BUSINESS INFORMATION

The Family Operation

2017-06-16T11:07:00.002-07:00

I have a lot of clients who come to see me because of problems arise when family members work together in businesses or farming operations. This is an area that I can relate to as I have three children, all of whom have been involved in my private practice over the years.

Here are some of the areas that might cause concern:

1. Defining leadership - Sometimes there is competition regarding who is going to be "the boss", especially when siblings are involved. A parent who has established the business might be hoping that s/he can semi-retire or retire. Even if members of next generation have the ability to continue the work, there isn't any guarantee that it will flourish - especially if the parties involved are not working as a team. Your job is to mentor and direct those involved until the ones who are taking over can assume all the tasks involved with efficiency and mutual respect.

2. Making changes - Because I have worked so hard to build my business, I can appear to be stubborn about trying new ways to do things. Most owners have experienced failures or inefficiencies and therefore feel that over time they have learned the best strategies to grow and maintain operations. Sometimes what we do works but could still be done better! We can be outdated or naive. I remember the day that my two sons sat me down and convinced me to set up online booking and to accept credit cards. I agreed to try these for one month only but was shocked at how both were received positively by my clients and saved both time and money for my staff. Thank heavens they were persistent. We need to be cautious but also open to new ideas.

3. Setting boundaries - When am I the mother and when am I the "boss"? This is one of the hardest things to sort out in both farming and business operations, especially if there are extended family members involved. Living on a farm, for example, is not the same as having a nine to five job where you punch a time clock. There needs to be a balance of work and fun for all generations. Clear communications are very important when it comes to both defining and managing boundaries.

4. Holding onto resentments - In any business enterprise it is always easier to hire a person from the "outside". His/her resume outlines their achievements and not their negative traits or history. Also, when hiring an "outsider" there isn't the emotional tie that you have with family members so it can be easier to give directions, confront and, if necessary, terminate the person's position. When you are working with family members, you cannot bury problems but instead need to confront them and come to a resolution or at least agree to disagree. Then the individuals involved have to be able to "let go" of the issue. That isn't always easy and hiring a professional therapist or mediator can help with this.

It is sad when grandparents and parents invest their lives into businesses for their children only to find out that the next generation isn't interested or able to get along well enough to carry on.

You cannot force your dreams onto others or make them do it your way. You also cannot pass the torch to them and then take it back over and over again or criticize the way that they choose to run with it.

Those who have positive family operations usually have clear communications, boundaries, and procedures. They also have learned to be open to new ideas and deal with their relationships with maturity and respect.

5 Ventilation System Maintenance Services You Need

2016-01-14T08:56:00.001-08:00

In a number of different types of premises, the owner or the management company is responsible for the statutory inspection and maintenance of smoke and mechanical ventilation systems. This is to ensure that the system is working as well as it possibly can in order to provide a safe environment for occupants.

With maintenance and inspection such a large part of the responsibility that building owners have to bear, it is often a good idea to invest in a ventilation system maintenance service, as this will keep the premises in line with statutory requirements as well as identify and repair major problems in the system as early as possible; here are five services that are definitely worth investing in.

Firstly, look for a ventilation maintenance company that will help the building owner or manager establish service logs and test schedules in order to make sure that all statutory requirements are met in a timely fashion.

Making sure that this test schedule is adhered to and that the log book is kept up to date will ensure that smoke and mechanical ventilation systems are compliant and that occupants are safe. It will also mean that fire fighters will have easier access to the fire fighting lobbies and shafts in the case of an emergency.

A second service that is worth having is one that can supply spare parts and make repairs on a rapid basis. Many of the best ventilation installation companies out there have a huge range of ventilation equipment in stock, meaning that if any problems are detected they can be remedied quickly and easily.

This leads on to the third service that is highly recommended, and this is a 24 hour emergency callout service. All types of ventilation system can fail, and in many cases it is urgent to deal with these issues in order to have equipment up and running quickly. This can be especially important in areas where occupant safety is of paramount importance, such as in hospitals and schools.

Having a reliable company on hand that can travel out to repair problems in equipment is arguably a necessary component of responsible building management. When the company also has all the necessary replacements in stock to fix the issue in an instant, this is even better yet again.

Fourthly, look for a service that carries out preventative maintenance visits on a flexible timescale. This latter point can be very important, as in some buildings it may not be possible to carry out maintenance at certain times of the day.

A schedule of preventative maintenance visits should be established between the ventilation installation company and the manager or owner of the premises, as this will avoid the frequent need for emergency callout services; preventing issues from occurring in the first place is far better than trying to repair damage once it has been done.

Lastly, search for a ventilation installation company that can provide ongoing technical support and friendly advice whenever it is needed the most. Although some companies charge extra for this kind of service, many offer all-inclusive packages that mean that all questions can be answered by an expert in a timely and precise manner.

This can be very helpful if there is an issue with a smoke or mechanical ventilation system that the building owner is unsure needs repairing or not, or if the building manager has an important question about completing the service log or statutory requirements.

These are just five of the most essential components of a quality ventilation system maintenance service. As maintenance is required by law, it is in many cases worth relying on the experts to help building owners adhere to regulations much as possible to ensure the safety of their premises and all the occupants that are living, staying or working there.

Vent Engineering is a leading provider of natural and smoke ventilation systems to business and local authority customers throughout the UK and abroad. With over 25 years in the industry, Vent is well known for its i

Making Lofty Goals Realistic

2016-01-13T05:59:00.002-08:00

Many organizations set goals that are not realistic and are in the habit of not meeting their objectives. Others achieve some of their goals by accident, and some could achieve a lot more. The first questions is, "Are your goals mandatory, or are they something you set out to try?" If they are mandatory, then I suggest you make sure that you are planning for success instead of failure. Many organizations set their goals without considering the obvious reasons they may not be achievable. By addressing these reasons up front, an organization can dramatically increase the likelihood of success or know that they must adjust them to something more realistic.

Here is a common list of possible circumstances that cause organizations not to achieve their goals:

Has consideration been given to the capacity of the target market (growing-shrinking) and what a realistic share of the market can be?

If revenue levels were achieved, considering seasonality effects, what is the ability of the organization to deliver the products and services at the optimum level while keeping its brand promises?

Can the company finance growth; should it grow faster than its ability to self-fund?
What advertising or marketing support will be needed to support the goals, and are there finances in place to support it?

How will competition respond to your strategic moves, and are your marketing and sales forces well prepared to properly differentiate the company?

What is the performance track record of the people that need to deliver, and will your new goals require a significant increase in performance?

Are there enough sales and sales support people based on: the amount of time to make the appropriate amount of sales calls; the number of meetings it will take to close a deal; how many proposals one has to write; the time it takes to process a deal, given the normal sales cycle, based on the average close ratio, the average size of deals closed, and travel time?

Will you need to introduce new products, by when, and how much of your sales volume depends on it?

Lofty goals require a regular regimen of adjusting your resources (time, people and money). As an organization answers the above questions, inevitably they should be considering upgrading some people, increasing some resources, moving some around, refocusing time, etc. Significant goals, those that require growth rates and increases in profit margins that are large improvements over prior years, need refinement on a monthly and quarterly basis. As we are trying things, we will make mistakes and/or see more opportunities for growth. The great leaders are the ones that are making these adjustments.

Howard Shore is a business growth expert that works with companies that want to maximize their growth potential by improving strategy, enhancing their knowledge, and improving motivation

How to Select a High Quality Freight Broker

2016-01-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

INSURANCE

Do they have proper insurance to protect your goods for transport?

Chances are that the trucking company the freight broker or Freight brokerage company hires for you will have more than enough insurance to cover the value of your goods in the case of an accident but it is a good idea for the broker to have insurance as well. You will want your broker to obtain proper insurance l just in case the trucking company is running with expired insurance or the broker forgets to check the trucking companies insurance in the first place. Either way you want to make sure you are covered. A reputable freight broker will have this insurance in place and will likely provide a copy of it before you have a chance to ask for it. You will want to see a minimum of 1 million liability, 250k cargo (unless the value of your goods is higher of course) and an errors and omissions policy is always a good idea.

REFERENCES

Can you find non bias references or referrals?

A good freight broker will likely have reviews on Google about past shipments, however keep in mind that these may be higher on the negative side as a person who had a good experience is much less likely to take the time out of their schedule to write a review in the first place. The best place to start would be from a friend or college who is in the shipping business. Chances are they have used one or more freight brokers before that should be able to point you in the right direction. The broker may also be able to provide references but unless it's from a big reputable company it is likely not going to be very useful.re are several reasons to use a freight broker, perhaps you have purchased an item across the country or need to get an item (s) shipped to your customer and you're looking for an easy, cost effective way to get it done. Whatever the reason may be, this guide has been put together to help you select a high quality freight brokerage company.

The below article contains various items to look for including legal, insurance, quality & experience when selecting a freight broker.

LEGAL

Do they have a Freight Broker Bond and operating authorities?

As of October 1st, 2013 Freight brokers are required by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) to have in place either a BMC-84 or BMC-85 freight broker bond in the amount of $75,000 U.S Dollars in order to maintain an active operating authority. The BMC-84 is a surety bond provided by an insurance company who is willing to guarantee the 75K in case the broker defaults on payments. The insured (broker) will pay a yearly premium of $1,000 to $12,000 in order to get this insurance in place. The BMC-85 removes the insurance company and is put in place by the broker themselves or a bank by putting $75,000 into a trust fund. The main benefit to a trucking company is that they have a bit more of a guarantee that they will get paid and that a less reputable broker isn't going to take the money from the customer and run without paying the trucker. The benefit to the shipper is very similar in the idea that they don't have to fear that after they pay the broker the trucking company is going to come after them later if the broker takes off. This has helped reduce the amount of fraud in the industry as the broker now has to be financially stable before they even start. This is all fine if your in the USA or using a U.S. based broker but if you're in Canada its a little different story. Currently the only province in Canada that regulates freight brokers is Quebec, who requires brokers to be registered with the CTQ. However in order to get active authorities the FMCSA stated that Canadian Brokers need to obtain the bond as well. This has left many brokers Canadian brokers in a grey area as the U.S. says they need it while Canada says they do not. Even if a Canadian broker wanted to get a bond it is very tough to find a U.S. or Canadian insurance company to quote it or offer it for a decent price. In conclusion, it is a good idea for all brokers to have it as it is beneficial to everyone and chances are if a Canadian broker has obtained a bond they are extremely financially stable

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Why Your Environmental Blog Is a Mistake

2015-04-28T09:27:00.002-07:00

So, you're an environmental organization and you have a blog.

Terrific.

You probably think your environmental blog should be about the environment.

But, you'd be wrong.

Unless you are a blog that is written by journalists who report on the most recent environmental news (like TreeHugger, the Guardian, or Yale Environment 360), these are not the stories that should be on your blog.

The story of the Sierra Red Fox

For example, some weeks ago the environmental cyber world was abuzz over the exciting siting of the rare Sierra Red Fox, which hadn't been seen in 100 years.

Where did I get this news? From the Sierra Club (rightly so!), and the National Park Service (who first reported on this) and from Defenders of Wildlife (okay, good). And... I also got it on the blogs and newsreels from an absolute slew of other environmental organizations.

Had they linked us directly to the originally published article that would be great. I mean, it was a very newsworthy event. But, most links sent me to their own blog.

Don't get me wrong. I'm ecstatic this story spread so far and was so widely shared.

Spreading the word on newsworthy environmental events is super. And commendable. And is a great way to show your support of your fellow environmental organizations. And advances the environmental cause as a whole.

But your blog isn't the place to do this.

Let me give another example of an organization that has this side of their communication methods figured out.

The Student Conservation Association has a blog fantastically titled, "Stories from the field." Their blog is almost exclusively written by or about their students or staff members that are out in the field supporting their organizations' mission.

Their social media management is another animal entirely.

This is where they support their fellow environmental organizations and spread the word about great environmental news. As a supporter, and potential donor, I value that. Every time I get on Facebook I can count on seeing something interesting, new, and personally valuable to me.

But, unless they are fundraising or promoting a story on their own blog, they don't send me from Facebook to a link on their website to another link on the website of whoever wrote the article to a link to an AP article. (This is not an exaggeration... many environmental organizations do this!)

The reason I applaud SCA for this is twofold:

1) Their blog sticks to and supports their direct mission.

2) They fully support their fellow environmentalists and know exactly how to spread their successes.

Know when simply being the messenger scores points

The method of communication SCA undertakes for its social media is also great for environmental nonprofits that can't invest staff time or money on weekly or daily new content of their own.

Directly sharing someone else's success (regardless of the naysayers, political climate, or the conventional media, there is a lot of success to share), allows your supporters to connect with you.

In the long run, this helps both your name recognition and to uplift your cause.

How to write an environmental blog

The first question, of course, is: What should your environmental blog be about?

The very important answer to that question is that it should directly relate to your mission and what makes your organization unique.

To help you figure out exactly what you might write about, ask yourself these questions:

    What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?
    Who do you want reading to and responding to your blog?
    What are your competitors writing about? Can you-- or should you-- compete with their content?
    What are your keywords? (This seems ridiculously simple, but also downright ingenious. If someone types into Google "climate change and polar bears" and up comes a link to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation... there's something someone is doing wrong... somewhere.) Use your keywords as guides for the content of your blog.

And then, start writing

As you start writing, keep in mind the purpose of a blog. It's not necessarily to spread news.

A blog, any blog, is about building credibility in the minds of your prospects and supporters.

With well written regular content, you'll build trust. And with trust, comes supporters.

And with supporters, comes donations, and a spread of your mission and goals.

Interested in learning more?

I'm an environmental copywriter, which means I spend my time learning the best and most current methods to communicate with environmentally minded prospects.

3 Simple Ways to Help Your Blog Be Found and Read

2015-04-27T08:36:00.001-07:00

The societal shift towards instant gratification in our media has completely altered the way we think about producing and digesting the written word, with online blogs in particular being a major force in the changing habits of both writers and readers.

When people say they want to read an epic blog post, they're no longer talking about the length. As sad as it might sound to those with dreams of grandeur, unless you are a specially talented wordsmith or raconteur, the 2000 word wall of text you wrote for your digital marketing blog is unlikely to engage many people.

People want quick fixes of pleasure to get them through the gruelling fifteen minute bus commute to work, lists of easily digestible facts that go well with a coffee, and bite-sized nuggets of information they can devour with their fries on their lunch break.

If you're regularly producing content for your digital marketing blog but finding the amount of either traffic or interaction is lower than you'd hoped, it might be time to rethink what you thought you knew about your desired audience.

Plan for the scan

The first thing to understand when producing content for your digital marketing blog is that even those who read it probably don't really read it. When digesting web content, people scan, and the way your blog posts are formatted will be a bigger factor in people reading and interacting with them than even the content itself.

Because your digital marketing blog may live or die by the format, it has to be clear. We all know the importance of a good headline, but subheadings are just as vital in breaking up your topics into easier to swallow chunks, and even helping the reader to decide if they can skip to the next paragraph.

Using keywords in the subheadings is a very good idea too. Not only does it help with SEO, but it will also reinforce the relevance of the article to your reader's interest if they have found it through an organic search.

To boldly go

To help the reader of your digital marketing blog pick out the information they are looking for, making bold the key points will cause them to jump out from the page.

Using this technique benefits yourself as much as it does your audience. While you may like to think they care about every line in your posts as much as you do, and want to spend time taking everything in, they probably don't.

So while guiding them to the parts they want to see and showing them what to skip over by making bold the important points might sound counterintuitive for those wanting all of their content to be read, your reader is actually more likely to read more of your other digital marketing blog posts if you're making it easier for them to find and digest the information.

Words and pictures

Whether images or video, using multimedia in your blog posts is vital to stimulating your reader into taking the action you want them to take.

As well as providing a break from the words, and being another effective way of breaking up the wall of text, images and video can get across messages in a way plain text never can.

The important thing to remember is to keyword your multimedia, usually by renaming the file before uploading, to give your digital marketing blog another chance to be found on Google.

People are increasingly going straight to Image searches to find what they are looking for, but your multimedia will not show in the results if it still has a generic, alphanumeric title.

Because most people scan articles on the internet rather than reading them, making your digital marketing blog easier to digest by breaking up the wall of text with keyworded multimedia, subheadings, and with the important points made bold is vital in allowing your audience to find you, and in keeping them coming back.

Golden Benefits to Hosted QuickBooks

2014-10-07T06:29:00.003-07:00

Golden Benefits to Hosted QuickBooks - Over time, QuickBooks providers has assisted a huge selection of businesses in making the switch from paper-and-pencil bookkeeping or locally-installed accounting software to Hosted QuickBooks.Switching to QuickBooks Hosting won't set you back lots of time, money, or effort and won't disrupt your overall IT infrastructure. Here's what to expect from hosted QuickBooks, following are the golden benefits:

=> If you're a paper-and-pencil bookkeeper: Even for people without much technical knowledge or experience, QuickBooks is a course that's easy to understand and use. You have better printing facility using remote QuickBooks, so accountants who prefer to utilize hard copies or need to generate documents (receipts, invoices, checks, shipping labels, etc.) shouldn't worry. Furthermore, QuickBooks is less time-consuming and mistake-prone than paper-and-pencil bookkeeping; it is able to do advanced calculations and analyses in seconds that could have a person with a calculator many hours; it never makes mistakes; and its files are centrally stored and copied daily, so its data cannot be misplaced or accidentally destroyed.

=> If you already use QuickBooks, but it's a locally-installed version: The major benefit of cloud QuickBooks is that the hosted platform can be accessed from anywhere with any Internet-connected device. So in place of only to be able to access your accounting applications on the job, much like a locally-installed QuickBooks, you can access your Hosted QuickBooks from places such as your home, a coffee shop, or perhaps a Wi-Fi-enabled airplane, and from devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Hosted QuickBooks also doesn't require the purchase of any on-site servers. Furthermore, QuickBooks hosting providers manages IT management by providing 24*7*365 tech support team, around-the-clock performance monitoring, comprehensive 4-D Security, and managed data backups having its Hosted QuickBooks.

=> If you're a Certified Public Accountant (CPA): Cloud QuickBooks lets CPAs work anywhere they want. With this fully-supported QuickBooks Hosting, helps in managing IT management and lets CPAs focus on their work. Finally, CPAs can provide an individual with access to the Hosted QuickBooks and allow the client input its data, saving themselves the distraction and cost of multiple trips to the client's office.

=> If you're a big business: The basic version of QuickBooks was created primarily for CPAs and small businesses. However, additionally, there are Pro, Premier, and Enterprise versions of QuickBooks. These versions of QuickBooks support a good amount of simultaneous users and add features such as advanced reporting and inventory management. As well as QuickBooks Hosting, offers QuickBooks Pro-Hosting, QuickBooks Premier Hosting, and QuickBooks Enterprise Hosting.

Hurdles Faced By Accounting Firms

2014-05-18T10:05:00.002-07:00

At a time when accounting firms should be attempting for greater success - it looks like we are bound to be resistant to the changes that are supposed to ensue. But taking risks and being open to the changes is one of the very crucial steps for expansion. The initial step to the change is to acknowledge the barriers that are holding us back.

Lets have a look on the barriers that are limiting our achievements.

Contentment - Profits are normally good and if you are not able to make handsome profit then you might consider leaving your practice. We are neglecting great opportunities and in many situations we even cease to provide true value services to our clients because of the over supply of the tasks. The major volume of our operations are now in compliance work and we have yielded high quality work to our clients.

Key Planning and Objective Setting - Very few outsourcing firms have a proper processing model to deliver accurate and timely results. Much of their time is consumed on operational issues and client queries. They are left with little time to consider quality and delivery issues. All too often they are bound to lose their integrity in the market

Lack of Commitment - Commitment and support are two different aspects. Commitment means taking up every possible measure to bring in success. Everyone in the market strives to provide support, but very few think about commitment.

Lack of Effort - Sometimes there is a huge gap between the efforts put in by a professional and the actual efforts required. By meeting the minimum requirement the assigned person has done what is essential to avoid penalty, all the efforts after this point are meant for quality assurance and accuracy.

Lack of Resources - Different firms incorporate different type and quality of resources. Though every outsourcer genuinely aims meet success, but only a few invest in resources to ensure success. Resources including workpower, software, workspace etc matter a lot and affect the overall results of an organization.

Lack of Vision. A strong and original vision is essential for every business to survive. A goal is something everyone can acknowledge and pursue. Profits, quality, contacts an aim is a must for the staff to keep working on their assignments. The lack of a proper leadership or managerial vision not only sounds monotonous but also brings in future insecurity at the same!

Obviously there are many more hurdles one may face but the ones mentioned above summarize the basic problems to grow, succeed and survive. Quite often one may require additional assistance, in terms of quality and time. The services offered by Connect Accounting, Australia, goes a long way in assisting accounting firms to address these problems. Connect covers many accounting tasks like annual financials, smsf outsourcing, tax returns, workpapers etc that too with quality and accuracy assurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_A_Davidson

There Is No Such Thing As Too Many Profits!

2014-05-18T10:04:00.004-07:00

Benchmarking is something that many business owners and professionals have been hearing a lot about these days. The key question that is often heard asked about it is, "Why should I benchmark?" The short answer to that is simple-because there is no such thing as "too many profits."

What can benchmarking do for your business?

It could be said that the true and sole aim of benchmarking is to increase your company's profits. There really is no other reason to engage in such a process. Quite honestly, there is really no other reason for you to even be in business than to make a profit. Given that, it seems to make sense that you should remain focused on how to make as much profit as possible. Benchmarking is one of the best ways that you can achieve this.

What is Benchmarking?

Business Benchmarking is the process of finding then fixing internal issues by comparing your Revenue and Expenses against the most efficient and profitable companies. This helps you identify the differences that may be keeping you from having the same success as your peers or competitors.

With your year-end Profit and Loss report or tax return you transfer each line item from your Profit and Loss, both revenue and expense, on to a Benchmark Financial Statement. You then extensively research to find similar companies with revenue similar to yours BUT with much higher NET PROFIT. Next place your line items beside the benchmark company. At this point you easily find your deficiency called LOST PROFIT!

How does benchmarking increase profits?

When looking at how to increase profits, you could look at increasing your pricing but if that puts you out of the game from a competitive standpoint, it may not be a very helpful strategy in the end. You could try to find additional products or services to add to your repertoire but that also could bring in additional overhead needs.

Another option is to find ways to reduce the time or cost involved to perform your existing functions, thereby increasing overall efficiency and allowing you and your employees the time to produce even more than you do now.

Benchmarking utilizes your financial data and reviews your systems and procedures to locate the specific ways that you can refine your internal operations. The information gathered by benchmarking is the key to time reduction, cost reduction, production increase and, ultimately, profit increase for your company.

A good problem to have

Certainly if you are able to generate more business due to changes implemented after benchmarking, you could end up in a situation where you need to make other changes such as hiring more people because you are so busy. While such situations can be stressful for a business, most business owners would consider those to be "good problems" to have.

The Lost Profit system is an in-house non-web based accounting TOOL of finding profit eating issues and problems within your company. We CREATE and MAINTAIN your company's PROFIT, PRODUCTIVITY, SALES and CASH FLOW in that exact order! Lost Profits Associates, LLC. will teach you and get you started. We give you free lifetime coaching support. Your computer has two blank Financial Statements, one for year end and one for monthly results. Contact Lost Profit Associates, LLC. at ( http://www.lostprofitassociates.com/contact-us/ )

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roger_D_Sander

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8494914

Integrate Business Forecasting With Cost Analysis and Avoid Common Budgeting Pitfalls

2014-04-10T10:07:00.000-07:00

Budgeting and forecasting are painful processes in businesses and nonprofits today. They are disliked because they are time-consuming, often involve defensive responses from staff, and seem to do little real cost management in a rapidly changing business environment. Participants in these processes are often correct in their critiques, but the problems they identify are not inherent in the processes. They are the result of:

1) Competing purposes in the forecasting process, especially the annual budget;
2) Having poor tools or confusing the process with the tools;
3) Failing to base the forecast on cost drivers;

4) Involving the wrong people at the wrong times in preparing the forecast.

Is the purpose of the budget to divide up resources or manage costs?

In many organizations, budgets and even re-forecasts serve primarily as tools to establish spending authority for department managers. Often, end of year performance goals are based on these targets. For small businesses, forecasts may simply be ways to demonstrate to lenders or other audiences the validity of a business model. Note that none of these purposes are focused on either a) accuracy; or b) cost management.

Cost management is rooted in cost analysis. To do effective cost management, leadership views the forecast through a matrix of major products and cost drivers. Drivers explain changes in expense levels over time and product / service level analysis defines the building blocks of profitability. Putting them together isolates key cost hubs that can be targeted for expense reduction with the most significant impact.

When spending authority is being negotiated through a budget process, departments have little incentive to forecast accurately. Their incentives will tend towards overstating their costs (so they can maintain their resource allocation) and understating revenue (so that they will increase the probability of meeting their goals). The finance department generally has an incentive to show good projected results and will typically understate the volatility in the business environment by producing a single point forecast.

In most organizations, spending authority must be established and the budget or forecast presented to external or governing bodies. However, to maintain forecast integrity, it may be necessary to have separate processes for establishing spending authority and for cost management forecasting. Alternatively, leadership can build a cost management forecast first, save that record, and then layer onto it the process of negotiating spending authority or preparing external projections.

Do your tools work and support the process?

Many organizations still use Excel to forecast. Budgeting and forecasting software companies have done an excellent job articulating the problems with using Excel, from overly complicated and potentially inaccurate spreadsheet templates to inadequate consolidation and general ledger integration.

The software offerings have improved dramatically, especially in the space in between Excel and highly technical and expensive legacy packages. Many companies now offer packages that can be installed and implemented quickly, with limited consulting support, at prices ranging from under $1,000 to $50,000 including all support.

These packages can solve most of the problems with using Excel, reducing the associated labor cost for those compiling the spreadsheets, but without bringing in the complex technical support requirements of the legacy systems.

Tools are not a substitute for business processes, however. If the wrong people are preparing the forecast, the incentives are misaligned, or costs are not analyzed, poor data will go into the forecast. A software with outstanding data intake and streamlined output and reporting cannot make poor data effective.

How are costs forecast?

Costs may be forecast many ways, but at a minimum an effective forecast will define the main driver of a given cost, whether financial or non-financial. This does not require full activity based costing. Further, a solid forecast will attribute most costs to the relevant product, service or program. This basic cost accounting, if completed as a basis for developing the forecast, will convert the forecast process into a cost management process. It will also make the forecast more accurate and give clues as to the necessary frequency of re-forecast.

Who is preparing the elements of the forecast?

Many organizations trade insight for efficiency in forecast preparation, assigning a finance or central staff member to prepare departmental forecasts. Others burden departments for preparing forecasts for line items they do not understand or control. Department personnel are best placed to forecast any cost or revenue items closely tied to departmental operations. However, central staff can make every effort to give departments only items that a) are tied to departmental operations; and b) need to be revisited in the given forecast cycle.

This article has covered only a few key elements of business forecasting and budgeting processes, and discussed how they relate to cost management. With the business climate changing ever more rapidly, all organizations have a compelling need to develop repeatable and effective forecasting processes. To be repeatable and effective, the forecast must use tools that minimize cost and complexity, involve the right people, and separate out competing purposes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cameron_Harrison

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8458519

Business Activity Statement

2014-03-29T22:09:00.006-07:00

The Business Activity Statement (BAS) may be a pre-printed document issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on either a monthly or quarterly basis. It's accustomed to summarize the amounts of GST collectible and due by you for a precise amount, in addition as a spread of different taxes together with Pay As You Go (PAYG) income tax and Australian business range (ABN) income tax. Its aim is to permit a business to report and pay variety of tax obligations in one group action.

The business activity statement was introduced in 2000 as a section of a significant tax reform that conjointly enclosed the introduction of the products and services tax (GST). It keeps your tax payment upgraded and maintained.The assorted forms and news strategies have modified significantly since the initial introduction of the BAS. Businesses use a business activity Statement (BAS) to report and meet variety of tax obligations, together with Pay As You Go (PAYG) Installments.

Your BAS is personalized and reflects the news choices you have got chosen. For instance, it shows solely the things you wish to report against, which can include:

• Goods and services tax (GST)
• PAYG installments
• PAYG withholding
• Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
• Luxury Car Tax (LCT)
• Wine Equalization Tax (WET)
• fuel tax credits

You can lodge and pay electronically, by mail or in person. You want to lodge on time to avoid interest and penalties.

The primary strategies that companies use to arrange and submit their commercial activity statement include:

• Accountant
• Bookkeeper
• Tax agent
• Tax software system
• The ATO web site
• Manually, by themselves
• Standard business news

All business homeowners World Health Organization are registered for GST should lodge a BAS for every amount, whether or not monthly or quarterly. The subsequent are necessary dates you wish to understand in relevance the lodgment and payment of your BAS:

Monthly: The twenty first day of each month for the amount simply gone.

Quarterly: The twenty eighth of October, February, April, and July.

Annually (pertaining to GST return): is distributed out when the fourth quarter BAS, and wishes to be lodged by either twenty eight Feb, or before your yearly taxation come back is due, whichever comes initial.

Lodging and paying your commercial activity statements has currently been created easier with the choice to pay via master card. Your BAS is lodged on-line, through your businessperson, by mail, over the phone, or at Australia Post.

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Article Source: EzineArticles.com

From Pain to Profits With the Right Technology

2014-03-29T22:08:00.002-07:00

As a part of professional services industry, accountants often operate in highly competitive and complex environments. In addition to the core services such as bookkeeping, taxation, auditing and financial planning, the accountants have expanded the span of their services to include business advisory & consulting, which is tantamount to playing the part of a business partner to their clients. This places accountants in a position of shared responsibility with their clients, putting them under considerable pressure to ensure their clients' success.

In order to provide a broader range of services, accountants have turned to technology to become more accessible to their clients, facilitate collaboration and delve into data analysis to improve business performance. However, in the face of fast technological change, increasing customer expectations, improving business confidence and a strong focus on growing a firm's revenue, how can firms choose the right technology for the right process, at the right time?

The right time: In Australia, unlike its professional counterparts, the accounting industry recovered quickly after a decline in the demand for its services during the GFC, showing considerable resilience. The industry has been growing at a rate of 2.2 percent until last year. This rate is forecast to increase to 3.8 percent between now and 2018 valuing the industry at $20 billion by 2017-18. Although there is a strong focus on revenue generation and increased profits within the accounting industry, in order to achieve these goals it is critical to ensure the firms stay relevant to their clients. Now is the time when firms need to identify where technology can improve efficiencies, outcomes and results, whilst creating new opportunities.

The right processes: A recent report by Business Fitness warns the industry not to put the cart before the horse when it comes to its desire for progress. The report notifies accountants that growth is a lag indicator which is a result of strategies implemented to achieve this goal. In order to attain feasible growth, the basics needs to be executed first by improving internal systems and processes and changing the habits and culture of the company. Electing and enforcing the right technology, helps a company in many ways to drive a cultural change by encouraging adoption of more efficient work practices, delivering real time solutions to the clients in shorter time frames and collaborating on information.

The right technology: Accountants need to take advantage of the digital revolution to leverage the benefits of technology. Since the accountants are released from the data entry tasks facilitated by automation and online access to regulators and third parties, they can easily focus to more imperative tasks, such as, bringing in high value clients.

Technology has also caused a shift in the expectations of clients who seek to build a long term partnership with their accountant and place them in the most trustworthy advisor roles. They may also outpace these anticipations via the right tools to strengthen the relationship, promise positive and consistent results and create a culture of availability to service. Though, a word of caution: accountants should take the time to understand their client's needs and how to best deliver on their expectations before selecting and implementing technologies.

For accountants it is important to realise that the benefits of technology go beyond automation. They seek automation as it comes with clear measurable benefits. There is a benefit and significant value, including the sanity of staff (who previously spent days entering things like bank statements) however efficiency gains via automation in fact contribute the least to growth. Thus, accountants need to go ahead and seek out technologies that provide the greatest returns and value as well as increased profit. For example, the technologies that improves instructions and contributes to positive results will return far more to the firm than automation ever will.

The technology checklist: Here's a brief checklist of what to look for when selecting a solution for your firm:

Get into the mind of your clients and find out:

What means of communication and technologies they prefer to use and

How to improve your service for the clients?

What age group do a majority of your clients fit into and what social media platforms they use? Take time to understand that generation, keeping in mind you need to plan ahead and appeal to the new breed of connected client.

Ensure your technology decisions ultimately deliver tangible benefits to your clients including reduced costs, improved outcomes and/or value added services.

Technology should be able to improve the advice you offer, by doing more with the available information rather than simply loading data.

Results must provide additional clarity to your client, your advice, expected outcomes and costs.

The solution you choose should facilitate communication by improving the way advice is presented. It must allow you to expend less time in describing and more time delivering on expectations; both your firm's and your clients'.

It must allow you to add value and improve your business's perception in the clients' mind.

Reduce the number of interactions or meetings with clients that are for gathering information as opposed to giving information.

Choose cloud based technologies that eliminate need for hardware, are easy to install and use, provide regular upgrades, and facilitate collaboration.

Here are some examples of technological solutions that have delivered great benefits to accountants:

Risk Analytics tools for high value financial clients.

Visualisation software to take all data and information relevant to a client and provide a visual interpretation signifying relationships, risk and dependencies.

Marketing automation using existing data to increase awareness and to provide education and value for clients.

Cooperative hubs to convey many facets of services to clients through a single, accessible interface.

Technologies that incorporate data from multiple sources and give multiple stakeholders access.

For example:

Bank data, share data and property data for SMSF Administration,ASIC, PPSR, Property, Debt and Titles for commercial search displayed in hubs like Encompass.

Payroll, inventory, tax, and accounts information in services like Xero.

The right training: In order to get maximum ROI on the chosen technology, firms must stamp out enough time and budget for training purposes. Being a consultant for the clients, an accountant should also encourage clients to adopt new technologies. Once accountants receive proper training and are well versed in use of a technology, they can add value by supporting their clients as well. This is the kind of advice every client looks for, and that helps build relationships and differentiates one firm from another.

The right outcomes:With the right mix of carefully selected technology, a vision of the client's needs, and the right people, the expected results can be easily achieved. Using online services and proper solutions, accountants can create logic leadership, and, in most cases, improved solutions. This can be attained rather quickly and without requiring additional knowledge or experience which would generally demand significant investment or take a long time to build. The right solutions can immediately help accountants improve their advice and service as professionals, ultimately leading to growth.

Tim Davidson is a Director of Connect Accounting Pty Limited, an Australian company that provides secure and cost effective compliance and SMSF accounting and income tax services to Australian accounting practices.

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sumber : ezinearticles.com

How to Write a Freight Claim

2014-03-06T10:08:00.000-08:00

In this short article we'd like to share some of the most important things you'll need to consider should you decide to file a freight claim. So, first and foremost:

What is a freight claim?

There are alternative words, such as shipping/cargo/ transportation claim or loss and damage claim, and one would file such a claim to recover their costs from a carrier (not including profits), although in some cases claiming profits may be considered acceptable as well.

What details to include in your claim?

You need to bear in mind that most carriers (such as UPS or FedEx ) provide their own forms for filing freight claims and you can usually download them from their websites. BUT, no particular form is necessary by law, as long as the following details are specified:

The shipment; claim_2

The loss or damage type;

The total of the amount claimed;

A clear demand for payment.

And the following documents are provided:

Shipment invoice;

Delivery receipt;

Bill of lading;

Invoice showing the value of the product being claimed;

Invoices for costs incurred.

It's also useful to include some additional info, such as the vehicle number and the delivery date, to identify the shipment.

Remember that if your claim is filled out incorrectly or some of the documents are missing, the chances of getting back your money are very slim. Every detail and every piece of paper matters and should be handled with great care, which is why it might be a very good idea to hire a team of professionals to help you to go through with this multifaceted process.

Deadlines

Another important thing to consider. For example, UPS freight acknowledges claims within 30 days and some other international carriers may give you up to 90 days. However, it's always a good idea to file your claim as soon as you can, meaning you should begin to collect the paperwork for your claim the moment you notice a loss or a damage. The longer you wait, the more chances there are to lose track of your records. That's another reason to delegate the filing of your freight claim to a firm that specializes on freight audit, or at least to make sure that there are people on your team who carefully inspect all your packages as soon as they arrive, every time.

What happens then?

Then you wait. The carrier is obliged to respond and they do in the end, but this may take longer than expected: usually, 90 days or even more. That's why we recommend you to be organized and to use some kind of procedure that works for you, in order to track your claims and make sure you get adequate response form the carrier. Again, a trained consultant may help you to come up with an effective procedure that works best in your business environment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8471764

All About Bending Machines

2013-10-27T20:49:00.005-07:00

Bending machines are used to create sheet metal through a mechanical brake. There are many different kinds of bending machine breaks depending on the type of sheet metal desired. Obtaining the perfect kind of bending machine will increase press brake productivity.

A brake is a metalworking machine which allows for the bending of sheet metal. The brake has a flat surface where the material is placed. A clamping bar comes down to hold the material firmly during a bend. The clamping action can be manual, automatic, or operated with a foot pedal.

The machine has a front, gate-like plate which is hinged. It is lifted in order to force the material to extend over a straight edge in order to bend to follow the plate. The bends can be any angle, but the practical limit is 120 degrees. If the area to be bent is narrow enough, a sharper bend can be made by inserting the bend under the clamping bar and lowering it.

Bending produces V-shape, U-shape, and channel shaped sheet metal along a straight axis. For press brake forming, the sheet metal piece is positioned over the die block. The block presses the sheet to form one of the previously mentioned shapes.

Usually bending has to overcome tensile and compressive stresses. After bending, those residual stresses cause the sheet metal to spring back towards its original position. This means the sheet metal must be over-bent to achieve the appropriate bend angle. The amount of spring back is dependent on the material and type of forming.

When the sheet metal is bent, it stretched in length. The bend deduction is the amount the sheet metal will stretch when bent. This is measured from the outside edges of the bend. The bend radius is the inside radius of the bend. The bend radius that is formed is dependent on the dies used, the material properties, and material thickness.

There are four kinds of brakes in a bending machine. These include a cornice brake, box and pan brake, bar folder, and a press brake. The press brake is the most complex tool but the most efficient. It forms predetermined bends by clamping the work piece between a matching punch and die.

The best brand for a press brake in a bending machine is Wilson Tool. Their precision, performance, and innovation is state of the art. This allows producers to become the best fabricators in the world. They have an innovative Nitrex high endurance surface enhancement that extends the life of tooling several times over an untreated tooling.

Wilson Tool has urethane products that help press brake operators reduce or even eliminate sheet marking during bending operations. These are mark-free bending solutions which include urethane dies, holders, pads, and rolls. The solutions save operators time by eliminating the need to clean up unwanted marked on sheets after bending.

Urethane dies are available in American Precision and European style. The dies greatly reduce, and in some cases completely eliminate, sheet marking on the press brake. Urethane holders are manufactured using 6061-T6 aluminium, holding a pad of urethane for mark free and radius bending.

Two pad hardness options are available. The most commonly used one is Blue/90A. The Red/80A helps reduce tonnage in the application by about 20 percent. Urethane rolls provide a protective layer across the top of standard dies to prevent sheet marking. They are also available in two styles.

The standard roll of urethane is available in thickness of.4mm or.8mm, depending on the application. There are also high-density urethane rolls are.55mm thick and last significantly longer than standard urethane.

The Benefits of Metalix Software

2013-10-27T20:49:00.002-07:00

The Metalix CAD/CAM Software System, known as cncKad, provides solutions for all Punch, Laser, and Combination Machines. cncKad is integrated with solid modellers, including SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Autodesk, Inventor, Pro/ENGINEER, and Vertex G4. There is no need for any intermediate files, like DXF, in order to transfer projects to cncKad.

Geometry, Dimensions, and Technology (including Punching and Cutting) are completely associative in cncKad. When the Geometry is modified, Dimensions and Technology are automatically updated. cncKad features 2D and 3D design, Automatic Nesting, NC Generation, Graphic Simulation, and Machine Communication.

cncKad can read DWG files directly from AutoCAD, IGES, CADL, DXF, and other formats. Sheet Metal oriented commands make creating geometry in cncKad extremely easy. It is easy to validate the geometry with features that are simple to use. These features include Correction, Analysis, and Modification.

There is a wide range of processing features. Manual tools give full control over production. Efficient automated tools save time and effort. Other tool selections include Auto Punch, Auto Cut, Common Cuts for Punch, Laser Common Cuts, Automatic Reposition, and Automatic Clamp Avoidance. These are a few examples of the many tools available through cncKad.

The Processing module is an automatic and interactive tool that supplies graphical processing for Punch, Laser, Plasma, Water Jet, and Flame technologies. It can process using automatic reposition, clamp-avoidance, stripes, trimming, support for Wilson Wheel family, minimizing tool rotation, and detailed are reports.

Processing the part is simple, and next users have the ability to create a Multi-Part Sheet with ease by resizing the sheet and generating NC. Macros are created automatically, unless users desire a longer and better optimized NC code.

The Drafting module is powerful and easy to use. It offers a full set of drafting tools and special sheet metal drafting aids. The aids include notching, chamfering, filleting, automatic detection and correction of unclosed contours, shape recognition, geometry validation, and utilizing true-type fonts.

Graphic simulation of NC program enables easy editing when viewing the processed sheet. cncKad should automatically be checked for errors during simulation. Errors could include missing parameters, clamp errors, over-travel errors, and more. The NC to DFT option allows users to import legacy NC programs into simulation.

To generate a nested sheet with assorted parts, users can choose between Manual Nesting and an automated AutoNest Module. This is capable of creating Group Arrays with Macros. Before machining, users can generate Job Reports in Word format that are fully customizable to suit the needs of the user.

There are a few key benefits of using cncKad Metalix software. It is an advanced CAD/CAM solution for the Sheet Metal manufacturer. cncKad supports the entire design to production cycle. Jobs can be ported to different machines or technology in the simplest way possible with a few easy mouse clicks.

cncKad offers a variety of Punch, Laser, Plasma, and Flame machines support with their software. The Auto Nest tool gives optimal material utilization to provide the best fit in nesting solutions. The advanced technology of cncKad combines with drafting and processing in the same module. cncKad creates efficient CNC programs with precision and ease.

The software allows users to import and export standard file formats. A few examples include DXF, IGES, CADL, and DWG. There is a large range of machines that are supported, making it useful for any type of Sheet Metal manufacturer.

cncKad offers Parametric Programming, advanced processing technologies, and support for a wide range of machines. The software is fully compatible with Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. It also functions perfectly with Microsoft Office 2007 and 2010 packages.

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Reasons Behind Gold Collecting And Investing

2013-09-02T20:27:00.003-07:00

There are various reasons to purchase gold coins. For one, each one holds a unique story. The style, mint marks, condition, and make up of each coin can provide you a glimpse on what was going on in its country of origin when it was created, and can thus provide you with a better understanding of the past. Collecting coins, also known as numismatics, is considered one of the oldest hobbies. It became extremely popular in the last century when commemorative coins became widely accessible. Clubs have been created by coin enthusiasts, which enable them to meet and trade with other enthusiasts. There are various kinds of coin collectors. Some complete a collectable series. Others buy one example of each of the major design for a specific denomination. In addition there are those that collect coins produced in one particular year. Others collect coins that show a specific theme.
Some also collect foreign and old coins. There are individuals who buy gold whose primary reason for doing so is not to collect, but as an investment vehicle. These individuals purchase coins expecting that these will grow in value with time. There are coins that hold an intrinsic bullion value and you can also get those that are valuable due to their rarity. Bullion coins carry market values that are based on the value of their fine gold content, along with a premium which varies from dealer to dealer. They aren't similar to commemorative or numismatic coins, whose value depends on design, rarity, and finish, instead of just the amount of gold they contain. One advantage of owning physical gold, like coins, is that there is no counterparty risk. Therefore, your investment doesn't count on someone else keeping their promises or staying in business. Furthermore, in contrast to paper currencies, gold coins have preserved their value across the ages, and are hence viewed as a good instrument to pass on wealth from one generation to another. Another advantage about gold is that it is an excellent vehicle to secure one's wealth. Gold is proven to be an excellent hedge against inflation, because its price will usually rise if the cost of living goes up. In periods of deflation, gold prices tend to soar while other prices decrease greatly. As such, many individuals buy gold not to trade it, but for portfolio diversification or to work as a hedge against the risk of investment losses like in real estate, equities and bonds.

How to Use LinkedIn to Build Your Side Hustle

2013-08-17T06:30:00.003-07:00

Maid services are not for everybody but in a house where all members are working people or a house that's too large to clean oneself, hiring a maid service becomes necessary. Not only are the maids good at what they do but they carry a professional attitude not always found in independent maids.An adherence to good work ethics is required by services that run a tight ship. This isn't always the case with all services so clients need to look for one with glowing recommendations and one that has been in operation for several years. A good source is through word of mouth and even internet forums which provide real client testimonies on existing services.What about background checks? Only a few cleaning services actually run background checks on their employees. These are the ones worth checking out because they value client safety and by doing so, reduce the risk posed to them if something goes wrong. The best way to find out which service does run a check is by asking outright. Those that do will be more than willing to advertise the fact and will be happy to provide proof.How competent are professional maids?
This depends on how much training has been imparted and the work culture of the service. Good cleaners are those that make sure employees work fast and efficiently and the only way to do this is either by hiring people with experience or giving them training. As for clients, inform them about what areas need cleaning, problems spots, if any, and other little details that need special attention.What happens if something gets damaged? A well-run maid service will make sure employees are bonded and insured so if an accident occurs and something suffers damage, it will try to repair or replace it if a claim is made. Most services insist that clients keep floors, chairs and beds free of clothes, toys and other 'foreign' items to make work easier and reduce the risk of damaging objects. How about discounts? Discounts may or may not be offered but one way to search is to ask services if your house can be used as a training ground for new maids. More times than most, new trainees do a very good job because they're eager to impress their bosses.Another way to cut cost is to ask services to send maids for only an hour or two. They won't be able to clean the entire house but at least you'll get a clean bathroom, kitchen or living room, useful when you have guests coming over.What about green house cleaning? As a client, you can enquire about the use of green cleaning products if desired. This point is important if there are family members with allergies, children or pets in the house. Of course, unscrupulous services may claim to use environmentally friendly products but don't. The only way to know for sure is by choosing one that's trusted.What if the work is unsatisfactory? Good maid services will be happy to send a replacement to do a better job. There are instances where clients fail to specify what needs cleaning. In this case, the fault doesn't lie with the service so if you've had an unsatisfactory experience in the past, make sure you specify details so you aren't held accountable.

20 Things to Remember When You Network

2013-08-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

1. Smile. Your smile is your billboard advertisement. People see it from afar. It says, you're friendly, happy to be here and excited about life. It will draw them closer to "read you more."

2. Offer a firm handshake. Personal touch is powerful and it says a lot about you. A weak handshake can be interpreted as lack of passion for life while a heavy one can literally hurt someone.

3. Introduce yourself first. Many people are intimidated in a public setting. Make them feel at ease by first telling them your name, nature of your business and handing them your card asking for theirs in return. Look at his/her card and repeat his/her name (it's the sweetest name in his/her ear).

4. Make eye contact. Don't look over the person's shoulder as you search for a "higher net worth" contact. Give undivided attention to the person you're talking to. This indicates respect and makes them feel important.

5. Don't gravitate towards the people you already know. It's ok to acknowledge them, but spend more time meeting people you don't know. That's the purpose of networking. Introduce someone to people you know.

6. Don't get naked. Don't start telling everything about yourself. Give interesting nuggets about yourself but don't hog the conversation. Keep dialogue in short (2-3 min) segments, pass the conversation ball.

7. Ask open-ended questions. For example, instead of saying, isn't the weather great today? (Answer: yes/no). Ask, "What kind of weather do you like?" Or "Do you know what the weather forecast is for this weekend?"

8. Generously use the phrase, "What do you think?" Asking people about their opinion is a great way to show respect and add value to them. It causes them to open up to you.

9. Avoid selfish people. After asking numerous questions, if the person you're talking to doesn't ask questions back about you, simply move on.

10. Be genuinely interested in the person regardless of the nature of his/her business. He may not be in the same industry as you but he can lead you to others who can be beneficial to you.

11. Speak with a slow but firm voice that demonstrates excitement (not loud). You must exude positive energy and vitality. The tone of your voice says a lot about you. Speaking slowly helps people understand and remember you.

12. Refrain from making any negative comments or biting into a controversial subject. Your goal is to make friends and gain referrals, not win debates. Curb the appetite to correct people and give them a piece of your mind.

13. Be generous and give quality leads. If you don't have any, offer to be their eyes and ears. This is where the golden rule is applied. If you offer leads, most people will feel compelled to return the favor.

14. Don't come to the meeting starving. You're coming to net-work. Conversation, getting to know people should be the focus - not the food. (I know; I'm disappointed too!)

15. Focus on building relationship. It will enrich your life and the benefits will follow.

16. Write a thank you and acknowledgment back within 48 hours. After the event, send a thank you and acknowledgment back for the opportunity to meet.

17. Set up an appointment. A successful networker knows how to follow-up. If you're not going to invest the time to meet face to face, share valuable information then you'll be limited in your potential. Years ago I told myself, "Every person is worth at least one hour of my time."

18. After the initial meeting, keep in touch every 2-3 weeks using email, Facebook, Twitter, Newsletter, notes, gift, leads, prayer, and encouragement, offer your service or product. Ask for their business or referrals.

19. People don't buy product, they buy the experience of you. Starbucks and restaurants make billions creating an environment and giving customers an experience. You can do better because you are smaller, therefore you can offer customers a tailor-made experience.

20. Ask God's favor. You can work alone or work in partnership. If you ask God to become your senior partner, He will bring favor that will propel your business to flourish. Tie your business up with a Kingdom cause and your business will go to another level.

Bonus: Stop selling and start listening. The more you know about your client the better equipped you'll be to fill a need in that person with your service or product. You won't believe how valuable information people give away if you just take the time to listen.

Happy networking! I'm praying for your success.

Sandy Anderson is the President of Build International Ministries. He is a writer, speaker, and minister. He has traveled to over 40 countries around the world.

Sandy is based in Grand Prairie, Texas, U.S.A. Sandy's life aspiration is to empower others to become all that God created them to be. His weekly Life Lessons Radio broadcast reaches millions in Asia.

Finding a Reliable Bolt Supplier For Your Mechanical Projects

2013-08-14T20:33:00.003-07:00

No matter what kind of mechanical work you might be doing, bolts are always a crucial component which should be addressed on its own in your supplies. If you can't count on the bolts you're using to be durable and long-lasting, this can obviously set you up for huge problems in the long run, and depending on the kinds of machines that you're working on, this may sometimes be the recipe for disaster. Things get even more complicated when more advanced, even custom, bolt designs are used. Your choice of manufacturers and suppliers will be more limited in those customized products, so you would probably have to put even more effort into your search. Worry not though, there are plenty of opportunities to realize your goals no matter where your local market is located. If you're on a tight schedule and you need to secure your bolt supplier as quickly as possible, you should do what any sensible shopper in the market for any kind of product does - go online. There's no better resource than the Internet when it comes to
finding reliable business partners for several reasons. First, it will give you a quick overview of the entire market you're working with. Second, it will provide you with lots of reliable information concerning the companies that you're considering, including independent opinions from other parties that have worked with them before. That's a bit general though - what should you be looking for when you're searching for a bolt supplier specifically? First, check the types of steel that are available for the different bolt models. A good manufacturer should be able to offer at least their most popular products in a good variety of steel types suitable for different projects. In the best cases you'll be able to choose your steel type for each bolt model that they're offering. This can be a very strong benefit in certain types of project where the flexibility of the materials you're using is an important factor. If you're ordering those bolts for a project with special requirements, make sure you discuss those with the company beforehand and be clear about the requirements that you're looking to fulfill. If the company can't meet your needs, you should know this early enough so you can look for another partner. And if this is an ongoing project, you should also discuss how well the company can meet your demands as you're moving through the different stages of the project. If you think your requirements might increase at some point, specify this so that there are no surprises later on. A situation where you have to find a new supplier on short notice in the middle of a current project can be devastating to the progress of that project, so you should always plan ahead and know what could come up. In the end though, if you have a good bolt supplier on your side, you've already cleared a very big obstacle in the future progress of your project. The rest is down to skillful application to logistics.

Lower Costs With Wind Power Energy

2013-08-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

Every home and business around the world that uses electricity knows how much they are spending each month for energy costs. It seems like the bills are growing every month too. There are many sources, such as wind power energy, that is able to reduce these costs drastically. There are some areas where wind is not going to be as good as others. Solar power will be an option in many of these areas though. There are answers to saving money in a lot of sources that will use products that are clean and already there. Nothing has to be produced. The sun and the wind are things that are already there and will always be there. People can use these sources to generate their own power. It is something that is not going away anytime soon so this method will be great to pass on to younger generations. Large wind turbines may be grouped together in some areas. These are ones that are placed by energy companies to try to cut down on their costs. Homes and businesses can run on the same thing but will usually use a smaller turbine. The engineers will be able to determine what turbines will work better for certain areas or if they will work at all. The placement of them is going to be a huge factor in the effectiveness of them as well. Consulting with
an engineer is going to give someone an idea of what they need and how much it will cost for them to get their system into operation. There are many things that are going to be important to consider before choosing which wind turbine to get. The amount of energy consumed in a home should be taken into consideration as well as the amount of wind that is available around the property. Trees can cut down on the wind source too. They will block the wind plus they will change the pattern of the wind flow in certain areas. Wide open areas are the best places to put a wind turbine. Wind will still blow in other areas but it is not as effective as what it would be in open areas. Engineers will be able to evaluate the property and figure out if it will be beneficial to install a turbine or if there would be too many obstructions. Using the wind for energy will not cause any pollution either. It is something that is available simply by providing the upkeep to the turbines and the rest of the system. There are many things that are going to be extremely important when taking care of these systems. Some days will be better for wind. Every area of the world will have that because on calm days, it is not going to produce as much power as it will when the wind is blowing strong. Everybody has their own ideas of different kinds of green energy solutions. They may like wind power better or solar power better. Both of them are going to better on certain days. The sun is not going to be as abundant on wet and rainy days as it will when it is 80 degrees and sunny. The same is true with wind. The worst weather is the best for wind turbines to produce power to a home. Wind power energy will be a good answer to high energy bills. It can help to run any electronic device in the home or office without a problem. Some days will be better for it but there will be a lot of different choices for people who are looking into a renewable energy source.

Is Office-Based Working More Productive Than Remote Working?

2013-08-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

There has been an ongoing debate about whether companies should allow their employees to work remotely or insist that they are office-based ever since Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced early in 2013 that she was revoking the company's remote working policy. Although she has declined to comment on the decision the argument reportedly is that the company needs employees to be able to communicate and collaborate quickly by working side by side, but also because ideas often come about via casual conversations between colleagues at the coffee machine or in discussions over a meal break. There is also a perception that a problem with having employees working remotely from home is that there is a loss of speed and of quality in some of their activities. From the employee's perspective it is also argued that those who work remotely are often treated as "second tier" compared with those colleagues who are in the office every day. This is a cultural issue, however, with only anecdotal evidence although there are some surveys that have shown that more than half of the bosses asked disapproved of remote working. The changed nature of the office
environment has also had its effects in that large, open-plan office space can make people feel perpetually under scrutiny and anxious. This, too, can be counterproductive to doing a good job. There has been some research that has found that the open plan office makes people feel sick, nervous and unhappy. Another factor that has contributed to the debate has been the impact that IT and in particular email has had on the nature of work. Although it makes the remote working model much easier to manage it has also been said that the need to attend to a relentless flood of email each day is stifling productivity and creativity. There is also a view that attending to large quantities of email communication has resulted in less actual communication and discussion between colleagues. It is argued that people working remotely worry about how they are being viewed by colleagues in the workplace and this leads to behaviour such as emailing earlier and more frequently in order to demonstrate that they are working even if they are not in the office. It also increasingly impinges on leisure and social time in that people increasingly feel obliged to check their email for urgent work related communications. Among the positive aspects of remote working are that it cuts down on travelling time and also that it allows people to focus and concentrate when they need quiet and few distractions. This can actually improve productivity and efficiency considerably. Where remote working is possible some companies also benefits from lower overheads because they do not need to pay for and maintain large office buildings. Perhaps the answer is that while it is obvious that some types of operations require people to be present on site many do not. It is perfectly possible at least some of the time, for a manager or executive to have a PA or secretary who works remotely. Businesses need to consider which style - or even a combination of both - works best for their activities and crucially they need to think through exactly how it will be managed and what is expected of employees as well as operating a remote working policy fairly so that it is not seen as a privilege for the few.

The Translation of Legal Documents

2013-08-10T08:10:00.001-07:00

Translation is a very important aspect of modern legal work. This has become more common as part of what legal professionals are faced with due to the fact that international cases and documents are more widespread. The world is becoming a smaller place and communication is quicker. This allows more and more businesses to work together and more documentation to be used in all aspects of human communication. From passport documentation translation to the complex work involved in translating the documents in an international legal case, legal translation is in much higher demand than it has ever been before.

With legal documents, every word has much more significance than it would have in a different context. These documents are often pored over as part of a legal dispute, for example, and the seriousness of such a matter means that documentation surrounding the dispute is highly important. It could decide the case.
When that document is in another language than that which legal professionals use, it is vital that a highly qualified legal translator is available for the translation of legal documents. There is no room for error, and this is why legal translation is such a highly specialized field. One only has to consider the nature of some recent high profile international cases to know the importance of good quality translation of legal documents.
Essentially, it is absolutely imperative that the legal matters involved in such documents are made clear to all participants. This means that anyone who has a part to play in whatever legal matter is taking place has an opportunity to understand it, with language not being a barrier to that understanding. This means having the best legal translator involved in the translation of legal documents, so a case can reach a speedy conclusion, saving money and time for everyone.
Some of the documents that can be involved in legal translation include the following:

Contract translations, where important contracts, whether they are between individuals or companies, are accurately translated for all parties. There are obvious consequences if this is not done accurately

Confidentiality agreements. People who are doing business with each other often use these or are hiring people like freelancers. They are highly important documents, especially when the work that is to be done involves sensitive information. Therefore, companies in particular want to ensure that their legal documents in this regard are expertly prepared and expertly translated

Government documents and information. These can include all kinds of important and legal documents that bind policy for governments, whether national or local. It is particularly important these are translated correctly, due to the fact that they are part of public service agreements, and have a direct impact upon the lives of communities, both locally and nationally

Legal documents are vitally important, and often require that they be read very carefully by whoever is using them. Legal professionals may be contracted to dissect them or ensure they are followed, and this process cannot take place if there is a language barrier. It is for this reason that the translation of legal documents is perhaps some of the most important work that takes place in legal sectors today.

The Business Case for Cultural Intelligence

2013-08-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

Emotional intelligence (EQ) and Managerial Intelligence (MQ) have been well established as crucial for senior leaders. EQ and MQ are insufficient if your organisation is operating across borders, distance and multiple time zones. Cultural Intelligence CQ is a 'must have' skill in today's' global environment.
CQ is a person's capacity to function effectively in culturally diverse settings. Although Cultural Intelligence levels vary a great deal between individuals and within teams and organisations, the good news is that with appropriate training and responsiveness it can be developed.
Cultural Intelligence will increase productivity, reduce operating costs and improve talent development and retention.

In terms of your international markets are you asking?
• How can we gain a better understanding of our local markets?
• How can we ensure that critical IP, knowledge and expertise are not lost when we outsource and partner with external parties?
• Why are project timelines and budgets regularly 'blown out'?
• Are our international relationships purely transactional?
• Why does innovation seem stifled and problematic?
• Are we a Culturally Intelligent organisation?
• Is CQ part of our organisational DNA?
If you are reading these questions with a nod, then you will intuitively understand that CQ is a business imperative! Cultural Intelligence allows leaders and their organisations a greater sense of connectivity with their local and overseas counterparts, facilitates the ability to tap into 'what is happening on the ground' and incorporates the knowledge and expertise to help make informed decisions, quickly and accurately.
The business case for CQ is:
• Open up new markets and provide for a deeper understanding of these markets
• Improve engagement with local staff
• Leverage local knowledge and expertise
• Improve innovation and creativity
• Reduce costs and improve timelines on projects
• Lead to greater collaboration between teams
• Develop greater understanding of what your local customers and clients need
• Establish/improve relationships and trust at a much faster rate
Cultural Intelligence assists your organisation to achieve the above by:
• Improving listening and communication skills =
Greater extraction of local knowledge + deeper relationships
• Understanding behaviours and habits in local markets =
Improved teamwork + improved relationships
• Improving leadership skills =
Increased staff productivity + talent development
• Improving trust =
Increased collaboration, + increased innovation
• Supporting Change and Foster Resilience =
Improved alignment + collaboration in teams
Developing CQ is not easy - it requires motivation, reflection, insight, knowledge and skills. I have seen enormous benefits in my clients from the application of CQ demonstrated through their skills and capabilities.
Cultural intelligence gives individuals and organisations different ways of thinking and behaviours that support more effective business processes and outcomes. In this ever competitive, globalised world, CQ is what will make the difference between a mediocre and a successful transnational organisation.