The average interruption costs anywhere between 10-20 minutes of someone's precious time. If you have 4 interruptions a day, that amounts to one hour of productive time. Time that you can't get back.

If you are being interrupted while you are trying to work in your office, here are some proven techniques that can help you eliminate lost time, yet still be a team player with that "well-intentioned" colleague.

1. Be responsible with your punctuality so that you are not the cause of an interruption.

2. Schedule a 10 minute meeting with any person with whom you may have questions for. Ask in advance for a convenient time for both of you.

3. Respect your peers time and space. Socialize when and where it is conducive to all.

4. Put a sign on your desk denoting your return time: 'Genius At Work' 'Back at 2:00 p.m.'

5. If you see someone is busy working, always ask: 'Is this a good time for you?' Don't assume they are available just because you are.

6. If you are interrupted, feel free to let someone know that you need time to finish what you are working on. Schedule a time to get together later that same day.

7. Avoid enabling people to continue operating out of an urgent mode with their constant interruptions.

8. Understand that we can be a positive force in facilitating this behavior by modeling the way we respond.

9. Use a 'People Page' to contain your thoughts, ideas and questions. Create a list of items you need to discuss with people rather than contacting them with every single item.

10.Designate particular times of the day that people have access to you to discuss pertinent information. Maintain a schedule of availability on your office door.

11.State a specific amount of time that you can spend with people. It will keep everyone more focused and to the point.

12.Encourage employees to come prepared with their questions written down.

You really can control your time. It is important to let others know that while you will make time to discuss their needs, you still value your own time.

You've had enough and are ready to change your ways. Even you can't stand your procrastination anymore. So where do you begin to make changes? How do you start?

Don't let your procrastination stop you now. You can overcome it by following these 10 tips:

1. Begin by picking one thing you want to accomplish. It doesn't have to be a major goal. Start with a small task that you have been putting off.

2. Make a plan. When will you start? Choose a specific time and date to begin. Write it in your calendar. It is a commitment and appointment with yourself. Remember to honor it.

3. Is the task measurable? It must be a task that has a defined outcome. You need to know that you have completed it satisfactorily.

4. Is it realistic/attainable? The task you choose must be a real item. Something that can be achieved by you in a measurable amount of time.

5. Set a completion date. For a task or goal to be considered completed, there must be a 'due' date, something to hold you accountable.

6. Break the goal into small, baby steps. A goal can be very overwhelming because there are so many steps before completion. Reduce your goal to individual tasks. It's just like eating an elephant... one bite at a time.

7. Schedule time for each step in your planner. Once you know each of the steps necessary, you must schedule the time. This is how the task gets done. Plan to succeed.

8. Honor the time commitment to yourself. As long as you have made the appointment with yourself, keep it. Each time you do this, you will have overcome another obstacle.

9. Do the worst task first. Get it over with. Instead of dreading a 'to do' all day, why not do it first and you can enjoy the rest of the day. It's not worth agonizing over and ruining an entire day.

10. Use the buddy system: be accountable to someone. We all need checks and balances. Whether it's an exercise program or getting organized, it is important to have a cheerleader to support you. Find the right person to be in your corner.

Great job. You are on your way to becoming more organized and learning to overcome your procrastination habits. It takes 21 days to learn a new habit. Stick with it. If you fall off one day, it's ok. Just get back up the next day.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! That's right. At first you take the first bite. You have created a business plan, set goals to provide the best product or service to an identified target market and maybe secured capital from an outside source.

As you took your first bite, you focused on start- up activities: budget, marketing, and development. You studied all aspects of entrepreneurship to ensure your business a healthy start and provide energy for growth.

On the way to success! Before you knew it, business boomed and you found yourself busier that you ever thought possible. Your inner voice communicates worry that may have eluded your early days in business.

How can you do it all? How will you keep up with more work and longer hours? Will you be able to continue to provide the same quality, service and customer follow up that led to your growth? Will the organizational systems you put in place at the outset continue to work?

Did I say relax? With planning, you will be able to keep it all going. The key is to refocus on how to maintain control with physical and psychological organization as you grow. To maximize your business's escalation, develop routines with time and materials.

Since it takes time to create and organize business systems, begin with the clock. That dial is more important than ever as you re-identify priorities. Divide your calendar into 30 minute increments and schedule time blocks.

Here are the Top Ten Time Tested Techniques to maintaining control and cultivating growth:

1. Plan your schedule every week. Determine activities that require attention. If you are working on a long term project, exercise 'back timing.' That is, place the deadline for a project on your calendar. Work backwards from the deadline date so that you visually see the timeline and progress that a project requires.

2. Break projects into individual tasks. Schedule a definite time in your planner to work on each step. Scheduling in detail will help keep you focused, on schedule and avoid a last-minute rush that can hinder completion and quality.

3. Learn to delegate. You can't do it alone and expect to maintain growth. You need to be doing the most important tasks, while delegating the supporting tasks to someone else. Delegation is something that must be done over time. Work with a person who has the skills necessary for the kind of tasks you need done; learn to guide them and teach them slowly; trust will develop to the point where you can allow them more responsibility.

4. Implement a filing system. Implement a filing system to complement your work style. Can you find what you need when you need it? If you find yourself buried under more and more paper, it's time to reassess and create a better filing system. An effective filing system will save you time and money in dealing with your clients.

5. Just Say 'No'. Say 'no' to items that are not supporting your goals. It would be great if we could do everything for everyone, but that's not realistic. Nor is that the best use of our time. Understand what you are trying to accomplish, where you are going and how you plan to get there. It's easy to over extend ourselves, but that is a real time waster. Give yourself permission to say 'no.'

6. Take control of interruptions. Let's be honest, we all have so many interruptions during the day, that the time wasted would add up to at least an hour. Imagine how productive you could be with that same hour, if only you didn't have all those interruptions. Encourage colleagues to make an appointment with you, limit the time, and know the agenda. Keep practicing until it becomes a habit. Eliminate extra seating in your office. People will be less likely to stay for a long time with no place to sit.

7. Establish activity stations. Everything should have a place to 'be'. Some of the stations you should have are: computer, telephone, files, supplies, reference materials, and blank forms. By creating a system, you will be able to find what you need when you need it.

8. Process mail daily. Practice the FAT system: file, act, and toss. All papers will fall into one of these categories. Some of what you receive is for your information only. You can decide if you need to keep it, and then file it. If not, toss it. Other mail requires action. These are bills, invitations needing a response, correspondence, and requests. These should be prioritized by date of importance and placed in a tickler file. The 'junk' mail should be tossed immediately. Remember, even if you throw out a special offer, you will probably receive it again anyway.

9. Keep a bound notebook near the telephone. Use this to record all your phone calls and phone numbers. This keeps all the information in one place rather than hundreds of notes all over the floor and desk. Plus, it creates a permanent log for follow up.

10. Set aside 15 minutes. At the end of each day plan to clean up and prepare for tomorrow. Make it a habit to do this everyday. You will have closure for today, and be prepared to begin again tomorrow.

The most important thing you can do for yourself and your evolving business is to create a solid, organized foundation and build upon it.

Don't agonize...Organize!

Do you wish you had more time in your day? Doesn't it always seem that if we just had a few more minutes, we could finish a task or project? Welcome to the fast fifteen!

Usually we think of fifteen minutes as negligible in view of the larger projects and tasks that surround us. Let's examine different ways that 15 minutes could be more productive.

Are you a victim of other people's agendas? If we are in `reactive' mode, then our fifteen minutes may be something like this: on hold on the telephone, waiting in line, in a traffic jam, waiting to talk with a colleague in the office, waiting to use the fax machine or to make copies, waiting for fresh coffee at the office, or waiting for a signature. I'm sure your list could go on and on.

What you do with your time is your choice. You can choose to allow time wasters to eat up your `free' time or you can resolve to implement better time management habits that will actually allow you to create more free time.

Are you looking for more free time? We all are! Looking for free time isn't difficult, you just have to know where to look for it. Most often, you will find it in little snippits throughout your day. Small amounts of time can prove to be very productive and help to keep you on track with your goals and projects.

Take back control of your time now. Let's take a look at our fifteen minutes as a `proactive' participant. In fifteen minutes, you can make several phone calls, schedule an appointment, make out your `to- do' list, dictate a short letter, read an important article, place an order, take a brisk walk or clean up your desk.

Imagine if you were productive during those small moments of time. You would actually be creating more `free' time to do what you enjoy.

Plan to create personal time. Think about your day and how you are actually spending your time. Hopefully you are using a good calendar system and schedule appointments accordingly. However, don't forget to leave some `white' space in your day to allow for the usual crisis or the unexpected interruption.

Many of your `white' spaces will be converted to the fast fifteen. By using this time management technique, your day will be more productive and effective. More tasks will be completed, projects will continue to move forward, and you will be operating at full speed.

Don't you wish you could accomplish so much every day? Well, you can. Continue to practice and tweak the time management skills to compliment your workstyle. You can do it!

When you enter your office space, are you overwhelmed with the amount of papers stacked on the desk, chairs, and floor? Even in this age of computers and electronics, the quantity of paper that we are printing, receiving and filing has grown substantially. Add to that the mail that we receive daily that needs to be acted upon or filed. Is there a way to take back control of our piles and files?

You bet! A paper/workflow system needs to be developed to accommodate the information that you must keep. Everyone will create a different method that supports their personal strengths and makes it easy for them to find what they need.

Several different options are available to create a filing system:

1. Alphabetical - all files are a-z

2. Categorical and/or color code - broad topics such as insurance, medical, home, finance, etc. You may choose to color code by category for a visual reminder.

3. The `if/then' method - Make files depending on what comes first. For example: all job related files may be first; then, because of your job, you will have income, banking and investment information; next, because you have finances, you may have a home/mortgage, insurance, etc. It is another approach to creating a `system'.

The most important rule is to HAVE a process that works for you. Develop a routine of going through your incoming papers and mail. It won't happen by itself, rather you have to plan and schedule the time. Make it a habit. Perhaps everyday at 4:30 you will deal with the papers before you end your day. Over time, it will become automatic, just like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast.

Begin with the most current papers. Develop a system based on today's information and continue to file and toss as you go through the stacks on your desk and on the floor. Plan to work in 30-45 minute increments of time. Your focus will remain stronger and you will accomplish a lot more in a short period of time. Then, move on to other tasks.

Remember, the piles and files didn't get this way overnight. Give yourself the benefit of time in order to take back control of the paper blizzard. Soon, you will be able to enjoy the calm environment that you have always wanted.

Don't Agonize...Organize It!

Are you swimming in a sea of sticky notes? They are everywhere: in the car, around the computer, on the desk, in the kitchen, and up the stairs!

Let's face it... sticky notes are a brilliant way for us to keep information right in front of our faces. The problem is that when there are 100's of them, they all become a blur. We put important information on small notes and then realize that we can't find it, or remember where we've filed it.The time it takes to retrace our steps and look through files to find the information again is a huge time waster.

It's time you took back control of your information and use a system that is much more reliable. In fact, it's so easy, you won't believe it.

Use a SPIRAL notebook. That's right. It can be any size (preferably at least 4 x 6).

* Put one next to your telephone for logging in any calls and recording voice mail messages and phone numbers. (At home, train all family members and babysitters to use the same spiral notebook.)

* Keep a notebook next to your computer to jot down web sites, key words, etc.

* When necessary, carry a notebook with you in the car to jot down thoughts, phone numbers, and ideas.

It is best to have only one or two notebooks. It must be a spiral notebook because it is important that the papers are bound. This keeps them from breaking loose. You can keep this book as a permanent log to refer back to. It can be as simple or detailed as you wish.

By creating a simple system with the notebook, you will be able to eliminate the 100's of pieces of paper and notes that you are buried in!

Sticky notes can be wonderful tools, but we must remember to use them sparingly. When we have completed the task on the note, remember to throw it away. This helps to eliminate out of date information that is no longer needed. The more you get into the habit of using a spiral notebook, the more organized, informed and professional you will be. Now that's a stress reliever!

Attrition is a real concern for all companies. Depending on the size of the company, the cost of finding, recruiting, and training new employees can be in the millions. Let us cover some concepts that will help keep your best employees. I expect some to be common sense. If some ideas are not new to you, I hope to remind you of some that were forgotten. (These are in no particular order)

1) Recognition - This can be a low cost way of motivating your employees. It also works better and is less expensive than number two.

2) Money - This could be in the form of base pay, commissions, or bonuses. Many employers try to boost their bottom line by paying the least possible to their employees. Many employers have not counted the cost of finding, recruiting and training new employees vs. just paying their people a little more. To often a company will let a good person go, instead of paying them what they are worth. Has anyone noticed the downward spiral of the quality of customer service lately?

3) Appreciation – Everyone wants to be appreciated. No one likes to be treated like a slave or a company number. Thank you(s) go a long way.

4) Respect – Many employees have terrific ideas to slash budgets and/or create profits. When an employee comes up with an idea follow up on. Even if its, “ Hey, we thought it over and we are going to pass on your idea. Here are the reason(s) why. Please, come back with more ideas.

5) Competition – An achiever does not like to lose. When faced with competition, they will normally put forward the absolute best effort. Be careful. When used to much it can have a reverse effect.

6) Time off – Our society has changed over the years. Money used to be the most important. After money, society changed and security became most important. In today society, younger works want to go out and experience life. They want to go be the own person doing their own thing.

7) Responsibility – Show your employees that you trust them and they will give you a reason for it. What you expect of an achiever is what you will get.

8) Authority – Imaging you are a new police officer and you are on traffic patrol. You have to use your own car. You have no uniform, badge, or gun. How frustrating is that. This is how an employee feels when given a task without the authority to accomplish it.

9) Cross-train - This keeps work fresh. Boredom does not set in. They become more rounded and are better to help in a pitch. It will give them better self-confidence.

10) Fun – All work and no play makes Jack a dull employee.

Do you like to go on archeological digs? I hope so because your desk requires an archeological dig to find the desktop. And you know there are important papers in the rubble that you need for today's meeting. Are you asking yourself how the papers got so out of control? Now you are buried and feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.

Paper Patrol to the Rescue. You have a problem: you can't possibly imagine where or how to begin. That is 50% of the problem. Not knowing how or where to start is a perfect reason and excuse to put it off. This is the #1 reason most people let their paperwork get out of control for such a long time. It doesn't have to be that way, though.

You can do it and you can make a difference.

As you are standing in your office and look around, feeling lost in a sea of paper, let's stop looking and let's get started.

Here are the proven techniques that will change how you handle your papers:

1. Start with your desktop - The papers there are more current than the ones on other tables.

2. Sort each piece of paper into categories. Keep the categories general until you have sorted them all.

3. Categories will create themselves. Don't make this hard. Examples of general categories are: insurance, health/medical, project 1, project 2, legal, warranties.

4. Sub-Categorize - Now that your papers are categorized, you will notice that some piles are very large. In that case, that is a topic that should be sub-categorized. For example, insurance is a very broad term. You may prefer to divide it into: medical/life/business/auto. Take it one step further and you may divide for each person.

5. Use hanging file folders with interior file folders. When you retrieve a folder, the hanging file always stays in the drawer. Only the interior folder is removed. When replacing the folder, it is easy to see where to put it back.

6. Label all folders - The hanging files have the plastic tab to use. There are so many ways to label- pick the one that works best for you. Some common methods are A - Z (alphabetical), by categories and in order of importance.

7. Color coding can work well, especially in business. Perhaps all the financial files are in green (money), the prospects and hot items are in red. The interior folder label should be more specific to the contents.

8. Miscellaneous files are not allowed - Every paper does have a home. If it's miscellaneous to you, then you haven't made a decision about it. How often do the papers in your miscellaneous file get acted upon? Rarely. If it's that unimportant...make the decision and toss it.

9. Start small - From the desk, begin taking small piles of paper from other surfaces and continue sorting. Over time, you will be able to sort all the loose papers into categories.

10. Baby steps - Work in short sessions, 30 - 60 minutes at a time. The key is to stay focused while you are working. This process will not happen in one day. It took a long time for your papers to get this deep, so plan on taking time to restore order.

Some alarming workplace facts

Did you know that everyday more than 12 U.S. workers on an average lose their lives through workplace accidents? Yet another 10,000 are hurt so badly, they end up losing sizeable work time or are placed on restricted duty? Startling? These are the facts as reported by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Typical accidents encountered at workplaces

People have fallen from elevations, got caught in explosions, body parts have been crushed in machinery, men have been electrocuted by defective electrical equipment, and trenches and walls have caved in on workmen…this list is by no means complete and only illustrative of the hazards many workers are exposed to.

What can be done to reduce the accident rate?

Reducing workplace related accidents is a fight that needs to be fought on many levels, a few measures that should be taken are:

* Imparting safety information and training Basic safety training is inadequate or non-existent in many workplaces. Safety gear is not worn and safety procedures are not followed. Simple safety training courses could take care of this shortcoming.

* Not ignoring inspection routines Before an employee uses a potentially risky piece of equipment or machinery, it must be inspected rigorously and regularly. If defective, a safety tag should be put up as a warning flag and employees should be informed. Training in inspection procedures must also be imparted.

* For long drawn processes, a written safety manual or guide must be in place Safety procedures if put down in writing serve as ready reference to employees and also help train them to watch out for accident triggers and take care of them right away.

An easy way to minimize accidents

Safety training and inspection routines, though imperative, take time to implement. One of the simple ways to start minimizing accidents is to use safety and caution tags in the workplace. These are also convenient to use since they are commonly available and simple to attach.

Types of Safety Tags

Safety Tags are the hallmark of a safe, working environment

Safety and caution tags can make a huge difference in safety levels at any workplace. Safety tags come in many forms - fire extinguisher safety tags, gas cylinder safety tags, OK to Use safety tags, Defective Do Not Use safety tags, Inspection tags and Repair Tags etc. Safety tags serve as warning and information devices especially in potentially hazardous situations. For example, imagine the plight of a worker getting his arm caught in machinery just because the machinery was defective and there was no safety tag to notify the hapless user.

Other situations may not be quite so serious but could prove serious time wasters, like people getting stuck in improperly functioning elevators, loss of data through malfunctioning computers etc. where just a simple safety tag could have apprised users of the situation.

Fire Extinguisher Tags and Gas Cylinder safety tags

Some tags serve as records or status notifications. For example, Fire extinguisher tags show you an inspection record of when the equipment was checked – this could be a monthly record, annual record, or yearly record. Gas cylinder safety tags tell you the status of the gas cylinder whether full or empty. Commonly available gas cylinder tags are Full Cylinder tags, Empty Cylinder tags, DOT warning labels, Danger signs and labels, Hot Work permit tags and more. Such tags go a long way in upholding safety norms in a workplace.

Lockout Tags

Some widely used safety tags are the lockout tags. These are high quality safety tags that can be used over long periods. Lockout Tags are used to indicate equipment or machinery that is not operating at safe or desired levels. Various lock out safety tags include Do Not Operate Tags, Defective Material Tags, and Custom Lockout Tags etc.

Repair Tags

There is a class of tags that also serves as customer tickets when an item is given for repairing. A retailer can simply hand over the stub to the customer as receipt after accepting the equipment to be repaired. Repair tags for maintenance of heavy machinery serve the same purpose but are generally tougher and are also available in fluorescent colors.

Handling of Safety Tags

Some rules must be observed while using safety tags to make their use more effective:

* Only an authorized person must add or remove tags from equipment * Safety tags must be safe to handle, with rounded corners and no sharp edges or projections. * They must have the main signal word like ‘Caution’, ‘Danger’ etc visible even at 5 feet of distance * Safety tags should be replaced once they start to fade or people will not be able to read them. * The safety tags must be fixed as close to the equipment as possible and where they are clearly visible. * Organizations must make sure employees know about these tags and understand their purpose.

Incentive programs are a great way for businesses to reach out to their employees in an appropriate and appreciate manner. Not only do they work to improve the livelihood of the individual worker, but they also help to improve the livelihood of the business as well. Everyone is able to take part in the success of the company and feel like they are an integral part of the company and the work which takes place inside the company. Improving morale is hardly the only benefit of implementing successful incentive programs within the workplace. However, it is extremely important that the programs be successful and well planned in order to them to work. Implementing an unsuccessful program will likely do the opposite of improving morale and can potentially lead to resentment among the workers in the business. Because of this, it is very important to choose a program of incentives that will appeal to the average worker and make them feel important, not convenient. The incentives need to be tailored to the particular needs and desires of the individual workplace. If they are not, it is possible to lose money by investing in an unsuccessful and damaging incentive program. When the proper incentive program is put into place, the results will be noticed with ease and days will run much smoother.

For example, when employees are happy and content, they will have a better disposition. Obviously this is helpful for workers that are involved with customers since they will be more likely to have patience with the clients and to go the extra mile in order to ensure happiness on the part of the clients. Even better, the morale and disposition of the co-workers may actually enable them to work better as a team, together. This means that when one person needs help, instead of ignoring that individual’s problems and making sure that they look out for themselves, other co-workers may chip in and try to help that person, which would allow the company to work more as a team which is typically more successful than everyone being concerned on with their own well being.

The incentive programs that are implemented may also enable a company to improve communication between the different co-workers and levels of management. This helps to ensure that when a problem comes up, the company as a whole is more inclined to address the issue. If workers are too concerned with what others will think of them or how others will react that they may try to fix the problem on their own and end up doing more harm than good. Increased communication will be beneficial in many different areas of the workplace. In addition, co-workers may begin to feel more like friends as opposed to individuals that work together and have nothing in common. Many business owners will even find that it feels good to reward their employees and that it is important not to take workers for granted in any market or in any capacity. Employee incentive programs will help with all of these issues.

Replacing your cash register and payment processing terminal with a point of sale (POS) system is a great way to take your business to the next level. Few purchases can have as dramatic an effect on your retail or hospitality business as a POS system.

A well implemented POS system can give you a new level of control over your operations, increase efficiencies, boost profits and help you fine-tune your business model. In addition to efficiency gains over your cash register, POS systems provide information and reports that can help you make more informed business decisions.

Conversely, the wrong POS system can multiply your headaches and cause you to spend valuable time and money on supporting a technology that distracts you from running and growing your business.

By reading this article, you will learn how to make an informed POS purchase decision. Knowing what questions to ask will help you avoid the mistakes of a first time buyer.

DO YOUR RESEARCH - Spend time evaluating POS companies

Finding the right POS software for you takes time and effort. It's an important decision that will effect how your business operates. Make sure you do your due diligence and research several companies.

When choosing a POS system, experienced buyers will tell you that it is very important to buy from a solid company. Taking the time to evaluate companies to ensure that they are customer centric and are committed to great service for the entire lifetime of your business is a smart move which will alleviate headaches now and in the future.

Ask the Following Questions to Evaluate POS companies

1. How long have you been in business?

Software develops over time. So the younger the company, the greater potential for software bugs. With an older, more established company, you can rest assured that they have gone through the growing pains of new software and have a proven product.

2. What is your growth rate?

You want a company that is actively growing. The software industry is very competitive. Companies need to continually advance and improve their product offerings to keep their competitive edge. Not having significant growth indicates that the company may not be advancing their product as much as they should and could eventually be left behind. Stick with innovative companies that are leading the way.

3. How many customers do you have?

The number of customers is an indication of how successful the company is. If the company only has a handful of customers, it's either a) a new company, which you probably should avoid, or b) the company has a bad product or poor service resulting in high customer turnover and few new customers.

4. How do you sell your products?

If the company sells direct, the company has more control over price and support which means you get consistent service and prices. If the company uses a reseller channel be prepared for increased costs and inconsistent service. Selling through a middleman limits the company's ability to control service and price.

SPEND TIME EVALUATION SERVICE LEVELS

When you purchase POS software, you are entering into a long term relationship with a vendor. Let's face it, there's no such thing as fool-proof software. Understanding that you will be in continual contact with your chosen POS company for software updates, support, training, hardware and consulting should be an important consideration in your decision process. The company's level of support could be the difference between a good experience and a bad one. Take the time to inquire about support service levels. If the company you are talking to cannot provide you with specific support measures, they likely don't take support seriously.

Ask the Following Questions to Evaluate service levels

1. Do you offer 7 X 24 X 365 support?

You need support that works on your time. Why settle for anything less? Find a company that you know will be there for you when you need assistance.

2. How do you diagnose issues?

With web-based hosted solutions, support issues can be diagnosed immediately allowing the support team to begin to solve your problem immediately. With on-site, you have to wait for someone to come down to your location to first assess the problem and then take measures to fix it.

3. What is your average support wait time?

How long will the support phone ring before it's answered? Waiting anything more than 30 seconds is abysmal. A company that takes their time answering support calls, indicates that they don't care about their customers.

4. What is your 1st call pick up level?

Companies may say that they pick up their support phone in less than 30 seconds, but how long does it take to speak with an actual support person? Support lines can be answered by an automated system that places you in a call waiting pattern or they send you directly to voicemail. This can be very frustrating and time consuming when you want to speak to a 'real' person. By asking this question, you can find how often you will speak to a 'real' person when you call the first time. The higher the percentage, the greater the chance you will speak with someone sooner.

5. What is your system performance uptime?

Your POS system needs to work 99.9% of the time. A 98% uptime promise may sound good initially but this actually means that the system can be down for 29 minutes a day or 14 hours a month and they've still met their obligation!

LOOK FOR A POS SYSTEM THAT'S DESIGNED FOR YOUR SPECIFIC BUSINESS TYPE

Your business is unique. As such, you need software that meets your specific needs. A lot of POS companies claim their system works for every business type (retail, restaurant: fast food to fine dinning). As a business owner, you are well aware that you can't be all things to all people. Why settle for something generic when you can get software that was built with you in mind? Know what business issues you need to address with your POS in advance and then look for a POS that is catered to your needs. You will be much happier in the long run.

REQUEST A DEMO

You'd test drive a car before you buy it, wouldn't you? Requesting a demo from a salesperson is a great way to see how the software works and if it's a potential fit for your business. Beware of the salesperson who just launches into their product without first taking the time to understand your business needs. Use the salesperson as a resource. The best salespeople are there to answer any questions you may have and to help you find the best solution for you - even if it's not their product.

ASK SALESPEOPLE FOR QUOTES

By now, you should have a good understanding of what your needs are and you can begin asking for quotes. Please note that getting quotes from companies that you are interested in adds another dimension to the decision making process.

Some POS companies will include everything in their quotations while others will leave items out to make their prices seem more palatable - make sure you are comparing apples to apples. It's also very important to ask about costs that may arise during the life of your POS, such as maintenance, support, and upgrades.

You should also ask the sales rep to give you a proposal on all hardware, training, installation, support, upgrades and maintenance.

Ask salespeople the following questions

1. Is software support included for the full term?

We can't reiterate enough how important support is. The majority of providers will provide free support for the first year of the contract, leaving you with potentially expensive on-demand support for the remainder of your contract. Be sure to clarify the support service when you are evaluating companies.

2. Is hardware support included for the full term?

Some companies separate hardware and software support. Hardware support is just as important as software support. Be sure to find out if hardware support is 1) included and 2) covered for the full term of the contract.

3. Are there internal costs I should consider?

With many traditional POS systems a back-office computer is required to run your entire POS operation. It is your responsibility to maintain this computer. The cost of maintaining and running this operating system needs to be included when you are considering purchasing a traditional POS system. Conversely a web-based system would not have this additional cost.

4. How often do you provide updates?

You want the best software available. You can only stand to benefit from a company that is continually upgrading and improving their product.

5. Do you charge for updates?

Some companies charge extra for updates. As a user, you deserve to use the most updated and bug-free version of the software. Look for a company that includes upgrades for the full term of your contract.

CALL REFERENCES

Asking the salesperson for references gives you the opportunity to speak with someone that has used the product first hand. Taking the time to contact references and ask the right questions will help you select the right system and avoid many problems.

In addition to asking for references from businesses that are similar to your own business, ask for references from businesses that have successfully addressed issues that are similar to your own issues (opening a new restaurant, switching from a cash register, addressing a specific cost issue). By speaking with relevant references, you can find out if the POS company keeps their sales promise.

Ask References the Following Questions

1. Have you used other POS solutions?

The reason you should ask this question is to determine how valuable the reference will be. If the reference has only owned and operated one POS solution, they essentially have nothing to compare their experience to. They could be experiencing the worst service in the industry and not realize it. A reference that has used several POS solutions can provide a comparative context and therefore better information.

2. Why did you purchase this POS solution?

If you can take away one thing from reading these tips, it would be to find a POS system that is best suited for you. You can definitely learn 'what not to do' from someone that purchased solely on price, but there is more value in speaking with someone with similar business issues to you, that found a system that best fits their needs.

3. Did the POS live up to its promises?

You want to find a company that stands by the promises that they make.

4. What specifically do you like best about your POS?

Features are great, but most POS systems have relatively the same features. What really counts is good service and support which is difficult to find in this industry. If service is what the reference likes most about their POS system, chances are you've found a good company.

5. What specific issues have you had with your POS?

As mentioned earlier, software is not infallible. There will be issues. It's important to find out if the issues were only minor or if the software had major faults that prevented the user from performing fundamental tasks.

6. How has the POS company addressed these issues?

Responsiveness is key. A company that responds quickly to issues is an indication of great service. Find out how quickly the company responded to the issue and took the necessary actions to solve the problem.

7. Rank sales expectation setting out of 10.

In any sales situation, sometimes promises are made to get the prospect to purchase the product. Did the sales person oversell and leave the customer expecting more? You want to be able to trust the salesperson. Make sure the customer's expectations were met when they started using the end product.

8. Rank the training experience out of 10.

How easy was the product to learn? Did the training process run smoothly? If the reference rates the training experience highly, you can assume the training process will run seamlessly with little disruption for you as well.

9. Rank the service experience out of 10.

Service. Service. Service. Ask this question to get a quantitative score for highly important service levels.

10. Rank your likely of recommending out of 10.

If the reference would recommend this product it's a good indication that they are happy with the product and it is a good fit for their business.

11. If you were going to buy a new POS solution, what questions would you ask a new vendor that you did not ask last time?

This is a great opportunity to learn from someone that has already gone through the process you are currently undergoing. Established POS users have a different perspective and would probably approach things differently the second time around. Gaining insight from the reference will help you avoid the mistakes of a first time buyer.

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

It's important to think about your future. You may have one location now, but if you ever plan or dream of having multiple locations you need to consider scalability. Ask the provider about the software's ability to incorporate additional locations. How are the different locations integrated? How are menu items and prices changed for all locations? What are the costs associated with having additional locations?

Purchasing a POS system can be a scary and frustrating process, but with the right amount of patience and perseverance you can find the POS that best fits your needs and puts you on the track to success.

Let's take an imaginary journey. Better yet, imagine that you wish to take a driving trip across the country from New York to San Francisco. There are more than a couple of ways to head out on this trip. But, you have limited time and resources, AND you want this trip to be productive, enjoyable, and NOT stress-inducing.

Which of the two following approaches makes the most sense: (A) Saying "I'm going to San Francisco" then jump into your vehicle, and head out with no planning? Or, (B) creating a mental picture of how you'd spend your time (and money) in San Francisco? Would you know the reason for your trip? In other words, how would you prepare for the trip? Would you map out how to get there? Would you know who would be traveling with you, and what their responsibilities for the trip might be? Would you figure out how much money you would need to get there (not to mention, get back home)? How much time will you allow for the trip? How many stops will you need to make? And, finally, how will you keep from running out of fuel (emotionally, physically, and financially) before the trip is completed? (This last question is addressed in my "Running on a Full Tank" class. The rest of the questions can be addressed by thinking deeply, and following 5 major steps to success, below).

Using the above analogy, let's say that the destination is your success in business. How well can you define the following: your ultimate destination (your vision), why your business exists (your mission), how you measure your progress (your objectives), what ongoing steps you will need to perform (your strategies), and what projects need to be implemented (your action plans)?

In the examples above, most small business owners try to run their business using the (A) approach. They have sort of named a destination ("I want to have a business doing_____"), and set out to "go there" with no real planning. With this approach, how much time and other resources are wasted on taking wrong turns, not having carity about where they're going, why, with whom, and what exactly needs to be done to reach their destination?

If you're really serious about reaching your success destination, my challenge to you is to create a powerful, energizing, inspiring, step-by-step plan that clearly maps out everything needed to get there. I love using "The One Page Business Plan" system. So with this as my guide, I've mapped out your 5-step journey to success.

Vision - (What are you building)

Describe with great clarity what your business will look like in 3 to 5 years. How much revenue will it generate, with how many employees, serving what geography, serving what type of client, and providing what service? You may even want to specify what technologies you will use, or what ideals you will incorporate into your company culture. If you have a goal of giving 10% of your profits to a favorite cause, include that, too. In other words, dare to dream...and dare to dream specifically and boldly!

Mission - (Why does your business exist?)

When I work with a client to create business plans, this is very often the area on which we spend the most time...and for good reason. A well defined mission should not only inspire you and your employees, but customers as well. To do so, it should encapsulate the reason why, on a deeper level, you have chosen to be in this business, and what sets your business apart. It's timeless. (Examples: The History Channel: "Where history comes alive"; Nature Concervancy: "Saving the last great places"; Lenscrafters: "Helping people see better, one hour at a time"). A mission can compel and impel you (and others) to action. And, when the going gets rough, or you're feeling discouraged, it acts as the inspiration and energizer to keep you going.

Objectives - (What are the specific measures?)

Objectives must be graphable. They define your goals...what you need less of, or more of, to be successful. Maybe you want more revenue, profits, clients, or store locations. Great! How much more? Now, what do you want less of?...inventory, printing costs, automotive costs? Terrific! How much less?

Stated another way, what numbers do you need in order to assess the health, the pulse of your business? What statistics indicating the health of your business would be on a single page...to be faxed to you while you're lying on a beach in Tahiti?

Strategies - (What are the right things we have to do over time?)

How will you grow and manage this business? Strategies provide a framework for what you will and will NOT do. They establish best practices, set the direction on such areas as marketing, product pricing, internet presence, strategic alliances, target markets, employee retention, and positioning. Examples include: Doing a product roll-out at a major trade show, forming a strategic alliance with a "power partner", setting up a testimonial or referral program.

Action Plans - (What is the work to be done?)

What projects do you need to work on this year? Who is responsible for each of these projects, and when will the projects be completed (what date)? For example, my action plans include: by the end of April, schedule and announce 3 dates for my workshops; write and submit 2 articles by the end of May; put 12 speaking engagements on my calendar by April 30th; complete new CD products by June 30th. Each of these is a project, which will support my objectives and strategies.

So, there you have it...5 steps to turbocharging your success. Are these steps simple? Yes. Are they simplistic? Absolutely not! Writing plans is difficult. Quality thinking and writing take time. But don't worry about getting it "right", just get it in writing. It can be edited later, undoubtedly in 3 months it will be significantly different, and probably much better.

You and I have the ability to design our future, our lives, our success for as long as we can breathe and dream. By putting planning into the mix, you'll have the map and compass to reach your destinations and achieve your dreams far more quickly and better than you could have imagined. So, dream, plan, and move into your greatness!

Customer Relationship Management has been with us over the ages, for as long as people traded with each other. In those days, the physical closeness in location between the customer and the supplier led to the relationship. Even in less developed countries and traditional societies such business models currently still exist. People congregated on market days and the customers usually buy from people they know, have bought from before. The supplier also knew his customers well, what they liked, how they liked it, what they did not want, and was able to deliver the customer's needs and wants. And based on their knowledge of the customer, they could also add sweeteners to ensure customer loyalty, and bring in related samples to introduce their existing customers to new things. Their loyal customers then spread the word and introduced other customers to them. And gradually they became well known for what they sold or provided.

As countries developed and urbanisation took place, the physical distance between the supplier and the customer increased. Intermediaries and merchants developed to transport the product from the producer to the customer. To pay for their efforts they added their margins on top of the supplier's price.

With increasing urbanisation and industrialisation, suppliers could no longer deal with their customers directly. They could no longer know their customers' needs, wants, preferences, habits, and other characteristics that helped them to compete. The problem then arose of how to compete with products that are not tailored to customers' needs. So they started building brands, and using advertising and mass marketing to persuade remote customers and compete for a greater share of the market. The flavour of the times were mass production, standardisation, strong universal brand, and a deep penetration of the market. However this involved a lot of guesswork, and some big mistakes were sometimes made. The disconnection with the customer also meant that direct-feedback from the individual customer was not available.

Over the years, competition became so fierce that mass marketing became inadequate in ensuring the brand, as customers could easily move to a competitor at any time. Relying on customers to remain with a business without bothering to interact with them is risky. It also became clear that not all customers are equally valuable to a business, and the focus moved to finding out what made a customer valuable. The way a customer interacts with the business can have significant impact on their loyalty and retention, so customer service gained prominence. Costs of acquiring and retaining a customer became really important, and it became clear that selling to an existing customer is cheaper than acquiring and selling to a new customer. Reducing the cost of selling and improving profits required more precise marketing, and this required the firm to be able to gather, retain, analyse and interprete customer data. However, this information gathering, analysis, and interpration was very complex, expensive and could not be easily done manually.

And then computerisation came, followed by the Internet. And it became possible again for suppliers to reach individual customers, connect with them and undertand their needs and wants. This enabled the firm to build a relationship with the individual customer, similar to that seen in the old days, and the field of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) was born. The aims of CRM for the supplier/firm is to deliver value to the customer at a profit, and to deliver that value so well that the customer remained loyal, and the supplier became a first choice for the product/service, with an enhancement of the supplier's reputation and brand. For the customer, the value of CRM is to have a supplier who understands the customer's needs and wants so well, that value was delivered at every interaction, with less mistakes. Since technology is very essential for delivery of the supplier's CRM aims, for some people CRM became synonymous with the technological tools. And some CRM technology vendors and practitioners insisted that their interpretation of CRM was the truth. These differing views affected the implementation and use of CRM technology. Companies and suppliers using these different CRM technology also judged and defined them by their experience of how it met their business needs.

Technology has been the hero and the villain of CRM in practice. For some CRM worked and for others it did not, and the reason for failure was not always due to the CRM technology. And those for whom CRM did not work were quite vocal in blaming either the concept of CRM, or the technology, or the CRM vendors, or all of them. But over the years, it became clear that the problem was not always due to the CRM technology, but the implementation and application of it. CRM is something that companies do. CRM is not something companies buy. CRM technology solutions is meant to help companies do CRM. Like all technology, someone has to turn it on and they need to know what "buttons to press".

CRM is not a fad. It is an underlying principle of interacting with customers or clients, and it is something that all firms should practice. All executives need to understand CRM as a corporate strategy.

These series of articles are aimed at helping all readers understand aspects of CRM. Obviously they are written from the perspective of my experience, but the articles will also incorporate information from the experiences of others, including research findings and more.

It was not long ago that Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) seemed doomed to failure. Kmart, its largest outlet for licensed household products, was in Chapter 11 and closing hundreds of stores. Its magazine was being challenged by the new upstart competitor by rival Rosie O’Donnell. Major television stations were canceling their daily show and critics were saying the show wouldn’t finish the season. Their company leader was ordered to resign by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Yet most devastating, Martha was headed to jail.

With plunging sales, vanishing profits, and stock prices falling, few gave the domestic diva’s business much chance of survival.

Fast forward to 2007. No longer do we see a company on the brink of eradication. The revamped daily television program is getting such respectable ratings and advertisers that it has been renewed through 2008. A second show, specializing in food, is seen on PBS and a radio program has been added debuted last week. Her single magazine has grown to six specialty magazines, each among the top in their genres. In addition to the continuing Kmart product line, MSLO has agreements to expand its product line to upscale retailer Macy’s and craft-marketer Michael’s. New ventures include furniture and flowers, and even Martha Stewart housing developments.

Most important of all, this now-admired company’s revenues are up more than 50%.

The turnaround

Ben Franklin once said, “What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens.” Despite the bevy of unfortunate events, Stewart continually looked at the future. She saw the company as a thriving entity with tremendous growth and maintained a public persona equal to her vision of success. Never pouting. Always smiling. Martha looked to the distant future overlooking what she saw a temporary inconveniences.

Things began to turn around for Martha while in prison. She learned Susan Lyne, head of then-slumping Disney/ABC Entertainment, had been fired by the ABC brass. Their chief complaint about her was that she had pinned the recovery of the network on two yet-to-be aired shows for which they had little hope: “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives”.

During a visit to Martha in her West Virginia prison, the two would immediately become friends. Martha admired Lyne’s 25 year work history and decided she was the right person to lead the company into the future. Lyne took over as MSLO president and soon would gain incredible recognition: Advertising Age would name her “Executive of the Year” and The Wall Street Journal would call her the “top woman to watch in corporate America.”

Five Essentials of Leadership

Top business leaders like Martha Stewart are known for five essential qualities:

1. Pursue your purpose with passion. Anyone that knows Martha knows MSLO is the very purpose of her life. No two breathes are taken without thoughts of her business.

2. Practice solid values. Not every aspect of a great leader is based on a solid value, however all great leaders have one or more solid values upon which they focus. For Martha, her company is all about quality products for an improved lifestyle at great value. No one can deny these attributes drive her actions.

3. Lead with your heart as well as your head. The rumors about Martha are right. For the most part, she sees people as a commodity. Never the less she demonstrates a heart for helping those people working for her or with her to be successful. Yet it is more of a team success than an individual success.

4. Established connected relationships. Her relationship with Kmart symbolizes her view of partnership. When Kmart filed for bankruptcy, Martha could easily have gone to another retailer with her products. She remained loyal and that loyalty is created with helping Kmart emerge from Chapter 11.

5. Demonstrate self-discipline. Martha’s self-discipline is demonstrated by her unwavering focus on her products and consumer demand. Little time is taken by Stewart for activities not somehow relating to her MSLO business.

The success of MSLO provides a lesson for all business professionals. Whether leading a Fortune 500 company or single employee LLC or plotting out individual or departmental growth, the five essentials of leadership provides a roadmap for the lifestyle and attitude leading to success.

*”Five Essentials of Leadership” taken from Leadership in a Contemporary World, ©MaxImpact, www.getmaximpact.com. (Used with permission).

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Rick Weaver is an accomplished business executive with a wealth of experience in retail, market analysis, supply chain enhancement, project management, team building, and process improvement.

Rick career began in retailing as a stockclerk, eventually becoming the Director of Vendor Development at Kmart Corporation during it’s heyday. In this position he worked with hundreds of Kmart’s suppliers to improve mutual processes, procedures, and profits.

As a consultant, Rick has worked with companies in various industries to develop leadership and business strategies.

As an entrepreneur, Rick has founded or co-founded six successful organizations, including non-profit and for profit.

Now in his role as president of MaxImpact, Rick uses his vast experience helping individuals connect to their dreams and teams connect to a common vision.

Rick’s presentation style of blending humor, real life examples, and easy to implement ideas has made him a popular speaker at seminars, workshops, and conferences in in 43 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

I once had a boss who, when hiring a Manager would half jokingly tell the Staffing Manager, “If they say they like working with people, don’t hire them!” She knew that “working with people” is arguably the most difficult aspect of a Manager’s job. Training prepares Managers to delegate, motivate, influence, coach, communicate, recognize and strategize. Often it does not prepare a Manager for the difficult employee who is resistant to most motivating, influencing, coaching, and recognition techniques.

The key to managing the difficult employee is to decisively deal with their performance, behavior or attitude very early on. Unfortunately some organizations develop a tolerance for negative behavior and unwittingly reinforce it by ignoring it, managing around it and hoping the problem employee soon quits or retires.

Most employees will not cause a Manager’s hair to turn gray. But then, it only takes a few dillies to transform the darkest brunette to snow white. What makes an employee difficult? Usually, it is a problem in performance, behavior or attitude. No surprise there, right? But what about the employee whose performance persistently “hugs the line?” And, what about “poor attitude” in an employee? The courts only care if an employee is performing his or her job and not about the “attitude” of an employee. So, what’s a manager to do?

First let’s look at our “line hugger.” You know….the type that works hard at hardly working. The barely marginal employee not only hugs the line most of the year but confounds the Manager by raising the level of his or her performance sometime within the last quarter of the performance review cycle. As the Manager struggles to write the “line hugger’s” review, you can almost see the natural hair color begin to fade.

As with all poor performers, a Manager must determine if the employee lacks the information, skill, or motivation to do the job. A performance improvement plan (PIP) combined with regularly scheduled coaching sessions will provide the answer. Generally speaking, a well written 60 day PIP that includes specific tasks, objectives and deadlines accompanied by weekly coaching sessions with the Manager will do the trick. (Of course, Human Resources should be actively involved in this process.)

If the employee rises to the occasion it is a win for the Manager in two ways. The employee has now demonstrated he or she can do the job effectively. And, the Manager has the documentation to prove it. At the end of the PIP period, a memo written to document the now “effective” performance needs to include language that states the effective level must be “sustained.” If the employee reverts to “hugging the line,” the Manager can now safely consider termination. During the PIP period, the weekly coaching sessions will help the Manager determine if the employee needs additional training in order to be more effective. The PIP period can always be extended to allow time for further development.

Employees that really hasten the graying process are those who have a bad “attitude” but acceptable performance. Is it possible to have a bad attitude and good performance? It is not only possible, but there are people whose entire being seems wrapped up in maintaining these seemingly opposite values. This type person will have a Manager reaching for antacids on a regular basis. Can the hair dye be far behind?

But maintaining good performance with a poor attitude is tricky. Even those who are good at it will slip every now and then. Here are a few examples of how to handle some difficult types:

The Passive Aggressive/Passive Resistant Employee

The passive-aggressive is the intentional bully and the passive resistant is the sneaky bully. Both these types are people who do not or cannot deal with the feeling of anger. But make no mistake. They are angry and will look for opportunities to “stick it” to the Manager or anyone else who has the nerve to tick them off.

For example, the passive-aggressive employee assigned to a project he or she doesn’t like will intentionally provide bad or poorly researched information, skip meetings, spread rumors, openly criticize the boss or refuse to accept the helpful suggestions of co-workers. The sneaky bully will “yes” a Manager to death but seldom delivers on promises. This bully will intentionally “forget” commitments, be chronically late for meetings, miss deadlines, strategically call in sick on days critical to the Manager or project, intentionally leave out data or information or find other ways to “inadvertently” make a Manager look foolish.

Talking to the employee is always an option but this type behavior is not likely to change. These employees are very manipulative. Managers need to understand that anger is the underlying emotion and not be intimidated by the employee’s behavior or manage “around” it. Remember, they don’t handle anger well. The more the Manager holds them accountable for their lapses, the angrier they will become. They angrier they become the more likely they are to give the Manager cause to formally address their behavior or conduct. Ultimately the employee may learn to save this behavior for other unsuspecting soles and be more circumspect with the Manager.

The Victim

Never underestimate the power of helplessness. To clarify, the “Victim” is not the good employee who has an occasional personal problem that may interfere with work. The Victim is a problem employee who always has a “poor me” story and an interminable number of reasons why he or she must leave early, can’t finish an assignment, can’t meet a deadline, etc. “Can’t is their modus operandi. Inevitably, some co-workers will feel sorry for the Victim and pick up the slack while others, who are wise to the Victim’s tactics, will sit and steam. A chronic victim impacts the morale of the entire workgroup. Those who “steam” want desperately for the Manager to intervene.

To effectively manage the Victim, a Manager must first get the Victim’s rescuers to stop “helping.” It is easy to get lured into feeling sorry for the Victim as their problems can be legitimate. But we all have problems and it is how we handle them that determines whether we become victims for victors. Deal with this employee by making a referral to the Employee Assistance Program. If you don’t have one…get one. Some EAPs even offer services on a case-by-case basis.

When not talking about personal problems, the Victim is one who usually asks a lot of “why” (or whine) questions. Such as:
• Why is this happening to me?
• Why do we have to go through all this change?
• Why did they hire her?
• Why doesn’t he/she/they communicate better?
• Why don’t you give me more of your time?

Victims are excellent procrastinators and ask a lot of “when” questions such as:
• When will you take care of this problem?
• When will we get the information we need?
• When will we get more resources?

A Manager needs to talk to a Victim in a way that puts responsibility back on the employee. Start by countering with “how” and “when” questions that focus on action, such as:
• What have you done to help solve the problem?
• What are you doing that contributes to this problem?
• What could you do to better understand each person in the office?
• What efforts have you made to adapt to change?
• What can you do right now to change this situation?
• How can you achieve your goal with the resources you already have?
• How can you do your job better today?
• What do you think you need to do in order to contribute more to the team?

Using this tactic will frustrate the Victim and reinforce the expectation of accountability. The Victim will realize the gig is up and, in order to avoid a performance warning, shelve the avoidance tactics. However, because these tactics did work at one time, they are hard to give up. The Manager will have to remain vigilant and ensure the workgroup doesn’t revert to “rescue” mode.

The Injustice Collector

There are people who are “right” and there are people to have to be right. Welcome to the “Injustice Collector.” Injustice collectors are always “wronged” but are never wrong. This employee would rather alienate everyone than admit being wrong. To an Injustice Collector, alienation is proof that their superiority sets them apart from everyone else. Since they can never be wrong, everybody else must be! This employee is an expert at putting people on the defensive. Managing this employee can feel like being on trial every day of the week. Managers must resist the bait and not get drawn into a debate or get defensive with this type person.

Blame is the modus operandi of the Injustice Collector. Blame is also a block to responsibility. The Manager can put the blame game into “check” by not entertaining a debate and insisting on personal responsibility. This can be done by posing questions similar to those listed above.

There are many ways to explain or define customer loyalty, but it’s basically an attitude that customers display and which employers desire because they’re showing a continuous interest in the company’s products or services. All businesses need to build customer loyalty, and it’s never too early or late to start building it for your company as well.

Factors that Affect the Ease of Building Customer Loyalty

No matter how much money, time, or effort you expend on building customer loyalty, there are several factors that could hinder you from attaining your goal.

Product Quality – How does your product fare from others? It’s easier to build customer loyalty if your product is indeed worth patronizing. If it’s not, then don’t worry about customer loyalty first. Concentrate on improving the internal and external defects of your product because at the moment, you’re not giving them any reason to be loyal to your store.

Competition – Let’s just say that you indeed have the better product and you’ve got an internal competitive advantage over your competitors. Unfortunately for you, however, your competitors have more financial resources and as such, they’re able to expend more on advertising. Thus, you’ll have to work harder than usual to build a loyal customer base.

Customer Service – No matter how great your products are, you won’t be able to build customer loyalty if your employees aren’t able to provide them with excellent customer service. Train your employees to be service-oriented and remind them constantly that the business can’t continue to operate without a customer base. Always encourage them to go the extra mile if it’s only at the expense of a little sweat!

Benefits of Gaining Customer Loyalty

Increased Sales from Old Customers – Without literally and figuratively lifting a finger, you’ll be able to increase the sales from old or existing customers. That’s because your products speak for themselves. Continuously excellent customer service will also be able to create and sustain customer loyalty and consequently lead to increased sales.

Word of Mouth Marketing – Customer loyalty unconsciously or consciously urges people to advertise or endorse about a particular product or service because of various reasons. Because of customer loyalty, you’ll be able to enjoy advertising free of charge.

Competitive Advantage – Customer loyalty, in the end, will become your competitive advantage because no matter what strategy your competition employs, your customers aren’t budging: they like what you’re offering, and that’s that!

Tips on How to Build Customer Loyalty

Know Loyal Customers by Name – Slowly but surely, you’ll be able to notice which customers buy or visit your store more frequently than usual, and when this happens, take the time to get to know them personally. Let them know that you’re aware of their frequent visits and that you appreciate their patronage.

Listen to What They Have to Say – The opinions of your old and existing customers count. If they have some complaints, don’t brush them off. Instead, welcome them with a warm and sympathetic expression. Always put yourself in their shoes. If you’re truly in the wrong then you should take the necessary actions to rectify it. That’s the way to build and retain customer loyalty!

Customer loyalty takes time to build so it’s important that you don’t give up when your first few attempts end up in failure. Lastly, remember that building customer loyalty is a team effort so make it a common goal for management and employees to work hard for it!

In order for your career to grow, you must demonstrate effective leadership skills. Organizations are finally beginning to realize that soft skills are just as important as technical skills and therefore, are placing more emphasis on developing and rewarding effective leaders. One important skill for leaders to master is the ability to recruit high-potential talent into the organization.

The responsibility of recruiting these candidates doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of your recruiter. There are many ways that you can enhance their efforts to attract the most sought after candidates. Recruiting shouldn’t be reactive – performed only when you have an opening on your team. It should be an ongoing activity so that your pipeline of candidates is full and you can start interviewing shortly after a need has been established. Follow these tips to make the most of your efforts:

1. Look to your existing employees for a promotional opportunity, first. You should always look within the organization before you consider external candidates. Reward employees who are actively developing their skills and are loyal to the company. Is there someone who is ready to take on new responsibilities?

2. If you are an active member of your professional community, start building a rapport with prospective candidates. Recruiting is a lot like marketing – the more positive contact you have with prospects, the more receptive they will be to talking to you about making a move to your organization. Keep in contact with those you would like to have on your team one day.

3. Build a reputation as a strong leader. This is one of those times when you want your reputation to precede you. If you are known for being a great leader, candidates will want to work for you. Year after year, “lack of opportunity” is cited as one of the main reasons for employee turnover. Judicious candidates know that their manager can make or break that opportunity and they make their decisions accordingly.

4. Don’t be intimidated by dynamic, high-potential candidates. I’ve seen many hiring managers pass over candidates because they were intimidated by their ambition. Instead of worrying about someone taking over your job (if this is an issue, you’ve got bigger problems to worry about), think about who could potentially replace you when you move on to a bigger role.

5. Avoid the temptation of hiring someone just like you. It’s great when you have a connection with a candidate, but try to remember that you aren’t hiring someone to be your friend. Instead, look for someone who will complement your team’s strengths and weaknesses.

6. Select candidates who are passionate about their work. Passion is difficult to ascertain during an interview. However, there are signs you can look for and questions you can ask to better determine if this is someone who is passionate about their work.
• Does their education and work history consist of positions that build on each other, demonstrating knowledge in their field and a desire for growth? Or, have they bounced around with little direction?
• Are they actively involved in their professional community? Do they take advantage of opportunities to develop new skills?
• Find out why they chose to get into this particular line of work.
• Make a note of their specific professional goals. “To be working in a position that utilizes my skills or to be a manager” doesn’t cut it. Is it just about the money or are they looking for growth or meaning in their work?
• Find out what aspect of their job they enjoy most.

7. Stop settling for mediocrity. Don’t be afraid to hold off on making a selection decision until you have the right candidate. Get creative in the way you manage your employee shortage. Consider redistributing the duties on your team and hiring a temporary administrative employee to take up the slack. This is a great time for your employees gain additional experience.

Some smart souls take their credit card, cut it into a million pieces, and walk away without a backward glance. Other smart souls take their card and tuck into their wallet only using it if they find themselves facing an emergency. Still other smart souls use their credit card for regular daily purchases and then pay the subsequent bill each and every month. A few smart souls even use their cards to splurge and then spend the rest of the month digging through the couch cushion looking for spare change when the bill arrives in the mail.

Which type of customers do you think the credit card companies prefer?

The goal of the credit card companies is to take each and every smart customer and turn them into someone who use their card daily and then pays the monthly bill. Customers, who ignore their card, while financially responsible, are not the company’s idea of an ideal customer. In an effort to convince the customers who aren’t using their cards and in the hopes that maybe a few that use their cards a little too much the credit card companies offer incentive programs.

Company incentives are rewards companies dangle in front of their customers in hoping that loyal customers will continue to use their card, that new customers will sign up for a new card and then continue to use it until they are considered loyal customers, they hope that credit card carriers all over the world will forget that any other credit card company’s exist.

To lure new customers credit card companies often offer a lower introductory rate. This rate is often less then half of the usual interest rate. This rate is normally good for the first six months to a year when the interest rate returns to the standard rate. By the time the interest rate increases the company is hoping that the card holder is in the habit using their card to make purchases.

Another incentive credit card company’s and their customers love is cash back. For each doller the consumer the credit card will pay a portion of it back. It normally appears in the form of a check once a year. The amount is nominal, normally just a few cents on the doller but the sight of the check is enough to lift the spirit. After all if you’re going to spend the money anyway why not get some of it back, no matter how small the amount.

Offers of free airline miles entice customers. The idea of flying for free is often all the encouragement cardholders need to pull out their cards and start racking up the points. This particular incentive should be a double bonus to the credit card company. Not only are they encouraging customers to use their card to earn airline miles but the odds are also good that the same customers will also use the same card while they are on their vacation to do things like book a hotel, rent a car, buy dinner, and purchase souvenirs.

Some cards offer roadside assistance. If you drive into a ditch or run out of gas they will came save you. Since this is an incentive that is also offered by most motor clubs and car insurance companies it isn’t as heavily utilized as some of the other programs.

In some situations the card itself is an incentive. The cooler the colors, the more personalized the design the more likely a customer is to the use the card simply to show it off. This is especially true of teenage customers.

Company incentive programs offered by credit card companies make the credit card company happy because they feel that they encourage cardholders to use their card and not their competitor’s card. Company incentive programs offered by credit card companies make the card holders are happy because they are getting rewarded for money they probably would have spent anyway. It’s a win-win situation.

Who has the monkey?

Have you ever told a manager or coworker about something, intending simply to inform them about a potential issue, only to have them jump in and start “doing things” to take care of it? That this is bad for the manager involved is well known (though it doesn’t stop many from doing it), but if you’re leading a problem-solving effort, it’s bad for you, too. These issues are the monkeys, and they readily jump from one person to another.

Controlling your problem-solving project means you must not only know who has all the monkeys, but ensure that the right person has them. It’s ok to transfer a monkey from one person to another, but only as a conscious agreement from both people. Although occasionally you’ll have someone grab one from you or the monkey will seem to jump all by itself, here are some techniques that can help you control the monkeys.

* Describe the monkey and who has it. Keep written action item lists that state clearly what action is required, who has responsibility and when it’s due.

* Make sure that, if a monkey jumps, it’s on purpose. Keep the lists up-to-date. Highlight changes to help everyone see them, and make sure to distribute the lists to all concerned.

* Clarify who has the monkey whenever there’s a chance the monkey has tried to jump. When discussing an issue, be explicit about the purpose of the discussion. Tell the participants if it’s a “heads up” (but you still have the monkey), request for ideas/information (you still have the monkey) or if you want the person you’re talking with to do something (you’re giving them the monkey). If appropriate, follow up with a written summary of the discussion, stating explicitly who has the monkey. Update the action items if necessary.

This concept of monkey behavior, presented by William Oncken and Donald Wass in 1974 (Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec 1974; p 75-80), was originally intended to help managers control their time better by not taking on monkeys inadvertently or unnecessarily.

Many businesses rely on regular communications via meetings, both impromptu and scheduled. Some rather unproductive companies even have meetings to talk about meetings. In order to achieve desirable outcomes and remaining productive, here are six proven tips for success:

Have an Agenda
This goes without saying, but it is in the best interest of the meeting facilitator to craft an agenda to print and distribute to each of the participants as they settle in that covers the topics of discussion and general format for the meeting. This sets the stage nicely for a positive outcome.

Eliminate Distractions
There is nothing more annoying than someone’s cell phone playing a tune right as the meeting has begun, and it inevitably happens at the worst possible moments. Everyone claims they turned their phone onto vibrate as they entered or squelched their pager. In order to minimize distractions, insist that everyone either turn off their cell phones, pagers, or PDAs or leave them out of the room during the meeting. This may be perceived as a rather hard stance to take, but it will greatly improve the odds that you’ll be able to stick to the agenda and keep things flowing.

Have One Person Designated to Take Notes
Have you ever seen someone doodling or keeping themselves occupied with something totally unrelated to the topic at hand only to look like a complete fool when they are asked to contribute? Remove the burden of note taking by designating someone specific to take notes and encourage everyone to pay attention instead of taking their own notes. This way it’ll be easy to determine which people aren’t paying attention and reel them back in with the group.

Stay on Topic
If you’ve called an important meeting, it would be in your best interest to stay on topic. Everyone has multiple things going on in their day-to-day routine, and interrupting it to attend a meeting is routinely met with disdain especially if it doesn’t impact them a great deal. Out of respect for everyone’s time, stick to the topics outlined in the agenda in order to permit your co-workers or clients to return to the things that are most directly important to them.

Set a Regular Schedule (if necessary)
If there are requisite status meetings to discuss a project’s progress, set a schedule ahead of time so that everyone can coordinate their schedules with the meeting. This is particularly effective for committees and boards as people are joining from various locales or portions of the company.

End on Time
A final, common sense, pointer to take to heart is ending the meeting on time. As stated previously, people are coming from various areas of your business or even making logistical compromises to attend the meeting so make sure you end on time out of common courtesy.

Meetings do not have to be exasperatingly wasteful events provided the proper steps are taken to remove obstacles and improve efficiency.

Many businesses focus heavily on getting as many sales as possible, generating recurring sales and generating new leads, and this is all good. Infact it is a truism that without selling things your business cannot operate, so to focus on them is important. But an often overlooked side of running a successful business is focussing on your overheads - in particular rent, communications, stationary(including mailing costs) and to a lesser extent marketing. I say marketing to a lesser extent because this cost is usually associated with the practices of increasing turnover that I described at the start of this article.

It has long been my belief that if you neglect your overheads you will quickly lose touch with your business, and as your sales increase, so your overheads will balloon, swallowing up a large percentage of what should be profits. It is for this reason I set aside time every month to access my overheads, and see if anything can be done to reduce them. In this article I will deal with communication costs, as this is an area I have recently had a lot of success with and am quietly chuffed with a little known company that saved me over 40% in this area.

Communications is a very dynamic market at the moment, with VoIP in particular leading to some massive changes in the way we will stay in touch in the future. The references I make in this article are specific to my home market - New Zealand, but apply equally to most developed markets in the world.

For the longest time here the communications market has been dominated by a privatised State carrier, in our case Telecom and more recently TelstraClear. This has lead to a monopoly on pricing structures which until very recently has meant to businesses - high communication costs and little choice in provider. The past 4-5 years has seen a dramatic change in this, with internet communication exploding and toll prices on the decrease. My companies first move away from the mainstream communication providers involved setting up internet based communications channels with our regular suppliers.

In our case we simply used the inbuilt voice functions of MSN messenger, which is usually efficient and has the huge advantage of being free and having a fallback(if voice communication drops out there is still the option to exchange typed messages in the traditional messenger format). This is still something we use, but the one major drawback is that it requires arranging beforehand and the quality(as with all internet based solutions I have tried thus far) is of variable quality and totally dependent on factors outside your control, such as traffic flow across the internet. The results are good enough for parties you have established contact with, but not worth the risk of using when attempting to forge new partnerships and appear professional.

Our next step was to look at direct dial calling. We approached the two main carriers with a summary of our usage and asked them what deals they could do for us. It's amazing how few people do this. It signals to the Telco's that you are aware there are options and you are prepared to make a move if they are not the best. In my experience in all the sectors I mentioned in the opening paragraph, if you make this known the chances of the supplier returning with a better offer are extremely high. In the case I'm discussing I was temporarily satisfied by a reduction of some 10% from our current provider, including a very good deal between our offices.

When we revisited this several months later we had been referred to a small toll provider called Gumption Communications. This company has now been carrying our toll calls for eight months and has saved us between 40-60% each month on some quite large bills. For ease of communication and pricing this is the best option that we have come across.

One further option that we have tried and eventually discarded is prepaid phonecards. Companies such as Easycall and GoTalk provide unbelievable savings on your toll calls, especially suited to a small office run by 1-2 motivated people who have an interest in controlling costs. I strongly suggest anyone looking at reducing communication costs do a google search on prepaid card and your local area. While the prices are unmatched by anything I have come across there are several drawbacks. The prepaid balance needs constant monitoring, your call records are harder to come by(Easycall's online interface counters this), you need to dial a number before dialling out(Try getting your staff to do this for more than a few weeks!) and the market can be very dynamic, seeing even quite large carriers disappear overnight.

I hope that the points I briefly touched on here will help you and your business curb your communications spending, and that this will help you see that keeping an eye on your overheads can be as critical to a business as keeping an eye on your sales data.

When Ergonomic Office Furniture Can Cause Harm

Many office workers spend the majority of their day at a workstation. It is at these workstations that they make their living, and hopefully their workstations are setup in a manner to keep them happy, healthy, and productive. However, each year thousands of people suffer from carpel tunnel, back problems, and a host of other problems from working at a workstation. At the center of any workstation is the work chair, which can be the source of many problems associated with office work. With the use of ergonomic chairs for the workplace, workers can avoid injury and be more comfortable and happy while working.

One factor that many offices overlook when selecting ergonomic office furniture, especially chairs, is that not everyone is the same size. Although managers in charge of selecting ergonomic chairs may scrutinize features like lumbar support, tilt options, and overall adjustability, they often forget that these chairs are designed for people of average size, but people who fall outside this range are likely to be discomforted. Many ergonomic office chairs do not accommodate the unique size or shape of a very petite woman or a tall man with wide shoulders. While lumbar supports do make chairs much more comfortable and easier on the spine, a poorly adjusted lumbar support will cause more harm than good. This is because a lumbar support is designed to fit a certain part of a person’s back to reduce pressure and the weight that the back has to support, but when improperly adjusted for a very large or small person, it will put extra pressure on their upper back, or hit their lumbar too low to be effective. Because of this, workers who are very large or small may need a specialty chair to reduce the risk of injury or strain.

Keyboard trays are another piece of ergonomic equipment that is designed to reduce stress on the hands and wrists, but many times they cause more harm than good. Many keyboard trays are often arranged so that they cannot be adjusted, which assumes that there is one universal typing position for everyone. The inability to change the position of keyboard trays leaves many workers with their wrists at odd angles and maintaining a static position to reach their keyboard comfortably. Many experts recommend that a keyboard be tilted away slightly instead of toward you like many keyboards. Another downfall of many keyboard trays is that they do not provide a place for the mouse, so workers must reach away from the keyboard every time they need to use the mouse.

Although many employers mean well by getting their workers ergonomic chairs, they do not realize that they are not one-size-fits-all. While most ergonomic office chairs do work well for most people, chairs with more adjustments will allow a wider range of workers to be comfortable and more productive than chairs that force workers to maintain static positions throughout the workday.

The phrase “hazardous waste” is often misunderstood. Many people would assume that hazardous waste relates to chemical waste and toxic waste. This of course is true, but what many businesses do not realise is that many day to day items such as aerosols, paints, computer monitors, fluorescent tubes, fridges and certain cleaning products, are also classed as hazardous waste. At some point the majority of businesses will therefore produce some form of hazardous waste, which will need to be disposed of in the correct manner.

Following the introduction of the Hazardous Waste Regulations in July 2005, the number of items classed as hazardous has significantly increased. Since this date, producers of hazardous waste have also been required to register as a hazardous waste producer with the Environment Agency. The aim of the new regulations was not only to reduce the amount of hazardous waste produced and disposed of, but also to produce a “cradle to grave” monitoring system for the hazardous waste that was produced.

Some shops and offices may be exempt from having to register as a hazardous waste producer if they produce less than 200kg of hazardous waste within a 12 month period. However, due to the wide classification of hazardous waste that is now in place, a large percentage of businesses, especially industrial businesses, will have to register.

When should a business register as a hazardous waste producer? The correct answer to this is as soon as hazardous waste is produced. However, in practice most businesses will not register until they require their first collection of hazardous waste since the new regulations were implemented. The main reason for this is because many businesses will not realise that they need to register until they have contacted a hazardous waste disposal company to collect their waste.

If a business has more than one premises, each premises that produces hazardous waste will need to be registered as a hazardous waste producer. The registration process can either be done by the company itself, or can be done by a hazardous waste disposal company on their behalf.

If your business produces hazardous waste you must keep the waste separate from your non-hazardous waste and make sure it is correctly labelled. Even when the waste is collected by a registered waste carrier, ensuring the consignment note is completed correctly remains the responsibility of the waste producer.

If you are unsure whether the waste your business produces is hazardous, seek advice from the Environment Agency. Alternatively, contact a specialist hazardous waste disposal company who will be able to use their knowledge and experience to help identify the waste and provide expert advice as to the correct storage and disposal methods for the waste.

Depending on the amount of hazardous waste that you produce, most specialist waste management companies will also be able to carry out a waste audit of your site to access the best way to deal with each of the different waste streams that your business produces.

As a huge observer of paradoxes and that too of life's parodies, I have strongly believed in this paradox since young. That of helping oneself is of paramount importance before helping others. We cannot effectively help others if we are in need of help ourselves. Perhaps it will be better if I relate this to an organisational context which I experienced when I was in the Army.

Back in those days, actually just more than a year ago lest I sound too old, I was working in this department of the highest division of the largest formation in the Army. I have to mention that the department is of high level so as to highlight the importance of having good internal resources for workers to work with. Being at the Head Quarters level, where the administration gets extremely busy, we needed relatively fast and reliable computers to work with. We had a buggy version of windows 95 and there was a total lack of basic hardware which made it all the more difficult to transfer information on a daily basis. I had failed to make my supervisor see the importance of having good resources to work with. So this is the scenario in the organisation. In fact this is congruent to how most companies function today.

Most companies, in the quest for satisfying customers, keep cutting down on costs. The problem is that they do not know how to differentiate necessary and unnecessary costs/liabilities. By having less than adequate resources for employees to work with, they easily lose pride and satisfaction in doing their jobs. This affects their performance and in turn brings down the overall quality of an organisation's products and services. Being customer-oriented is not enough to succeed, keeping the employees is equally vital. By keeping them happy, they would feel appreciated and see themselves as an integral part of the company's strength.

Relating back to our initial paradox statement, companies have to help themselves to be well equipped before providing value to their customers. They have to serve themselves internally before serving externally.

This is the same concept when people, being people, invest so much effort, money and time on unnecessities and invest none for their health and well-being of their emotional state. It boils down to their obliviousness of the fact that we need to help ourslves before helping others.