Why Hire Warehouse Deep Cleaning Specialists?

As a warehouse owner, running and maintaining a massive warehouse unit is a difficult task. You do need keep it spick and spank so that your warehouse reflects the feature of a well kept and clean warehouse. A neat and hygienic warehouse can attracts good clientele enabling you to increase your earnings considerably.

Cleaning a warehouse is a mighty and a gigantic task. It involves cleaning of internal floorings, high ceilings, lights and even ventilation systems. Keeping the size of the warehouse in mind, you do need to worry about dirt and tyre marks which the logistic vehicles have left behind. In case heavy machinery or industrial machine products have been handled within your warehouse, there may be oil and grease marks all over the floor as well as outside. In order to get these stains and dirt effectively erased and removed, you do need to hire Warehouse Deep Clean Specialists

By hiring Warehouse Deep Clean Specialists you can rest assured of a thorough cleaning task of your warehouse. Most of the warehouse cleaning specialists equipped with special cleaning equipment and machinery suitably sized to clean the large expanse of the warehouse. Moreover by using specially formulated products the cleaning specialists can remove the oil stains and dirt in no time without damaging the existing surface. In fact they are capable of cleaning and brightening the surface in the best possible manner.

At the same time they are equipped with ladders and suitable cleaning equipment to reach out to high ventilation windows and ceilings to effectively clean them. Similarly they can even clean the light and their fixtures enabling them to emit light to their full capacity.

While hiring a warehouse cleaning service, a warehouse owner should mainly look out for the following –

1.Type of service offered – generally overnight and weekend cleaning service

2.Quality of Work – Assured and problem free

3.Quotations offered at no cost

4.Offering High reach internal and external cleaning

5.COSHH/HACCP approved cleaning products used

6.No usage of harmful caustics and solvents

It would be a good idea to ask for cleaning quotes from more than one warehouse cleaners. You could even go ahead and ask for testimonials from them and cross check them accordingly in terms of service, rates reliability and customer support the company is willing to offer.

On the basis of the response so gathered, you can then proceed to hire professional ware house cleaning companies. You could even check out maintenance contracts which some cleaning companies also offer as this means your warehouse gets cleaned on a regular basis. Equipped with specially formulated and approved cleaning products, customized work schedules and affordable rates, you can finally trust a warehouse cleaning company to do a thorough cleaning task and make your warehouse look neat, tidy and immaculate at all times.…

Time Clocks Lower Labor Cost

How to cut labor cost is on every organizations mind. Whether you’re a farmer or a national football league team owner, labor cost is a big issue. How you track the issue is up to you. Employee data collection is the mythology of collecting time and/or labor hours spent on departments and jobs. Time-sheets and time clocks are your most common data collection device, but modern technology has advanced from a paper time-card or time-sheet into electronic time-sheet and electronic data collection terminals.

Modern day data collection allows flexibility that was once non-existent with a manual process of adding up time-sheets and time-cards in a timely fashion. Once the employee data has been collected from an data collection terminal it is then polled or imported into a time and attendance software system. These labor management systems allow you to track labor hours, job costing, and compare actual versus scheduled times, giving the information a manger needs on demand. With this information companies can then organize their workforce to be the most cost effective solution to increase efficiency saving both time and money.

Many different employee data collection systems exist. As stated before, time-sheets and time clocks are the most common. With these common methods new solutions have evolved with modern technology. Electronic time sheets allow employees to login into a PC or web browsers and submit their time. Electronic time clocks allow employee to swipe a badge or scan their finger or hand to clock in and out. Telephones allow employees to dial a phone number and clock in and out from permitted phone numbers. The web has also had its influence on how we collect our employee’s data. Web based software has really taken off in the last ten years. Web browser software eliminates the need for a dedicated time clock and allows employees to submit time-sheets or clock in and out online. These total web based time and attendance solutions can even be fully hosted on a time and attendance software providers server rather than implementing on their own servers, know as “Software As A Service” or SAAS for short.

With the ability to reduce man hours, eliminate errors associated with manual time-card calculation and data collection, maintain accurate records, and implement and enforce fair and consistent pay policies, your business will realize savings almost immediately. Any of these data collection solutions may take a little upfront cost, but the return on investment can last a life time.…

Warehouse Distribution in Canada – Locating Fulfillment for the Canadian Market

The list of foreign retailers (think Target, Marshall’s, Nordstrom’s and Khol’s) entering or eying the Canadian market is on the rise. What’s not to love? With US sales softening during the last couple of years while Canada experienced continued modest economic growth, it presents itself as a logical and attractive market for growing sales. Undertaking a multi million or billion expansion is great for the big corporate brands, but what about small and mid-sized players looking to gain Canadian sales? Can they get a piece of the Canadian distribution pie?

Physical Store Reach versus Fulfillment Reach

The truth is, you don’t have to “set up shop” to sell into Canada. And no, this doesn’t mean fulfilling every customer order from the US or elsewhere which can render international retailers uncompetitive. More international distributors and retailers – large and small – can set up warehousing and distribution points in Canada to reach a wanting Canadian consumer. A partnership with a warehousing and logistics company that specifically provides fulfillment services can be a solution.

Warehousing and Order Fulfillment – Pick Pack and Ship Orders with a 3PL Partner

Whether your sales are $100,000 annually or over one million, a 3PL partner can help fulfill customer orders so that small and mid-sized businesses (SME’s) can focus on marketing and sales. These companies take your inventory into stock and as you make sales or need to supply retailers (or your own stores/kiosks – and this includes online sales) they simply pick, pack and ship your orders directly to customers. Sounds easy? Well, there is much planning involved and a thorough cost analysis must be made, but with the right partner it can be a viable solution.

Also, this can be an interim “proof of concept” for a small but growing retailer-distributor to test the market without committing a lot of capital to pursue Canadian market development. Brand building can begin without setting foot in the country in many cases.

Key Canadian Product Distribution Hubs – Mississauga / Toronto Canada

The largest couriers in Canada – UPS, Fedex, and Purolator courier all have Greater Toronto Area distribution hubs. More packages run through these Mississauga-Toronto courier networks than anywhere in Canada. Also, it so happens that the greatest population density in Canada is the Greater Toronto Area. To expose your products and brands to the greatest number of Canadians, it makes sense to approach 3PL partners in this market. Getting your product closest to the greatest number of Canadians is a key to maintaining affordable fulfillment costs. Costs that can be saved and help in the promotion of your sales.

With international and US retailers and suppliers looking for growth, Canada makes sense for a lot of reasons. A stable social-political and economic environment and the same language means navigating Canadian based fulfillment is worth investigating. Finding the right partner to undertake your warehousing and fulfillment -picking, packing and shipping your customer orders – is …

The Advantages of a Forklift Rental

As a warehouse owner, you should be able to acquire all the necessary pieces of equipment that you need for your business operations. One of the most important machines that you should obtain is a forklift or lift truck. However, it may take a long time before you could actually get your own unit. The price of the lift trucks today makes it impossible for you to start immediately in your business operations. Obviously, a brand new truck is very expensive. Even if you have a budget for a used forklift, it is not really worth spending the money since it may not work properly. If you want to spend less on a forklift, you should consider a rented forklift instead.

There are some heavy equipments manufacturers that provide forklift rental to interested parties. They usually offer them to businesspersons who do not have enough funds for their warehouse operations. Below are some of the reasons why you should rent a forklift:

It is more affordable – Compared to buying new and used forklifts, applying for a forklift rental is cheaper.

It is more practical – In some cases, you may not frequently use a forklift in your warehouse. When there is a current slowdown in the business, forklifts are usually left out in the garage. This is the reason why dealers offer forklift rental. You will only have to use the forklift whenever there is a new batch of stocks to be unloaded from a ship, or there are orders to be loaded for delivery to the consumers.

It is entitled to regular maintenance services and repairs – Because you do not own the forklift, the dealer is the one who will be in charge of the maintenance and repairs. Provided that you have paid for the use of the truck, you can always contact the dealer for the necessary fixes.

It is handy – Whenever you need to load or unload boxes and crates, you can always rent a forklift to do those tasks. You can save more space in your warehouse if you do not have to park the forklift inside when not in use.

It is ideal for new businesses – If you are new to the industry, chances are you will have to capitalize on your meager budget. You can begin with a leased forklift if you do not have enough money to buy a unit. Once you have succeeded in expanding your business, that’s the time when you should acquire brand new equipments for your warehouse operations.…

Warehouse Racking Safety – Repairs & Protection

As pallet racking is now classified as “Work Equipment” it requires regular documented inspections. Regular surveys can help reduce both insurance premiums and maintenance costs. A survey may even be enforced by an insurer or Health and Safety Officer following a warehouse accident or rack collapse.

SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association) is committed to promoting and extending the safe design, installation and use of storage equipment manufactured by its members. When a SEMA Trained Inspector carries out an inspection of your warehouse storage system they ensure the following:

Your installation meets the requirements of the current Health and Safety Regulations and the SEMA Codes and Guidelines.

Recognise unsafe components in order to reduce the danger of collapse.

Identify if there is a risk of damage to storage installations by mechanical handling equipment.

Highlight any potential risks of injury to personnel caused by the continuous use of damaged racking.

Warehouse Protection

In order to both fulfil survey criteria and prevent accidents it is advisable to take preventative action and invest in protection for your warehouse.  If you are finding damage to your warehouse and pallet racking a constant problem, this is perhaps the best long-term course of action to take. One of the most common problems is lower portions of posts being exposed to damage by forklift trucks and other moving equipment. Once upright posts have been ‘hit’ and are no longer straight, they do not carry the same structural integrity for your storage loads.

There are however products available that are specifically designed to solve such problems. Many consist of so-called rack armour, a tough and inexpensive contraption that significantly reduces the costs that can accumulate from the use of damaged racking. Products like this are invariably impervious to moisture, mould, corrosion, acid, alkaline and most solvents. They are also quick and easy to install and even fully recyclable and non-toxic. As prevention is a better option than cure, warehouse and pallet racking protection could save you money in the long-term.

Other preventative measures that can be taken:

Good initial design: racking systems must be designed to fit and function with both the handling equipment and the load

Good lighting

Well maintained mechanical equipment

Ensure loading/safety notices are clearly displayed

Warehouse Racking RepairsIf you do require repairs to your warehouse racking, it is essential you ensure your repair work meets SEMA standards. Warehouse racking repairs which meet SEMA standards provide the user with high-level quality assurance. Without the SEMA assurance, there is a potential for your liability to increase if you have a future claim on health and safety.

As the warehouse is potentially one of the most dangerous places to work it is therefore imperative that your racking is up to scratch in order to meet stringent health and safety standards. Rack repair is an easy on-site option that, when combined with a scheduled maintenance program, can ensure rack system longevity and safety.

Possible causes of damage to warehouse racking:

– Incorrect …

Employer Drug Testing and Legislation by Congress Considered

It appears that there may be some future new employment laws with regards to employee drug testing, whether it be random or mandatory. The ACLU and Congress, prompted by the Unions feel that drug testing is degrading and violates someone’s civil rights.

The business community and corporate opposition contend that workplace safety is a key ingredient to a successful company, and that workmen’s compensation insurance and health care plans are already too costly in the case of a work related accident caused in part by drug use.

So, there are many sides to this issue. Another contention is that an employee can choose not to work for an employer that decides they will test for drugs because it is intrusive, just quit, no one says you have to work there!

Still, others on the Union side say that a man (or woman) has the right to meaningful work and if we are going to test for drugs at work, then let’s test Congress, the Senate, the President, Cabinet, Supreme Court, and make the findings public! See how far the legislation goes then?

You can see how some of the raw emotion of this particular debate rages on, as opponents of drug testing claim “We already know there is abuse, widespread in DC,” so let’s test them too. Corporate lobbyists want to have the option to drug test, unions and workers do not want the invasion of what goes on in their personal lives to cost them their careers.

More interesting in all this employment law debate is what happens in the future when some illegal drugs are ruled legal, as that will launch a completely set of fission material into the controversy, so please consider all this.…

Forklift Container Ramps

FACT – Across Australia, the transport and storage industry has the highest injury rate for all industries, at nearly double the current average claims per 1000 employees.

FACT – On the 10th February, 2006, a company was convicted and fined $17,500 after a worker was injured while helping to unload plate glass packages from a shipping container.

FACT – Basic hazard identification and risk assessment is not enough.

The Forklift Container Ramp is ideal for accessing, loading and unloading shipping containers, bridging access from ground level to the container, and permitting front-on forklift approaches to transport containers.

With fork pockets easily accessible on self-levelling and bi-folding container ramps and fixed container ramps make workplace health and safety risks a non-issue, while the self-levelling component of the bi-fold container ramps promotes full load capacity even when on uneven ground.

It is important to select a bi-fold ramp container that will fit all ISO shipping containers and chiller boxes, or a fixed forklift container ramp that will fit all standard shipping containers.

For those companies needing to load and unload semi trailers from a dock, the use of fully installed dock levellers is recommended, as standard forklift container ramps are not a safe solution for access to a vehicle that may depart without prior warning.

Transport companies, resellers and importers, distribution centres, warehouses and manufacturing companies all need access to shipping containers, and the forklift ramp container is the perfect solution.

Even better is a ramp container manufactured fully in accordance with relevant Australian Standards – this would guarantee to save you the risk of liability and long term costs associated with damages to workers.

Whatever capacity you’re after, finding a ramp container to match will guarantee an improvement in handling time and output from loading and unloading activities,

Container-based transportation is a vital component to the design and running of any warehouse, logistics company, distribution centre or manufacturer.

Loading and unloading efficiencies are of a high concern for these businesses, but speed and convenience often comes at the price of occupational health and safety or at the risk of a workplace injury.

Forklift container ramps can provide a solution that avoids dock delays and guarantees safer workplace access to shipping containers if used correctly.…

Ten Things You Need to Bring While in Labor and Delivery – Part 2

As you prepare for the birth of your new baby, consider this list of items for your suitcase or emergency bag. This list consist of 5 additional items that will provide comfort during this special time.

Your own Change of Clothes – The hospital provides the wonderful gown that leave you exposed. This can be annoying and embarrassing. Bring your own set of comfortable clothing so you can relax and not have worry about your derriere being exposed. Include your robe, socks, slippers, and anything else that will provide the comforts of home. This is extremely comforting after the birth of your child and is one last thing that you shouldn’t have to worry about.

Comfortable Pillows – Hospital pillows tend to go flat quickly or not provide the comfort you want. Bring your own pillows so you can be comfortable as you recover. Also, bring a donut pillow. When you are able to get around, the donut pillow provides relief when you sit down. This is especially helpful if you had a vaginal birth.

Ipod or Laptop – Depending on the length of your labor these items will help the time pass as you wait on your little one to arrive. Most hospitals provide cable TV but these items will provide your own entertainment that you choose to watch.

Easy Grasp Reacher – Use this to grab things that you can’t reach. Allows you to pick up items that fall on the floor or things that need to be pulled closer to you.

Lipstick or Chapstick – You want to look your best when the pictures are taken. You will have to reapply it often depending on the length of your labor.

Use this list to complete your suitcase or emergency bag as you prepare for labor. Hopefully this list help you be prepared and comfortable as you prepare for your special day.…

Important Considerations In Food Storage

Storing food in bulk is quite a challenge. This is where you can need a 3PL service. Some food items get damaged quite soon whereas, others can be stored for long term. Such non-perishable items can be stored in public warehouse until a time when supplies are needed. The shelf life and proper storage methods depend on what you intend to store. In order to get a glimpse of long-term storage ideas, you need to know the nature of the food item.

For instance, you must exactly be able to distinguish perishable foods from non-perishable ones. Dry or canned ones are perishable however dairy products and fresh foods are considered perishable. the best thing about non-perishable food is that it can stored at room temperature or dry storage for any amount of time but the same is not true for perishable items.

The best solution is to cook and consume as soon as possible or refrigerate or freeze immediately after cooking. Even after that the perishable items can only be preserved for a short duration. In this case, dry storage or freezing tends to be the only way out. This is the most legitimate option for long-term food storage.

When you are storing non-perishables in dry storage, make sure the products will retain their quality. Also find out the time until when the food will remain fresh for consumption. Try to find out the approximate shelf life of the products you are storing.

Speaking of quality, canned foods like vegetable soups, canned fruits, juices tend to preserve their highest quality for around one year. As for the powdered milk, dried fruit and crackers the shelf life is around six months. It might interest you to know, there are some items you can store indefinitely. Things like vegetable oil, corn, baking powder, instant coffee can be stored in suitable containers. You can use them any time without worrying about their proper storage. Actually, there is no need to worry about storage when it comes to these items.

For the preservation of perishable food items freezing is the best option. You can maintain their highest quality in this way for about a year. After which they tend to lose their taste and quality. Moreover, they must be consumed immediately upon thawing. You when such food items get deteriorated you will feel a rancid smell upon thawing.

Maintaining the quality is possible only when you freeze the food as soon as possible. In order to prevent them from freeze burn, make sure that the food is properly wrapped in plastic foil or at least package well. This also directly influences the taste of food you intend to store. For usage, you will have to defrost the food. Begin thawing by placing it in refrigerator first and then microwaving it.

For bulk storage, you will need storage containers. They are feasible as it is easy to cover them. You will find them in lockable or snap-on lids which is …

When to Hire Self Storage Warehouses

This question is often not answered properly. There is a strong belief system that self-storage warehouses should be hired only when one is shifting or has space constraints. Although this thought process is correct, yet you can hire storing services for many other reasons. Here are some of the reasons which probably would have gone unnoticed. Hiring self-storage warehouse in such situations will ease your burden and relieve stress.

When To Hire Storage Services

Home Remodeling – If you intend to renovate your home, then it makes sense to hire these services. Home remodeling is often time consuming and can create a mess in the house. Moreover, there is a risk of damage to your delicate belongings. Add to that the space constraints, since the furniture has to be shifted from one room to another while renovating. Moving around in the house can be a challenge when there is so much furniture scattered around. When you keep the belongings in self-storage warehouses, they are stored in a good condition.

Arrival Of A Newborn In Your Home – If you are expecting a little one, then it is a good idea to make some space in the house. A newborn baby requires a lot of space. As the infant grows to become a toddler, he/she will not only move around in the house, but will also require baby furniture items, not to mention the baby clothes and accessories that occupy a huge amount of space in the house. In this case, you can hire moving and storage services on a temporary basis. Once the baby grows, you can bring the furniture items back. Moreover, it is will serve one more purpose. When there is a toddler in the house, it is good to keep glass furniture items at bay. Moreover, sharp edged furniture and delicate artworks should also be away from the reach of children to prevent breakage or damage.

Transporting Items – If you wish to transport items from your existing home to a second holiday home, then moving storage can be of great help. It will help in transporting the items safely, without causing any damage or getting damaged. Though you can transport small items in your own vehicle, yet, hiring moving self-storage warehouses is a better option. This is because professionals handle the items. Moreover, there won’t be a headache of loading and unloading heavy furniture items. If your new house is not ready for possession, then you can hold the belongings in the moving storage van by hiring it for a few more days. The vehicle can be parked around your house. Indeed, this is a new concept, and offers mobility. It is different from static self storage buildings.

The need for self-storage warehouses can be felt for many other reasons like storing fine jewelry, art and craftwork, electronic appliances, vehicles, boat, RV, etc. In fact, the state of art technology enables you to store perishable items, like wine, in climate-controlled …

Understanding the Three Stages of Labor

During the birth process, there are three distinct stages that occur, and the first of these stages is marked by certain phases within the stages. Simply termed the first, second, and third stages of labor, it is important for a mother to know what to expect during the delivery process.

The first stage of labor starts with the onset of labor and ends when the cervix is completely dilated. There are several signs that you may notice which indicate the start of labor. First, preliminary signs that your labor is approaching includes a “bloody show,” which can appear as a bloody mucus or plug. Also, your water will break, either in a trickle or a gush. You may notice irregular or even normal contractions, which can last for hours. They do not work to open the cervix, but they indicate that labor may not be far away.

Next, you know that your labor is starting for sure when you pass the amniotic fluid, as well as progressing contractions. Progressing contractions means that they get longer, stronger, and closer together as time progresses. These are the contractions that work to dilate your cervix. The latent phase of cervical dilation happens very slowly. Once the cervix begins to open very rapidly, this is the active phase of dilation.

The second stage of labor begins once the cervix is completely dilated. As the mother starts to push, the uterus also contracts and moves the baby into the birth canal. A soon-to-be mom’s pushing ability may be decreased if she has had an epidural. This is because epidurals, although helpful in blocking pain, can also hinder a mother’s capacity to use the muscles necessary to push. Thus, if a mother has had an epidural, her second stage of labor may be longer than normal.

Finally, once the baby arrives, the second stage of labor ends, and the third stage of labor begins. The third stage is characterized by the delivery of the placenta, or afterbirth. Typically, the span of time between the arrival of the baby and the arrival of the afterbirth is only about five minutes. While this seems to be a very short, harmless stage, it is actually very dangerous for the mother. If the placenta and the uterus do not separate correctly, the mom is at high risk for hemorrhaging.

During all three of these stages of labor, a doctor should be competently guiding you through the delivery of your baby. However, if an obstetrician fails in his or her duty to you, it can result in injury to your new baby.…

Labor and Travel Time Cost Considerations for Mobile Contract Cleaners – Some Advice

One thing interesting about being in the service business, specifically the service cleaning business, is that often you will travel to your customers, some of which you are less than geographically ideal. In other words they are out of your way, but the account is good enough that you go ahead and spend the extra money to travel to their location and do those services. Not long ago, I was talking to an acquaintance about all this, someone who was trying to maintain their cash flow, but had watched their business spread out over time.

Why did this happen you ask? Well, during the recession there was less business locally, and therefore he had to travel to get larger accounts and more business. Then, the fuel prices increased, which very much hurt his cash flow due to the increase costs. Worse, some of these larger accounts required that he take more labor with him to do the job, therefore he was paying the labor for travel time as well as working. On top of that, by the time the workers got there, they were so tired from driving, they worked too slow, therefore, all his efficiency was lost as well.

One piece of advice to mobile operators running small service businesses would be to take a hard look at what you are doing, along with your routing and scheduling. Next it makes sense to figure out a way to cut down on those costs, combine trips, and perhaps even hire local labor once you get there, rather than using you regular crew coming from your home base. This way you don’t have the extra weight in your vehicle, therefore your vehicle will get better fuel mileage, but also you don’t have to pay those workers for all that travel time.

Is this difficult to do you ask? It might cost a little bit to train those workers at a faraway location to do the work, but over time if it is a reoccurring account, it will probably be worth it. Also, under the casual labor laws, they would only be part-time employees, perhaps only working a few hours. And as long as we are in a recession, and the unemployment rate is well over 8%, you can bet there will be people who will be willing to take those jobs even if it is only for three or four hours every other week or so.

Indeed, this might be perhaps, one solution to this dilemma if you run a small service business that has found itself spread out due to economic factors over the last few years. I hope you will please consider all this and think on.…

The Evolved and Enabled Envious Employees – Union Labor and Economic Trouble

It seems like every time a troubled industry starts to make money, the labor unions in those large companies in those industries demand more money, and if they don’t get it, they will strike. This is one reason the airline industry cannot re-invent itself, innovate, or buy more fuel-efficient airplanes to help it to greater profitability. The auto industry desperately needed to re-tool to build smaller cars instead of SUVs due to the higher fuel prices.

Unfortunately, the big three automakers were bogged down in sand due to the labor unions. The increased profits from making all those SUVs should have been reinvested in the future of those companies. But instead the labor unions demanded better benefits, more health care, greater pensions, fewer hours, and more money. That took away all the profits, which should have been re-invested.

John Sweeney the president of the AFL CIO is retiring and what a beautiful golden parachute indeed. He had enabled the envious employees and labor unions to destroy General Motors and Chrysler. Along with several auto parts companies such as Delphi which closed 25 plants, taking most of that work to Mexico. Who won? The answer is nobody.

In the end, it was the US taxpayer who bailed out General Motors and Chrysler. This is interesting because it was also the citizens which paid more for buying American cars because the unions demanded more and those cost increased the price of American-made automobiles to an uncompetitive and unsustainable level.

Adam Smith warned us that we have to look out for corporations and governments getting into cahoots with each other. Still, we should have also been watching the labor unions, and how their politics and political strategies have harmed consumers, free markets, and shaken the core of capitalism itself. Please consider all this, as the coordinator for the Online Think Tank; I am quite concerned about our future, and global competitiveness.…

Six Sigma And Lean Manufacturing – True Methods Of Business Improvisation

In any business, there is always a chance of risk and loss which keeps a businessman in stress. Only a wise entrepreneur knows how to develop their steps when they are following challenging pathways. In any business, there are mainly three things to be managed, price, quality and service. If the three things are according to the customer’s satisfaction then the chance of loss is minimized to a great extent. Apart from this, there are aspects like “outsourcing the inventory location” which reduces the overall cost of production. These were some of the things for which require to book a public warehouse to store their products properly. They do so by contracting a 3PL to cope up with their standards and requirements of storing their valuables.

Business of any type, whether it is a big oil and gas firm, a textile industry, a cement factory or an automotive industry, the top heads of every organization try their level best to introduce measures for customer satisfaction.

Their effort is based to serve this common objective. And for this, they develop high level of operational standards to justify themselves in front of their loyal customers. Beside these external objectives, they have some internal objectives too like generating profits by minimizing the cost of overall production. The core objective is based on the concept of “no compromise on quality” but a sub-objective is “the minimization of cost”.

For achieving the core objective of quality, the organizations have developed the philosophy of accomplishing the second objective first. As they know that if the second objective of cost is accomplished they will automatically achieve the core objective of quality. So for achieving the objective of cost, many big organizations like “Motorola” and “Toyota” have founded some latest techniques to improvise them on achieving the objective of cost. Here are those trendsetting methods which have provided big successes to big business names of all times:

Six Sigma:

It is a technique developed by “Motorola” in 1988, one of the big names in the business trend setting. The technique is based on measuring defects and deflection in procedures and their outcomes.

Six sigma is basically the maturity of a manufacturing process. It indicates the percentile of the products which are clear from any defect line. A product which is having a sample error is named as a defective piece and the error is itself called as a defect. Six sigma is based on the methodology of DMAIC processing.

Design, measure, analyze, improve and control are the elements involved. These elements are divided in the groups of black belts and green belts. Black belts are the master operators and green belts are the middle executors.

This process provides a business with a complete business strategy to produce some top quality products. When a business hits the quality standard of SIX SIGMA, it means they are producing 99% products without any defectives percentile. Today we can find its …

Data Warehouse Architecture – The Basic Concept

To carry on the swift and even operations of different departments in an organization, data warehouse is very helpful. It is not that only big companies can take the advantage of this but also small companies get benefited equally. In fact the success of the organization is determined by the architecture of data warehouse. The overall benefits of society are possible only by the development of different types of corporate and organizations that come together to form a business unit. The progress is direct or indirect or both.

In any organization the most important role is played by information or data. The right and absolute utilization of this data by the organization contributes and helps to progress eventually. There is lot of hard work and calculation that is needed for proper utilization of data. This work is minimized and simplified by data warehouse architecture and it works as the core obligation. The information from different business processes is gathered through this process and it helps in the easy access and smooth working of the organization.

Data warehouse has been an integral part of various organizations since 1990s and this has been possible only with the help of Information Technology and due to the revolution that hit the information management system. A data warehouse, thus becomes an essential part of any organization and it helps in shaping and achieving exact and absolute data. This is not only beneficial for business organizations but also helps the businesses to have enhanced productivity.

The functions and services of an organization is designed and taken into account methodically with the help of data warehousing. It helps provide collective and complete information to all employees and assists the work to get along smoothly and uninterrupted. All employees are trained and can have easy access of the entire data related to production and progress of the company.

The data can be accessed and collected without even disturbing the operating system. Data warehouse makes the entire system user friendly and helps make the flow of data more easy and convenient. The users can retrieve and collect data easily to carry on the work smoothly.…

Small Businesses Can Gain Immensely by Using Self Storage Warehouses

Edmonton self storage warehouses have become extremely popular among many small businesses in this city in Alberta, Canada. In fact, many businesses usually find renting the facilities for a short time on contract the best choice. Of course, since you’re a small business, you cannot approach a larger facility because you will be asked to take a considerable portion of the premises on rent. You may not have the resources to do so, and more importantly, you may not need such a big place But you still need to protect your important items.

Therefore, you need to look for an Edmonton self storage warehouse where you can rent out a small portion of the facility. And there is a lot of flexibility here – you can rent the premises for as little or as long as you want.

Renting Edmonton Self Storage Warehouses For A Short Term

If you have just started your business, and if you are trying to get it off the ground, this is just perfect for you. If you have certain things to store, your garage or basement might not be the best place for this. While it is true that you may not need the entire space a conventional warehouse offers, but you may still need more space than a garage. Also, your garage cannot be really compared to these Edmonton self storage buildings because the premises here are climate controlled and properly insulated, immaculately cleaned and sanitized.

Additionally, your items are protected adequately. For this, the Edmonton self storage warehouses use the latest security gadgets that include close circuit cameras, video cameras, electronic fingerprint detection systems, alarm systems and professionally trained security guards.

So if your business needs you to store some items for a short time that probably you want to distribute soon, you should turn to these facilities.

The Facilities Help You Move Your Items Too

Many small businesses can also face a challenge when they are trying to move their physical possessions. First, you will have to find a transporter and then you will have to spend a lot of money. Edmonton moving storage services can help you here too. The Edmonton moving and storage services can arrive at your place with packing material, pack everything up expertly and the transporter will then move everything. It is part of a complete package.

Select Edmonton Self Storage Warehouses Carefully

Though there are many facilities available, finding a good Edmonton moving storage service may not be that easy. First, not every facility may agree to keep everything, and so you will have to check to ensure that it actually can store your stock. You will also have to ensure that the price charged is reasonable, because when you are running a small business, you do not want to spend too much money on this. And of course, you will have to be convinced that the facility is able to take adequate care of …

Why Hire a Temporary Warehouse

Many businesses require warehouses in order to store their goods. Nowadays, they simply hire temporary buildings instead of commercial ones to minimize the costs.

A temporary warehouse is a fast yet cost-effective solution for your industrial needs. It may be a simple storage area, a workshop, or a production area where you load and unload your products from shipping. They can be installed in areas within your premises with ease. They stand on any hard surface and do not require any ground preparations. The size of a warehouse usually ranges from 500 to 25000 square feet, with varying widths and heights. The smallest ones have widths measuring 5 meters, while the largest ones usually have 20 meters width. Heights vary from 2.4-6.2 meters to maximize volume.

These smart-space temporary warehouses are hired by businessmen for just a few weeks, a few months, or even years. What’s even better is that they are made to withstand any seasonal changes like heat and snow. They are usually built from aluminum with galvanized steel so they do not rust at all. Because of these, temporary buildings last for many years. Some smart-space warehouses are even made with thermo-insulated roofs so that the goods kept inside are kept dry.

Another good this about these warehouses is that they can be relocated, which means that when you move to another place and do another business there, you can use the same portable warehouse that you rented. There are also no upfront payments with these types of warehouses unlike commercial warehouses that require you to give your advance payments and monthly fees.

Some owners of temporary warehouse business also offer these warehouses for sale. This option is for clients who want a more permanent type of building. Instead of paying for rent, they can buy these warehouses and get 35 years warranty.

For those clients who prefer to rent a portable warehouse, they can choose add-ons for their temporary building. Roller shutter doors, personnel doors and lights are usually part of the package when they rent.

Temporary warehouse companies usually have these warehouses in stock. They also have their installers who will install the temporary buildings. This is another reason why renting a smart-space warehouse is convenient and cost-saving. Instead of paying a sub-contractual building installer, renting a temporary building already comes with a free installer. What’s even better is that warehouse managers provide all the necessary risk assessments to ensure that you will be safe in the temporary building.…

Tips to Get Great Storage When Necessary

When companies have a lot of work coming in, they normally do not have enough room for storing excess stock then they need to look for a third party to take over this work. Finding a Texas contract warehouse is not difficult and this is usually the answer to the storage problem. Of course, this holds true for a California contract warehouse too but care should be taken to make sure that it is adequate for the needs of the hirer.

Of course, it is much better to hire this kind of space when the need arises because space and building is a very costly exercise. If the company does not need the space on a full time basis, it makes great economic sense to just hire when the need arises.

This is probably true for those companies who import goods into the country. If they supply a great number of outlets in the country then they will obviously need huge storage facilities, but only when their goods arrive. Once these goods have been broken down and sent on their way, the facilities are no longer a necessary expense.

Although this may look expensive on paper, in fact it makes great economic sense. Once the goods have been delivered to his customers, he will no longer have to pay for his employees to look after the goods; pay for heating or cooling depending on what the goods are; or pay rent or rates on vast expanses of storage facilities that are lying idle.

Some of these storage facilities also offer a great service on top of the normal ones too. If the goods are arriving in bulk, they may need to be broken down into smaller packages or indeed be repackaged with branded casings. The company who holds the goods will do this at a fee as well as deliver the goods countrywide where and when the hirer tells them to.

Some goods will be perishable so it is imperative that these facilities have the proper cooling systems in place. If there is more than one lot of stock to be stored then they should also observe the ‘sell by’ dates that are usually included on the original packaging.

Once the company which hires the storage space builds up a good rapport with the storage facility company, then they will certainly be able to relax a little and trust that the company knows what they are doing. Indeed, the relationship should be so good that the company will find that once the goods are delivered to the storage company then it is a ‘one stop shop’ for the importer.

Whichever company is used it is of the utmost importance that they have all the handling equipment that will mean less wastage from damaged goods. Most bona fide companies have this equipment but it does not hurt anyone to check this out beforehand. Any storage company worth its salt will not mind any kind …

Warehouse Storage and Maintenance Systems – Why Now is the Time For Inexpensive Upgrades

Businesses can position themselves for a brighter future by investing in inexpensive upgrades to their warehouse storage and maintenance systems during the down period of the economic cycle. An increase in the number of business closures are making good quality equipment available at much lower prices than purchasing new. Furthermore, part of the government’s stimulus package is geared towards tax benefits for IRS Section 179 assets. Replacing fully depreciated items now with new or refurbished material handling equipment that qualifies under this tax section can mean tax breaks, as well as improved results immediately and in the long term. As the economic recovery continues to expand, businesses who have taken advantage of this window of opportunity will be poised to meet new demand and capture market share from operations that failed to upgrade their facilities.

Improved warehouse storage and maintenance strategies can be implemented with expert assistance from companies that specialize in new and refurbished used industrial supplies. The right system can accelerate the work flow and create the economical warehouse storage your business needs to compete and excel in the marketplace. These companies have broad experience with many different manufacturers’ equipment. They can provide a full service upgrade from design to installation.

New and used pallet racking is now available at reasonable prices and ready for shipment and installation. It is a key component to many organized and fully utilized storage systems. Warehouse design professionals can determine the right mix of drive-in racks, cantilever racks, selective racks and wire deck racks to optimize the storage potential of your warehouse, the ease of maintenance, and the accessibility of your pallets.

Upgrading to safe and reliable material handling equipment is also critical to your warehouse operation. Your pallet racking supplier can design the most effective layouts for forklift use, pallet jacks and conveyors. These material handling assets can be purchased now along with all the supplies such as industrial battery chargers to keep them operating smoothly. Many other refurbished, high-quality items that can enhance productivity are also available, such as order pickers, regular reach trucks and double reach trucks.

The material handling industry is varied, encompassing operations such as warehouses, retail outlets, manufacturing plants and distribution centers. Each of these have specialized needs for storage and maintenance systems. A pallet racking supplier can study your particular storage situation and put together the right components and equipment to upgrade your facility in the most cost-effective way possible. This can give your operation a strategic advantage over competitors who are still relying on an outdated and haphazard layout. The selection of new and high quality refurbished pallet racks and material handling equipment has never been better or more affordable.…

Learning the Basics of Shopping For Baby Clothes

One of the most exciting things for parents-to-be is the preparation for the coming of their bundle of joy. Just as enthusiastic are friends and family who tend to give gifts even months before the baby is even born. As a consequence, the number of baby clothes for infants pile up and before you know it, the baby no longer needs them. Baby’s growth is a swift stage which makes it quite challenging for parents to sustain the clothing needs. And of course, family and friends are not always there to provide. Furthermore, parents do not always have the ready cash to purchase baby items which are ‘disposable’ by nature.

So when it comes to purchasing baby items especially clothes, one must think of the most advantageous in terms of durability and functionality. Another question that one must answer is the protective features of these items. After all, we are doing this for our vulnerable precious ones.

As the shopping begins, it is a must to think about of the primary and most important factors to consider – SAFETY! This should always be at the top of the list and everything doubt dawns on you, then it is worth dropping immediately. Safety comes from two different viewpoints. First is the kind of the flame retardant material the clothes you are eyeing on is made of. Such material should always appear on the tag. If not, then disregard it immediately as it is not worth risking your baby’s welfare. The other important feature is the presence of buttons, elastics and buttons. These materials could injure babies. Buttons may also get sucked and swallowed by babies. They also possess choking hazards which is a common accident involving babies. Elastic bands should be removed as they are just as hazardous. The risks are much higher especially when babies are left unattended.

Baby’s comfort is also of prime importance. More often than not, cotton is the most recommended kind of fabric. This fabric has a natural supple feel on babies’ skin which makes them very comfortable. One drawback of using cotton is its tendency to shrink after being washed several times and so it is always wise to purchase baby clothes that are bigger in size. This way, you can reuse the clothes for a long time. Another option is to purchase clothes made from both cotton and polyester. They may not be as soft and supple as clothes made form purely cotton, they don’t shrink and they look good for a long time.

Money is also a factor to consider. One way or another, as parents, you need to find other ways to purchase clothes without putting a strain on your finances. This can be achieved by paying a visit to places where used clothes are available. This is also one of my strategies. Shopping on-line for used clothes helps me get hold of good clothes without hurting my pocket. Convenience is also an important …

Costs of Staff Turnover in Your Marketing Department

Marketing Department turnover has an impact, not just on the Marketing Department, but in other parts of the organization. For example, a lack of fully trained resources (trained in the company’s way of marketing) can force marketing projects to be delayed, which can lead to loss of sales or delay to the market with the formal release of a new product.

Hiring and retaining skilled staff is always a high priority for managers who direct marketing functions. If we create turnover, then we face a series of costs.

Cost Categories

There are four major categories of costs associated with the turnover of positions.

Staff Labor

Non-staff Related

Training

Productivity

1. Staff Labor Costs

The company expends labor costs searching for a new employee. These include:

Scheduling and conducting the interview

Background check

Processing paperwork

Orientation

Attending job fairs

2. Non-staff Related Costs

Non-labor recruiting costs include:

Advertising

Drug Testing

Associated costs and overhead allocations to manage involved departments.

3. Training Costs

Marketing continues to evolve. Consider, for example, Social Media that did not exist, even a few years ago. The whole field of Inbound Marketing has exploded. Staff needs to obtain new training and refresh past skills. Training could cost up to 5%.

4. Productivity

Even a well-oiled machine will hit a few bumps integrating a new employee. A few of these items are:

Employee not yet up to speed with department, division or company practices.

Manager concentrating with on-boarding the new employee rather than other duties.

The usual smooth hand-offs between team members require more effort to avoid dropping the ball on processes and procedures.

How Can We Avoid These Costs?

As managers, we need to be active in managing our employees and departments. Key activities to help prevent turnover include:

Letting employees know they did a good job and are appreciated.

Team building and camaraderie activities help employees feel connected.

A simple pat on the back and “thank you” do not cost anything but go far in the bonding process.

Pitch in and pick up some tasks when the team or an individual is trying their best to meet a deadline, but cannot meet it.

Provide new challenges and opportunities to expand knowledge and learn new skills.

The Takeaway

Turnover of staff is natural, over the course of time. We can minimize turnover by engaging, encouraging and rewarding staff as part of our day-to-day management.

That Is My Thinking. Over to You.

1. How do you minimize marketing staff turnover?

2. What kinds of recognition or rewards do you employ?

3. Do you find that Marketing turnover is similar or dissimilar to other staff types?

Copyright 2011 by Rob Berman…

Ways To Improve Productivity – 5 Powerful Tips

Every day we’re extremely busy, juggling our time among work, family, social life and so on. We’re either struggling to cope, embroiled in fire-fighting half the time or simply accepting our lot in life thinking this is the best we can perform. What about you – how are you managing? Do you ever wish you’re more productive, your brain moves faster, you can get things done more efficiently?

Allow me to share with you 5 extraordinary ways to improve productivity. It’s very useful for many of us who get entangled in the mundane but busy daily activities. Why? Because it helps us to Refocus, Reprioritize and Recharge to continue to be productive in the areas that are most important to us.

The 5 Powerful Ways to Improve Productivity are:-

Tip #1: Take Action on What is Important

Clearly assess which options will give you the best return on your time and priority. Do not make the mistake of getting sidetracked by little things that are calling out for your attention. Many tasks that require your immediate attention are not important in the bigger scheme. So get your priorities right.

Tip #2: Aim High

Always identify what are focused, high-impact results that will change the outcomes you get in your life. You know you don’t want merely mediocre results. Find inspiration to achieve outcomes that were previously outside your reach. Stretch your boundaries.

Tip #3: Build your Agenda Around the Important

Rearrange and re-rank your activities to concentrate only on those that will bring you forward in your career and personal life. Do not move 10 steps forward and 3 steps back! Look for ways to improve productivity so that you will make day-to-day decisions that are focused on your most important outcomes instead of the grit that’s blown into your eyes.

Tip #4: Control Your Technology

Find a dependable system that speeds up your capability to get things done, instead of being frequently distracted by technology. Tools and equipment are there to make it easier for you to achieve your goals. Do not let them bog you down and divert you from your ultimate objectives.

Tip #5: Keep Your Passion Burning

Make sure you constantly regenerate and revitalize yourself by relaxing, sleeping regularly, and eating nutritiously so that you can be recharged for the significant things in your life. As the clock ticks, we are no longer the super men/women that we were when we first stepped out of school. If you do not rejuvenate yourself, your internal machinery will break down. Nobody can be productive in that state.

The essence of effective productivity is achieving the results you want in a way that enables you to get even more of these results in the future. I urge you to ponder upon these ways to improve productivity and make full use of them.…

Create the Perfect Birth Experience – Natural Childbirth Or Medicated

By about week 35, most pregnant women start to feel some fear and anxiety about the upcoming labor and birth experience. This is true for first time mothers and for mothers with multiple children. The main reason is fear of the unknown. Wondering when and where labor will begin, how long it will last, and how much pain and suffering is going to be involved. This burden of wonder is unhealthy for the mother and the developing baby. It causes stress that effects both of them.

Additionally, labor has often been thought of as something that is out of control. The mother is at nature’s mercy. This is true to a point. There is something a woman can do before the process begins to help calm fears and guide the delivery experience in the way that she desires. It includes using the Law of Attraction and visualization.

The Law of Attraction has become increasingly popular over the last decade and is frequently used in seminars on creating wealth. However, it is a universal law and can work in any area of a person’s life. Briefly, the Law of Attraction states that thoughts have energy that attracts to whatever the person is thinking about. Think of it like thoughts are charged like magnets. They are have an actual physical draw to those things that are similar. If your thoughts are positively charged they will attract other positively charged things. It also is true for negative. If a person can decide what they want most, send their thoughts out to the universe asking for it, truly visualize receiving, and be open to accept it, they can create their own destiny.

Woman can use this law to create their perfect birth expedience before the first contraction begins. First, the mother should decide what kind of birth she wants to experience. It is good to be specific. Think of the time of day, how it feels, who is there, how long it lasts. Connecting emotion to the visualization makes it even stronger. Second, she should continue to revisit the mental experience. Ask for it to happen out loud. Make the situation so real that it becomes a part of who she is. Third, believe that it is true. Have faith that it will happen just how it was visualized in her mind. Finally, be grateful. Be open to receive the perfect birth and give thanks for receiving it before labor begins.

There are many who believe that the Law of Attraction is for dreamers. People who don’t act, but instead, simply wish for good things to happen. It is not true. Actually, those who understand the Law of Attraction are individuals who have set attainable, believable goals. They are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve them. They understand the way you think can effect the way you live. They are ready and willing to act. There are people in the world who …

Merchant Warehouse – The Best Merchant Account?

“So, Give me your best rate.” Those are the words that are heard more than any others by customer service reps at merchant account companies. If you ask that question the reply you get will tell you a lot about whether you should be doing business with them.

A ‘cheap merchant account’ is ultimately about much more than just a rate, because there are many other things that need to be considered.

It is true however, that most people are drawn to an company web page on the basis of the figures. However, the idea of ‘what you see is what you get’, does not apply to merchant credit card processing services.

For example, let’s say a company offers a rate of 1.3%, however they do not tell you that the rate is based on a $25 dollar monthly minimum and a 3 year contract with a $200 termination fee.

Suddenly the complexion of things changes significantly. Many people get burned in this way from only paying attention to the ‘low rates’.

That’s where Merchant Warehouse comes in and is the reason for Merchant Warehouse Review, because their approach is refreshingly different. They do not present a headline number to get people to sign on the dotted line.

They offer a consultative approach, which involves telling people all of account charges involved, not just for them but for all the industry. This really allows people to be able to understand what is the best company for them, because they can now compare ‘apples with apples’ by doing a proper comparison.

Their service is also excellent. They have just been voted Sales Organization of the year by the Electronics Transactions Association, an industry regulator, because of the overall quality of the accounts that they provide. Simply put it is a recognition of being the best merchant account services provider in the country.…

What Is the Process of Having a Baby? – The Stages of Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery

Upon getting pregnant, many women wonder, “What is the process of having a baby?” The answer to this question has three parts to it. There are three different aspects of having a baby that are very different from one another. There is the pregnancy itself, the labor process and the birth of the child. It is important to become education on the entire process to know what to expect when the time comes. Below is a list of the stages of pregnancy, labor and delivery of the baby that will help to answer the question, “What is the process of having a baby?”

Pregnancy – This stage is the longest, and a normal pregnancy can take anywhere from 37-42 weeks. The average time of pregnancy is typically 40 weeks of gestation. There are three different stages within the pregnancy itself, which are the first, second and third trimesters. There are many different milestones that take place within each trimester, and it is helpful to understand what is happening during each trimester. During the first trimester, women tend to develop early pregnancy signs, such as morning sickness and sensitivity to smells. This is the most common time for women to ask, “What is the process of having a baby?” The second trimester brings a major growth spurt in the child as well as the mother’s belly. Most major organs are formed during this stage. The third and final stage of pregnancy is the third trimester, in which the baby’s growth finalizes and the weight gain takes place.

Labor – The labor can begin with the woman’s water breaking. This refers to the sack of amniotic fluid that keeps the baby protected inside the woman’s uterus. Once this breaks, the baby has 24 hours to be delivered safely without risks of complications. The labor can last anywhere from minutes to 24 hours, depending on the individual circumstances. After the water is broke, there is typically a bloody show of mucous that appears. This signifies that the cervix is beginning to dilate. Many women wonder “What is the process of having a baby?” They think about the labor portion, which can be the hardest to predict. Many women go into labor at different times, so it can be a complete surprise. Some women have little pain, while some women experience major amounts of pain that require an epidural shot in the spine to numb the body from the pelvis down. This can be the most difficult time of the entire process.

Delivery – The birth of the baby can be one of the most momentous times in a parent’s life. When mothers and fathers are asked the questions, “What is the process of having a baby?” They typically refer to this part in their memory, because it is the most joyful part. The memory the pain and discomfort can quickly fade, because the miracle of childbirth overpowers …

The Challenge For Managers When Introducing a Productivity Improvement Program

Improving productivity in the workplace is a significant value to senior management. However just communicating the need for improving productivity will not motivate staff members to change their behavior. The reason for this is that the things that are of significance to management are not the things that are significant to the staff member.

In an interesting survey, 800 workers were interviewed and asked to rank their values. The results were:

1. Training and personal development

2. Increased input to their job

3. Promotions

4. Pay increases

5. More communication with immediate supervisor

As managers, we must be aware that the basis of our communication must be the values of the people with whom we want to communicate. It is absolutely pointless basing our communication on values which are irrelevant to the people we are addressing.

We tend to communicate the values of the senior people in the organisation. Of course it is totally logical and worthwhile to them because they support and live those values. However, these values are not going to appeal to people who respect different values. Why should they change their behavior because of someone’s values which do not make sense to them?

Many companies throughout the Western world have conducted employee surveys. The results are broadly the same.

1. People want personal, face-to-face communication. Of lesser importance are notices, memos and videos.

2. Their immediate supervisor is the most trusted source of information. Trusted more than their Union representatives or more remote management.

3. The most valuable information concerns plans for their immediate workplace environment and the way that tasks are performed.

The challenge for the manager who wants to improve workplace productivity is how will he or she get the message across and be certain that it is understood. The answer seems to be that issues surrounding their local workplace (self interest) are much more important and relevant than issues concerning the wider organisation.

The reason for this is simple. The individual on the shop floor can only make decisions about their own behaviour. Consequently, the areas of greatest interest to them are going to be narrow and relate to their environment and their job. The wider issues are much less interesting or relevant.

The challenge lies not in the method of communication, but in the content of the communication. This means that all the content must address the self interest of the workers. They must be given relevant reasons why they should be doing things differently. The reasons should not be reasons that make sense to senior management but reasons that make sense to the people who you want to change their behavior.

This emphasises the need to plan the implementation and the communication of a productivity improvement program. The skills of the managers and supervisors are critical to the success of the program. If the introduction and the initial communications fail to address the issues which are relevant to the workforce, the …

Why Spring is a Wonderful Time to Head to Southern California’s Largest City

Los Angeles is known as the place where movie stars and other beautiful celebrities live. It has warm, sunny weather and great beaches as well as a number of exciting things to do while visiting according to an owner of a Los Angeles contract warehouse and Los Angeles 3PL. Spring is a wonderful time to visit because the weather is ideal and it is less crowded than the summer months. This article will give some fun ideas of things to do and see this spring when visiting Los Angeles whether it is visiting an amusement park or running in the Los Angeles marathon.

If you would like to accomplish a great goal while at the same time as going somewhere nice for a vacation then running the Los Angeles marathon would be a great idea. It is scheduled to take place on March 21st this year and will give you a great tour of the city that will take you past some of the great tourist attractions in Los Angeles. If you would rather watch a race then be in one, be in LA in May to see some of the best cyclists in the world racing in the Amgen Tour of California race. Part of it goes right through downtown LA and you may even see Lance Armstrong too.

For thrill seekers, make sure you take the time to go to Universal Studios Hollywood. It gives visitors the chance to see how movies are made as well as television shows and no place is better than that than Hollywood. You can go behind the scenes of the movie War of The Worlds or see Wisteria Lane from the TV show, “Desperate Housewives” which is fun to see. Nearby City walk is also fun to see bands, go out to eat and have a fun night out as well. Another fun thing that tourists do is to go on a star tour viewing celebrities and movie stars homes in the area.

When in the Los Angeles area, you have to go to Malibu and spend a day at the Malibu Lagoon State Beach. The weather is absolutely perfect in the spring and not only is it great for bird watchers then but it is also fun for celebrity sightings as many famous people own beach homes on this beach. After some time at the beach go to the Malibu Country mart for some great shopping and wonderful dining options.

Spring is a great time to go through the section of downtown LA known as Little Tokyo. It is a fabulous place where you can find wonderful Japanese cuisine and sushi as well as shops that sell interesting Japanese things. In April is the Cherry Blossom festival that showcases Japanese culture with dancing, food, crafts and music. Also in Little Tokyo is the Japanese American National Museum that has gorgeous artwork that is both traditional and more modern …

Productivity Improvement – Learn What Steps to Take and Which to Avoid to Improve Productivity

The challenge is before you: improve productivity in your hospital. Before you can do this, it is necessary to know how your results compare to your peers. Benchmarks are a useful tool for establishing this information. So, you are interested in benchmarks, or maybe you already have benchmarks, but you are unsure of how to incorporate the results into your management strategy. This is a dilemma faced by many hospital executives, usually resulting in the failure to take any significant action. To alleviate this problem, we have created a distillation of what we have found to be the most important “do’s” and “don’ts” when pursuing productivity improvement.

DON’T decide to reduce a specific number of department FTEs based solely on external comparisons and the need for expense reduction without regard tot he impact on throughput. DO use comparative data as a screening tool to identify the greatest improvement opportunities. DON’T impose arbitrary productivity goals without regard to potential barriers within and outside the departments. DO identify organizational effectiveness barriers at the department level and quantify their impact. DON’T make cost reduction an activity that involves only the managers. DO involve employees constructively in the improvement process. DON’T start uncoordinated projects that focus on individual departments and miss the synergistic effect of factors that cross department lines. DO implement tailored improvements that take the total organizational impact into account, not just the effect on a single department. DON’T implement arbitrary, crisis-driven cuts that damage quality, impair physician confidence, destroy employee loyalty, and tarnish community image. DO make a improvement of organizational effectiveness an ongoing objective to be routinely pursued throughout the hospital. DON’T waste time fixing symptoms. DO fix root causes. DON’T develop a fear-based hospital culture. DO develop a trust-based hospital culture.

Above all, DON’T wait until a fiscal crisis looms before taking constructive steps to reduce costs through improved organizational effectiveness. The longer you wait, the fewer your options!…

The Two Essential Steps to Improve Workplace Labor Productivity

Train your leadership team

Without a doubt the most significant contributor to workplace productivity is the ability of the leadership team. It is extremely difficult to increase productivity without having effective levels of leadership throughout the business.

People respond to role models and follow their example either good or bad. All leaders can have a profound effect on the productivity of their people. However, it is necessary to train people in leadership positions how to behave and influence the people that work for them.

Effective leadership training is not common. Too much of it focuses on theory and not enough on the practical aspects of being a leader. The very best leadership training equips the learners with practical skills which they can put to work straightaway. It also provides coaching in the workplace to show supervisors and managers how to get the very best from their people. 

Leadership training which does not have follow-up and does not have on-the-job coaching is of limited value. Because there is little evidence of any transfer of learning to the workplace without it. With no transfer of learning, it could be argued that leadership training of this type is a waste of money.

Remember that everybody in a leadership position is a role model. The best way of doing it is to follow this simple procedure.  If you are in a leadership position, make a list of the characteristic behaviors you want from your team. For example, if you have a team of supervisors you are likely to want them to be responsive to the needs of their own team.

If you want your team to behave in this way then you need to be behaving in this way with your team because you are their leader. Now this is quite demanding because it means that you have to be responsive to their needs and coach them to higher performance when necessary.  

In other words if you want a team that uses good leadership skills then you have to demonstrate good leadership skills to your team.

Just write down all the behaviors that would make a perfect team and as you do so, reflect on what that means in terms of how you will model the desired behavior for them.  Most of it is not too hard but it becomes difficult when the pressure come on.

This first step of training your leadership team to model the behaviour that they want in other people is critical to your success in improving productivity.

Improved levels of productivity always seem to result from effective leadership training.

Through involvement, decide the level of productivity required and identify milestones to the goal.

This is the area where many people fail. They decide the level of productivity required and then impose it on the staff. Then they are in a situation where they are fighting the resentment of the staff because they have had something imposed on them and generally speaking, failure follows.

Without a doubt, the secret …

Hiring 101: The Application Process

The labor board comes in your location and you have a stack of applications that reach back to the Reagan Administration. Is that a problem?

Well, besides the fact that this probably means you have never conducted your annual HR audit, you have created a strong suspicion that submitting an application is not how someone gets a job with your company. This means that you will need to show that you have a fair process at your company for gaining employment.

Here are some questions to answer prior to the labor board rep showing up at your door:

What is the process for getting employed at your company and is it fair and equitable at all of your locations?

Are you really an equal opportunity employer?

Do you have over 50 employees for federal employment compliance or are you over the number of employees for some state and local labor board compliance?

If you have a lot of employee referrals, do they follow a well-established process for obtaining employment?

Do you interview every candidate?

Does every new hire complete an application before they are hired?

Do you conduct background and drug tests on every new hire?

What is your process?

If you use the internet to post jobs, you need to determine how you separate resumes and at what point your company decides that a resume moves from the general stack to that of a candidate. Companies are required to treat official applicants and/or candidates differently once they have been identified as such.

The real problem is created when a position becomes open and you don’t follow either your written or unwritten procedure.

For example, a manager finds out that an employee’s brother is available and he simply hires the brother. Having no real interview, application, drug test or background check would further complicate matters.

However the next time a position opens, there is an interview process. A candidate is offered the job but something else trips him up: a positive drug test or a bad background check. You withdraw the offer but the candidate finds out that you only used your “process” on him; other people were hired without going through all of that. He files an EEO complaint or even worse: he files a grievance with the local labor board.

The best answer is to create a process for hiring people with your company.

Establish a time to purge old applications and resumes. Some companies have gone paperless and all applications must be taken virtually. The internet has made things easier in the application process but it has also created some additional complexity. The EEOC is still playing around with the definition of when someone on the web becomes a “candidate.”

Does this mean that you can never have an exception to your hiring process? No, but exceptions need to really be exceptions and should be documented and explained every time they are made.

To avoid possible lawsuits and fines, conduct your annual …

How Logistics Consultancy Benefits Business

Employing the services of a logistics consultant can be very useful if you have a business where you need to move, manufacture or store goods at a cost effective-price. Consultancies can provide strategies that will help your business improve efficiency and profitability. Advice offered can include all aspects of coordinating your supply chain, such as warehouse management and materials handling.

Logistics consultants ensure that each client is assessed and the best advice is offered to suit that particular business, whether it be upgrading a warehouse or looking at asset management in the supply chain. Tailored system planning ensures an effective and profitable business and a ‘hands on’ approach to implementing strategic operational solutions really make product handling and distribution systems work.

Managing the supply chain means coordinating business processes to achieve efficient movement and storage of goods from producer to consumer. Companies offering this type of consultancy can give specialist advice from the ground up, starting with process design and business modelling then advising on ways of implementing strategies to improve capabilities. This advice can focus on areas of the supply chain including transportation, stock control and warehousing.

Some companies find that their warehousing capabilities just aren’t efficient for the kind of levels of storage they are hoping to achieve. If this is the case then specialist advice can be given on functionality. Warehouse consultants can offer design ideas as well as reviewing and improving clients’ current warehouse operations within areas such as inventory analysis and use of stock management tools.

Optimizing current resources ensures effective processes for clients, with focus placed on whether companies are using their capabilities to optimal effect. Another area of expertise within a logistics consultants remit can be materials handling, with advice offered on everything from system design to asset management and tracking.

In short, supply chain and logistics consultants can offer strategies on all key industrial business areas. Implementing these logistical solutions can significantly increase profitability. After all, efficient process strategies can result in substantial cost savings and so therefore increase profits in the long-term.…

Warehouse Inventory Control Management Systems

Your business is growing. You just leased a secondary warehouse down the street from your current location. Your warehouse manager has filled every crack and crevice in your current warehouse and you hope the new space will relieve some of the pressure caused by fulfillment delays, inventory shortages, and even damage cause by poor packing.

Warehouse Inventory Control Management Systems, or WMS, are designed to help the warehouse facility, vendors, and even customers stay on top of inventory status in real time. Suppose you know an order for widgets is coming in next week. That doesn’t bother you be cause the manual inventory that was run last month shows more than enough product is on hand to fulfill that order.

What you may not have remembered is that the inventory you were counting on was destroyed in a roof leak and removed from the warehouse. Had warehouse inventory management systems been put in place, you would have seen an up to the minute report of the exact inventory status and even the location of the destroyed inventory waiting to be disposed of.

With the development of micro computing devices like RFID tags, mangers are able to keep track of vital warehousing information in real time. Whether you want to track the movement of whole pallets of product, or the individual item, a WMS may be the answer.

Since these systems are computer based, it is important to work closely with your IT manager to insure proper implementation. These systems can be based on your company’s network or be internet based. Taking time to do a careful survey of needs of all systems in you product stream can prevent costly mistakes in the future. These systems can often pay for themselves in a reasonable amount of time.

Another key person to include in the development of these systems is the warehouse manager. These personnel understand critical product flows and inefficiencies within the plant. When expanding to supplementary warehouse space, employees must often do extra work in compiling orders from both facilities due to poorly created pick procedures.

Warehouse management systems can give the operator a birds eye view of the products flowing in and out of their warehouses. These computerized systems can show quickly areas of weakness that could be costing the company millions in lost product and high man hours.

Companies that implement computerized inventory management systems find they save a significant amount of money in loss prevention and man hours. These systems are necessary for just in time suppliers meeting customer requirements and fulfillment houses providing responsive processing for their clients. Knowing where your inventory is within your warehouses, both local and remote, is essential for maintaining a successful flow of product from the manufacturers floor, through the warehouse, and on to the seller and consumer.

By bringing together members from each specialty in the supply chain, companies can develop a dependable system that will enable them to quickly meet their customer’s needs and …

Lectures and Meetings in the Workplace

Providing employees with further education and training is one of the best ways to motivate people to really engage in their jobs. When a person feels confident in their skills and abilities, they are free to really expand the work they can do and what they can accomplish. Meetings, lectures and training programs are all useful and beneficial ways for employers to help their employees. These types of events often have specific regulations outlined in the Fair Labor Standards Act that must be acknowledged.

There are four distinct regulations that determine whether or not an employee should be compensated for their time spent in a meeting or training program. As distinguished by the FLSA, if other work is being performed concurrently while a person is engaging in a lecture, meeting or training program, an employee must be compensated for their time. So if an employee is asked to continue to perform part of their normal tasks while engaging in a lecture, they must be compensated for that time, just as they normally would be.

Also, if a meeting or training occurs during an employees normal working hours, they must be compensated for this time as well. Employees schedule their time in order to maximize their income. If a company asks an employee to shift that schedule for a meeting, they must be compensated for that time.

Finally, a meeting or lecture must be considered paid time if it is work related or mandatory. If a meeting is not work related and is voluntary, an employer is not obligated to pay its employees for this time. Also, any employee who is exempted from FLSA standards because of their title does not have to be compensated for this type of activity.…

Inducing Labor at Home – Three Methods You Can Start Right Now

First, I would like to give you a warm congratulations for the baby that is about to bless your life. However, right now, you are probably in a lot of pain because that due date has come and gone. I have been in your shoes before. I know how it feels to be pregnant and have the due date pass you by. It’s miserable, point blank. Have you ever thought about inducing labor at home? Many do not know that they can induce labor in the comfort of their own home. Instead, they turn to the doctor to give them medications to bring on labor. Those medications have side effects that could harm the baby. I know you do not want to harm your baby and that is why I want to tell you ways that can help you out.

First on our list, there are spicy foods. Did you know that consuming foods that are spicy can induce labor? It’s true. In fact, this is a very popular method.

When I was pregnant and the due date passed, it was one of the tips that our midwife gave us. My husband loves spicy food but I really don’t, but at that point, I was willing to try anything to relieve the misery we were in. It’s so hard to wait for the baby come!

Relaxation is another technique that the midwife told us about. Your body is so tight to the point that the baby is not going to come out. When you are relaxing, you will be loosening up your body a bit. Relaxation includes bubble baths, massage, reading, resting in the recliner as you are watching a movie or whatever else you like to do.

Inducing labor at home is not that hard to do. All you have to do is follow these two methods we just told you about. Apart from these two methods, there is a third one that is widely popular and has a great success rate. That method is acupressure.

Research has been conducted and is showing that over eighty percent of pregnant women who use acupressure to induce labor experience a normal labor with less complications than other women that do not use the techniques. Did you know that it can also shorten the amount of time one is in labor?…

Benefits of Locating Call Centers Near Educational Centers

Evaluating availability of low cost labor source is an important aspect to consider when establishing new operations units. Contact centers are not an exception in this regard. However, the nature of call center operations requires a constant supply of labor force since not many people are willing to work odd shifts for long periods in their lives. Yet, college and university students represent a very attractive and beneficial segment of transient workers for call offices.

Most of students pursuing a degree are still in need to earn money to pay for their tuition. In addition, unlike people that have families or other community obligations, students are often available and willing to take odd shifts late at night or early in the morning. Consequently, students make themselves an attractive low cost labor source and possess adequate knowledge and skills.

However, employing students for work requires quite considerable corporate decision making. Although students from universities, colleges and vocational schools most probably won’t become constant workers, they are readily available for short periods and can become transient workers at call centers. In addition, students are less vulnerable and influenced by employment cycles that affect employment and, consequently, operations in a number of industries. They are well-prepared to call and answer calls of customers with appropriate courtesy.

Benefits of employing students as transient workers at call centers are:

Students are willing to take odd shifts that are not suitable for most other people;

Students have sufficient communication skills as well as academic credentials to service calling customers with appropriate courtesy;

Students are an excellent low labor cost source since they are willing to earn extra money to pay for their tuition as well as entertainments.

The only drawback of considering students as potential workers at call center is the fact that they might place their job to the second place, while giving the first priority to the studies. Thus, call center managers might need to seek for compromises that would allow students choose schedule to work part-time and pursue educational excellence at the same time.

It is obvious that college and university students can become valuable asset of call centers as most of them possess necessary communication and technical skills. Furthermore, numerous universities, colleges, as well as vocational schools now offer invaluable certification programs that equip students with so much needed skills and competencies for working at a virtual office. Thus, locating contact centers nearby educational centers is most likely to turn out a beneficial and quite profitable enterprise.…

How to Make Your Warehouse Safer With the Right Equipment

Warehouses are necessary if you’re running a medium- to large-scale business. Safety in warehouses is also something that can’t be stressed enough. If you’re setting up your industrial business, then you should know that the safety of your crew should always be your top priority while you’re shopping for equipment and storage equipments. For tips on how to find the right warehouse safety equipment, read on.

Make a list of all the safety needs of your warehouse

Before setting out to look for good suppliers of warehouse equipment, you should make a comprehensive list of all of the items you’ll need to keep your warehouse safe. Will you be handling and transporting liquids in your warehouse? If these don’t come in spill-containment vats, yet, you should include sealed vats and drums in your list as well. You should also include spill-containment berms, along with the necessary sizes you’ll require for both transportation and warehouse storage needs.

Next, consider what kind of storage equipments you’ll need. Pallet racks are economical storage equipments if you’re keeping heavy materials which can be exposed to its environment. Harmful chemicals, on the other hand, may need to be contained in refrigerated or heated areas. You’ll have to purchase sealed containers as well as temperature-regulating equipment to preserve these chemicals. These enclosed spaces will also keep your crew safe from harm.

It’s a must for any warehouse to have carts, forklifts, and possibly even larger cranes to transport its heavy materials from one point of the warehouse to another. When shopping for storage and lifting equipment, check the weight capacity of every machine, cart, or rack. Don’t settle for equipment that has a low weight capacity. Most warehouse accidents happen because people overload forklifts and racks.

Look for a good equipment provider

Don’t just settle for the cheapest deal when you’re shopping for safety equipment. Do your research and gauge the credibility of your equipment provider. You’d want a firm that can live up to your expectations and be liable enough just in case any of the warehouse safety Solutions you’ve purchase from them turn out to be defective. Look at how long they’ve been operating in the field, and don’t be afraid to ask for testimonials from previous clients.

Warranties would also work to your advantage when it comes to warehouse safety solutions. You’d want to get at least a year’s worth of service warranty for your forklifts and pallet racks.

As soon as you’ve found a provider for all the big safety solutions you’ll be using on your warehouse, it’s time to arm your men. Be very strict about clothing rules, and make sure they wear all the necessary gloves, goggles, and hard caps while they’re inside your warehouse. Make sure they don’t overload racks and lifting equipment. Sometimes, the safety of the crew doesn’t just depend on how well-manufactured the storage and lifting solutions are. Their safety also relies on how well they …

Natural Induction of Labor – How to Speed Up Labor Without Medical Induction

A doctor can induce your labor for you and start the process of delivering the baby. It is easy and simple and effective. The only problem is that it is not natural and side effects can come from medical induction. Side effects and labor are two words that don’t work well in the same sentence for you. You want your baby and you to be safe.

You wouldn’t want to run the risk of something terrible happening during this process. Although statistics are low of babies not making it through medical induction, these are still risks that you are not willing to play with. You want to make sure that your baby is going to be safe and you are not going to be taking any risks.

You want a natural induction of labor. You want to bring on labor naturally and to speed it up without medical induction. You want some ways to make this happen today so you can make the baby’s birth easier and healthier for you. Thankfully, you can.

There are treatments that you can do at home that will help to speed up your labor. A great method that you can try today is meditation or yoga. Meditation gets your mind and body in sync with one another. When this happens, you are in complete control of your body and most importantly, you are relaxed. When you are relaxed, your body is open and that makes room for the baby to come through. When you are tense, your body is tight and tightness is something that won’t work in your favor when it comes to giving birth. You must be as loose as a goose for this moment in time. Yoga can also help to induce your labor because it also loosens your body up. Either way, using one of these methods will help to bring on labor early for you.

If yoga or meditating isn’t your thing, then you can feel free to munch on some spicy foods and get the same results. Spicy foods help to clear out your body and they also speed up the natural processes of your body as well. So when you eat something spicy, your heart rate goes up and all of the other systems of your body also increase in tempo, so the same thing happens down there for you. You’ll open up and your body will go into labor.

Don’t worry about medical induction anymore. All hesitations and worries can go out the window with these natural labor induction methods.…

Using Acupuncture During And To Promote Pregnancy

Being pregnant is definitely a thrilling and fantastic time. On the other hand, with all the bodily and hormonal modifications that take place, it may also be a time of soreness. Several expecting females endure fatigue, nausea, backache along with other problems which are regarded as a “normal” component of being pregnant. Acupuncture is a safe, mild and successful method to tackle these ailments, particularly given that Western medicines cannot be utilized throughout this time.

Normal acupuncture in the course of being pregnant sets the basis for a wholesome mom and child. Furthermore, ladies who utulize acupuncture through pregnancy typically experience a less difficult pregnancy than females who do not use acupuncture. Research done in Europe concluded that “women of all ages who obtained acupuncture every week through the final month of being pregnant had considerably shorter labor than ladies who didn’t acquire any acupuncture.”

A few of the ailments that acupuncture can deal with are:

Nausea, Vomiting,

Insomnia

Decreased Energy Levels

Anemia

Anxiety/depression

constipation

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Substantial blood stress (pre-eclampsia)

PUPPs & other pregnancy-related skin problems

Pre-term labor

Delayed labor

Labor discomfort

Lactation complications

Postpartum depression

Prenatal acupuncture has been employed for thousands of years to help sufferers ease into and through pregnancy, and to have an uncomplicated delivery. An Australian study conducted by Adelaide University in 2002 found that acupuncture throughout being pregnant had no adverse effects and was completely safe when provided by a trained acupuncturist.

You may well have heard that some acupuncture points are forbidden for the duration of being pregnant. This is true – certain points on the body are to be avoided for the duration of the pregnancy as they might stimulate uterine contractions. Nonetheless, a trained specialist in acupuncture will know specifically which points are unsafe to utilize during various treatments.

Acupuncture in the course of the first trimester focuses on setting the basis for a wholesome, safe, and uncomplicated pregnancy. Therapies are provided to prevent miscarriage and to tackle any early problems, such as nausea and fatigue. For optimum results, the recommended frequency of acupuncture throughout the first trimester is once per week.

Acupuncture throughout the second trimester aims to maintain balance and offer relief from numerous problems and ailments that arise during this time. The recommended frequency of therapies for that second trimester is evaluated for each individual. Sufferers may possibly come one to two times per month if the pregnancy is uncomplicated and there are no complaints. If addressing a certain issue, sufferers may perhaps need to come more often.

Acupuncture in the course of the third trimester prepares the body for labor and delivery. Treatment for labor induction can and should be offered anytime after the thirty-ninth week if there are no complications present. For the duration of the third trimester, sufferers are encouraged to seek weekly treatment to ensure a smooth labor and delivery. Research show that women of all ages who acquire normal acupuncture in the course of …

Warehouse Space in the Northeast United States

The northeast United States is the smallest region for warehouse space compared to the Midwest, south and western United States. However it still boasts more than 2 billion square feet of space and contains major markets like New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington D.C.

The northeast owes much of it’s warehouse inventory to it’s early success as a manufacturing hub which supported large populations and allowed many coastal cities to develop into successful ports. However as efficiency and labor costs reduced the need for space, many warehouses are now being torn down for redevelopment or retrofitted into apartments or condominiums.

The largest market is Philadelphia which includes more than 400 million square feet. Northern New Jersey is a close second with 374 million and New Jersey as a whole accounts for nearly a third of the region’s total square footage. Baltimore, Washington DC, Long Island, Boston and Hartford round out the list of major markets (total inventory greater than 90 million square feet).

Altogether the market has nearly 2.17 billion square feet of space and market will likely stay under 2.2 billion in the foreseeable future with 2 million square feet currently under construction as of Q1 2011. Compared to the three other regions, this is the smallest amount of new construction in terms of square footage but available space is at a premium in the Northeast relative to other regions.

Rates vary greatly among individual markets based on local economic factors, size of space required, proximity to transport hubs and individual property aspects. Prospective tenants should know that asking rates are never set in stone and many landlords are willing to negotiate in exchange for the security of a worthy tenant and a long-term lease.

Overall commercial real estate in the northeast wasn’t hit as hard as other areas of the United States. New York and Washington DC, the two bellwether markets for the region experienced initial surges in vacancy rates but those markets are now healthy relative to other regions of the United States. However one thing to keep in mind is that Washington DC is often included as a northeast market despite the fact that it is not within the census defined area for the region.

The outlook for 2012 is positive with expected drops in vacancy rates as the economy slowly begins to recover. Businesses looking to lease new space, renew an existing lease or expand their facilities should consider talking to a commercial real estate professional to review current market conditions.…

Do Not Open a Restaurant Business Without a Certified Public Accountant

In the restaurant business, a profit and loss statement is the most powerful tool you will have. This simple statement will tell you, each month, exactly how your restaurant business is performing and give you the control needed in order to find success.

Without this tool you will not have the control you need to earn the profits you had wished for.

A certified public accountant is required in order to prepare this important tool for your restaurant business. Many restaurant owners choose a friend who is a bookkeeper or they choose to do the statement themselves and that could be a critical mistake. You should tend to the operations within your business and let a certified public accountant handle your profit and loss statement for you. A certified public accountant is a professional, they are accurate and they only cost a few hundred dollars per month.

Here is one small example of how a profit and loss statement can simplify your restaurant business and put you in control of your profits and your sales:

Labor Costs:

The labor costs for a fast food restaurant, for example, should be approximately 20%. Once you receive your profit and loss statement, from your accountant, you realize that your labor percent for the previous month was 22.7%. That is 2.7% too high. Let’s also say that your profit and loss statement also tells you that your net sales for the previous month were $37,500.

If you multiply the 2.7% times the $37,500, you will discover that you spent $1,012 too much for labor costs last month. Wow!

That is $1,012 that you can learn to put into your pocket, and here is how.

The greatest loss of labor cost, for any restaurant, is timing your business with your schedule. That means, if you have several employees standing around waiting for a customer, that is costing your money. If this happens often, try to schedule a few of your employees to come in fifteen to thirty minutes later. You will be surprised at the savings.

The key to controlling profits in the restaurant business us knowing when you have a problem. A profit and loss statement is designed to alert you of profit or sales problems and then you can begin to solve them. Have a certified public accountant and give yourself a chance in your restaurant business.…

Ways to Induce Labor on Your Own – Say Goodbye to Medical Labor Induction

There are a lot of women that are pregnant and past their due dates. For some, being overdue causes them to be anxious and often in a lot of discomfort. For others, they may be concerned about the problems that may arise if the pregnancy is prolonged. In any case, it is best to consult with their doctor or midwife on what should happen next.

With some women though, their doctor may recommend that they be medically induced. However, some women would prefer natural labor induction over being medically induced. Luckily, there are some ways to labor on your own. You just have to make sure that you check with your doctor or midwife and get approval before trying any of these methods. Here are some of the ways you can induce your own labor.

Having Sex – If you want to induce your labor yourself, a lot of people may tell you to have sex. The reason is because the sperm contains prostaglandins which aids in ripening and dilating the cervix.

Taking Walks – Walking has a lot of great benefits for your health. It also helps to induce labor as the gravity from standing up and being in motion helps the baby descend down which also adds that pressure which can help to induce labor.

Nipple Stimulation – Rolling or rubbing your nibbles with your fingers or getting your partner to gently suck on your nipples for around 3-5 minutes doing one breast at a time can help to induce labor. You have to make sure you wait at least 15 minutes before trying again and avoid over stimulation.

One other natural way to induce labor that has been proven to work is maternity acupressure. Not only does it work but it is also safe and has quite a few other benefits that you can enjoy. Basically, you would target certain pressure points on your body to induce labor. By doing this, the cervix will ripen and dilate and bring on consistent contractions.…

The Forced Labor and Tribute of the Filipinos During Spanish Period

During the Spanish regime, all male Filipinos from 18 to 60 years of age were required to give their free labor, called polo, to the government. This labor was for 40 days a year, reduced to 15 days in 1884. It was in various forms, such as building roads and bridges, constructing public buildings and churches, cutting timber in the forest, working in shipyards, and serving the Spanish military expeditions. One who rendered forced labor was called a polista.

The members of the principalia (town aristocracy) were exempt from the polo. Rich Filipinos annually paid the falla, a sum amounting to seven pesos, in order to be exempt from forced labor. The local officials (former and incumbent gobernadorcillos, cabezas de barangay, etc.) and schoolteachers were also exempted by law from the polio because of their services to the state.

Evidently, only the poor Filipinos who had no social or political standing in the community were made to give forced labor. This practice greatly contributed to the widespread Filipino aversion to physical labor, which has only recently been overcome by attractive wages overseas.

The conditions for forced labor were (1) that it should be used only for necessary public works and constructions intended to improve the community; (2) that the workers were to be paid in full for their work; (3) that the alcaldes mayor should consider the physical condition of each laborer, that is, the weak should not be overworked; (4) that the laborers should not be sent to work in distant lands; (5) that the giving of service should be timed so as not to interfere with the planting or harvest seasons.

All this was good only on paper, however; the laws of forced labor were often violated. Laborers were seldom paid their wages. They were separated from their families by being made to work in distant areas. They were not given food, as required by law; they had to provide their own food instead. Moreover, they were shamefully overworked, and thousands of Filipino laborers died at the worksites as a result.

The Filipino Tribute to the Colonial Government

In order to get enough money to pay for the administration of the country and the construction of churches, government buildings, roads and bridges, and improvements in transportation and communication, the Filipinos were compelled to pay tribute called tributo, to the colonial government. The tributo was imposed as a sign of the Filipinos’ loyalty to the king of Spain. Those who paid tribute were individuals above sixteen years old and below sixty. At the start, a tribute amounting to eight reales was collected. The tribute increased in 1598 and a small part of it, called sanctorum, went to the church. Because of the widespread opposition to the tribute and to the abuses in its collection, the king abolished it in 1884. The cedula personal, the equivalent of which is the present residence certificate, was introduced in its place.

Aside …

Warehouse Ladder – Multi Position Ladder For Businesses

A warehouse ladder is very instrumental in maintaining the smooth operation of a warehouse. This trade ladder helps increase the efficiency and productivity of warehouse workers. This is made possible because a warehouse ladder can be used to easily access any level of the storage rack found in a storage area.

Using a warehouse ladder allows users to get stocks from the high shelves in a few minutes. This trade ladder is considered as a specialty type mainly because they are designed to be used in the industrial environment of a warehouse. This ladder makes everything handy for workers. They can just put the boxes on the ladder and slide to the next shelf. Warehouse ladders are created to mimic the stairs. This allows the workers to have a better grip and move up and down safely. Handrails are installed on the side and top part of the ladder. This provides additional security and stability to the workers. For the mobility of the ladder, casters are placed at the bottom. To keep the ladder in place, locks for the wheels are also installed. The spring-loaded casters are locked into place to make sure that the user the official flashloans site will not be toppled while in the ladder. The range of steps available for warehouse ladders are from one to 19 steps.

A warehouse ladder can be made of different materials such as aluminum, fiberglass, and steel. A fiberglass ladder is best for electricians. Using an aluminum trade ladder is more light to carry compared to steel. Aluminum can be used in food processing and chemical plants because it can withstand corrosion. For warehouses that will require a lot of lifting boxes, aluminum may not be the best option. The weight that an aluminum ladder can carry is just ranging from 300 or 350 lbs. Steel is the most preferred material among the three. Steel can hold up to 800 lbs of weight.

The two types of a warehouse ladder are single and double entry. Here are the differences among the two:

Single entry – This is the type usually seen in warehouses. This only contains the original entry. This is commonly used in stockrooms and warehouses. This type is used as an alternative to stairs so that workers can easily reach stocks in higher shelves.

Double entry – This is also known as crossover. This type has two entry points and is usually placed on the floor providing easy passage way to workers carrying big boxes, equipment and machines. The rails are installed on both sides of the ladder to prevent workers and stocks from falling. Most of the double entry trade ladders have wheels for efficient mobility. To lock the ladder in place, rubber pads are placed on both ends.

Warehouse ladders are also categorized depending on its mobility functions. The three categories are multi-directional, easy turn directional, and work platform. The easy turn directional ladder allows you to be …

Data Warehouse Architecture – Refurbishing the Vastness of Brass Tacks

Data warehouse architecture can be referred to as a vault, where an organization stores its electronic content. Such type of archive is mainly designed to abet circulating and evaluation. In layman’s language, it can be defined as the store house for content. Its essential characteristics include retrieving and evaluating information, extracting, transforming and loading documents, counseling the abstract dictionary etc. Now-a-days, most of the references use this type of wider context.

In technical language, the role of the data warehouse architecture includes the following criteria i.e. it comprises of corporate intelligence appendix, various tools which are used for extracting, transforming and loading content to disburse and retrieve meta data. It is mainly required, when a company requires a countable, fortified, articulated and distinct reporting and evaluation of its data, at various levels of amassment. A fact, which is associated with almost all corporate sector is that the ground work of their brass tacks is actually made up of a caboodle of miscellaneous systems. For instance, one company may be possessing one system, which manages customer care relation, another system, which would be handling staff and other one, which would be supervising sales or production field, finance etc. In such a situation, these systems are not at all articulated properly. As a result, numerous complications can arise. In such cases, data warehouse appliances come to the rescue.

Some of the advantages which are rendered by the data warehouse architecture are as follows:

1) It lends a common module for integrating all the required contents regardless of their sources. This enables to evaluate and customize information in a more convenient manner. This becomes easier only when multiple modules are used to redeem brass tacks such as trade invoices, order counterfoils, common journal charges etc.

2) Many a times, inconsistencies are detected and are simultaneously also resolved. This helps a great deal in simplifying evaluation and reporting process.

3) One of the major advantages of data warehouse appliance is that even though content gets expunged again and again, the abstracts in the stockpile can be saved safely for indefinite period of time.…

Inducing Your Own Labor – How to Safely Start Your Own Labor at Home

If you are near or past your due date, then you know how severe the toll is on your body. Carrying a full term baby is really weighing you down, both literally and figuratively. You want to be able to induce your own labor already so you can finally get the results that you have been looking for. You are anxious for your pregnancy to be over so you need some help.

In order to go about inducing your own labor, there are a few things that you should know. For example, some methods may work for others but they may not work for you. You need to try one form of treatment thoroughly before you head right into another. You may have to allow a little transition time for your body to get used to something. Don’t freak out if you aren’t getting the results that you are looking for right away, because you will go into labor eventually.

To induce your own labor, there are things that you can do at home that will work today. A great way to start your labor is to eat some different kinds of foods that have an effect on the cervix. Eating tropical fruits can help to induce your labor because they contain an enzyme that helps to dilate the cervix. Some tropical fruits that you can try include mangoes, kiwi and pineapple. Eating these types of fruits can help to induce your labor and move your pregnancy along.

Another way to go about inducing your own labor is to have sex. Having sex with your spouse or partner allows you to relieve the tension and stress in your body. Sometimes, having an increase in your stress levels can actually affect your ability to go into labor. When you are stressed your body is tight and it is closed off. Having sex allows your body to open up and this makes you more open. The more open and relaxed you are, the better your chances are of going into labor. Having sex can really help to put you in a good mood and it can also work to induce your labor quickly.

You don’t have to worry about going into labor anymore because you are going to get some results today with these tips. It is time that you stopped worrying about possibly using medical induction. You can safely go into labor at home and you are going to make it happen now.…

If you need fire damage restoration, there are some factors you need to keep in mind:

1. You need to find a company that can respond to emergencies around the clock.
2. You need to check for their reputation and insurance policy.
3. It would help if you also asked about their warranty policies.

Find a fire damage restoration service that offers 24/7 availability

If you need assistance restoring your home following a fire, you should contact a fire damage restoration service that offers 24-hour availability. This is essential, as the first 24 to 48 hours after a fire are the most crucial for restoration. Water and soot damage walls, floors, and furniture, and the acid in the soot eats away at surfaces. A fire damage restoration service that offers 24-hour availability can mitigate damage and complete the clean-up quicker than a company with less availability. In addition, 24-7 availability means that you can contact a customer service representative to schedule an appointment or to make any other type of inquiry.

A fire damage restoration service should also be able to serve a broad geographic area. Certain regions of the world are more prone to certain types of disasters, but it’s essential to know that fire can happen anywhere. The best fire damage restoration companies Freehold, NJ will have a service area that spans multiple states, and it’s necessary to check if their service area includes your city or state.

Check the company’s insurance policy

When looking for a fire damage restoration service, it is vital to check the company’s insurance policy. You want to be confident that the company you hire is fully insured. You also want to know who is covered and who is not. Educating yourself will help you navigate challenges in the recovery process.

You also need to find a company that provides 24-hour customer support. A good fire damage restoration service should have customer support representatives to answer your questions. In addition, they should be able to work with your insurance company and you. It is also essential to determine if the company provides additional restoration or repair services.

Check the company’s reputation

If you need a fire damage restoration service, you must check the company’s reputation first. The best companies are transparent about their charges, and you can avoid hidden fees. Also, check whether the company has the qualifications and experience to handle multiple issues.

A good fire restoration company should be able to respond quickly. This can be important for your business because downtime and revenue are lost. Also, there is the potential for irreparable damage to the brand and reputation of your company. A good restoration service will be able to deal with the problem safely and responsibly and protect your employees and customers. They should also be familiar with sensitive materials, such as cooling towers and semiconductors.

Ensure the company is certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification. Not all restoration companies Freehold, NJ are accredited, and some overcharge their clients. …

Have You Ever Considered What Would Happen If Everyone Worked Union – Why Not?

It seems that the unions want to sign up all the workers in all the industries to work union, but if everyone worked union can you even imagine what would happen? We would have rapid inflation, and we would eventually get to “an equilibrium” and you would be just the same as if everyone was poor. Some people believe that socialism is when everyone is wealthy, but the reality is in socialism everyone is poor except for the few corrupt at the top. It’s amazing that the unions in the United States promote such a socialistic approach to labor and economics issues.

It is even more amazing that the Democrats take union lobbyist money, and allow them to lobby to promote socialist legislation, which will hurt our economy, and end up costing those very democratic politicians their jobs, because the economy will go South and no one want to vote for them. Right now, the great slogan for the unions is; “Live Better, Work Union,” and if you think about it – what they are really saying is that you join with us, then you too can live better than everyone else. That’s not too inclusive is it?

No it’s not, and it’s unfair for one group of people to use their power and their political might to live above the level of other people in our society. There is no difference from what the unions are doing, then what they complain that the wealthy class is doing.

The hypocrisy which is involved in labor unions, as they promote socialism is so obvious when you step back and take a look at it, but somehow they are able to convince the individuals to vote for labor union causes, even though most voters don’t work for labor unions, and will end up paying for all their pensions, through increased taxation, costs in products or in the services they buy; or worse to bail out those companies so they can continue to get paid for working less than everyone else with better benefits and Cadillac health care plans.

Therefore in my observation and opinion labor unions are indeed one of the most socialist loving groups in the modern politic. Those that support their causes are promoting socialist legislation, the very opposite of what has made America great over the last 250 years. Perhaps the voters ought to wise up and ask themselves the question; “would America be better or worse off if everyone work union?”

The answer to that question is no, because the capitalist system would fail, and the roof would collapse because of too much snow on top, and productivity would go down, and there would be less abundance for all you see and all we have built.

Besides that, the dirty politics behind the scenes of labor unions has been well-documented in American history, and in all the other nations where they thrive. Don’t be …

Outsourcing 3PL – Warehouse and Distribution Partnership for Efficient Fulfillment

There are many moving pieces to any business operation that involves the selling and/or movement of products. Whether they’re consumer products or business to business supply relationships, the activities involved in taking products from source to customer are many. Larger companies may handle their supply chain from end to end, but this is almost entirely a thing of the past.

Today, large and small companies alike have many partners. Partners for transporting freight (raw materials or finished goods) and supplies; partners for storing goods until they’re ready for delivery; partners for transporting goods locally, nationally and internationally. Warehousing, distribution and fulfillment are essential links in supply chain management. Not all 3PL’s are created equal, and it may be time to consider a partner that can assist you throughout the chain.

Warehousing, Distribution and Fulfillment – Vendor Efficiency

What is vendor efficiency? In sum, it can be described as seeking expert service providers that can handle as many of the activities that you require on an outsourced basis. The premise is that you have to manage as little relationships as possible if and when you can achieve expertise or capacity not otherwise found in-house.

In the case of a retailer who sells its own branded products, this may mean selecting a vendor who can import offshore manufactured products, store them locally, and distribute to retail points or pick-pack-and ship directly to end consumers on your behalf nationally (and internationally). This import to fulfillment model can be quite efficient and cost-effective. Further, it reduces human resource burden and supervision resources needed internally in most cases.

Having an “expert” as a warehousing, distribution and fulfillment partner is vital. In other words, if you are reviewing prospective third party warehouse and logistics partners and you have to explain what you need (other than things that are very specific to your business) – beware. Experts should by definition should be aware of industry best practices, and the conversation should be an engaging exchange where potential 3PL partners are not only listening, but offering ideas for efficiency and achieving maximum cost effectiveness.

Of note, however, is that you must not have “all your eggs in one basket”. When dealing with a partner handling several aspects of your operation (i.e., all of your supply chain) you risk difficulty if that partner should fail. Also, it may provide it leverage in negotiating rates with you. These are points for consideration and alternate suppliers should be close at hand and contingencies in place.…

Are Labor Unions Going to Drive Out the Last Remaining Major US Manufacturers?

It is amazing that so many people blame China for the decrease in manufacturing jobs in the United States. I suppose it’s really easy to blame another nation for the challenges we face. However, you really can’t blame a large Corporation wishing to cut its costs, and ditch all the challenges they have with labor unions in our great country. Worse, many politicians take the side of the labor unions, and attempt to increase regulations on corporations creating a lopsided playing field between labor and business.

Now then, many folks that work in the labor force say that it’s not fair that corporate executives make so much money. However, that’s not for the labor to decide, that is for the shareholders to decide. Recently there has been a big to do with the National Labor Relations Board (which I might add my voice recognition software automatically capitalized, when it often doesn’t capitalize various other agencies, no surprise there, but it is a clue as to how powerful the incestuous relationship between labor and government has become), and a major airliner manufacturer.

In fact, it’s getting to the point that this major airline manufacturer is going to have to completely de-unionize just to survive, or move its factories out of the country as every other major Corporation has done. It’s too bad that many politicians and other policymakers can’t see what’s going on. It’s been ruining America, and the manufacturing industry, our industrial base in this country for nearly 50 years. Yes, it’s been going on a long time.

By the time the manufacturing corporations get done with big labor, and then try to build a new factory and deal with the environmentalists, EIR reports, and other government regulations they realize they can’t turn a profit in this country. Not considering the global market, supply and demand, and the price points to sell US products throughout the world. Is that China’s fault that we have so much regulation, so many lawsuits, and so many threatening labor unions which might strike at the drop of a hat?

Why would any major manufacturing corporation wish to deal with that?

There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 by Melanie Trottman titled “Boeing, NLRB Clash over Plant” which discussed the labor dispute which even the Obama Administration has publicly addressed, and many states have joined in lawsuits to protect the right of businesses to choose which states they wish to put their manufacturing facilities in, without being forced to unionize.

Are you beginning to see some of the problems that are going on? This is merely one example of so many we’ve seen over the last few years. Indeed, it has become a highly charged political debate, and yet on one hand we claim we want workers rights, high-paying jobs, full pension and health-care benefits, but we won’t allow the companies to make a …

You Want to Improve Productivity? Start With the Performance Management Process!

Recent Research on Employee Engagement and Motivation indicates that on average only 50% of employees receive regular, timely feedback to help them improve their performance – and less than half believe that their manager deals promptly with poor performance within their team. Further analysis reveals that various factors undermine productivity improvements, but key ‘problem areas’ include:

* Insufficient focus on the importance of building trust based relationships – and the type of conversations required to build genuine commitment

* An over reliance on ‘systems and processes’ to manage performance

* Failure to equip managers with the practical leadership skills required to create a work climate where performance can flourish

* Poor understanding of individual motivation – or how best to build commitment, encourage accountability and get real ‘leverage’ of performance

The study suggests that organizations need reliable diagnostic tools to identify the specific issues they need to address. Sound analysis, based on a clear model, is a vital start point in identifying the steps required to improve productivity. This information provides insight into how performance management can be strengthened – and the actions that will have the greatest impact on motivation and commitment. The research suggests that the factors that help create and sustain high performance are linked to the ‘dialogue and trust’ established between managers and their direct reports. Four key areas are identified, which can be summarised as follows: (1) Creating Direction & Meaning (2) Building Capability & Support for Learning (3) Encouraging Autonomy, & (4) Stimulating Engagement / Trust.

To monitor and strengthen positive relationships, the findings suggest that organizations need to obtain employee feedback at two levels. At a broad level, there is value in running a web-based survey. This provides analysis of key factors that create the “enabling environment” required for productivity improvement. A well-designed survey will show how well the existing appraisal / performance management process is truly adding value. Results can be analysed by different demographic groups to identify areas of ‘good practice’ and clarify the best follow-up intervention.

At a more specific level, it is evident that managers can benefit from open and honest feedback from team members. An online 180A� feedback tool, completed by managers and their direct reports, is particularly effective in assessing communication issues. This study suggests that 180A� feedback will provide managers with insights relating to the work relationship they have with their direct reports – and factors that may require attention. Perhaps most significant are the ‘purposeful conversations’ that build trust and strengthen performance.

However, organizations need to gauge their readiness to adopt more open feedback processes. Careful preparation, including additional training for managers, is often required in order to gain commitment. That said, effective 180/360 degree feedback systems do allow team members to either remain anonymous or choose to be identified (to facilitate more meaningful discussions). Wider, in-depth group reports, i.e. reports based on groups of managers, are also an option. These can help the …