• Home
• About

Subscribe

Document Recovery Services: Employing Book Restoration Services

Museums, libraries, and schools across the United States are continually researching new and effective ways to prevent water damage to ensure the longevity of rare and precious books and documents. Rare book rooms are commonplace in many major libraries and some museums and organizations are home to the most valuable, important pieces of literary history. Places like the American Bible Society’s Rare Book and the Rare Book & Special Collections division of the Library of Congress house some of the most highly-valued first-edition books from throughout American history. It is vital for future generations that these collections are protected against water or mold damage.

Just as these rare books are important to posterity, each homeowner also keeps items they consider precious for their future family members. Things like family photo albums, family bibles and other books and documents could fall prey to water or mold damage if not properly stored or cleaned. There are things to consider when assessing the ability to salvage water damaged books as well as various methods for doing so.

The Extent of Water Damage

Water or mold damage, unfortunately can strike even the most prepared institutions. Broken plumbing pipes, natural disasters or broken ventilation systems can all lead to damaged books. Museums, libraries and schools try to understand the different types of drying techniques and how they affect certain composite materials in order to best save water damaged books when these problems happen. Water absorption depends on the age, condition, and material of the paper that has been damaged. Books published before 1840 will generally absorb much more water than currently printed books, therefore running a much higher risk of experiencing swelling or mold damage. Leather bound books of the 15 through 17 centuries can usually be restored using extremely controlled procedures. However, modern books typically use badly processed leather which makes water damage restoration nearly impossible.

Professional recovery service providers are the best at determining the precise extent of water damage your books have sustained and what drying technique is most appropriate. You can reduce the risk of permanent damage to a book collection, however, by taking a few steps immediately after the damage has been found.

Humidity

Humidity is one of the main sources of book mold or water damage. It is important to keep your archives in a very cool, dry place to reduce the likelihood of mold outbreaks. If damage has already set in, open windows and doors and set up as many fans in the affected area as possible. This creates air flow in the area and reduces the amount of humidity. De-humidifiers are also a good option. Never open water-damaged books or separate individual sheets of paper as this may cause further damage that can be irreparable.

Consider Restoration Professionals

For most books, especially those of extreme importance, the salvaging and drying process should be done using a professional service. Book restoration specialists use technologies and drying techniques that are much more effective and far less damaging than basic do-it-yourself techniques. Two techniques are widely used and very effective. The desiccant air dry distribution systems lowers humidity in the drying area, allowing more of the water trapped in the book or document to evaporate. The vacuum-freeze drying system distribute pressure evenly around the drying book, reducing warp, maintaining the original look and feel of the books or documents, and ensuring that future damage does not set in.

Most attempts by individuals to dry damaged books themselves will result in warped or ruined products. By employing book restoration experts, books can be better handled and more closely be returned in nearly new conditions.

Water and mold damage can affect both prepared and unprepared institutions and home owners. Taking the time to understand how the damage has effected important materials, especially precious books, and incorporating the aid of professionals will ensure these items will be restored for future generations.

~Ben Anton, 2008

Want to learn more about mold damaged book restoration? Visit the Rapid Refile website and read about the latest in high tech document drying methods.

Customer Relationship Tactics

There are all kinds of ways to build customer relationships, and some businesses are still wondering whether they really need to build these kinds of relationships at all. They see society as becoming so much more global that things like customer relationship management (CRM) aren’t really that important any more. These businesses assume that the reason that customers are going to so many different businesses and buying all kinds of things off of the Internet is because they don’t have any loyalty to any of the companies they do business with—and they don’t expect any in return. Often this is not true, however. These people are interested in having good business relationships, but they feel that businesses don’t care about them, and that CRM is not important to them. When people think businesses don’t care and the businesses think people don’t care, it becomes a vicious circle and no one wins.

In order to avoid these kinds of things, CRM has to return to businesses instead of being ignored like it has been in recent years. These businesses must become aware of the fact that they need to pay attention to their customers. If they do not do this, those customers will leave, and many of them will not return. Then the businesses get angry and they say that their customers aren’t loyal to them. These businesses need to be the ones to reach out to their customers and start making changes, and CRM is one of the best ways that they can do that. Even the businesses who are seeing the importance of CRM sometimes avoid it because they think that it will cost them too much. Other companies see it as an inconvenience and they aren’t interested in going through the ‘hassle’ of setting it up and using it. In truth, however, there are many programs today that can be used quite easily for customer service. They are not as costly as most businesses think and they are very convenient.

For companies who want to start on CRM to help grow their business and their customer base, one of the best ways to do that is to begin exploring software options so that they can find something that they like, that will work for them, and that they can afford. These things are all very important, and they can all be found, regardless of the concerns that a lot of businesses have regarding this. Patience is a factor for these businesses, because it is not easy to find CRM solutions that will work well and that will be inexpensive, especially if you’re looking for one that grows with the business as its customer base expands. Customers of a business that uses CRM effectively will notice it, because they will see how they are treated and that they are better remembered than they were at other businesses. For companies who want to put customer service and customer relations at the forefront, making sure that their customers feel important and remembered can be key.

Dave Roth runs a site focusing on CRM software The site provides reviews on everything from web based to various open source CRM solutions. Not only that, the site gives salespeople the tools to make these tools even more effective.

Customer Relationship Management: Everything Old is New Again

In an age when the platitude “The customer is always right” has morphed into the more alarming maxim “An unhappy customer can blog about it”, Customer Relationship Management would seem to be getting a new spin. The reasoning goes like this: the internet has forever changed our world and we must change the way we do business as a result. We must treat the marketplace as a conversation, we must speak in an authentic voice, engage the customer as a partner. We must listen to the customer and give him what he genuinely wants, and not just what we have to sell. The alarm has been sounded – our customers can talk to each other, we can’t hide behind our corporate firewalls.

These are all valid points. It can’t be denied that the Internet has changed our world forever. The interesting thing is, the idea of the marketplace as a one-way conversation, where you can hide from your customer after you sell them a bad product, is a very modern one. It can be argued that on some level, the Internet is taking us back to an earlier time, where news travelled fast, where everybody knew everybody else’s business, and the marketplace was in fact where you went for conversation, as well as a colorful rug, and perhaps some exotic spices. The Internet has made the world a smaller place, and small is the new big.

What has changed is the way the conversation takes place, and the speed with which the news, good or bad, travels. Today’s customers, for better or worse, have a lot of options available to them. You can’t ship it today? Click – I’ll find someone who can. You don’t have it in blue? Click – I’ll find someone who does. Likewise, if today’s customer is curious about what other people think about what you have to sell, another few clicks will usually lead him to a review or a forum where other consumers can speak freely and volubly about every aspect of your product and service. The challenge is to build customer loyalty and brand awareness in a marketplace full of itchy mouse fingers.

But let’s suppose none of this is news to you. You’ve read The Cluetrain Manifesto. You know about the social customer. Frankly, you don’t believe in some vast conspiracy on the part of American business to swindle and defraud the consumer. Quality and value win the day, always have, always will, whether the consumer gets to the marketplace by camel or Firefox. The fact of the matter is, you engage in conversations, real conversations, with your customers every day. You know that you are not invisible, and no business can survive for long that doesn’t listen to its customers. You know that Customer Relationship Management is not just about getting new customers, it’s about keeping the old ones. What you are looking for is new and better ways to tend the delicate flower of customer loyalty while aggressively cultivating new ground. Consumers want more transparency; you want to give it to them without compromising confidentiality. If news travels fast, then information sharing needs to be instantaneous. This not only gives everyone in your organization a complete, up-to-date view of all customer interactions, it empowers your employees to deal knowledgeably with your customers, leading to a high quality customer experience.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software has kept pace with the demands of the new (old) marketplace, and is absolutely indispensable no matter how large or small your organization is. There are Web-based applications that can be accessed on-demand through the internet; there are also applications that can be implemented on-site. These might be standalone applications, or you might want them to integrate with existing back-office applications. Either way, CRM software has many benefits, from thorough contact management to sophisticated forecasting and reporting. Come to work every day and see a list of activities that you can prioritize. Analyze and organize your sales opportunities. Manage each prospect through a sales cycle. Quickly resolve customer questions, issues and requests with advanced tracking and resolution tools. CRM software can expand your reach and improve your communication with your company’s lifeblood – the customer.

At ACI we are experts on the Sage ACT! and CRM Saleslogix product line. If you need help selecting a CRM solution, email me at solutions@ACIconsulting.com or visit us at www.ACIconsulting.com. I’ll put our team to work on it!

Douglas Luchansky is the President of ACI Consulting, a reseller for ERP related software and services such as Sage CRM Saleslogix.

Software Pricing: Getting Back to Growth

Software vendors are rapidly running out of room to grow organically. Enterprise software players are boxed in by increasingly budget-conscious buyers and by their own entrenched culture of deep-discounting. Vendors of packaged software are battling runaway SKU complexity and channel partners’ demands. And both groups are still grappling with software-as-a-service model – as both threat and opportunity. What is needed now is a disciplined approach to pricing that combines rules-based process standardization and controls with the flexibility to offer different prices to different customer segments.

Top-line growth has never been harder for software vendors—or more necessary. Software investments are growing much more slowly and many vendors are relying on acquisitions for growth. Furthermore, venture capital is no longer flowing into the sector. The heart of the problem is that organic growth will never reach the height of the industry’s “go-go years,” and capturing value will become more critical as the breadth of products, customers and channels continues to expand.

Yet, software vendors are proving to be their own worst enemies by continuing to encourage their customers to buy at the last moment when products are “on sale” and the sales representative can be counted on to over-discount. They bring very little discipline to discounting.

Recent research by Accenture found substantial opportunities for pricing to drive top-line growth in a post-boom software market. Well-planned price strategy and execution are integral to profitable growth. Recent efforts to expand the use of segmentation have yielded positive results but software providers now need to demonstrate they can take their pricing capabilities up several levels.

To arrive at this higher level, vendors are encountering several areas of difficulty. They struggle with the challenge of the initial price setting and the subsequent price administration and publishing. And, there are the formidable challenges to the mechanics of sales activities – understanding customers’ changing requirements in order to sell on value, identifying and planning for conversations with new economic buyers, and much more.

These areas are complicated further by price-point proliferation. On the packaged software side this stems from an increasing number of SKU’s receiving different treatment from different vendors. On the enterprise software side, undisciplined deal management results in different customers paying widely varied prices for the same solution.

Software as a service (SaaS) is adding a new element to the pricing challenge. Most providers are still struggling on how to price these products–by user, minute month or some other metric. Furthermore, it is not clear how the user perceives the pricing position and the vendor must determine how to sell these products with out the customer feeling “nickled and dimed” and ultimately becoming resistant to new services and upgrades.

In work with a range of software companies, Accenture has identified several key best practices which companies can begin to develop immediately:

1. Review the core business mode in light of the potential impact of new offerings, term licenses and SaaS components.

2. Standardize pricing approaches (not necessarily pricing strategies) across product lines.

3. Implement “formula” or rules-based pricing to help salespeople construct deals.

4. Use pricing applications to enable best-practice pricing.

5. Focus on organizational improvement.

There can be no question of the urgency to take pricing capabilities to the next level; the costs of doing nothing are prohibitive. What is needed now is a break from traditional approaches and a move from reactive to more rules-based and disciplined pricing. With these fact-based approaches entirely practical today, software providers should be quick to adopt them wholeheartedly to unlock new growth opportunities.

Accenture’s Electronics & High-tech industry group offers management consulting, technology-strategy and implementation services to all segments of this exceptionally dynamic industry. Read the full article on Software Pricing: Getting Back to Growth. Send an email to Patty Crawford if you would like one of our US sales and marketing specialists to meet with you.

Top Ten Success Factors Of Lean Six Sigma - Identifying Success Factors Critical To Deployment, And Evaluating Which Tools Have The Most Impact On Projects

Identifying success factors critical to deployment, and evaluating which tools have the most impact on projects

New research has identified the success factors critical to the success of a lean six sigma deployment, and the ones that make a difference etween partial and complete success.

The research also examined tool use in projects, and evaluated which tools were best understood, and which ones had most impact in projects. In finding that there is a link between understanding and impact, and that tool understanding is mixed, the analysis highlights the fact that

the greater understanding of the tool, the greater the impact.

This affects the success of a programme in many ways, not least because if there is a lack of understanding about a tool,then it is unlikely to be used, despite the fact that it may well be the most appropriate and effective. Furthermore, the level of management commitment is adversely affected by a lack of tool and technique understanding, and therefore for

greater executive buy-in, management must have a knowledge of the tools and techniques available.

SigmaPro, a global provider of lean six sigma training,software, consultancy services, and deployment support, teamed up with the Aston Business School, one of the top business teaching & research institutions in the UK, to carry out research into the success factors involved in business improvement programmes, and also looked at which tools work, and why in real projects. In doing so, the research identified the tools that work best in practice. “Most Six Sigma and Lean training is based around thinking from 20 years ago based on successes in Motorola and GE. We wanted to take an up to the minute look at what makes a successful programme today” says Chris Rees, Director of UK Operations for SigmaPro.

Commissioned as part of Sigmapro’s continual improvement process for their lean six sigma training material and deployment support, the esearch looked to find out what makes a successful improvement programme. It compared the responses of improvement practitioners, including Black Belts and Master Black Belts with general management and Green Belts in order to gauge the impact that increased technical knowledge has on project success, and the tools that are most effective in gaining that success.

Success Factors Important for a Successful Deployment

1. The root causes of the problems should be addressed, not the symptoms of them.

2. It is the responsibility of everyone in the organisation to ensure that quality is built in at the source.

3. An environment must be developed that encourages the constant improvement of products and services

4. Defective products and services must be considered as unacceptable.

5. The customer requirements must be fully understood to be able to provide good quality.

6. All people in the organisation are responsible for quality improvement

7. Leadership and resource needs to be given by top management

8. Data must be used to support and verify the success of the improvement initiative

9. Customer satisfaction is a critical measure for business improvement

10. Resistance to change must be actively managed “As the use of the lean six sigma methodology and tools are growing quickly, researching its success factors is important to make sure that lean six sigma is not misused and so continues to have a high positive impact.” says Mike Titchen, Master Black Belt at Sigmapro and part of the research team who

collated the data and analysed it using lean six sigma tools and techniques.

Dr Ben Clegg of Aston Business School thinks that, “lean six sigma practice has enormous potential to improve business performance.

How the training of professionals in tools and success factors takes place, and the implementation of these in practice, is currently an under researched area. It should be a concern of all leading researchers and training organisations in this area to ensure that it is performed correctly in order to maximise its impact”.

The first part of the research asked respondents to rank a list of 30 success factor statements sourced from various respected ‘gurus’, such as Deming, Ishikawa, Crosby and Feigenbaum. Respondents were asked to rate each statement for its importance to a programme generally, and from there whether they believed it had been implemented successfully in their organisation.

Of those surveyed 25.6% of respondents reported complete success with their change programme, whilst 73.1% said it was a partial success. Interestingly, it transpired that general management – the sponsors of the programmes - are much more likely to describe the deployments as a complete success than those working within the programmes. This comes as no surprise to Mike Titchen. “I think practitioners are more critical, and focus not only on how well the deployment is accepted, but also on how well their internal processes are working (eg project selection, review sessions, BB development etc)” he says. “Sponsors, on the other hand, are happy to see positive results, and focus less on the process side.”

The successful implementation of the factors would also appear to be directly related to the programme participant’s belief in its importance, with eight of the top ten factors deemed critical to success also appearing in the top ten of those most successfully implemented. This is evidence that buy-in from all the participants in the programme is heavily influential on its success, regardless of the technical tools and techniques available.

To Mike, this shows the importance of Change Management. “When the General Electric heuristic for making initiatives work - E = Q x A (Effectiveness of the programme is a function of its Technical Quality times its Cultural Acceptance) - is considered, it can be seen that there is a fairly even split between cultural and technical factors. This implies that the people aspects of any improvement programme are as important as the technical tools and techniques used. This is why we at SigmaPro spend a lot of time in our Training on Change Management.”

Best Understood Tools

BBs / MBBs

1. 5 Whys

2. Fishbone

3. Pareto

4. 5S

5. Measles Chart

Best Understood Tools

Non-Experts

1. Brainstorming

2. KPI

3. Process Mapping

4. Basic Statistics

5. Gantt Chart

Tools considered most effective – BBs / MBBs

1. Process Layout

2. Visual Management

3. What, Where, When, etc.

4. CTQ Trees

5. Process Mapping

Tools considered most effective – Mgmt / GBs

1. Process Mapping

2. KPI

3. Poka Yoke

4. Best Practise

5. Brain Storming

The second part of the research dealt with specific tools and their impact on deployment success. Respondents were asked to rate 77 lean six sigma tools in terms of their own understanding of them, and then in terms of the impact the tools had on a successful programme. In finding a strong correlation between the understanding of the tool and its perceived success, the research shows that as the advanced tools are considered more effective, it is vital that management should have at least basic awareness training in them in order to appreciate their impact.

Unfortunately, it seems that this rarely happens. “In my experience, they are often reluctant to do this,” says Mike. “And this has a significant negative impact on initiative success.” One worrying result of the research is the apparent fact that more often than not, the urgency of a project determines the selection of tools: the more urgent a project, the more likely a simple tool tends be used, even if it is not the most appropriate or effective.

SigmaPro have already begun to incorporate the results of the research into their training material.

If you have any questions regarding the article, please do not hesitate to contact SigmaPro at:

Regus Business Centre

Central Boulevard

Blythe Valley Business Park

Solihull

B90 8AG

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1676 532 470

Fax: +44 (0)1676 534 544

http://www.sigmapro.co.uk

SigmaPro UK- Six Sigma Training. Your online resource for Lean Six Sigma Training and Consulting. Lean Six Sigma Training courses from August 2008. Get free tips, resources, special offers and trends HERE

Increasing Business Productivity With Software

To succeed in any business, employers need tools and information to boost productivity. Computers improve productivity because they can accomplish tasks faster and eliminate the need to manually repeat routine tasks. Gone are the days when a paper timesheet was used to calculate payroll in the workplace. Timesheet software can be installed to help businesses get organized and be more efficient and it is usually compatible with both Windows and Apple Mac computers.

Managers need employees to work and avoid wasting time on needless tasks. Paper timesheets can get lost and clutter desks. Timesheet software is a more reliable way to keep track of employee time and attendance. The timesheet software keeps a log of sick time, vacation time and other time spent away from work. The software automatically tallies timesheets each month giving employers and employees more time to accomplish business objectives and it can be configured to send email reminders to managers who need to approve the timesheets. The timesheets are submitted and approved electronically.

Timesheet software aids employers in managing and analysing employee productivity. The software not only automates timesheets but also manages centralized data securely. It can be a means of providing reports so that possible problems can be foreseen ahead of time. When possible problems are planned for, the business can work to solve the problems before they happen.

Some managers use the timesheet software to track employee task progress. A timesheet software manages shifts, and schedules activities in real time. Through the software it is possible to create a to do list, keep a time log and enter project information. This helps businesses to plan and execute business goals. It is a convenient way to manage time and resources to accomplish business objectives. It also serves as a timekeeping device and improves employee performance by keeping desks free from needless papers to file.

The software is a vital accounting tool. It can be configured to bill by the hour or any other time unit. The various programs can also calculate payroll and bill clients. The software is used for printing accounting reports as well as the creation and monitoring budgets.

A timesheet program reduces administrative cost by allowing employees to enter their own time. It also reduces the risk of clerical mistakes and provides timely accurate information for managers. It also provides a way to communicate with clients and other colleagues.

Data entered in the software can be changed whenever there is a need to do so. Cost, time and other data is easily adjustable anywhere there is a computer with internet access.

Because there are a variety of timesheet software programs available in the market, it is vital to do your research when choosing a timesheet software. Find a program that is fast, secure and simple. Excellent timesheet software is cost effective and can be customized according to the business and employee needs of your company. For a business which strives to increase productivity, a timesheet software is an essential tool in project and time management.

If you are looking for time management solutions for your company, consider looking at timesheet software. It can streamline your business, increase productivity and reduce time spent on repetitive business tasks that can be automated. This type of program should be a must have in every comany’s software arsenal.

Buying Bar Chairs: Top 5 Mistakes Not to Make

There are 5 common mistakes that most bar owners and managers make when shopping for their bar chairs around the world. Those mistakes are deeply rooted in our social order, traditions, and perceptions created by mass marketing techniques.

1. Looking for Brand

Many buyers around the world look for brand rather than functionality. It starts with peer pressure in early stages (high school) and continues to live with the entrepreneur till the day he decides to buy those bar chairs for his pub. How does brand fit into this?

Bar owners will find themselves looking for a brand they’ve seen on a famous website, or even featured on Oprah as one of the best brands for the year. This is one of the biggest mistakes, since bar owners end up with chairs that do not fit their pub’s theme, design, layout, etc.

There are two key elements to consider for you not to fall into the “brand trap” as many experts call it: price and its effect.

Price does not convey functionality and quality, no matter how much we’d love to think so. You can buy a couch for a $200 and have it at your pub for more than 2 years, and you can buy a $1000 couch that gets torn the first minute a customer moves (those studded jeans can seriously damage your chairs).

The second thing to consider is to the need to prioritize. This falls under the effects factor, since buying expensive furniture will only leave you short on money to focus on other factors such as machines, decoration, etc. It is important for the buyer to remember that brands can be quite heavy on the budget, where as run-of-the-mill bar chairs can bring excellent results without leaving you broke.

2. Picking the Wrong Colors

Many post-modern design enthusiasts might tell you: there is no wrong or right when it comes to colors. However, mixing colors can bring unwanted results if done haphazardly. Many people will stop going to a pub simply because the colors are an eye sore: too bright, or too dark and gloomy.

One mistake under this category is to pick random colors under the assumption that it will create a “Modern” or “Hip” look. Randomness for modernity is an image enforced by the media, yet any design expert can tell you not all colors can be harmonious in relation to your bar’s setting and theme.

On the other hand, many bar owners tend to overmatch colors, making their bar look very monotonous. You come across many bars in which the curtains match the color of the chairs’ cushions, and the tables match the color of the wallpaper. Not only does this technique convey a very orderly and proper atmosphere, this also creates boredom for the eye, your customer will find himself falling asleep.

3. Picking the Wrong Textures

Textures are one of the most important aspects when picking your bar chairs. Wrong textures make customers less willing to visit your pub for two reasons: discomfort and fear. You might think this is such a huge statement to make, however; let’s examine such claims.

Some textures can cause discomfort for your customer during certain seasons and settings. If your pub is located in an area known to go through at least 3 heat waves every year, picking leather for your bar chairs might not be a wise choice, since it will scorch your customer’s skin. This will lead to extreme discomfort and dissatisfaction with your bar.

Another aspect in relation to textures is how your bar chair’s texture it fits with your customers’ lifestyle. If your bar is located near a construction site, you can expect your customers’ to carry around a lot of dust and stains. A customer might feel self conscious sitting on sensitive fabrics that might stain easily. This usually calls for more durable, stain friendly textures that won’t leave your customer self-conscious about sitting and moving about.

4. Picking the Wrong Design

Picking the wrong design for your bar chairs can also create a lot hassle in the future. Wrong designs also rely on the environment in which your bar is located. Chairs with intricate engravings tend to be “dust gatherers” and will require your staff to clean them frequently and carefully; do you really want your customer to look at the dusty edges while enjoying his time?

Another design mistake is to pick eccentric designs that haven’t been tested before. So you might think that Swivel Egg chairs will make a perfect leap in design: modern and hip. However, eccentric designs don’t fare well on the long run. In case of damage, you’ll find that their maintenance cost and time is expensive and troublesome. You should opt for bar chairs that won’t get damaged easily, and if they do, won’t require a professional to fix them – professional maintenance is very expensive nowadays. Pick ones you can easily fix while sipping a g cup of coffee before opening hours.

5. Picking the Wrong Shape or Height

Let’s use our example from above to explain how picking the wrong shape or height can lead to loss of customers. Egg chairs can only appeal to those who can actually fit in them. In terms of size, Egg chairs confine your customers to a certain size range. How would an overweight customer feel about sitting in one of those?

Bearing in mind your customer’s lifestyle is one of the most basic elements of picking size and height of your chairs. If your customers are relatively of average height, there’s no reason to bring bar stools that would take forever to climb on.

In conclusion, bar owners should think about the consequences behind every purchase, since all those mistakes can be easily avoided once you have your customers’ lifestyle and area’s background in mind. Conducting a simple survey before re-decorating is one helpful way to determine the perfect choice of bar chairs. Buying bar chairs should conducted after some time of careful research and customer observance.

Mr.Nibbinsworth has been writing for Laytrad Contracts about cafe furniture and cafe chairs for several years off-line and has recently started to write online. Get a 5 year quality guarantee on all contract furniture including hotel furniture at laytrad.co.uk

A Room That Reaches Out and Welcomes Your Guests

There are a lot of public buildings where a need is evident to create a reception room, a lobby or a waiting room for customers. Most medical practices need such a room so patients can wait in relative comfort for their appointment with the doctor. Businesses commonly set up a very pleasant waiting room for business consultants, sales people or clients to be able to relax before getting their time with the business man or woman who offices there. You might even think of a hotel lobby as a receiving room because that lobby is the first room that greets new customers and makes them feel welcome.

So as you prepare the plans for a reception area for your business (http://www.laytrad.co.uk/commercial-reception-furniture.htm), every detail is important. All of us have spent time in waiting or reception rooms that we did not enjoy. So it’s good to think of those times and try to sort out exactly what it was about that experience that made it unpleasant. And those are the things to design away from so your guests not only feel at ease and comfortable in your receiving area, they will be willing to spend time there and not driven away from your business just because that room didn’t do its job of reaching out and welcoming your guests.

Obviously the heart of a good receiving room are the chairs. The kinds of chairs you provide as well as how they are arranged can go a long way to send the message to your customers or guests that they are welcome and you want them to feel at ease as they wait in this room. It’s good to think about what kinds of chairs you will use and what makes a great reception chair before you make the investment in this important part of this important room in your hotel or business.

Customers relax best in a waiting or reception room that is well designed, modern, well decorated and soothing. This is all accomplished by professionals in interior decorating who can lay out a reception room that utilizes relaxing colors and lighting that just naturally causes any anxious guest to catch a second wind and gain some composure before conducting the business at hand. In a situation of a doctor’s office or dentist’s waiting room, the job of calming waiting patients could not be more important. People are anxious enough about what lies ahead in a medical situation so anything that can be done in that waiting area to introduce calm and serenity is actually medicinal in nature.

If you are working with an interior decorator who is coordinating the layout, the colors and all aspects of the reception room, he or she may have some specific ideas about the reception chairs so they too can help in calming those who my have to pass a fair amount of time waiting there. There have been actual studies that show that certain curves and lines in furniture and certain construction components are more soothing to guests than others. So seek that kind of expert knowledge because your reception room chairs can deliver to you much calmer and more receptive guests who were literally prepared to meet with you by a calming receiving room, even if they never knew that was happening to them.

The reception or waiting room for your business is the very first room your customer will see. For a first time client or guest, they may begin to form opinions about your business or hotel from what they experience in that room. You want that impression to be a good one that communicates that you run and up to date and professional organization. But it also should communicate an open feeling that is conducive to discussions and the building of partnerships. To accomplish this, your reception room chairs should be a modern design and look clean and new at all times. You don’t want chairs that are showing signs of wear as that gives the message that your business or hotel is old, out of date and run down. Make sure those chairs give the impression of a business your customers want to work with. Then they will meet with you enthusiastic and ready to partner with you on the business at hand.

Along with a professional look that is clean and welcoming, your reception room chairs should be above all comfortable. If a customer has to wait there too long, say as long as an hour, you don’t want the chair to cause impatience and discomfort. This is a fine line because you don’t want the reception room chairs to be so comfortable that they put your guests to sleep or make it hard to get out of them. That is why deep living room style chairs might not be the best choice except in hotel lobbies where long term lounging is encouraged. Straight back chairs with top notch cushions for comfort are a good compromise because the customer can relax, read a magazine, have a cup of coffee on the table next to the chair and still be able to get out of the chair and into action when its time to come in and meet with you.

Another consideration that must always be part of planning a very public room is how to keep your reception room chairs clean. While in theory your guests will not be in those chairs for very long, there is every opportunity for the chairs to become soiled. If your guests have children or are children, food stains are common and children just seem to be walking mess factories. So the type of covering for your chair is important. A good choice is a soft vinyl that is easy to wipe clean if there is any kind of spill or other form of soiling of the chair. That also prevents stains from setting in which on a fabric based chair can make the chair look run down long before it it worn out.

By combining the practical concepts of good construction, cleanliness and durability with ergonomic consideration so your reception room chairs are well designed to fit in nicely with the decor and assist your customers and guests to relax and be at ease in your lobby or waiting room, you will have done a good job of thinking through in this important decision about your business. And when you see the outcome of a reception room that reaches out and welcomes your guests warmly and professionally, the positive impacts on your business will be far reaching as well.

Tony Nibbinsworth started writing when he was only 7 years old and has recently raised an interest in furniture. You can view some of Tony’s work on cafe furniture and hotel furniture using these links.

How to Pick a Name For Your Business

Starting your own business can be a nerve racking process as so many different things must be considered before your business can get off the ground. You need money, space, employees and hundreds of other things to make the business you want happen. With all these “to-dos” cluttering your head, it’s best to step back and take one thing at a time.

First things first – your business needs a name! This may seem a silly and frivolous task, but there is a lot to be considered when choosing a name for your business. The name of your business has great impact on how customers view you and your product. Choosing a business name is important not only because of its impact on customers but also because it will be with your business for life. So take some time to think about what goes into picking your business’ name.

Stand Out

Pick a name that is unique to you and your business. Try to stay away from generic names like “Betsy’s Flower Shop” or “Bob’s Car Repair”, but instead find something a little more interesting. This is not to say you can’t use your name in the business name, but also look to other options. A business name with a story is always of interest to customers and will get them to spread your name around.

Spell It Out

When creating a name, stay with words that can easily be spelled by customers. Some business owners try unique word spellings to make their business stand out, but this can be trouble when customers look your business up in the phone book or try to refer you to others. Stay with traditional word spelling and try to avoid unfamiliar words.

Keep it Simple

Make your business name short so customers can remember it easily. This will also help when marketing your name as you won’t need as much word space. If you like, you can make your business name an acronym for a longer title, but just be sure to list your business by this acronym in the phone book.

Make Some Sense

Occasionally, business owners will choose business names that are nonsense words. Although this does make you stand out, it creates a problems for the customer. Words create visuals for people and if the title of your business is a nonsense word, it will be difficult for customers to envision what your business is about. Use words that convey your line of business and the feeling you want customers to get when they come to you.

Give a Clue

Try to include in your business name some information about what your business does. Calling your light fixture business “Rise and Shine” is appropriate, but the same name would not do well for tow truck business. Your business name should match your business in order to remind customers what services you provide.

Don’t Box Yourself In

Avoid picking names that don’t allow your business to move around or add to its product line. This means staying away from adding geographic locations or product types to your business name. With these additions, customers will be confused if you expand your business to different locations or add on to your product line.

Jump Start Your Brainstorming

If you are having trouble thinking of business names, try giving your brain a jolt by looking through a thesaurus for alternate words. A dictionary may also help by giving you words that define your line of business. You can even try looking to competitor business names to give some ideas. However, be careful not to create a name that is too similar to a competitor’s as this will lead to confusion for customers.

Try It Out

Come up with a few different name choices and try them out on friends, co-workers, and potential customers. Ask questions about the names to see if they give off the impression you desire. Be sure to come away with a few different names in case another business has already snagged your first choice. The next step is to register your name and get your business going!

Melissa Mashtonio writes for Manta.com, the go-to site for company research. The site (http://www.manta.com) offers free market research on more than 45 million companies worldwide.

An Equality Policy – Does Your Business Need One?

What is an equality policy?

An equality policy is a business document that outlines a company’s position on equality in the workplace. This is important – discrimination at work on grounds of age, race, gender, sexual orientation and religion are all illegal, and if your employees or the company as a whole acts in a discriminatory manner, you could be vulnerable to expensive litigation.

Why should my company have one?

The first reason to have a business document outlining your company’s stance on equality is simple – it’s good for your employees. Discrimination, bullying, maternity leave, and so on are areas that workers frequently feel hesitant talking about, and unclear about what their legal rights are. Having a clearly defined equality policy gives your employees something to refer to if they have any queries and gives them a clear process to follow.

From a manager’s point of view, it is of even greater importance that you have good quality policy documents to refer to in case of a dispute. Bullying and discrimination litigation can be costly, time consuming and very damaging for a business. A clear equality policy will help reduce the incidence of such problems. Established guidelines concerning what kind of behaviour is unacceptable and outlining a disciplinary procedure are essential, and you should be aware that if any of your employees acts in a discriminatory manner, you can be held responsible for their actions. A comprehensive equality policy can be invaluable in demonstrating that an employee has breached company regulations, and can direct any legal consequences towards the employee who has erred rather than the company as a whole.

What does it need to say?

The equality policy needs to:

•State your company’s commitment to equality and diversity in the workplace

•State the kinds of discrimination that are covered by your policy

•Outline a clear plan of action for encouraging equality in the workplace

Kinds of discrimination that should be covered in the equality policy include:

•Ageism – Note that it isn’t always older people who complain of age discrimination – there are many cases of younger workers complaining that their older peers are paid more for doing the same job.

•Sexism – This includes discrimination in hiring and pay, and also harassment in the workplace.

•Racism

•Sexual Orientation

•Religious Discrimination

•Disability Discrimination

What can go wrong?

If writing a comprehensive equality policy sounds daunting, consider getting a template document – many companies can provide you with a business document template to make sure that the policy is correctly worded. Of course, the most important thing to bear in mind is that once you have this policy in place, you have to follow it! You should also hold regular training days to make sure your employees know what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

You also need to make sure that the document is kept up to date – equality laws change all the time, and you do not want to be caught out by a new development that renders your existing policy ineffective.

Iain Mackintosh is the managing director of Simply-Docs. The firm provides over 1100 business documents covering all aspects of business from holiday entitlement to non-disclosure agreements. By providing these legal documents (with content provided by leading commercial lawyers, HR and health & safety consultants) at an affordable price, the company intends to help small businesses avoid costly breaches of regulation and legal action.

Next Page »