Casual Articles - Business

Re-entering the Workforce: Tips and Tools for Success
It’s perceived to be one of the most difficult transitions in life: rejoining the workforce after an extended layoff. Maybe you were raising your children, maybe you were caring for a relative, or maybe you were downsized and had trouble finding a job. In any case, it’s a daunting proposition to pull out the business suit, polish up the resume and start looking for a job.To be sure, it’s not an easy task, but if you prepare appropriately, and attack the search smartly, it’s not as intimidating as you may think.With the right Mindset, the proper downtime Approach, and some specific Strategies, you can get back out there and land work. The MindsetYou have a gap in your resume.So what!There is this obsession that having a gap in your resume is a horrible sin. It’s not. The fact is, it’s incredibl

, talking advertisement for you. Like giving all the customers in your restaurant a card instead of the bill on one night per month. The card simply says "Thank you for being our guest tonight. One night a month we treat all our patrons as our guests, and there will be no bill. Please tell your friends that we randomly choose a night where everyone is our guest, and eats for free. We hope you enjoyed your visit, and we'll see you again soon."

Construction Job Costing for Profit
It is not enough to look at the bottom line of your profit and loss statement to determine how profitable your company is, but to also examine each job for profitability. You could conceivably being making a company wide profit but loosing money on some jobs.What costs should be included in your job costs reports? Materials, Labor and Subcontractor costs are the obvious. However, there are other costs to consider such as labor and overhead burden and equipment costs for example. Labor burden consists of payroll tax expenses (FICA, SUTA, and FUTA) and other payroll related costs such as workman’s compensation insurance and general liability insurance. By estimating a yearly budget for overhead costs and defining an estimated rate to charge a job for overhead you will have a way to apply overhead burden to your job costs (estimated ye

So you have satisfied customers. So what.

"What do you mean, so what! We work very hard to achieve customer satisfaction - we're very proud of it."

Yes, no dispute that customer satisfaction is critical in the twenty first century, your company won't survive without it - it’s what customers now expect. That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about customer loyalty.

"What's the difference?" you say. Plenty. Customer satisfaction is sending a happy customer OUT of your business; customer loyalty is bringing a happy customer BACK to your business. They are very different events.

We've all read the research that shows 96% of customers with a problem will never complain (if they complained you'd have a chance to fix the problem and retain the customer), and the stories of customer focused organisations that enjoy explosive growth by giving you a discount if the phone rings more than five times. All good stuff, and valid then.

This is today. Today's satisfied customer is tomorrow's competitor's satisfied customer. Unless you know how to keep them.

We made some assumptions about our customers in the service frenzy of the 80's and 90’s. Those assumptions are:

The level of service we decided to give our customers is what they actually wanted

The level of service we're giving will create customer satisfaction

High levels of customer satisfaction generates repeat business

Let's look at these three areas. Who says the level of service that your organisation gives its customers is what they actually want? Has anyone ever asked them? That may sound a little too obvious, and it's surprising how many companies never bother to ask their customers what they expect. Has your company ever formally asked its customers? By using the services of a market research company to survey them you will learn things you could never learn by asking them personally. Market researchers are impartial, and are seen to be so. The answers can be eye opening.

The second issue - the level of service we're giving will create customer satisfaction. Who says? The customer? They're the only ones who matter. Ask them.

Then the third myth. High levels of customer satisfaction generates repeat business.

Unless a customer is given very good reasons to return to do business with you again, all the customer satisfaction in the world won't bring them back.

So how do you keep your customers coming back? Assuming your products and services are good value for money, here’s the key. MAKE YOUR CUSTOMER FEEL SPECIAL. Make them feel they are the most important customer you've got. Yes, every one of them - individually.

Do the unexpected. As customers, we get blas? - we expect good service as a matter of course. Do something outrageous that will turn your customer into a walking, talking advertisement for you. Like giving all the customers in your restaurant a card instead of the bill on one night per month. The card simply says "Thank you for being our guest tonight. One night a month we treat all our patrons as our guests, and there will be no bill. Please tell your friends that we randomly choose a night where everyone is our guest, and eats for free. We hope you enjoyed your visit, and we'll see you again soon."

Corporate Gift Ideas
Giving gifts is an incomparable scheme, the goal of that is to bring a smile to the person who will receive the gift. In turn, it leaves a lasting impression on the person that tells how much you value him or her. No wonder why people values the idea of giving and receiving gifts. In reality, gifts are symbols of one’s point of view and feelings towards the other person. They embody our family whenever we are away from our loved ones; our friends back home whenever we pass by the memories of yesteryears, and one’s treasured person when you are at the time of coldness. That is why people put so much value on the gifts that they give and receive because they know how special it is for the person who will receive it as it is for them. When giving gifts, it can either be formal or personal. Things may vary according to who will receive the gift. Usu

complained you'd have a chance to fix the problem and retain the customer), and the stories of customer focused organisations that enjoy explosive growth by giving you a discount if the phone rings more than five times. All good stuff, and valid then.