Business travel management is a significant part of any business operation. If a business is to be at all successful, it is imperative that the business be willing to travel in an effort to spread the word about the business’s current offerings.
With that said, business management travel services are something that many businesses rely on to ensure that all travel necessities are handled effectively and that all travel endeavours are fulfilled without hassle. When it comes to business travel there are so many components of travel arrangement that must be considered that it is only wise to take on the services offered by a business travel management agency.
In terms of business travel, it is important to choose the right accommodation for travel endeavours. Conferences, meetings, team building events, training courses, sales presentations, PR events, annual general meetings, exhibitions, conventions, and the like require a specific location that will meet the demands of the host of any business event and its attendees. Myriad aspects pertaining to travel will have to be reviewed and decided upon; business travel management agencies make such decisions more clear, decisive and prudent.
When selecting an accommodation, the size of the accommodation and whether or not the accommodation meets the requirements of the business will need to be determined. Is the accommodation large enough for an event? Such a question will need to be considered; team building meetings may not require an accommodation as large as one that would be needed for conferences, conventions, corporate hospitality events, exhibitions, seminars, award ceremonies or parties. Will the accommodation have everything necessary for a business to pull of an event completely trouble free? Again, this is an issue that will need to be held in consideration – whether there are enough outlets to utilise for presentations and equipment, whether there is enough room for necessary equipment and even the menu offered at the venue will need to be considered. All of the latter issues can be easily addressed by an agent that possesses knowledge about various accommodations and the offerings such venues have.
Of course, in addition to choosing the appropriate accommodation, travel arrangements will also be a significant consideration. It makes no difference whether a business is having annual general meetings, awards ceremonies, conferences, conventions, exhibitions, meetings, PR events, product launches, sales presentations, seminars, team building events, training courses or the business is hosting a corporate hospitality event or other parties: if the expected attendees cannot get to the event with relative ease, the number of guests that actually attend will be directly affected. Business and corporate travel needs do not have to induce stress or case a company or corporation a significant amount of concern: business travel management professionals can make air travel, air transfers, limousine services and other forms of transportation available to guests and business people, thereby making the accessibility of any event simple and hassle free.
What about the surrounding area where an event is to be held? Businesses looking to hold an event in a city that they are not quite familiar with can benefit from business travel management services. The surrounding area can be researched and often times business management travel professionals already possess the foreknowledge about various areas that a business or corporation can rely on. With business management travel services, businesses and corporations can easily offer advice to event guests and business professionals about the city, where to shop, and the great local sites and places were recreational pursuits are encouraged.
Finding a venue and making travel arrangements while maintaining a strict budget is a task for anyone – business management travel professionals make it easier for businesses and corporations to keep within the boundaries of a pre-established budget. Business management travel professionals can assist with finding an affordable accommodation, can negotiate pricing for businesses and corporations, can find the very best, reasonable airfare prices, find the best, most affordable cars for hire and even point businesses and corporations to the least expensive train travel and air transfer options.
The most important part of any business event is that the event is successful. A successful event is not only defined by the number of attendees, but also by how smoothly the entire event evolves. If a business or corporation hosts a business event, seminar, conference, training session, or corporate hospitality event and the event is one where all the guests are truly satisfied, such an event ensures the positive outcome and attendance of future events hosted by the business or the corporation in question. Without a doubt, the reliance on business travel management professionals just makes good business sense: the professionalism and knowledge of such a company or agency will ensure the positive outcome of hosted events both in the present day as well as in the company’s future.
7/13/2008
7/12/2008
Cargo and Management Practice
During World War II, US forces took over islands in the Pacific where the residents had never see airplanes, or canned food, or any of the tons of material that a military force needs. The islanders were careful observers, though, and they figured out what the military did to cause the goods to show up.
This is what they saw. The military folks would go up into towers they'd built and talk into a box. Soon the material, or "cargo," would arrive.
When the war ended, the military went away and the cargo stopped coming. But some of the islanders figured that they could make the cargo come back. All they had to do was exactly what the US military people had done.
So they went up in the abandoned towers and talked into the dead radios that were there. Sometimes they "built" radios from wood or other available materials. They did everything just like the military and they waited for cargo to arrive, but it never did.
Those islanders were members of something we call "cargo cults." They were bright, observant people who copied a behavior they believed would bring back the cargo. It seems silly to us, because we understand what airplanes and control towers and radios are.
But it was magic to the cargo cultists and they tried the best they could to make it work. Just like lots of managers do with the practices of other companies.
Everybody, it seems, copies General Electric (GE), often in the area of forced ranking. At GE, managers are required to rank their employees into three groups. Twenty percent should be top performers. Seventy percent are in the middle. And 10 percent bring up the rear.
The idea is that you treat the top 20 percent as stars and they get the lion's share of the bonuses, stock options and rewards and opportunities of all kinds. You work to keep the middle 70 percent engaged. And the bottom 10 percent have to go.
This system works at GE, much to the chagrin of many commentators. Because it works at GE and because GE has been a successful corporation for decades, some businesspeople decide to introduce forced ranking in some form into their organization. They want to get some of that GE magic.
The science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke has said that "Any sufficiently advanced technology will be perceived as magic." When you don't understand what goes behind the success of the forced ranking system at GE, it looks magical, and magic always looks better than hard work.
So companies adopt the forced ranking system without paying attention to any evidence about how it might work in their place. But, alas, there is evidence that forced ranking is more likely to create problems than to magically create profit.
The Novations Group surveyed two hundred human resource professionals who worked at companies with more than 2500 employees and asked them about how forced ranking worked. Half of the companies used some kind of forced ranking system. Respondents to Novations' survey found that forced ranking caused lower productivity, lower levels of employee engagement, and increased distrust of leadership.
If you're going to adopt the practices used by another company, no matter how successful, you need to do some research into why it works there. In GE's case, the answer may involve things you can't replicate overnight.
Forced ranking works at GE because there are two characteristics of the company that support it. First, there is a culture of candor. Unlike most other companies, GE values and rewards candid conversations about performance.
GE also has used an extensive and rigorous evaluation system for years. Combine candid communication with rigorous evaluation and you get evaluations that don’t come as a surprise. In other words, people know when they're not performing and don't fit.
There's one other thing. Despite the rhetoric, GE doesn't automatically fire people who are in the bottom ten percent. There's often the opportunity to improve or try a different assignment before firing becomes the option.
If you want to adopt the practices of another company or industry you have two choices. You can do it like the cargo cults, mimicking behavior and hoping it will get the same result. Or you can do a little due diligence and increase the odds that you'll make the right choice.
Do a little research. Academics, consultants and graduate students are doing research all the time about what works and what doesn't. If you read the Novations' study as part of your due diligence, you'd know that forced ranking isn't the magic it might appear.
Check out the companies where the practice works and a few where it hasn't worked. What are the differences between them? Which companies are like your company?
If you're still not sure about adopting a practice, review the history of how it came to work in companies where it's successful. Tracing that history will often help you see organizational and cultural pre-cursors necessary for success.
In this age of management fads, it's easy to take a cargo cult approach to adopting some new practice. But with a little bit of work and research you can choose wisely which practices you'll adopt and how you'll adapt them to your own company.
This is what they saw. The military folks would go up into towers they'd built and talk into a box. Soon the material, or "cargo," would arrive.
When the war ended, the military went away and the cargo stopped coming. But some of the islanders figured that they could make the cargo come back. All they had to do was exactly what the US military people had done.
So they went up in the abandoned towers and talked into the dead radios that were there. Sometimes they "built" radios from wood or other available materials. They did everything just like the military and they waited for cargo to arrive, but it never did.
Those islanders were members of something we call "cargo cults." They were bright, observant people who copied a behavior they believed would bring back the cargo. It seems silly to us, because we understand what airplanes and control towers and radios are.
But it was magic to the cargo cultists and they tried the best they could to make it work. Just like lots of managers do with the practices of other companies.
Everybody, it seems, copies General Electric (GE), often in the area of forced ranking. At GE, managers are required to rank their employees into three groups. Twenty percent should be top performers. Seventy percent are in the middle. And 10 percent bring up the rear.
The idea is that you treat the top 20 percent as stars and they get the lion's share of the bonuses, stock options and rewards and opportunities of all kinds. You work to keep the middle 70 percent engaged. And the bottom 10 percent have to go.
This system works at GE, much to the chagrin of many commentators. Because it works at GE and because GE has been a successful corporation for decades, some businesspeople decide to introduce forced ranking in some form into their organization. They want to get some of that GE magic.
The science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke has said that "Any sufficiently advanced technology will be perceived as magic." When you don't understand what goes behind the success of the forced ranking system at GE, it looks magical, and magic always looks better than hard work.
So companies adopt the forced ranking system without paying attention to any evidence about how it might work in their place. But, alas, there is evidence that forced ranking is more likely to create problems than to magically create profit.
The Novations Group surveyed two hundred human resource professionals who worked at companies with more than 2500 employees and asked them about how forced ranking worked. Half of the companies used some kind of forced ranking system. Respondents to Novations' survey found that forced ranking caused lower productivity, lower levels of employee engagement, and increased distrust of leadership.
If you're going to adopt the practices used by another company, no matter how successful, you need to do some research into why it works there. In GE's case, the answer may involve things you can't replicate overnight.
Forced ranking works at GE because there are two characteristics of the company that support it. First, there is a culture of candor. Unlike most other companies, GE values and rewards candid conversations about performance.
GE also has used an extensive and rigorous evaluation system for years. Combine candid communication with rigorous evaluation and you get evaluations that don’t come as a surprise. In other words, people know when they're not performing and don't fit.
There's one other thing. Despite the rhetoric, GE doesn't automatically fire people who are in the bottom ten percent. There's often the opportunity to improve or try a different assignment before firing becomes the option.
If you want to adopt the practices of another company or industry you have two choices. You can do it like the cargo cults, mimicking behavior and hoping it will get the same result. Or you can do a little due diligence and increase the odds that you'll make the right choice.
Do a little research. Academics, consultants and graduate students are doing research all the time about what works and what doesn't. If you read the Novations' study as part of your due diligence, you'd know that forced ranking isn't the magic it might appear.
Check out the companies where the practice works and a few where it hasn't worked. What are the differences between them? Which companies are like your company?
If you're still not sure about adopting a practice, review the history of how it came to work in companies where it's successful. Tracing that history will often help you see organizational and cultural pre-cursors necessary for success.
In this age of management fads, it's easy to take a cargo cult approach to adopting some new practice. But with a little bit of work and research you can choose wisely which practices you'll adopt and how you'll adapt them to your own company.
Auction Management
An auctioneer and her assistants scan the crowd for bidders
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the winning bidder. In economic theory, an auction may refer to any mechanism or set of trading rules for exchange.
There are several variations on the basic auction form, including time limits, minimum or maximum limits on bid prices, and special rules for determining the winning bidder(s) and sale price(s). Participants in an auction may or may not know the identities or actions of other participants. Depending on the auction, bidders may participate in person or remotely through a variety of means, including telephone and the internet. The seller usually pays a commission to the auctioneer or auction company based on a percentage of the final sale price.
Management Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging, usually on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning or climate control. Additional common features found in hotel rooms are a telephone, an alarm clock, a television, and Internet connectivity; snack foods and drinks may be supplied in a mini-bar, and facilities for making hot drinks. Larger hotels may provide a number of additional guest facilities such as a restaurant, a swimming pool or childcare, and have conference and social function services.
Some hotels offer various combinations of meals as part of a room and board arrangement. In the United Kingdom, a hotel is required by law to serve food and drinks to all guests within certain stated hours; to avoid this requirement it is not uncommon to come across private hotels which are not subject to this requirement. In Japan, capsule hotels provide a minimized amount of room space and shared facilities.
In Australia and Canada, hotel may also refer to a pub or bar. In India, the word may also refer to a restaurant since the best restaurants were always situated next to a good hotel.
Some hotels offer various combinations of meals as part of a room and board arrangement. In the United Kingdom, a hotel is required by law to serve food and drinks to all guests within certain stated hours; to avoid this requirement it is not uncommon to come across private hotels which are not subject to this requirement. In Japan, capsule hotels provide a minimized amount of room space and shared facilities.
In Australia and Canada, hotel may also refer to a pub or bar. In India, the word may also refer to a restaurant since the best restaurants were always situated next to a good hotel.
Large Rental Property
Do you have a smaller property that you would like to make look larger? There are some inexpensive tips that you can use to make your property seem larger to any prospective tenants. Your tenants may well like the results enough to stay longer and reduce your turnover costs. Although some of these tips apply only to a furnished unit in a direct sense, you may find them useful in other ways as well, such as in enhancing your own palatial quarters.
1. Using Light to Increase the Feeling of Openness
— A light and open appearance makes any space seem larger. The feeling of openness is aided by good lighting, because of our lifelong conditioning to associate brightly lit places with open spaces. Shine lights on walls so they will appear to be brighter. You might want to have lighting controls that will allow you to dim or increase the intensity in each room, as an added touch.
2. Colors
– Use only lighter shades of warm colors such as red, yellow, brown and orange. These colors can make a room seem bigger and more open. To give a particular room extra depth, you might try using light colors on three walls and a coordinating darker tone on the remaining wall to fool the eye into perceiving added depth.
3. Minimize the Furniture
— Any rooms that have too much furniture tend to look smaller. The more crowded a room is, the smaller it will seem. Be sure not to crowd the furniture together when you want to make the room look larger than it physically is. Avoid putting big armchairs and sofas in cramped spaces. Use dual purpose furniture to maximize the appearance of spaciousness. For instance, a footstool that has a place inside for magazine storage saves the space that would otherwise be needed for a second dedicated piece.
4. Accessories
– Curtains and other accessories you use to decorate the property can have a big impact on how large or small it appears. Use light colored curtains to allow plenty of light during the daytime. Choose light colored furniture, or as a minimum use light colored covers for the furniture, since choosing light colors tends to give a feeling of extra space.
5. Mirrors Can Be Effective
— Use wall mirrors strategically to give the appearance of depth to a room. This is one of the easiest improvement tips ever. Mirrors can serve as attractive art elements in and of themselves, and they serve the additional purpose of making small rooms seem larger.
6. Reduce Unattractive Clutter
— Having efficient storage is an important consideration, especially in confined spaces. The more junk there is in sight, the smaller and less attractive the place will look and the less comfortable your tenants will be. This is not just a matter of making the place more attractive to get tenants in, but accommodating a more healthful lifestyle for them in a subtle way. Use storage systems that accommodate a neat and tidy way of using the space. With less clutter, the property will be a petter place to live and will look better to prospective tenants.
These tips can save money and effort in the task of making a rental unit more attractive and marketable. In fact, these suggestions are among the best methods to improve a home for the practical reason of making it more pleasant for the occupants, as well as simply making it look great.
1. Using Light to Increase the Feeling of Openness
— A light and open appearance makes any space seem larger. The feeling of openness is aided by good lighting, because of our lifelong conditioning to associate brightly lit places with open spaces. Shine lights on walls so they will appear to be brighter. You might want to have lighting controls that will allow you to dim or increase the intensity in each room, as an added touch.
2. Colors
– Use only lighter shades of warm colors such as red, yellow, brown and orange. These colors can make a room seem bigger and more open. To give a particular room extra depth, you might try using light colors on three walls and a coordinating darker tone on the remaining wall to fool the eye into perceiving added depth.
3. Minimize the Furniture
— Any rooms that have too much furniture tend to look smaller. The more crowded a room is, the smaller it will seem. Be sure not to crowd the furniture together when you want to make the room look larger than it physically is. Avoid putting big armchairs and sofas in cramped spaces. Use dual purpose furniture to maximize the appearance of spaciousness. For instance, a footstool that has a place inside for magazine storage saves the space that would otherwise be needed for a second dedicated piece.
4. Accessories
– Curtains and other accessories you use to decorate the property can have a big impact on how large or small it appears. Use light colored curtains to allow plenty of light during the daytime. Choose light colored furniture, or as a minimum use light colored covers for the furniture, since choosing light colors tends to give a feeling of extra space.
5. Mirrors Can Be Effective
— Use wall mirrors strategically to give the appearance of depth to a room. This is one of the easiest improvement tips ever. Mirrors can serve as attractive art elements in and of themselves, and they serve the additional purpose of making small rooms seem larger.
6. Reduce Unattractive Clutter
— Having efficient storage is an important consideration, especially in confined spaces. The more junk there is in sight, the smaller and less attractive the place will look and the less comfortable your tenants will be. This is not just a matter of making the place more attractive to get tenants in, but accommodating a more healthful lifestyle for them in a subtle way. Use storage systems that accommodate a neat and tidy way of using the space. With less clutter, the property will be a petter place to live and will look better to prospective tenants.
These tips can save money and effort in the task of making a rental unit more attractive and marketable. In fact, these suggestions are among the best methods to improve a home for the practical reason of making it more pleasant for the occupants, as well as simply making it look great.
7/10/2008
The Advent of Risk Management web site
Sharing information elevates the visibility of the risk management function, and increases understanding and cooperation. Having the ability to communicate risk management efforts and present results promptly and concisely is very powerful. Risk management information systems can provide the tool.
In today's world, technology has become such an integral part of our lives that even grandmothers use e-mail to talk with their grandchildren. Surely if grandmothers have figured out how the Internet can get their message across, risk management professionals should see the same value in this technology. The Internet (or your company's internal Intranet) can also be used to "get your message across" in a format that is informative, usable, interactive, and less intrusive than pounds of paper.
Typically, a currently available risk management information system (RMIS) is "Internet ready." These systems include the capability to "publish" risk management information on secure web sites, distribute information by e-mail, or even allow direct access to the application using a desktop browser.
How Can a Risk Management Web Site Work for You?
Consider the impact of a corporate web site (or a web page on an existing corporate site) dedicated solely to risk management issues. Secure sites could contain information on losses or severity and frequency trends, by type or cause of loss. Benchmark information (typically normalized to minimize "competition" between the users) could be provided to corporate subsidiaries or divisions, with the goal of providing tools to measure performance. Web sites could also include risk management "tips of the month," disaster plans, training information, corporate telephone books, and emergency numbers.
More advanced web sites might include the corporate cost allocation formula with interactive models, and the ability to generate standard or ad hoc reports. Monthly loss information could be downloaded into these models or printed in reports to raise awareness about the impact of losses. Providing users the tools to generate their own analytical reports would support proactive loss management and loss prevention efforts (as well as allowing management to see the impact of losses on possible remuneration).
The majority of existing web sites are designed to facilitate prompt incident or loss reporting. Electronic incident and loss report forms are provided on the web site. Supervisors can simply open the web site, complete the form, and submit it via e-mail directly to insurers or third-party administrators, or directly into a database maintained in the risk management department where the report is reviewed further before disposition. If the RMIS is attached to the web site, incident reports could be entered directly into the application, providing real-time access to new loss reports and incident information.
Security on these web sites could be maintained. Web sites on internal Intranets would be the most secure and could be protected by an existing Intranet firewall and, if necessary, by additional password protection. Internet-based web sites would be less secure, although by using technology (such as digital certificates, passwords, and other tools), privacy could be protected.
How Does a New RMIS Support the Web Site?
The most current versions of risk management information systems in the marketplace have the capacity to support risk management web sites. Minimally, they can facilitate communication (and eliminate paper) by publishing monthly reports through e-mail or by using integrated web browsers, which support the use of an Intranet or Internet-based web site. A web-based RMIS can provide information and loss management tools throughout the entire organization.
A fully integrated RMIS/web site could provide direct access into the RMIS from the web site. The ability to view, record, or alter information in the RMIS could be controlled by security and passwords within the RMIS. Employees could request standardized or ad hoc reports independently from the risk management staff, supporting the concept of responsibility for performance.
A fully functional web-based RMIS could support the risk management function in highly decentralized organizational structures, where typically the responsibility for profitability or financial results rests with the management of the subsidiary or division. Managing risk in this type of organizational structure can be difficult because the risk manager is usually too far removed from day-to-day operations at the subsidiary or division to know when loss trends begin to develop. The risk manager may be the last to know when the frequency of a certain type of loss begins to increase, particularly when location management's interest may be served by delaying loss reports or independently "managing" the loss by self-funding costs.
A web-based RMIS facilitates prompt reporting; there is no obstacle to providing an immediate report of a loss because of an absence or missed telephone call. Anyone with a desktop browser can complete a loss report. The web site can also track when losses are reported, providing a platform to reward prompt reporting and penalize delays.
However, along with easy access to the RMIS to report new incidents and losses comes easy access to claim details at the field level. Some risk managers may not want to share information on specific claim reserves or settlement strategies, due to concern over having to continually explain the position taken by the risk management department or insurer. The frequency of confrontation is typically directly proportional to the amount of impact loss frequency and costs have on individual managers' bonuses. There is also the issue of protecting the privacy of injured employees' medical information, and containing distribution of information on claims of organizational or institutional importance.
The level of access directly into the RMIS needs to be designed with consideration of these issues, and can be controlled through security access defined by the RMIS access. However, if responsibility for controlling losses is placed on the subsidiary or divisional level, then access to information needed to affect the outcomes must be provided. The web site could provide the platform to educate and provide the tools needed to gain consensus on managing losses.
Those of us who have been part of the risk management community for a long time know that sharing information elevates the visibility of the risk management function, and increases understanding and cooperation. Having the ability to communicate risk management efforts and present results promptly and concisely is very powerful.
The most current versions of risk management information systems in the marketplace have the capacity to support risk management web sites. Minimally, they can facilitate communication (and eliminate paper) by publishing monthly reports through e-mail or by using integrated web browsers, which support the use of an Intranet or Internet-based web site. A web-based RMIS can provide information and loss management tools throughout the entire organization.
A fully integrated RMIS/web site could provide direct access into the RMIS from the web site. The ability to view, record, or alter information in the RMIS could be controlled by security and passwords within the RMIS. Employees could request standardized or ad hoc reports independently from the risk management staff, supporting the concept of responsibility for performance.
A fully functional web-based RMIS could support the risk management function in highly decentralized organizational structures, where typically the responsibility for profitability or financial results rests with the management of the subsidiary or division. Managing risk in this type of organizational structure can be difficult because the risk manager is usually too far removed from day-to-day operations at the subsidiary or division to know when loss trends begin to develop. The risk manager may be the last to know when the frequency of a certain type of loss begins to increase, particularly when location management's interest may be served by delaying loss reports or independently "managing" the loss by self-funding costs.
A web-based RMIS facilitates prompt reporting; there is no obstacle to providing an immediate report of a loss because of an absence or missed telephone call. Anyone with a desktop browser can complete a loss report. The web site can also track when losses are reported, providing a platform to reward prompt reporting and penalize delays.
However, along with easy access to the RMIS to report new incidents and losses comes easy access to claim details at the field level. Some risk managers may not want to share information on specific claim reserves or settlement strategies, due to concern over having to continually explain the position taken by the risk management department or insurer. The frequency of confrontation is typically directly proportional to the amount of impact loss frequency and costs have on individual managers' bonuses. There is also the issue of protecting the privacy of injured employees' medical information, and containing distribution of information on claims of organizational or institutional importance.
The level of access directly into the RMIS needs to be designed with consideration of these issues, and can be controlled through security access defined by the RMIS access. However, if responsibility for controlling losses is placed on the subsidiary or divisional level, then access to information needed to affect the outcomes must be provided. The web site could provide the platform to educate and provide the tools needed to gain consensus on managing losses.
Those of us who have been part of the risk management community for a long time know that sharing information elevates the visibility of the risk management function, and increases understanding and cooperation. Having the ability to communicate risk management efforts and present results promptly and concisely is very powerful.
Car Insurance for Bad Driving Record
Do you have a bad driving record? Most people believe that a bad driving record will ruin their chances for cheap Car Insurance rates. Well there is a solution; all companies are different and specialize in different risks. Be aware that some companies specialize in the high risk or non standard market, in other words, people with tickets and/or accidents.
By getting car insurance quotes online, you are able to input your information only once to have multiple insurance carriers evaluate your risk, taking into consideration your driving history, and give you instant rates. Drivers can then see which company is offering the cheapest rates even with a bad record. Drivers that have many accidents and violations are finally able to find the lowest rates by accessing dozens of companies that compete for their business. Additionally, a bad driving record can be fixed. Traffic school is one of the most common ways of dismissing unwanted tickets. Once enrolled into traffic school, you will learn good driving techniques and tips on how to become a safe driver on the road. You may use these tips to avoid any further accidents or moving violations, and at the same time have some violations removed from your driving record. Maintaining good driving history will help lower the cost of your car insurance and will help keep premiums low. If your record is not that badly marked, you may be even able to get a good driver discount in the future and further reduce the cost of your policy.A DUI is one of the most common violations now days with more people getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. Unfortunately there are not many solutions to getting a DUI cleared off your record. One thing to do is avoid any further violations and let time eventually clear things up. Some states require that a DUI stay on your record for a period of up to ten years which means that you may be paying higher rates throughout that period; however, rates should reduce as you build a clean driving history and show that you can drive safely and obey the rules.
DUI's, also known as DWI (driving while intoxicated) can raise rates dramatically, buy don't worry, there is a way to get cheap auto insurance rates even with a DUI. The Internet works as a tool for finding a quality company which will help you get that good price.
Let the Internet help you find cheap auto insurance online by comparing rates from multiple companies with one simple process. Visit OnlineAutoInsurance.com today and compare rates at no cost or obligation!
By getting car insurance quotes online, you are able to input your information only once to have multiple insurance carriers evaluate your risk, taking into consideration your driving history, and give you instant rates. Drivers can then see which company is offering the cheapest rates even with a bad record. Drivers that have many accidents and violations are finally able to find the lowest rates by accessing dozens of companies that compete for their business. Additionally, a bad driving record can be fixed. Traffic school is one of the most common ways of dismissing unwanted tickets. Once enrolled into traffic school, you will learn good driving techniques and tips on how to become a safe driver on the road. You may use these tips to avoid any further accidents or moving violations, and at the same time have some violations removed from your driving record. Maintaining good driving history will help lower the cost of your car insurance and will help keep premiums low. If your record is not that badly marked, you may be even able to get a good driver discount in the future and further reduce the cost of your policy.A DUI is one of the most common violations now days with more people getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. Unfortunately there are not many solutions to getting a DUI cleared off your record. One thing to do is avoid any further violations and let time eventually clear things up. Some states require that a DUI stay on your record for a period of up to ten years which means that you may be paying higher rates throughout that period; however, rates should reduce as you build a clean driving history and show that you can drive safely and obey the rules.
DUI's, also known as DWI (driving while intoxicated) can raise rates dramatically, buy don't worry, there is a way to get cheap auto insurance rates even with a DUI. The Internet works as a tool for finding a quality company which will help you get that good price.
Let the Internet help you find cheap auto insurance online by comparing rates from multiple companies with one simple process. Visit OnlineAutoInsurance.com today and compare rates at no cost or obligation!
7/06/2008
Start up Your Business
Start up businesses are the new way for people to make a living. With growing overhead and employee costs, companies often prefer people who do freelance work from home because it saves them money. Since small businesses account for the overwhelming majority of all businesses in the United States, more people are seeking out small business startup information as a way to support themselves and their family. For most people, work at home business opportunities are a great way to set your own schedules and spend more quality time with family.
The first step in creating start up businesses is to find something that you will be interested in doing. Whether it is a service or a product, whatever you base your small business on should be something that you are knowledgeable and passionate about. Without these qualities, your start up business will become more like a job rather than something you enjoy doing. The best startup business begins with a hobby that you decide to turn into something profitable.
When you begin your new startup business, decide if you are going to offer either a product or a service. Your home based business idea includes a unique commodity that will often make life easier for people and will be in high demand. You can base your new business on something that is already being offered, but do something to make it different in order to gain a competitive edge against other businesses. Also, make sure that your new business has staying power and will generate income for you and your family for many years to come.
Another thing to look at when striving for your best startup business possibilities is how people will view your product or service. They will want to know exactly what your service offers them and if the cost will be worth what it provides. Try to look at your product or service from the view of outsiders and even ask others if they think your idea is useful and helpful. Find out if there is a demand for what you plan to offer. This means that you have to know your market and know who you should target in order to create the largest profit.
Once you have gotten this far with your small business startup, information is the next thing you need to focus on. Start by narrowing down your startup businesses into specific ideas. Decide on the price for what you are planning to offer and be sure that it will not only be profitable for you, but be sure that the price is something that others will pay. Then decide where you will sell the product or service. Be sure that there are customers in the area that will be interested in your product. Snow blowers would not be a profitable business, for instance, if you decide to market them in places like southern Texas. Finally, try to decide how to make your product or service even better than your initial idea before you begin.
You can have a lot of fun with new work at home internet business, but they also require a lot of work. Once you have set things in motion, though, you can often reap the benefits of all of the labor you put into your business. By doing research and gathering the correct small business startup information, you can be sure that you will have a profitable experience. Creating a solid foundation of clientele and customers is one of the most essential aspects of any successful business. Once these conditions are met, you can manage your new venture from the comfort of your home...
The first step in creating start up businesses is to find something that you will be interested in doing. Whether it is a service or a product, whatever you base your small business on should be something that you are knowledgeable and passionate about. Without these qualities, your start up business will become more like a job rather than something you enjoy doing. The best startup business begins with a hobby that you decide to turn into something profitable.
When you begin your new startup business, decide if you are going to offer either a product or a service. Your home based business idea includes a unique commodity that will often make life easier for people and will be in high demand. You can base your new business on something that is already being offered, but do something to make it different in order to gain a competitive edge against other businesses. Also, make sure that your new business has staying power and will generate income for you and your family for many years to come.
Another thing to look at when striving for your best startup business possibilities is how people will view your product or service. They will want to know exactly what your service offers them and if the cost will be worth what it provides. Try to look at your product or service from the view of outsiders and even ask others if they think your idea is useful and helpful. Find out if there is a demand for what you plan to offer. This means that you have to know your market and know who you should target in order to create the largest profit.
Once you have gotten this far with your small business startup, information is the next thing you need to focus on. Start by narrowing down your startup businesses into specific ideas. Decide on the price for what you are planning to offer and be sure that it will not only be profitable for you, but be sure that the price is something that others will pay. Then decide where you will sell the product or service. Be sure that there are customers in the area that will be interested in your product. Snow blowers would not be a profitable business, for instance, if you decide to market them in places like southern Texas. Finally, try to decide how to make your product or service even better than your initial idea before you begin.
You can have a lot of fun with new work at home internet business, but they also require a lot of work. Once you have set things in motion, though, you can often reap the benefits of all of the labor you put into your business. By doing research and gathering the correct small business startup information, you can be sure that you will have a profitable experience. Creating a solid foundation of clientele and customers is one of the most essential aspects of any successful business. Once these conditions are met, you can manage your new venture from the comfort of your home...
Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance cannot only offer protection for individuals but also for small businesses and the owners of that business. Do you own a small business? If you do, you're paying liability and property insurances, which protects your business against theft, fire, flood, and a variety of other disasters. However, these types of insurance do not protect the people in the company, only the physical and monetary assets.
What would happen if one of your key employees like a manger or CEO were suddenly unable to work because of a disability or a death? What happens if something happens to you, or to one of your partners? Are you prepared for disasters or deaths like these? What would happen to your business? If there are outstanding business loans and other monetary obligations, who is going to take care of them if you are gone? This is exactly where the concept of term life insurance for small business comes into play.
As your company begins to grow, there are likely going to be a couple of key people that your business would be unable to function without. There may be a CEO, a manager, an accountant, or someone else who really matters to your company. Without this person, your company would probably have difficulty functioning. Some businesses go out of business when a key person like this dies, because they cannot handle the finances, or cannot drum up the same level of sales without them. Learn more about term life insurance and if it's right for protecting your small business at http://surigaobabe.blogspot.com/2008/05/life-insurance.html.
By taking a term life insurance policy out on each of these key people, you can better insure your company by protecting her against any losses that would be faced if one of these people were to become unable to work because of a disability, or even worse, because of a death. Are you wondering why term life insurance is the best alternative? Especially when it comes to young companies, term life insurance policies have lower premiums, and the limited coverage term seems to make the most sense for small business owners.
As the company continues to grow and becomes more stable and more successful, term life insurance policies can be converted into whole life key person insurance policies. These are insurance policies that are designed especially to cover the loss of a key person who is employed by an organization.
Term life insurance policies can also usually be used to cover partners who work in a buy and sell arrangement. If one partner should happen to pass away, the death benefit will serve as a buyout so that his half of the company can be purchased from the family. This way, the family is not stuck with a business they have no interest in, and instead receive the death benefit that they need to survive in the form of the proceeds from the business sale. Find out more regarding term life insurance by visiting http://chalyza.blogspot.com/2008/05/life-insurance.html.
Term life insurance is not always the perfect option. In some situations, a whole life insurance policy is ideal because it allows the investment to be used to fund and finance projects, and can provide the foundation for a retirement plan or allow the business to borrow against the insurance for expansion purposes. Still, term life insurance is an alternative that should be explored, especially when it comes to young businesses that are interested in short term protection.
Regardless of whether you choose term life insurance or whole life insurance, insuring the key people in your organization is a critical part of protecting your company from some of the disasters that can prevent a business from functioning.
About the Author
Sharon Taylor writes term life insurance articles and other helpful material for eQUOTE Life Insurance, providing customers with Term Life Insurance, no-obligation quotes, and other useful life insurance resource information.
What would happen if one of your key employees like a manger or CEO were suddenly unable to work because of a disability or a death? What happens if something happens to you, or to one of your partners? Are you prepared for disasters or deaths like these? What would happen to your business? If there are outstanding business loans and other monetary obligations, who is going to take care of them if you are gone? This is exactly where the concept of term life insurance for small business comes into play.
As your company begins to grow, there are likely going to be a couple of key people that your business would be unable to function without. There may be a CEO, a manager, an accountant, or someone else who really matters to your company. Without this person, your company would probably have difficulty functioning. Some businesses go out of business when a key person like this dies, because they cannot handle the finances, or cannot drum up the same level of sales without them. Learn more about term life insurance and if it's right for protecting your small business at http://surigaobabe.blogspot.com/2008/05/life-insurance.html.
By taking a term life insurance policy out on each of these key people, you can better insure your company by protecting her against any losses that would be faced if one of these people were to become unable to work because of a disability, or even worse, because of a death. Are you wondering why term life insurance is the best alternative? Especially when it comes to young companies, term life insurance policies have lower premiums, and the limited coverage term seems to make the most sense for small business owners.
As the company continues to grow and becomes more stable and more successful, term life insurance policies can be converted into whole life key person insurance policies. These are insurance policies that are designed especially to cover the loss of a key person who is employed by an organization.
Term life insurance policies can also usually be used to cover partners who work in a buy and sell arrangement. If one partner should happen to pass away, the death benefit will serve as a buyout so that his half of the company can be purchased from the family. This way, the family is not stuck with a business they have no interest in, and instead receive the death benefit that they need to survive in the form of the proceeds from the business sale. Find out more regarding term life insurance by visiting http://chalyza.blogspot.com/2008/05/life-insurance.html.
Term life insurance is not always the perfect option. In some situations, a whole life insurance policy is ideal because it allows the investment to be used to fund and finance projects, and can provide the foundation for a retirement plan or allow the business to borrow against the insurance for expansion purposes. Still, term life insurance is an alternative that should be explored, especially when it comes to young businesses that are interested in short term protection.
Regardless of whether you choose term life insurance or whole life insurance, insuring the key people in your organization is a critical part of protecting your company from some of the disasters that can prevent a business from functioning.
About the Author
Sharon Taylor writes term life insurance articles and other helpful material for eQUOTE Life Insurance, providing customers with Term Life Insurance, no-obligation quotes, and other useful life insurance resource information.
Building Successful Teams in the Midst of Transition
Some people seem to thrive on change. How do they do it? How do they manage change in a way that they not only survive, but also excel? They seem to make change work for them. Martin Luther King, Jr., Margaret Thatcher, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Mother Teresa —— with resolute courage and determination —— stood squarely in the center of change and controversy. These great leaders created their own opportunities to fight for what they believed in. This is the challenge and opportunity for you.
Each of these leaders were masters of change. One of the most significant essentials for success during transition is teambuilding. Leaders that can challenge, motivate, and empower their teams through change are successful. Most change disrupts teamwork. The leaders who can keep their work teams focused during changes will have organizations and businesses which thrive.
Health care and banking are two industries, among many others, which are experiencing dramatic change at this time. For the last five years I have had the opportunity to consult and train health care groups and banks during their times of transition.
American River Bank is a growing and profitable bank in Sacramento, California. Several years ago they were experiencing significant growth and purchased another bank. One of the changes that was impacting the bank was the integration of bank officers from two different banking systems. The question was raised, "How do you effectively merge two banking teams?"
President, Bill Young, effectively built a team that did not just survive change, but thrived. They choose the theme for the year, "Thrive in '95!" I spoke at breakfast meetings and held special training sessions on the importance and role of team players in the midst of transition. I remember the high energy during these sessions as work teams were synergized. The bank has continued to grow and has a positive reputation in the business community in Sacramento.
Capitol Periodontal Group is a growing periodontal practice of five doctors and about 35 employees. Dental specialists, such as periodontists, depend on general dentists as the gatekeepers for their continual referrals. When gatekeepers begin to recommend other specialists, business can eventually dry up. Several years ago, when one partner left the group, the general dentistry community wondered what was wrong. Why would one partner leave a thriving business to join another? The staff also struggled with this change since the one doctor brought in a great deal of business.
But Capital Periodontal Group focused on a strong strategic mission. They developed a strategic plan for the transition and kept focusing on sound periodontal health care and building a team of caring workers. I facilitated several workshops on team and patient communication. In the past few years, the group has added two more doctors and is recognized as a fun place to work because of its team spirit. At a recent workshop, each of the doctors sat and listened to small groups of employees evaluate each doctor's communication skills. I have worked with a lot of businesses in communication. However, this is the first time I ever saw partners who listened carefully to their staff evaluate their communication skills with patients. No wonder they are growing and the staff enjoy working together.
When taking a team through transitional times, we emphasize the following five essentials. Not only are each of these essential, but they are listed in the proper order. Each one builds on the preceding one. Get one out of place and you disrupt the team. The five essentials are the basic outline of our consulting, training and development.
Essential One: Knowledge
Is your company a learning organization? A learning organization includes the following characteristics: 1. A belief that systems thinking is fundamental 2. A climate that encourages, rewards, and enhances individual and collective learning 3. A view that holds surprises, mistakes, and failures as learning opportunities 4. A desire for continuous improvement and renewal 5. Learning integrated with work
Do you have knowledge workers or skilled workers?
Successful businesses today focus on knowledge workers. Knowledge workers are entrepreneurial —— visionary and creative. They look at their job as a business and serve other workers in the company as their customers. Knowledge is the foundation to vision
Essential Two: A Focused Vision
The team must have a unified mission. The team mission is not for the customers, it is for the staff The team mission must be developed by the staff —— for ownership Without knowledge, the team mission is a false hope
Essential Three: Faith
Doubt and skepticism will erode the team spirit The dynamic team must have a strong faith and trust in the mission Faith is no stronger than the truth of its assumptions Therefore, faith must be built on the first two factors: Faith without knowledge and vision is merely presumption
Essential Four: Initiative
Peter Drucker says that "sooner or later all plans degenerate into work."
How do you motivate your staff to do their part? You don't. Motivation is an inside job: It is internal. Therefore, daily initiative comes from making sure each person is doing the part of the whole that they feel they can best contribute to the overall mission. Initiative without knowledge, vision and faith is misguided energy.
Without initiative, knowledge, vision and faith are just a dream.
Essential Five: Training and Development
Jerry Rice of the 49'ers practices catching 100 balls a day with one hand. You would think that after playing professional football for over 10 years, he would know how to catch a football, right? But he gives himself to constant skill development. American Society of Training and Development found the following major competencies as models for human performance improvement:
Industry or corporation awareness Leadership skills Interpersonal—relationship skills Technological literacy Problem—solving skills Problem—definition skills Systems thinking and understanding Performance understanding Knowledge of interventions Business understanding Organization understanding Contracting skills Advocacy skills Coping skills Ability to see the big picture
Great teams are made up of knowledge workers, who have a focused vision, believe in their mission, and empower each other with their initiative and skill development.
Each of these leaders were masters of change. One of the most significant essentials for success during transition is teambuilding. Leaders that can challenge, motivate, and empower their teams through change are successful. Most change disrupts teamwork. The leaders who can keep their work teams focused during changes will have organizations and businesses which thrive.
Health care and banking are two industries, among many others, which are experiencing dramatic change at this time. For the last five years I have had the opportunity to consult and train health care groups and banks during their times of transition.
American River Bank is a growing and profitable bank in Sacramento, California. Several years ago they were experiencing significant growth and purchased another bank. One of the changes that was impacting the bank was the integration of bank officers from two different banking systems. The question was raised, "How do you effectively merge two banking teams?"
President, Bill Young, effectively built a team that did not just survive change, but thrived. They choose the theme for the year, "Thrive in '95!" I spoke at breakfast meetings and held special training sessions on the importance and role of team players in the midst of transition. I remember the high energy during these sessions as work teams were synergized. The bank has continued to grow and has a positive reputation in the business community in Sacramento.
Capitol Periodontal Group is a growing periodontal practice of five doctors and about 35 employees. Dental specialists, such as periodontists, depend on general dentists as the gatekeepers for their continual referrals. When gatekeepers begin to recommend other specialists, business can eventually dry up. Several years ago, when one partner left the group, the general dentistry community wondered what was wrong. Why would one partner leave a thriving business to join another? The staff also struggled with this change since the one doctor brought in a great deal of business.
But Capital Periodontal Group focused on a strong strategic mission. They developed a strategic plan for the transition and kept focusing on sound periodontal health care and building a team of caring workers. I facilitated several workshops on team and patient communication. In the past few years, the group has added two more doctors and is recognized as a fun place to work because of its team spirit. At a recent workshop, each of the doctors sat and listened to small groups of employees evaluate each doctor's communication skills. I have worked with a lot of businesses in communication. However, this is the first time I ever saw partners who listened carefully to their staff evaluate their communication skills with patients. No wonder they are growing and the staff enjoy working together.
When taking a team through transitional times, we emphasize the following five essentials. Not only are each of these essential, but they are listed in the proper order. Each one builds on the preceding one. Get one out of place and you disrupt the team. The five essentials are the basic outline of our consulting, training and development.
Essential One: Knowledge
Is your company a learning organization? A learning organization includes the following characteristics: 1. A belief that systems thinking is fundamental 2. A climate that encourages, rewards, and enhances individual and collective learning 3. A view that holds surprises, mistakes, and failures as learning opportunities 4. A desire for continuous improvement and renewal 5. Learning integrated with work
Do you have knowledge workers or skilled workers?
Successful businesses today focus on knowledge workers. Knowledge workers are entrepreneurial —— visionary and creative. They look at their job as a business and serve other workers in the company as their customers. Knowledge is the foundation to vision
Essential Two: A Focused Vision
The team must have a unified mission. The team mission is not for the customers, it is for the staff The team mission must be developed by the staff —— for ownership Without knowledge, the team mission is a false hope
Essential Three: Faith
Doubt and skepticism will erode the team spirit The dynamic team must have a strong faith and trust in the mission Faith is no stronger than the truth of its assumptions Therefore, faith must be built on the first two factors: Faith without knowledge and vision is merely presumption
Essential Four: Initiative
Peter Drucker says that "sooner or later all plans degenerate into work."
How do you motivate your staff to do their part? You don't. Motivation is an inside job: It is internal. Therefore, daily initiative comes from making sure each person is doing the part of the whole that they feel they can best contribute to the overall mission. Initiative without knowledge, vision and faith is misguided energy.
Without initiative, knowledge, vision and faith are just a dream.
Essential Five: Training and Development
Jerry Rice of the 49'ers practices catching 100 balls a day with one hand. You would think that after playing professional football for over 10 years, he would know how to catch a football, right? But he gives himself to constant skill development. American Society of Training and Development found the following major competencies as models for human performance improvement:
Industry or corporation awareness Leadership skills Interpersonal—relationship skills Technological literacy Problem—solving skills Problem—definition skills Systems thinking and understanding Performance understanding Knowledge of interventions Business understanding Organization understanding Contracting skills Advocacy skills Coping skills Ability to see the big picture
Great teams are made up of knowledge workers, who have a focused vision, believe in their mission, and empower each other with their initiative and skill development.
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