and all files associated with the job such as receipts, payments, and also contracts in a secure place. Secret call info for all employees in your project should likewise be tape-recorded.

8. See to it every little thing has actually been finished before you sign off.

When job has actually been finished, routine a final walk through with the supervisor, bearing in mind of anything that might not have actually been finished. You ought to request a final release or an affidavit, as this will certainly clear you of any type of obligation from a third-party claim once you've made the last payment.

The initial thing you require to consider before you begin looking for drywall repair contractors is to evaluate the range of the job. Any small drywall repair jobs could normally be dealt with by DIY, but if you are looking at a more considerable job that is composed of repairing one or more spaces in your home, you require to hire a professional drywall repair service professional in your area. After you've done your online study, you have an idea of that the ideal contractors are for your job. Any kind of trusted professional will find the time to talk about your task thoroughly, so you could figure out if they are best for the job.

Be mindful, if you do not obtain a routine for the conclusion of the work, this might be an indicator that the professional is currently doing various work, and could not be able to complete your project in the time stated. highly standard finished project.

Understanding the Mostly Importance of Quality in Manufacturing and Services

Why it should be foremost given the current political atmosphere.

It's something that's heard all the time now: "They don't make 'em like they used to" or "Another product made outside of the United States." Indeed, to some degree, there's a ring of truth to these sentiments; unfortunately, many areas of commerce - notably the aforementioned electronics sector - are being outsourced to countries such as China on a widespread basis, so much so that many consumers feel value has paid the ultimate price. Case in point: 

The home audio enthusiast market saw a resurgence of turntables over the past decade or so, driven by a millennial demographic just getting their feet wet in the "vinyl resurgence" pool, but in the mad scramble to compete and churn out these record players as fast as they were being purchased, many major companies outsourced their specs to Asia-based entities that ended up cutting corners to meet a price point.

As a result, more than a few series of turntables from this particular brand suffered from poor build, unreliable drive motors, design snafus such as warped platters and more - all of which compromise a vinyl playback system's performance in critical ways.

Of course, this is just a broad, random example, but our point is that quality in manufacturing and services, especially in our current somewhat heated political atmosphere, should be first and foremost - a sentiment that has not been lost on President Donald J. Trump, who has given US manufacturing representatives a different viewpoint to consider when it comes to consumer manufactured products.

In short, President Trump wants American manufacturing to step up to the plate, and it begins and ends with "the Q word."

Why should this be first and foremost when taken in a manufacturing context? It is easy to falter in an optimistic market and revel in manufacturing optimism; to be blunt, it is the only sustainable pillar that drives excellence in business. Value in a company that manufactures goods not only helps the economy meet customer and industry expectations, it can keep costs down. 

Managing excellence is crucial for small businesses in particular, because well-built products help to 

maintain customer satisfaction and loyalty while reducing the risk and cost of replacing faulty goods.

Let's take a quick look at the primary elements of this subject:

• Meeting Customer Expectations - Customers expect a company to deliver great products, and when it doesn't they quickly look for alternatives. Distinction is critical to satisfying customers and retaining their loyalty so they continue to buy in the future. 

• Managing a Reputation - Excellence influences a company's reputation, as poor build or a product failure (like the turntable example we mentioned earlier) can create negative publicity and damage a reputation. 

• Meeting Industry Standards - Accreditation to a recognized standard may be essential for dealing with certain customers or complying with legislation. 

• Managing Costs - Poor characteristics increases costs, as we alluded to, because without an effective control system in place a company may incur the cost of analyzing nonconforming goods or services to determine the root causes.

For manufacturing firms, it's important to ramp up process training, management commitment and involvement in all teams when improving purity control, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a look at suppliers, as well. Researching, studying and evaluating alone will improve this area - and parts - and top-shelf products equal sales for the long-term, all while eliminating consumer mistrust in manufacturing.

President Trump has set us on the right course... now we need to all do our part to improve US manufacturing.

In need of help because you don't know where to start? CALL ME!

Qualaco, Inc. is a Houston consulting company that focuses on providing clients in the in manufacturing and service with quality management systems. 

The experienced and knowledgeable professionals work closely with clients to help them achieve ISO 9001 certification, and many other standards, the company's primary mission in working with clients being to help businesses understand the value of aligning to an International Standard and the importance of Quality. The batter for business.

Recycling Business Waste Paper and Reduction Techniques

The State of Paper Recycling in the U.S.

Recycling has now become a necessity. And if for no other imperative than the betterment of your bottom line, recycling is a virtue as much as it is a canny business decision.

In truth, waste is a liability, and it's costly to generate. And among wastes that could recycled (yet are not), paper is one of the biggest offenders.

Paper products-comprising magazines, newspapers, catalogues, paper packaging, documents, briefs, and mail-account for the largest municipal waste stream. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paper makes up to 27% of all municipal solid waste.

In terms of paper and paperboard products, the EPA also estimates that in 2011, only 62.5% of this waste stream was recovered for recycling. Not only is well over one third of paper not recycled, but paper manufacturing the U.S. is the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases. About 9% of all manufacturing CO2 emissions are a result of paper production.

Large commercial entities aren't the only companies contributing to these percentages, as schools, universities, government agencies, and many other institutions are complicit as well.

Small to medium-sized businesses are capable of throwing away paper in massive quantities every day as well. Even the strictly e-commerce-based companies of today still "black bin" piles of paper records and internal documents, most of which-if not all-are recyclable.

Our Choice: Green Trees or Greenhouse Gases

Certainly, recycling paper helps the environment in myriad ways; one ton of recycled paper can save seventeen trees, and the less we deforest our ecosystem, the less carbon dioxide will escape into the atmosphere.

Trees are a natural ally in the fight against climate change. By their absorption of CO2, they cut down on the greenhouse gas effect that has led to our rampant global warming problem.

Tips on Paper Reduction for Businesses

Buying recycled fiber paper instead of 100% virgin paper is one way of maintaining a green office. The manufacturing of paper with at least some recycled content puts much less of a strain on our environment than the production of virgin wood fibers.

Although recycled paper has been more expensive to purchase in the past, that is quickly changing as recycled paper becomes more popular and manufacturing processes become more streamlined. Small businesses that may not have the extra resources to switch to recycled paper, or businesses that may not use much paper can still benefit from paper reduction techniques.

Some of these no-cost reduction and recycling tips include:

· Make use double-sided printing wherever possible

· Print only the pages that you need (using the "print preview" function in your word editor or web browser

   will allow you to select only certain pages to print)

· Switch from single-person copies of memos or newsletters to one for each department or office

· Use digital scans instead of printing interoffice materials

· Unsubscribe to bulk junk mail

· Educate employees on paper reduction techniques and encourage your entire staff to re-use  paper

· Start a company-wide paper recycling program

Role Of Industrial Design

The industrial design is a specialized field of work that refers to the activity of achieving ornamental or formal appearance for mass-produced items or products. In simple words, industrial design is a creative and artistic profession, which involves the creation of a product design, its features, and branding. These products can be a toy, furniture, or even the packaging of a certain item.

Legally, industrial design also refers to a registration system, which protects the functional and unique ornamental characteristics of a product that results from the design activity. However, as easy as the process seems, it actually is not. In fact, industrial design involves numerous complications and problems that require constant attention in order to ensure the success of a product.

Therefore, when it comes to working for an upcoming project, it is imperative for you to cover the basics before you even think about accepting the task. Remember, only after you have mastered the basics it will be possible for you to create a successful product appreciated by consumers. The question is: what are these basics and how can you incorporate them? Well, read below and find out:

Goals

A designer has three roles: performing market research, conceptualizing the design of the product, and creating branding solutions. As you can see, all three of these roles are not exactly easy to perform. Therefore, the first basic element of industrial design is to familiarize yourself with the ultimate goals of the project assigned to you.

Now, you will find many goals that will require more effort and time from your end. However, this does not mean you forget to give importance to the hundreds of other goals that require attention in order to introduce a successful product into the marketplace. Therefore, when it comes to successful industrial design, make sure to understand all goals.

Research

Now that you have understood all goals of the project, it is imperative that you research the location and the specifics. Keep in mind that every successful item in the market has undergone significant research by an industrial designer. Similarly, you are required to do the same and have to carry out thorough market analysis and research.

Additionally, you must also familiarize yourself with the local codes and building regulations. This way, you will learn about all possible problems that you might face in the designing phase and can outline solutions to avoid them. You can also consider looking at similar projects to understand how they tackled numerous challenges presented during the design phase.

Cost

The design of any project can get incredibly costly. Now, why is that? As mentioned earlier, industrial designers have three main roles of which one is to conceptualize the design of the product. This process includes creating presentations that cover the product's usability, design, features, and functionality. Therefore, any errors in this phase can cause numerous troubles in the development phase, thus leaving no option than to repeat the whole process.

This repetition of the entire process will of course require additional resources and significant time and effort. Therefore, the third thing you must do is look at ways you can control the cost and perform the designing phase carefully. This way, you can keep your budget from going out of hand.

Specialists

The final thing industrial designers are required to do is critically look at all the aspects of the project and determine the number of specialists required to ensure project completion within time.

Corporate Video production Your Business's Success

Research study in 2013 showed that 93% of marketers use video to market advertise and communicate with target audience. Another study by eMarketer shows a 51% surge in sales conversion when video is included in an email marketing campaign. In addition, a Marketers Summary Report in 2014 projected that 74% of all Internettraffic will be video influenced by 2017.

Impressive Corporate Video Numbers

All these numbers highlight the integral role a corporate video production play in your business's success. Over 82% of Americans own a Smart phone, making videos even more critical for businesses. The question then becomes how to optimize them in explaining corporate ideas.

Tips on Pitching Business Ideas via Video

1. Write a Comprehensive Script

The planning stage in video production can make or break the objectives. You must plan clear messaging, who will be in the video, project problems, objectives, brand strengths or product features and the story that will be used in communicating all this. A rough sketch is all your production company needs to start production.

2. Hype Product or Brand strengths

It must have an objective, and if it is advertising, then make sure the benefits of your products or services are quickly introduced in the story. Contemporary viewers are choosy hence they need instant information through statistics, proof and evidence that what you are advertising really works.

3. Behind the Scenes Story

You can communicate business ideas by showing behind the scenes events in your business. This will demystify your business while also enhancing brand loyalty and trust. By opening up your business, you will have created familiarity, which in turn leads to more traffic on your page.

4. Email Marketing

If you have a message you want to pass across, fusing email and video is an ingenious technique of making sure your content is read. Your email should have a sketch of the information while the video link should promise more detailed information. Research shows that this technique guarantees over 200% click-through for your videos.

5. Social Media and Video Content

Whether you are launching a product or promoting it, Facebook is a good platform to make sure your business ideas are communicated. With content consumption on Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp increasing tremendously, you are assured of increased sharing and click through for your videos if they are posted on social media.

6. Video Training

It can be primed for internal educational purposes within your organization. These videos are interactive and help explain intricate aspects of the business that your staff ought to understand.

Other ways in which you can optimize videos include product advertising, appreciation, entertainment, clarification, news and commentary and business demystification. Simply put, the opportunities are numerous.

For Online Banking Services

Financially stable is important for individuals. Of course, it is essential to have sufficient finances in case that you want to invest in items that can improve your lifestyle such as a house or a car. With this, more and more individuals save a part of their salary in banking institutions.

This is the most convenient way to secure your finances. However, going to banks can sometimes be very stressful. Fortunately, reputable banking institutions now provide an easier way to accomplish banking tasks with the help of online banking services. Listed below are some of the advantages of online banking.

Convenience

One of the best features of online banking is convenience. Rather than spending time going to banks, you can simply accomplish banking tasks right in your mobile phones or computers. The need to wait in lines when going to banking institutions is also eliminated. Not to mention, there is no need to spend money for fares or
gas to go to banks. Hence, you can manage your time easily and efficiently.

Availability

When it comes to availability, individuals can make use of the mobile phones and laptops. During the past, individuals need to go to banking institutions in order to check their savings. With the use of online banking services, you can easily check your bank accounts with just some clicks of a button.

Safer and more secured

One of the dangers when going to financing institutions is the threat of theft or simply of losing your money. As a result, online banking institutions have reliable security services that offer a safer banking experience. To accomplish banking tasks safely, it is best to opt for online banking.

However, there are is still a threat with online banking. Therefore, you need to make sure that you make use of personal gadgets and ensure that you don't share your password or log in details to anybody when doing bank transactions to be sure that your personal information is safe and secured.

Enjoy amazing features

Most of the time, online banking is used to view or check your account. Luckily, financing institutions have added features in their online services. As of today, individuals can also pay their bills online. They can also transfer funds to other bank accounts easily. And, individuals can set up recurring bill payments. As a result, individuals can accomplish banking tasks easily and efficiently. Other banking tasks like ordering cheques can also be made online to help you get checks immediately. Individuals are rest assured that their banking needs are properly accommodated, which can help make their lifestyle better and more stable. 

The Happiness Advantage and More Money

Believe that if we're successful then we'll be happy - and that success could be losing weight, securing a promotion, buying a house... In fact, as Shaun Achor proves, it's actually happiness which fuels success (think the sun moving around the Earth and not the other way around). When we're positive, we're more creative, more motivated and more resilient. We have more energy and we get on better in all areas of our life. 

This book is the result of Shaun's studies over 10 years at Harvard University, plus lots of his own research with the likes of KPMG and UPS. The Happiness Advantage can be yours he tells us, and can help you gain a competitive advantage...

A recent Guardian article reported that "people who are happier at work are more productive - they are more engaged, more creative, and have better concentration. The difference in productivity between happy and unhappy people at work can range between 10-50%. That's 10% for non-complex repetitive tasks, or up to 40-50% in service and creative industries." And that's an awful lot in terms of business revenue.

 Top Take-Away

Sounds simple, but our minds are *the* most powerful machine, and we have absolute control over how we see the world and which opportunities we choose to take. Best of all, it's also within our power to change our mindset and window on the world. Even something as simple as completing a gratitude list every day can make you happier, help you see the good in every day.

Pearls of Wisdom

There are seven principles so I'll focus on those:

People who are happy have a psychological advantage over people who are unhappy and Shaun proves this through studies over time. College Freshmen who were empirically shown to be happy had a higher income 19 years later than their unhappy classmates

The Fulcrum and the Lever talks about the power of the mindset, and comes from the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes who said, "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." The fulcrum is the mindset of the person, and the length of the lever corresponds to the potential power and possibility that person believes he or she has. If someone moves the fulcrum in the right direction by adopting a more positive mindset, the lever of possibility lengthens, which leads, as empirical studies have shown conclusively, to an eventual positive outcome.

The Titres Effect focuses on a study done on students who were paid to just play Titres for days on end. Their minds started seeing the real world in Titres terms, trying to 'fit' buildings into each other. Shaun also talked about the negative power of things like GTA when he had to stop himself stealing a police car... This
principle shows how to retrain your brain to spot patterns of possibility rather than patterns of failure.

Falling Up looks not at avoiding mistakes, but doing even more than learning from them - throwing yourself into them. It's focused on how you can find the mental path out of failure

The Zorro Circle focuses on how, in the face of even overwhelming odds, you can fight off your emotions and regain control by beginning with small manageable goals. Shaun says that big goals can be too scary, and that you need to break them down into more manageable chunks sometimes

The 20-Second Rule looks at how to fight off the weakening willpower to be positive, and how you actually only need to maintain your focus for short bursts. What's easy to do is also easy not to do. Want to break a 'bad' habit? Make it difficult to access that habit - so, take the batteries out of the TV remote and leave them
over the other side of the room if you want to cut down on your viewing. Equally, if you want to start keeping a journal, don't put it away in a cupboard, even one near, leave it right next to your bed with a pen on top

Social Investment focuses on how to invest in friends, peers and family members to move forward in challenging times, and how we each have the potential to positively influence 100 people every time we choose to be happy Recommended?

Absolutely! The structure's a little loose and I had to revisit it to pick up the seven points, but the narrative is great, the examples are awesome and it's an easy, positive and inspiring read/ More money means you can do even more stuff to make you happy :-)

A former weapons engineer and submariner with the Royal Navy, his business journey started with a degree in International Disaster Engineering and Management.

He completed a Masters in Neuro Linguistic Programming currently finishing a series of interviews with some of the UK's most super, super-successful business owners to see just what mind-set and beliefs they all have in common.

Only Graduate

Many college graduates and reading many articles about career paths that college graduates are entering, one thing stands out above the rest.
 

I haven't heard one person say that the career they have chosen is something they feel passionate about. Instead, I hear them talk about an emerging industry or that the pay is good, or that the job market in those areas is good.

What many people don't realize is that the job market changes according to the economy. A career may be in high demand today but it may be like a sinking ship five or ten years from now.

Careers that look promising today, may not be valued five or ten years from now or they may be flooded with applicants as qualified, or more qualified, than you. But, even more significant, is the fact that with technology moving at warp speed, the very jobs that look so secure and promise fantastic wages, may be replaced by newer and more efficient methods, and your job may become obsolete.

Over the last several decades, people have had more opportunities to get into jobs they love and feel passionate about after graduation, but they don't seem to go that route. And, this alone, will probably explain
why, in later years, they will feel depressed, unappreciated and undervalued in their job.

These are the kinds of people who will work to pay the bills but count the years until they retire, at which time, they will still not love anything about their life.

I always tell my clients to find something they feel passionate about and I'll help them find a way to make money doing it. And what do I hear in return? "I don't know what I feel passionate about." If you don't know what you feel passionate about during your college years, when are you going to discover what gives meaning to your life?

This is more than just asking yourself what you'd like to be when you grow up. It's not necessarily gearing you up for choosing a career. It's about what animates you, excites you. It's about what makes your juices flow.

Find that passion and you will have a career that you love and that supports you in the toughest economy. If it takes a degree, go for it. If there isn't a field for it, make one. If there isn't a name for what you feel passionate about, give it a name. But, most of all, find it and make it your life's work.

Response Strategy And Face Crisis

Globalized business environment, various business corporations are indeed faced with a wide range of challenges and uncertainties. Also, there is a growing expectation that various companies will take care of the personal safety as well as well-being of employees under all circumstances.

Crises can actually take many forms, from the more conventional to a terrorist incident or perhaps natural disaster that can materially impact the operations of an international enterprise. Know that the outbreak of violence all over the world, worrying developments, and the sudden political change triggered the immediate evacuation of expatriate personnel or perhaps the need to close an operation or plant overseas.

When it comes to crisis response, failing to plan will mean planning to fail. In other worlds, crisis response must have a definite plan. Indeed, without careful training as well as regular practice in crisis communications, it is unlikely that an organization will be able to perform well under pressure. With such, proper training and regular practice when it comes to crisis communications is a must.

Different Crisis Containment, Training, And Contingency Planning Services

Contingency Planning - This will include devising a crisis response strategy at corporate headquarters, local and regional levels. Regular testing as well as amendment of such plans is very important in order to allow for the fluid nature of the modern corporation. Doing so will likewise ensure flexibility.

Hands-on Proactive Crisis Containment - If you work hand-in-hand with clients along with their crisis containment committees, there is a greater chance that you will be able to deal with a live situation easily and efficiently. There are actually senior consultants that have unparalleled experience when dealing with serious situations and crises.

Business Continuity Planning And Practical Response To Incidents - A lot of organizations will offer necessary services however, only few have the required experience in order to practically implement the necessary plan whenever the necessity arrives.

Extortion Response Consulting - Modern business can indeed face a wide variety of threats from various parties with different agendas. These can actually take the form of out and out extortion or perhaps threat to infrastructure or processes to or denial of service attacks to certain computer systems. Indeed, in some parts of emerging economies, only little help can be expected from local government or law enforcement offices. There are firms or consultants that can actually guide senior management through such circumstances.

Ready For The Leap

You have a plan written down that you review on a regular basis, that sets the course for where and what you want to be in 2015, 2020 or even 2030, you can stop reading now and skip to the crossword puzzle. However, if you haven't figured out what you want to be when you grow up, read on. It will change your life dramatically for the better. In fact if you have not written down what your life is going to look like and what is on your "to do" list for the next 10 years, how in the heck do you know where you're going? If you are stumbling along trying to satisfy short term objectives (less than 3 years) and do not have a grip on the big picture, I.e. core values, 5 and 10 year objectives, you are less likely to feel fulfilled than those that have a plan and stick to it.

You Will Always Operate To A Plan

The rule is; you will always operate to a plan. If you don't have one of your own, you will follow or fall into, someone else's plan. When you arrive at those various forks in the road and you don't have a plan, there is a high likelihood that you will make a decision as to which road to take based on someone Else's plan. However, if you have your own long range plan, you will make those incremental decisions base on where you want to be - your plan.

Now there are people who enjoy being led and have no problem following someone Else's agenda. However, I believe the vast majority of you would like your life to turn out the way you want it to turn out and not be left to the discretion of those around you.

Four Step Program

There are several organizations that can help you with a structured process to help you lay out targets for the long-range future. You can also accomplish this on your own or with your significant other if you are disciplined enough to put aside several hours and take on this endeavor with serious abandon. However, before you sign up or begin on your own, make sure the following four areas are addressed:

First, figure out what your core values are. These are the values that are truly the most important to you. They are not tangible, material things. They consist of wonderful thoughts and values that you live and would die for. There are dozens of values that can be identified, but some of the popular ones are, family, spirit, integrity, honesty, wealth, security, power, etc. The list goes on. Don't limit yourself. Take a lot of time with this first part. Make a list of those core values that are the most important to you. Now identify those top three values that you would die for (this isserious stuff). Keep these uppermost in your mind throughout your planning process. These are the values that will have the most impact on motivating and driving your life decisions.

Second, figure out where you want to be and what you want to be, 10 years from now. Keep in mind your core values. If you died 10 years from now, what would you want on your tombstone (besides pepperoni and cheese)? What do you want someone to say about you in your eulogy? Write your own eulogy.

Third, lay out your personal goals that will make this eulogy accurate. For those of you in the business world, the eulogy is like a mission statement that your company has. Your short term goals (1 month - 1 year) and your long term goals (1 year - 5 years) are then developed to support your mission statement or eulogy.

Fourth, establish goals within your career (short term and long term), that support your personal goals. These most likely will contain many material goals. That's okay. I know Mom said, "Money is the root of all evil", she may be right if you don't have legitimate core values that are the basis for earning that money. The bottom line is; now is the perfect time to plan the rest of your life. The next millennium will be exciting and successful for you if you operate to your plan.

Dave Fischer is the founder of Chartwell Seventeen Advisory Group and currently serves as President. He is a licensed trainer of the Sandler Selling System which has helped thousands of sales professionals, worldwide. With a passion for selling, training and coaching, Dave seeks to help individuals and organizations achieve their professional goals in the fields of sales and sales management. Dave holds a B.A. from the University at Albany: State University of New York as well as an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Price Optimization in Real Time

Food is a commodity and we treat it that way at the wholesale level, and since free market economics are all about 'Supply and Demand' shouldn't we take that whole concept and philosophy down to the street level? Well, we kind of do that now right? I mean when supplies are abundant and a particular fruit or vegetable is in season, the prices becomes stunningly low, and then at the end of the season it rises up again.

Why? Supply and Demand, and somewhere there is a climate where such fruit or vegetables can grow in the off-season, South America and Australia for instance - opposite seasons right? Yes, but figure the cost to transport and hazards of perishables being shipped across the planet and every crop competes for field space, water, and farmers plant what's most profitable or what they think will be at the end of its growing season.

If this all sounds like the type of writings Adam Smith put forth in the Wealth of Nations or a Milton Friedman economics speech (still available on YouTube by the way) that's because all of these things are the basics and fundamentals of free markets and supply and demand dictates. Okay so, about the street level, what if the supply and demand in the store were to take all that into mind?

You see, there was an interesting article in Grocery Retail Online News on August 14, 2014 titled; "KSS Retail Introduces New Automation Solution To Enable Real-Time Price Optimization," and I wonder if they might take this even further, let's talk.

What if the cash registers were connected to the produce 'electronic price' sign guaranteeing that price for one-hour if you hold a little tag or have an app on your iPhone synchronizing that price until you get to the register where you scan your phone for the 'special price' even if that price is less than the advertised price you received in your junk mail coupon flayer?


Lastly, I wonder if people will complain of price gouging were this to be taken to its Free Market limits? And would it cause people to come to the grocery store every day to see what was on sale? What if something isn't in the mailer coupon flayer and yet, when you run to the store to get that item for your recipe you see there are only a few left and the price is now $5.00 per pound? Time to think on all this, because it seems others already are and they are ready to implement these real-time systems for pricing at the consumer level.

Your Sales and Marketing Process

" This may be the most costly thought process of all time, and unfortunately a lot of companies live by it.

Are there inefficiencies in your Sales & Marketing processes today? These inefficiencies are costing your company money.

Because they are hidden costs that do not reveal themselves in your financial statements, they are continuing to do harm to your business. As "Lean" is really tied to removing costly inefficiencies, it applies to all aspects of business - your company's Sales & Marketing effort included.

If your company's sales and marketing program contains "non-value added" aspects, your potential for gaining additional market share is suffering because these activities are costing you money. You are either
passing these costs on to your customer by increasing your sell price, absorbing these costs and reducing your profitability, or suffering from doing a combination of both.

In any of these scenarios, Your company's ability to win incremental business is being compromised, but also your Current business is not as profitable as it could be.

Too many companies, whether they are manufacturers or distributors, are spending time and money repeating sales and marketing steps that are unnecessary to help them grow their sales profitably.

To determine if you need to implement "Lean" practices into your Sales & Marketing process, see if any of these 9 questions apply to your business.

1. Does your company have a "Sales Process" that is as effective as it could be, or is your sales team not advancing sales opportunities through the pipeline? 

 2. Does your company advertise in a way that reaches your desired customer and is producing a good ROI, or are you spending money on the hope that your desired customer will see it?

3. Does your company have an authoritative and educational website that is working for you as a sales tool, or is it just another website?

4. Does your company implement price increases efficiently and timely, or does the process take too long?

5. Does your company generate qualified sales leads and follow up on them to secure new business, or do you treat all leads equally?

6. Does your company appropriately segment your marketing initiatives, creating communications that "speak" directly to the desired customer or do you take the same approach to reach all potential customers?

7. Does your company have sales aid information that is organized and readily accessible for your sales team, or are they having to search in multiple places for that, including contacting your Customer Service?

8. Does your company effectively and consistently on-board new hire sales and marketing personnel, or is the approach inconsistent, resulting in a missed opportunity to instill your corporate strategy from the outset?

9. Does your company introduce products to the market timely and powerfully, or are you missing out on the great opportunity to draw attention to your brand?

All of the above are areas where inefficiencies can become common practice and hurt your top and bottom lines.

Skilled Professionals Global Product Sourcing

About product sourcing, but maybe you don't know exactly what it means. In this article, we are talking about what product sourcing is and how it can benefit your company.

If you are a part of a business, you are aware of the fact that any firm has different departments, such as Finance, Human Resources, Sales, Legal, IT or Accounting. Many companies have outsourced some of these departments, either to save money or to add more skilled professionals to their teams.

Recently, a new trend has appeared, a trend called product sourcing. Properly doing product sourcing, especially when we are talking about global product sourcing, is a quite difficult task. To properly fulfill it, you need a passionate specialist, that has the appropriate skills and knowledge, as well as a wide network of collaborating suppliers. Sourcing basically means searching and identifying the best sources of products and services that your company needs and negotiating a favorable contract with those sources.

Since sourcing is a rather new concept, many people don't know the difference between sourcing and procurement. You might think that there are the same thing, but sourcing is only a part of the entire procurement process, which consists of a collection of processes, not only buying the needed product and services.

Why do so many businesses seek the services of sourcing companies? For the same to reasons we mentioned before to be responsible for the outsourcing of other company departments (HR, Finance, 

Accounting). The first reason that determines businesses to surrender the responsibility of sourcing to third parties is saving money. By cutting a whole sourcing department, you reduce the headcount of your business, thus paying less money for wages and related activities. However, most companies choose to get help with their sourcing due to the fact they realize which are their limitations. 

They come to realize that they do not have enough experience, knowledge and relationships in the industry to achieve the results they desire. By giving this tasks to a third party, they achieve a better understanding of the methods, steps and processes involved in sourcing. This way, no more mistakes are made, deadlines are respected and things run smoothly from one end to another.

Sourcing companies have something your company probably doesn't have. In their years of experience in the field, they have built relationships, based on trust and mutual respect, with different suppliers all around the world. Even when looking for a new supplier, they will know which are the signals of a trustworthy supplier, as well as the price ranges and ascending or descending trends on the market. 

If you have reached the conclusion that you need such a service, don't hesitate to go online and do a simple search. You will find many companies that offer sourcing, procurement and logistics services, but to make sure that you choose the right one.

How To Resolve A Deadlock In A Principled Negotiation

Negotiation For Solution Demand Rigging Election

How to make a deadlock work for you in a negotiation. Deadlocks are a part of negotiating just like speeding tickets are a part of driving. We don't like them, but just like all of the other negotiation styles and negotiating techniques that we have to deal with, they show up every so often and we just have to deal with them. The good news about deadlocks is that they are actually a valuable tool that negotiators can use to move a negotiation towards close and even get a better deal. Do I have your attention now?

Why Deadlocks Are Valuable Tools

As a negotiator, the more tools that you have going into a negotiation, the better you can expect your outcome to be. That's why a deadlock should be viewed as what it really is - just another negotiating tool.The reason that a deadlock can be so useful to you is what it can make happen. When a deadlock is looming in a negotiation, it can cause the other side of the table to display their position and at the same time freeze the negotiation. If they are really willing to allow the deadlock to happen and walk away from the negotiations, then their current position is a "hard" position.

If, on the other hand, they are operating under some constraints (like time) and not reaching a deal in the negotiation is not an option for them, then when they are facing the possibility of a deadlock occurring, they may be willing to give you compromises that they were not willing to give earlier in the negotiations.

  Protest PTI,and PAT Fraud and Rigging Election In Pakistan

How To Cause A Deadlock To Occur

Just as a deadlock is an important negotiating tool, how you cause a deadlock to occur is just as important. What you need to keep in mind is that the deadlock is not really the end of the negotiations. Rather it is just a stopping point. Your goal is to make sure that you'll be able to restart the negotiations later on.

Whenever the negotiations reach a deadlock, put on your pleasant face. Inform the other side that you're not going to be able to do what they are asking for. By doing this, you are leaving the door open to continue the negotiations later on.

Make sure that you never burn your bridges when you are dealing with a deadlock. Don't tell the other side that since you've reached a deadlock, you'd never be willing to do a deal with them ever again. Instead, tell them to give you a call if anything changes. This will make it easy for both of you to restart the discussions.

What All Of This Means For You

All too often, negotiators fear a deadlock happening in their principled negotiation. In many cases, this is viewed as a failure on the part of the negotiator. It turns out that this is not the case. Deadlocks are just another negotiating tool that we have available to us.
 

Imran Khan(PTI) Tahir-ul-Qadri (PAT)

As negotiators we need to learn how to use deadlocks to get what we want out of our next negotiation. When used properly, a deadlock can force the other side of the table to display their position and freeze the negotiations.

In order to be able to walk away from your next negotiation with the deal that you want, you need to learn how to use deadlocks to your advantage. Take the time to study what we've talked about and you'll go into your next negotiation you can use to get the best deal possible.Your strategy for implementing a deadlock must always be to remain pleasant and keep the door open so that we can break the deadlock when we need to.

IT Managers Good Job With Your Management

IT managers would blindly follow what their management told them to do, but if there were, then those days are now long gone. We live in an age where everyone, including IT managers, question everything that they are told to do. Given this, how are you as an IT manager supposed to deal with your management?

What Kind Of Loyalty Is The Company Looking For From You?

The fact that your company promoted you into an IT manger position means that they trust you to implement the company decisions and policies. This is great news, but what does it really mean?

I guess there is one important point that we should discuss here: let us assume that your management is not completely evil. If they were, then just about anything that they would ask you to do would go against who you are and what you believe. Let us assume that you are working for some good people who are working at a good company. What this means is that you really do want to do a good job for them.

What this means is that you are going to have to show them some loyalty. This means that as a member of the company's management team you are going to have to implement the company's policies and your management's decisions. Note that this is not blind loyalty, but rather a "thinking man's loyalty".

Providing Good Input

Being an effective IT manager is all about having the right information with which to do your job. Your management is now going to be asking you to provide input on issues related to your areas of responsibility.

There is something that is very important that you do when your input is requested. You need to make sure that your input is as broadly based as possible Don't allow yourself to provide narrow ideas that will only benefit you or your team. If you do this, then very quickly everyone will come to view you as being self-serving and will stop asking you for your inputs.

If you can provide inputs that relate to ways that the entire company can become better, then your input will start to be sought out. The value of your inputs will be realized. People will understand that your inputs go beyond your team and can help the complete company.

What All Of This Means For You

Becoming an IT manager means that you are now a part of the company's

management team. This means that you need to start to implement your company's polices and your management's decisions.

What this means is that when you are asked to provide your input to your management you need to make sure that your inputs are bigger than just your team. Provide your thoughts on how the company can be made better. By doing this, you will soon be seen as a source of valuable information that the company can use instead of just being an IT manager who is only looking out for themselves and their team.

IT managers can spend a lot of time working on how to set up effective communication channels with the members of their teams. However, it turns out that they have another task that is just as important: effectively communicating with their management. Provide your management with good input and you will be seen as a valuable member of the company's management team!

About International Road and Rail Transport

You are planning to launch or already are a part of a company that needs to periodically deliver different goods and products to other countries or even if it's a just one time thing, you are probably facing an important question: "Which kind of transport should I choose?".

When it comes to international transport, there are a lot of options to choose from, such as air freight, ocean freight road or rail transport. This is why it is so important to determine which is the most efficient method of transportation to suit the needs of your business. In this particular article, we are going to talk about international road and rail transport and we are going to make a short comparison between these two and between each of them and other means of international transportation.

When considering speed and reliability, rail and road transportation are surpassed by air freight, but shipping your packages using train or truck transportation can be the right choice if you don't rely on extremely fast deliveries and you can work with a longer transit line, especially since this option can be a lot cheaper.

International road transport is widely used today, due to the fact that it is quite flexible, being able to reach virtually anywhere and can provide "door-to-door service". Another advantage is the fact that it can be cheaper than other means of transportation, but only for shorter distances, meaning that doesn't apply for you.
 

The final advantage we are going to talk about is the fact that a truck cargo is extremely easy to load and unload, which makes the process faster than in the case of a train. The main two disadvantages of truck transportation are the fact that is can be affected by weather condition and the negative effect they have on the environment. Studies show that trucks generate five times more greenhouse gas emissions than other means of transportation. From this point of view, rail transportation can be more efficient, since trains take in one gallon of fuel to transport one ton of freight for about 484 miles and aren't as damaging to the environment.

International road transport. However, it also can be cheaper when talking about small-sized shipments, no matter the distance, so if you have to send small packages, choosing to send them by truck could be the right decision for you.

Another advantage of rail transport and reason for which it is expected for the rail transport to flourish in the following years is the fact that it's inexpensive and can be used to transport almost anything. Another important factor is the fact that trains ensure a more secure transit, with less accidents and higher reliability than trucks.

Now that we have reached the end of our short comparison between road and rail transport, it is up to you to choose the means of transportation that will better fit the needs of your company and bring you the results you desire. If you are still having difficulties with package shipping, we recommend tapping the services of a logistics company.

Three Signs of Toxic Leadership

I've had bosses that have hit on me. Others that have told me all about their sex lives - in excruciating detail - while I desperately try not to: (a) laugh, (b) shudder, (c) check my Facebook page in embarrassment.

Or there was the Emotionally Needy Boss, who was mostly upset that we weren't best friends or drinking buddies. I had to constantly validate that he was doing a good fantastic job (yes, that meeting was amazing! It was the cream of the crop of all meetings of all time!). Talk about draining.

But the worst has been the Robot. To call in sick more than a couple of times was to be threatened with termination. She relished the chance to publicly berate employees for minor faults. She was the poster-child for toxic leadership.

Why? People lived in constant fear of making a mistake (she didn't tolerate lateness, distractions, talking, or complaints). Ideas were shut-down almost immediately. The workplace stifled creativity, or originality.

I once got a text message saying, quite simply, that so-and-so had been fired. The subtext: we better watch-out! 

 

Needless to say: turnover was frequent and job satisfaction was very low.

Three Signs of Toxic Leadership

1. It's all about the power: bullying, and public humiliation seem to be the primary way of interacting with and "leading" subordinates.

The Robot boss was quick to anger, and was showed no restraint in criticising employees in front others.

2. Selfishness: they're often very self-focused, inconsiderate of others, and striving for more for themselves. In fact, they could be good-old-fashioned narcissists.

The Robot boss did not understand that people could be sick, or could have cars break-down, or children fall ill. Instead of responding with empathy, she would list the inconveniences to herself and threaten to fire - she made people feel beneath her, and replaceable.

3. They're destructive: according to research, they can foster a negative image of the organization, especially among employees, and are possibly contributing to higher turnover, negative culture, and job dissatisfaction.

Under the Robot boss, staff turnover was frequent, and staff were both uncooperative and became equally as petty in their behavior as their toxic boss. They would count work done in minutes, and consider any minor activity done outside of work hours as billable.They would act selfishly: wasting clients time, and focus on the advantage that they could gain in coworker relationships. 

Finance Your Franchise Business Plan And Your Peers Loan

Business establish and funding your franchise business is no easy task regardless if you are just starting out or looking to grow an existing business.

Banks and other traditional lenders - while they do like franchise businesses for several reasons like proven track records, experience and huge brand recognition - are still not jumping up and down to fund these organizations. And, it might not be due to the franchise industry itself but more to do with the financial markets in general and lenders just not wanting to take any risks at all.

Even the SBA - a huge backer of franchise businesses - are at the mercy of banks and other preferred lenders when it comes to funding (or not funding) franchisees.

So, where does a current or potential franchise business owner turn to start or grow their business?

Look To Your Peers

Peer-to-peer lending - organically started in the United Kingdom (UK) - is more about helping individuals get low cost, non-bank loans from people just like you. Peer-to-peer lending works like this. Savers (those with additional money that they want to invest in ways that provide them some type of return on those funds - more than banks are currently giving) will sign up on a platform to look for other individuals that are seeking loans for personal needs - like consolidating debt, taking a vacation, fixing a vehicle or covering emergency needs.

The person wanting a loan also signs on to the platform, gets to tell his or her story and, after being scored by the platform, gets many different savers (individual lenders) to fund their request.

It is faster, cheaper and with a lot less hassle then a bank or other traditional lenders - if those sources would even approve your loan request that is. And, these platforms look beyond credit scores when making decisions.

So, what does this do for businesses or franchises as these peer-to-peer loans are for personal needs?

Peer Loans For Franchises 

Again, started in the UK but now in North America, a company decided that they wanted to take the peer-to-peer lending industry to the business world. Thus, this company, Funding Circle, created a business loan peer-to-peer platform for both conventional businesses and franchises.

The platform offers franchise loans from $25,000 up to $500,000 - to be used to start or grow your business. These loans offer rates from 9.99% to 20.99% and can come with terms of three to five years.

Not bad for a business loan - try to get that from your bank!

From the platform;

"Full application takes less than 10 minutes and applicants receive pre-approval confirmation within 48 hours and the money in their account within 5-14 days of submitting the application."

And, according to their website, the company has put out over $525 million in small business loans worldwide.

Lastly, Funding Circle is not alone. Lending Club, a U.S. based peer-to-peer lender is also offering true business loans up to $100,000 for one to five years at rates starting as low as 5.9%.

    "We cut the cost and complexities of traditional bank loans and pass the savings on to borrowers with easy online applications, low fixed rates, fixed monthly payments, flexible terms, no prepayment penalties, no hidden fees and friendly service."

 

And, again, since these business loans do not come from banks or other traditional lenders, they come with less hassle for approval and much less red tape.

Why Do These Loans Matter To Franchise Businesses?

Normally, we do not promote specific businesses. However, these companies are pioneering new ways in which to fund businesses and franchises - trying to do what they can to fill the funding gaps left open by banks and similar business lenders.

They are by-passing traditional underwriting methods and standards (whom many say no longer work in this new economy) and finding ways to say 'yes'. And, through these peer-to-peer platforms, they are essentially taking the middle-man out (the problem to some) and letting those with money provide those funds directly to franchise owners who need it.

Image the shoe on the other foot. A well known franchise - one that you might frequent often - is asking for a loan and is willing to provide a fixed rate of interest in return. You have some additional money and help fund that loan knowing full well how good that business or franchise chain is. Not only do you help support a company you know well but you earn a fair return on your money (more then you would from keeping your money in a bank). This is a win/win situation.

Now, back to your franchise. Yes, you can apply and hope that a credit committee of a traditional lender approves your request (more likely they will drag it out for months and hope that you just go away) or you can use one of these new, peer based lending system, that puts your request in front of hundreds if not thousands of individuals who not only like and know your brand but have the money collectively to get you the loan your business needs.