Apple an Intel make Computers

The Apple Mac is now synonymous with beauty, elegance and a synergy with anybogy's home or office environment. It's been a long road for it's CEO, Steve Jobs, who's had to transform the Company over a short space of 10 years.

It's begun with the release of the iMac and the Blue and White G3, both of which featured new processors and radical design changes that took them away from the norm of computing in a beige box. Funky colors, novel case designs and cutting edge add-ons gave the mac a leading edge when it came to computers. Pricing structures changed as much as connectivity features, all of which lead to a stupendous rise in sales. Coupled with the iPod, Apple Computer Inc looked set to revolutionize the computer industry, just like it did back in 1984.

In it's continued rise to power, Apple has changed a number of things in their design, supply and ability to please the consumer. The latest change is just as amazing and has, for some made Apple Macs a household name. The use of Intel Core Duo chips in their latest line of iMacs and high end desktops has boosted sales by allowing many people to run Windows in native mode on their computers, just as easily as they run OS X. The sleek, modern designs, serial ata drives, DDR memory and fast optical drives coupled together with high end video cards gives the mac an edge against the fastest of PC computers. Coupled with this is a case that can't be matched by any PC manufacturer. In effect, particularly in the US, the Mac is king.

Ease of connectivity still surpasses that of Windows based PC computers. With OS X, Apple Mac machines can be connected direct to the internet straight out of the box. The hardest part is keying in your ISP's details, which you're guided through by Apple's novel approach to human interaction. Unlike windows, we've alwasy liked the fact that Apple Engineers think about how users will interact with their computers and then design the software around this.

Apollo applicator for small delicate labelling

New from the creators of EASYLABEL has announced the introduction of the Apollo 1, a new label printer that features an optional label applicator designed for small, delicate, high-precision print and apply applications like electronic components and printed circuit boards. Like others in the Apollo Series, the Apollo 1 will also offer the stand-alone feature that allows label printing with or without a computer attached.

The Apollo 1 applicator is a tamp-type unit that provides delicate, high precision application of small labels with an accuracy of +/- 0.02 inch. Field tests for placement accuracy have recorded a best of 0.008 inches and a worst case of 0.031 inches. The smallest label end-users are currently applying is five wide by two inches high. The applicator attaches to the front of the new Apollo 1 thermal transfer label printer and provides a very small overall footprint.

The new Apollo 1 features 300 dpi print resolution running at eight inches (200mm) per second with a 4.2 inch (108mm) print width. The Apollo 1 comes standard with an internal rewind and ribbon saver, as well as a high-speed 32-bit processor with 2MB of RAM. The Apollo 1 also features three printer-resident scalable typefaces, and supports the primary bar codes including UPC/EAN, Code 39, Code 128 and Interleaved 2 of 5, and two dimensional symbologies such as PDF417.

Answers to 5 Questions about Ty Coughlin and the Reverse Funnel System

Among those looking for home business opportunities, there is a lot of buzz about Ty Coughlin and the Reverse Funnel System. What, exactly is a reverse funnel system and who is Ty Coughlin? Read on to find out....

1. What is the Reverse Funnel System?

The reverse funnel system refers to the way that prospects are accepted into a specific home-based business opportunity. Instead of simply collecting names of prospects, many of whom may not be serious about the business opportunity, a reverse funnel system asks prospects to pay a fee in order to get additional information about the opportunity. The fee is relatively low - usually about $50 - and serves to weed out prospects who are not inclined to follow through with the business opportunity. The reverse funnel system is sometimes known as a "funded proposal" or "funded prospect" system. If you sign up for the system and launch your own business, you will generally get a significant percentage of the prospect fees that are paid through your referrals.

2. Who is Ty Coughlin?

Ty Coughlin is the person who has used and codified the Reverse Funnel System to make it profitable for others. According to his biography, Ty Coughlin lives in Hawaii and worked for a construction company prior to owning his own business. He had also tried multi-level marketing, and eventually came up with his own Internet-based system that utilizes Internet marketing and advertising. His system has proven to be a roadmap to riches for many people, since it has few variables.

3. What Actions are Required?

Once a person is accepted into the program, he or she has to take high converting advertisements developed by Ty Coughlin and then place those ads. As leads start coming in, the person has to answer any questions that arrive through email and attend a daily conference call.

4. Does it Cost Money to Start the Business?

All business owners invest money to launch their businesses, and the Reverse Funnel System is no exception. However, when compared to other business opportunities, such as franchises that can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, this home business opportunity costs around five thousand dollars. The person who signs up is responsible for paying the prospect fee, as well as the costs of marketing and advertising the business. Typically, however, there is a money back guarantee. If a person is not accepted into the business, their prospect fee is refunded.

5. What are the Advantages to the Reverse Funnel System?

According to the website of Ty Coughlin, there are many advantages. There is a potential for making 6 figures in 6 months, access to a proven system that can produce seven different income streams, and business automation advice. In addition, the system is self-replicating, so new business owners don't have to have a lot of knowledge about building websites or Internet marketing.

Another Way to Grow Your Virtual Assistant Business

We, as virtual assistants (Vas), generally attempt to grow our business by obtaining more clients or contracts. Now the new strategy is to enlarge our small business by creating a multi-virtual assistant company or organizing a team of Vas to subcontract or outsource projects to. These Vas provide services, which will complement your services rather than compete with them.

More and more virtual assistants are creating multi-virtual assistant companies, while others are subcontracting to other Vas. Normally, virtual assistants who work with multi-virtual assistant organizations or work on a subcontract basis are entrepreneurs themselves. On the other hand, Vas who are in the beginning stages of their business can gain experience and knowledge as business owners while at the same time establish their companies, as well as earn money. Operating a small business requires much more than just knowing how to type or perform any other administrative task.

However, it is a win-win concept because an established virtual assistant (va) can offer more services without having to be skilled in that particular area, as well as have the assistance of up-and-coming Vas. In some cases, a virtual assistant needs a va to help them with administrative tasks. In addition, you have a backup in case of your absence for any reason. Whether you operate a multi-virtual assistant establishment or subcontract to other Vas, you can offer their services in addition to yours.

For example, in an attempt to grow my virtual assistant business and expand my services, I'm applying the subcontracting strategy. I recently organized a team of three Vas with varying skills to subcontract projects to. My core service is word processing services, and the team services include bookkeeping, Real Estate Virtual Assistant (REVA) services, transcription, and website and graphic design. Their services complement mine rather than compete with them. Now I can offer their services in addition to my current offerings. If for any reason I am absent or need assistance with my administrative tasks, every member of the team is able to perform word processing services and provide administrative assistance.

If you are a virtual assistant who is in the process of growing your business or increasing your list of services, consider organizing a team of virtual assistants with various skills. As the virtual assistant industry grows so does the level of available skilled virtual assistants. It is a win-win situation for established virtual assistant companies, up-and-coming virtual assistants, and our clients.

Angel Investors: 7 Online Business Plan Scams and 1 Real Deal

We've all seen the hype: "We'll put your plan in front of thousands of investors!" "We'll write you an award-winning online business plan!" "Only $3,000 for thousands of investors to learn about your company!"

I cringe every time I see one of these ads. Vultures are preying on honest business people who want to fund their businesses. Here are some ways to spot them:

1. "Only qualified investors see your business plan." Yeah, sure. And who "qualifies" them? Have a friend try to sign up as an investor (that part is usually free). How is she "qualified"? Is there a background check? Does she submit a financial statement? Odds are that she will be asked to do nothing more than sign a statement that she has a certain net worth. That's no "qualification" in my book. So who are these "investors"? Who knows. One could be your strongest competitor.

2. "You approve anyone who sees your business plan." Okay. So what are you going to do to qualify the potential investor? Are you going to run a background check? ask for ID? ask for tax returns? or just be so happy that anyone wants to see your business plan that you jump on the idea? (That's how these scams get away with charging thousands of dollars -- too many entrepreneurs are desperate for funding.)

3. "It's only $500 (or $300 or $100) to register." What does it matter if it's free? If it is diverting your time and energy and resources away from finding a viable investor, it's not worth it.

4. "Your idea is great, but we need to put it into our format. This will only cost $800." Don't walk -- run from these guys.

5. "Your idea is so great that we want to invest $2,000 in it." (That's after you spend $5,000 to put it into "their" system.) Do I really need to comment on this?

6. "Talk with a satisfied customer, or 2 or 3." Here's this entrepreneur who just got $2 million in funding, and he has nothing better to do than sell the web scam to you? Trust me, entrepreneurs who just get funded barely have time to eat, let alone talk.

7. "Look at all these written testimonials." This is harder to disprove because the testimonials look so real -- even the companies might be real. But unless the testimonials, and the companies, can be verified independently, I wouldn't trust them. And I'll lay odds that they cannot be verified independently.

There is one huge exception to this: ACE-Net (http://activecapital.org). This is more properly the Access to Capital Electronic Network run by venture capitalists, institutional investors and individual accredited investors. It was developed by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy to encourage the creation of a national marketplace for investors to find and invest in equity offers by small companies.

ACE-Net isn't for all companies. Those seeking under $1 million will probably find the paperwork daunting. Those seeking over $5 million won't qualify. There are special qualifications, and of course lots of forms to fill out -- but nothing like the forms required for a formal initial public offering.

But for those who do qualify, it's an amazing tool in raising financing. Spend some time with the website and the forms, and see if your local SBA office can put you in touch with another company that went through the process.

As with any investor tool, don't rely exclusively on ACE-Net. Use it in conjunction with your personally developed targeted funding search. This, combined with an exceptional business plan, doesn't guarantee success but it places your company head and shoulders above all the rest.

Andon - Lean Manufacturing

Andon is one of the three elements that make up the principle of Jidoka -

Jidoka
Jidoka is made up of three elements, these are: -
1.Andon
2.Full work system
3.Error proofing (pokayoke)
So exactly what does andon look like?

What an Andon System does:-
l.Andon allows timely corrective actions by alerting personnel when abnormal conditions occur.
2. Allows Shop floor Team Leaders to spend less time and effort monitoring the situation, and more time solving abnormalities.
3. Allows Operation teams to monitor equipment and personnel more effectively.
4. It can act as a 2 way communication device e.g. When indicator returns to green; this tells everybody it’s ‘back to normal’
What an Andon System doesn’t do:-
l. Solve Abnormalities
2. Prevent all defects from being passed forward
3. Replace good verbal communication between work groups
4. Remove the need for rectification or customer protection
Direct Benefits of Andon
Control the production
Operators have the ability to ‘stop call wait’
Defect reportability & correction, operators can report faults immediately and countermeasures can be implemented at source
Safety/ ergonomics, identifies safety and body stress concerns Even loading (balanced processes) will allow rebalance of process if over burden occurs
Workable design highlights problems with work density
Implementation Guidelines:
• Implement following Standard Operations – stability
• Team structure / ratio / roles and responsibility
• Identify work zones / stations
• Divide the process into manageable steps
• Determine what conditions must be measured
• Design the andon board
• Set the escalation procedure
• Determine the support structure
• Set the criteria for collating downtime data
• Determine confirmation points / regularity
•Set effective communication structure
•Visualise problem solving status
•Andon systems should be thought out and appropriate in design to be effective.
•Andon systems should be implemented when and only when an appropriate support system and escalation procedure is in place (Service Level Agreements, problem solving process etc.)
•Andon signals should be simple and easy to understand
•Avoid spending too much money on a ‘State of the art’ Andon System, prove the system out with a simple manual system to judge it’s worth

Anatomy Of A Successful Trade Show Exhibit

A trade show, also known as a merchandise show or market week, is an exhibition or a business gathering organized by companies that showcase and demonstrate their new products and services and also their latest offerings. Trade shows also provide opportunities for companies to meet their customers, to learn new trends and to identify new prospects.

Trade shows are not open to the public and can only be attended by company representatives, members of the trade and members of the press. One advantage of holding a trade show is that it shortens the time it takes for companies to look for prospective customers. But the major disadvantage is that customers and prospects pay little attention to the many exhibitors and their products due to the many distractions and the busy atmosphere inherent in trade shows.

Exhibitors can make effective use of trade show displays in trade shows to direct visitors to their main display area. Trade show displays are used to give visitors a better understanding or appreciation of the products or services being marketed. Although exhibitors are only supposed to put their trade show displays within the confines of their designated trade show exhibit area, exhibitors also display items in strategic areas of the fair grounds. Trade show displays often used include banner stands, counters and cabinets, panel display etc. that clearly display the company logo, basic company information and company slogan.

The trade show booth is an important component of the trade show display as it aims to enhance the brand and marketing experience for the visitor. It facilitates valuable direct face-to-face contact between the companies and their prospective customers. The whole booth set-up includes counters kiosks, lighting, flooring, literature racks, banner stands and high impact graphics, with the booth design, the staffing and the handouts the main factors to a successful trade show booth.

Many companies prefer to rent pre-owned trade show exhibits and displays rather than to buy or to create them from scratch to save on the trade show booth construction costs and also on the expense of warehousing the displays after the trade show is over.

Trade shows demand a lot of work and effort, and exhibitors have to plan well in advance so as to make the trade show a success. It is because any successful trade show offers exhibitors with a very valuable opportunity to build relationships face-to-face with their clients and to close lucrative business deals.

An Underground Singapore Affiliate Marketer Reveals How He Makes $11,353.80 in 3 months

One aspect of CPA marketing that commonly gets overlooked is researching what the customer wants and expects. Not only is researching an important aspect of CPA marketing, it is one of the most important. The following paragraphs will help explain why this step in CPA marketing is so vital.

If you are new to PPC/CPA marketing and trying to figure out the best way to get started, this is a must-read.

Cost-per-action (CPA)- An online advertising payment model where payment is based solely on qualifying actions such as sales or registrations. What we are doing over here is driving traffic through PPC search engine such as Google Adwords, Yahoo Search Marketing and also MSN Adcenter. We then create a landing page to tempt visitors to fill up a form requesting for some sort of freebie or information about their topics. We will then get paid a certain amount of commission from the Affiliate Network.

One of the most important things about CPA Marketing is developing your model of how you want to market your offers. Without proper research and planning your strategy about how you are going to market your niche, you are most likely going to lose money on PPC search engine without getting a lead.
Thus, you will need a proven system for you to follow so that you will not make the same common mistakes when promote CPA offers via PPC as promoting CPA offers via PPC can be quite expensive and will lose a lot of money if you are not careful

An Overview Of How To Create A Surefire Stream Of Prospects For Your Network Marketing Business

Copyright 2006 Roger Loh

Have you heard the saying, “Prospecting is the lifeblood of network marketing”?

Picture yourself having this “leaking bottle” and your objective is to fill it up with water to its brim.

Because there are holes in this bottle, when you start filling it up, some water will simply leak away. Thus, in order to achieve your objective, you must fill the bottle at a rate faster than the rate at which the water is leaking out.

You see, your network or downline organization is just like a “leaking bottle”. Whether you like it or not, you have to realize that some of them are going to drop. So, in order to build your network, you must replenish your downlne at a rate faster than the normal attrition rate.

Through my three years of network marketing experience, I have developed a simple 3-step strategy that creates a surefire stream of prospects for me:

1. Attend Networking Events Regularly

2. Create A List Of Names Daily

3. Contact Your Daily List Of Names

Step 1: Attend Networking Events Regularly

This article focuses on the “networking” part of a network marketer. (Let’s leave the “marketing” part to another article.) It is extremely important that a network marketer learns how to network well and attend networking events regularly.

First, attend networking events regularly. Why? It’s because you need to replenish your name list which is most likely limited to a few dozen names.

Once you collected their contacts, add these names to your master name list that your upline or your network marketing company tells you to make when you first start out in your network marketing business.

Step 2: Create A List Of Names Daily

This is a daily list of names that you create from your master name list.

Each morning, I create a list of 10 prospects to contact. I use a simple notebook to write down the 10 names so that I can carry it in my pocket everywhere I go.

Step 3: Contact Your Daily List Of Names

Throughout the day, I will contact as many of these prospects either by phone or short message service (or sms).

Depending on my relationship with each of these names, I will “talk” to them accordingly. When I receive a response, warm up the relationship a little before asking for an appointment.

By doing this consistently, you will find that after a few weeks, you would have created a surefire stream of prospects for your network marketing business.

An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure - Why A New Trailer Hitch Lock Could Save You Thousands

Many times we enjoy our success by owning something of value that is carried on a trailer. It could be a fine boat you've worked for years to get. A trailer could house your tools you use to earn your livelihood. You may even be spending your retirement
in a travel trailer.

No question about it, Americans have billions of dollars worth of possessions invested in trailers and their contents - and thieves know this. Often a thief can make off with a trailer, sell it and its contents, and earn more than they could in most other types of crime.

Sadly, in most cases, it's a very easy crime to commit. Thieves can wait until you leave, then step over and quickly cut the padlock off your trailer and tow it away.

How often does that happen? Every day. The latest figures reveal that BILLIONS of dollars in trailers and cargo are stolen this way each year.

Of course, there is a simple, affordable, and effective solution that could prevent these trailers from being stolen. New types of trailer hitch locks are practically thief proof.

Look for locks that encase the lock in a tough material that keeps anyone from tampering with it. Insist on case-hardened 6-pin tumbler Pacific Lock mechanism that is nearly impossible for to penetrate.

While these locks cost just a bit more than a quality padlock, they can give you years of worry-free protection. There have been cases where thieves will see one of these newer locks and simply move on.

By using one of the newer locks you can stop the hassle of parking your trailer out of sight. You can stop worrying about what dishonest others could do to you. And, in some cases, you can even save on insurance.

Yes, this is a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Don't be lulled into a sense of false security. Just because you haven't been robbed yet, doesn't mean it can't happen and happen soon. Taking just a little effort to secure your trailer can reduce headaches and save big expense.

An Introduction to Shrink Wrap Machinery

The shrink wrap process involves two stages – the enveloping of the pack in shrink wrap either totally or partially and – the application of heat to the shrink wrap film which activates the material’s memory of its non-stretched molecular chains.

The application of shrink wrap can be divided into two principal types – transit and display.

Transit

The purpose of transit packaging is to offer the lowest cost option for packaging. The material used is almost exclusively polyethylene, which will provide the appropriate strength at the lowest available cost. A typical application is the collation of individual packs with or without tray support. The most frequent use of the forgoing involves the packaging of a quantity of cans or bottles or cartons for distribution.

The equipment used involves a sleeve or bundle sealer working in conjunction with a shrink tunnel. Two rolls of material produce a sleeve of film around the pack, which is then processed through the tunnel. Generally, these open sleeves do not cause any disadvantages to the pack integrity although a modification can be made to the tunnel whereby an attempt is made to have the hole closed through excess, annealed film.

A considerable amount of automation is offered for this process so that one may find a full range of manual, semi and fully automatic sealers and at maximum through-put, one can find lines with speeds of up to 200 packs per minute.

The processing of polyethylene is distinguished by the need for the shrink wrap film to reach an almost melt state, after which cooling will provide significant additional shrink. As a consequence, tunnels require specific cooling devices if elevated output speeds are needed.

All of this equipment may be used to wrap individual packs where collation is not required but a degree of protection is needed. Applications may vary from radiators through to office doors and bolts of cloth.

Display

The identical processes are also applied but with display shrink film where products have a natural requirement to use a sleeve. Gift wrap and wallpaper rolls fall into this category. The principles remain the same although both the sealer and tunnel will be modified to accommodate individual rolls with appropriately small diameters.

Turning to mainstream display applications, the main characteristic is the use of a total wrap.

In every single case, the sealer must now create a flat, two-dimensional bag around the product.

The product and this bag are then processed through a shrink tunnel to achieve the desired effect.

At the most basic level, this is achieved using an L-Sealer and folded film. The product is manually placed between the two layers of film and again manually placed into the sealer. The seal is completed and the pack placed on the tunnel conveyor. This is a continuous process that also produces an element of scrap film.

Automation is applied to the seal head and also to the pack support. Then, the seal process and the removal of the pack to the tunnel become automated. Generally, this is regarded as semi-automation. The clamping of the sealer head will be carried out using either a solenoid or a pneumatic ram.

Full automation of an L-sealer will allow packs to be automatically fed into the film and through to the sealer.

Manual vs. Automatic

Over the last few years, there has been a general polarisation of the above machines into manual and fully automatic, with relatively few machines being used in semi-automatic form. A manual machine will produce in the order of 10 packs per minute whilst a fully automatic will produce in the order of 20 packs per minute and there is relatively little speed advantage to be gained from a semi-automatic sealer.

Costs also have a significant influence here since entry level equipment can be purchased at significantly less than 2000 pounds whilst fully automatic shrink wrap machinery can be purchased at significantly less than 20,000 pounds.

The conventional use of a manual sealer and tunnel has been significantly reduced by the use of combined seal and shrink machines, commonly referred to as chamber equipment. These machines have a particularly small foot print and operate generally from single phase. The sealer head incorporates a plastic enclosure whilst heat is stored within the unit so that a combined seal and shrink can take place.

The maximum output that can be achieved from a fully automatic sealer will be in the order of 25-35 packs per minute.

As a consequence, both side seal and flow wrap machines are used to offer speeds approaching 100 packs per minute. The methodology remains the same as ever – to wrap the pack in a two dimensional bag of shrink wrap film.

Frequently, flat film is used although folded film is still applied by a number of machines. The sealer will be able to process individual packs at a much higher rate through the ability to seal at an appropriately higher rate.

Cross seals involve the seal device travelling with the pack whilst side seal or overlap seal mechanisms allow for film to be sealed continuously.

These same machines may be applied to other bagging requirements – in particular the mailing of magazines.

Machinery can be specifically customised to take advantage of any shrink wrap film’s particular attributes to allow an appropriate pack to be achieved. One example of the foregoing is the modification of this process to allow for modified atmosphere packaging of food using barrier shrink film.

An Introduction To Pallets & Their Uses

When you see a delivery truck open as it’s being unloaded, you will almost certainly see pallets if you take a peek inside. The majority of pallets are wooden, but plastic, paper or metal are alternate options. A pallet is a flat structure, which is used to transport a variety of goods while being lifted by a forklift. In some areas, but less widely used, metal pallets are also available. Before being lifted, the goods are placed on the pallet and secured by straps to ensure safe transportation.

The most economical of pallets, which are made of softwood, are disposable and are generally discarded once they reach their shipping destination. Both hardwood and plastic pallets are more expensive and are used time after time. Some manufacturers choose not to discard older wooden pallets as they can be used as donations of firewood. Paper pallets, on the other hand, are used only for light loads because they are not as strong as those made of wood. Paper pallets are most widely used in businesses where recycling and hassle free disposal are necessary.

The most common place to see pallets would be in a warehouse or factory, which is where delivery trucks are loaded and unloaded. Rows of merchandise are transported on pallets and longevity is very important when transporting such a large quantity of merchandise. The more items being delivered, the higher the value and the more dependable the mode of transportation must be.

In addition for providing efficient shipment, pallets are used to save time. Consider a situation where a retailer orders 250 boxes of one product. A pallet would save much time in that all of the products are unloaded at one time, using a forklift. Were it not for a pallet, the store workers would have to make continuous trips on and off of the delivery truck just to get the product in their store. A pallet allows all of the products to be removed at once and placed on the floor for easy distribution. As such, pallets are widely used among retail or manufacturers for loading and unloading a heavy load of merchandise at one time.

In order to efficiently operate, virtually all businesses must incorporate the use of pallets. From large retailers to small jewelry stores, each business uses this product either in-house or in a warehouse for easy retrieval of their products. Automobile manufacturers even use pallets in transportation of spare auto parts or deliveries from their suppliers.

Perhaps one of the best aspects of pallets is the various ways they can be relocated. As mentioned previously, they can easily be moved using a forklift. In addition, they can also be transported using jacks and human strength. A forklift is a very expensive piece of equipment, but a jack is far more economical and can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of a forklift. As such, there is a transportation for pallets no matter what the budget. Whether a large retail corporation or a small, start-up business, pallets are readily available for all to use.

An Efficient Way To Set Up An Online Business

With so many online ventures failing, you may wonder, is it really worth considering setting up an online business? The answer to this is yes: internet based companies are still on the increasing 25 – 30% year on year. Even the economic slow down in recent years has not hindered this increase.

According to an annual report of internet trends by a top market Research Company, almost two third of Internet users in the United States have by now purchased a product or service online. That’s a dramatic increase from 2000.

While the hype over the new economy is maybe over, one thing is certain the internet has changed the way we do business. Many companies are now starting to grasp that their very survival may be in jeopardy if they are slow in implementing their internet business model.

However the question still remains - is there an efficient way to do business online?

Below I have outlined some components crucial to any online venture. While these might not be the only vital components of web based business, understanding them properly will significantly increase your chance of being successful with your online venture.

The main component you need is a business plan, one that makes sense and has been fully researched.

A recent AT&T report of successful entrepreneurs shows that businesses are more likely to be successful if they have a business plan. With a business plan you get a better picture of your planned venture. So, before starting you online venture, take time and write down what are you are intending to do. Product or Service If you are a brick and mortar company merely attempting to increase your sales of your products or services on the Internet. You at least don’t have to think about what to sell.

You can sell nearly any product or service on the internet; there are even incidents of people buying corporate jets online!

If you are serious about opening an online business, finding a product or service that suits you should not be very difficult.

Knowledge base goods like e-books, how-to-reports and hard to find information do well on the Internet drop-ship items are also plentiful on the net. Thanks to the worldwide customer base of the internet finding a manufacturer for any product that you plan to import to your country or export from your country has become a lot easier. If you have expertise, online services related to web design, travel arrangement etc. are also good areas. Internet gambling is also a very good area to investigate.

The look and feel of your website is important as potential customers will decide whether to do business with you or not based on the first impressions of your website, it is vital to have a professional-looking website with enriched content.

You can decide what type of website you want according to your situation; there are a vast range of choices. Starting from a completely free website you can spend thousands for a more advanced site.

Understand SEO (Search Engine Optimization) this is very important, setting up your site so it is fully optimized for search engines is vital. Many companies will offer their services to optimize your site; however it can be done yourself by researching the subject prior to developing the site.

There are many quality portals that permit you to have products and services displayed on a single page web site for free. Many business to business portals offer this kind of services. However, for real time transactions you will still need e-commerce websites.

For a small monthly fee you can have the facilities necessary to run a full fledged electronic storefront and build it yourselves from easy to use templates.

If you go for this type of services, compare and see who has most of the features for the best price.

Shopping carts form an essential part of e-commerce sites, they allow you to accept purchase orders for many products or services.

The term "Shopping Cart” is taken from real life shopping terminology to help users understand the actions available to them. Like in a supermarket a person can add items to shopping trolley, or remove items from the trolley or adjust the amount of the items as per requirement before checking out and making a payment.

Access to the shopping cart should be clearly evident. There should be numerous entry points to the cart. Add, remove and adjust quantity of the product features should be prominent on the cart page. The article name should have a link to the description of the product. There should be a way of saving items for future purchases. Shipping and other costs should be clearly stated before the payment process starts. Order forms should be simple and clear. All payment options should be explained clearly. Ordering process should be done through a secure server. You know you are on a secure server when the URL of your browser indicates "https:". The s at the end of http stands for "secure". Merchant Account 90 percents of all online retail sales take place through credit card transactions.

Even if you already accept credit cards for your offline transactions, that may not be enough. Although, you can take many precautions to reduce online credit card frauds, credit card companies still consider Internet transactions to be riskier than offline transactions.

There are numerous merchant account providers on the internet. Carry out some investigating before you sign up with any of them as their terms and conditions vary significantly.

It is definitely good to have a merchant account however that does not mean you cannot sell products or services without one! There are numerous other payment options available on the internet. Most popular of them are paypal, e-gold, e-bullion, etc.

If you would like to have an efficient online business, remember that old values still count. Proper planning, uncompromising customer service, integrity, hard work and persistence eventually will make your business successful.


http://www.bizseller4u.com

An Ecommerce Internet Merchant Account

Small business owners and home based entrepreneurs sometimes reach the point where they realize their company is ready to grow, and then they begin to consider the advantages of an ecommerce Internet merchant account. Those who accept merely cash or check payments may decide to increase the ways in which a customer can pay for goods or services. A merchant account will let business owners accept credit card payments in many different ways. That is why so many business people opt to apply for an Internet merchant account.

If you do not already have an Internet Website to promote your business, this would be a good time to put one in place by opening an Ecommerce Internet Merchant account. More and more, consumers are looking to the Internet to find companies that offer the products and terms they want. Conducting business on the Internet or through technological means is called “ecommerce,” sometimes spelled as “e-commerce,” and it is growing at a tremendously rapid rate. Once your Website is operational, you will want to update it often with your latest product lines and descriptions and price lists. Once customers from any other computer in the world know where to find you, chances are they will return time and again if they like your site; they might even bookmark it.

To keep customers coming back, get an Ecommerce Internet merchant account that will let you accept credit card payments. That way, customers can buy things at your store locations, whether online or at a physical site, and pay for them instantly. You won’t have to send out statements or wait for checks to arrive in the mail. Instead, your credit-processing feature will let them pay with a credit card, and your underwriter can facilitate the payment by converting currency and deposit profits in your account, using real time.

An ecommerce Internet merchant account can put you leagues ahead of other companies in your industry. While they still take just check or cash payments, you can be busy processing credit card payments that could push your sales volume to new record heights. Naturally, you will want to keep your store looking attractive, and your Website should offer helpful information that will make guests want to return and possibly even bookmark your site for frequent reference. When the word gets out that you are accepting credit payments, more customers may browse your Website to check out your wares and plunk down a credit card in payment. One of the nice things about using credit is its convenience. Customers don’t have to worry about carrying enough cash or making an account deposit before going shopping. They can browse spontaneously, and when they find something they want to buy, they need not be constrained by a lack of cash on hand or forgetting to order new checks for the checkbook.

Why not apply for your merchant account services account soon so that you can enjoy the status and benefits of attracting customers who prefer using credit when they hear about your ecommerce Internet merchant account.

An Account To Call Your Own

Most Internet marketers know all too well the trouble that can be caused by misunderstanding the business terms of their merchant account provider. Everything from exorbitant fees to frozen finances await the online marketer who fails to provide for potential problems. There are ways to avoid merchant account disasters, but by and large online marketers are learning that establishing their own independent merchant accounts can bring a wealth of benefits.

“Most companies that offer merchant accounts don’t understand our business,” says Armand Morin, an online marketer and entrepreneur who has made $15 million on the web. “They don’t understand growth. They’re nervous about bringing in that much money at once. You need to be working with a company that can help you set up your own account – a company that understands the needs of an online marketer who can bring in tens of thousands of dollars in less than a week.”

When you have your own merchant account you wont be paying a transaction fee to anyone else. This can save you 8% or more – that’s 8% pure extra profit. It may seem like an insignificant amount, but remember, 8% of one million dollars is an extra $80,000. What could you do with an extra $80,000?

An independent merchant account also gives you the flexibility to customize your shopping cart page. If you’re using an external merchant account, your “buy now” link could take your customers to another page that looks nothing like your own site. This can lead to confusion and cause your customers to abandon their shopping carts entirely. A consistent look from one page to the next lets your customers know that they’re in the right place, they’re buying exactly what they mean to be buying, and their credit card information is going to a company they know and trust.

Your ability to customize your order page also means that you can add testimonials, a guarantee, information on current promotions or the option to gift wrap.

Jud Smith is vice president of affiliate relations for PowerPay, a company that helps online marketers to establish merchant accounts to process credit card payments. “I work individually with my clients to make sure their accounts are set up correctly,” says Smith. “A lot of merchants who go online don’t have someone to help them one-on-one. As long as you have a business plan, they just let you go. I want to be there to make sure that my clients are maximizing their online money-making potential. I limit risk.”

By working with a company like PowerPay to establish an independent merchant account or by simply doing your homework, you’ll minimize your risk considerably. Getting your merchant account set up correctly right out of the gate will ensure that your business venture progresses without a hitch. “It comes down to exposure and protecting yourself, making sure your refund warranty policy is rock solid,” explains Smith. “If your account is underwritten correctly from day one, you’ll be able to simply enjoy the success of your online business.”

American Success Story: Office Max Part 2

Anyone with a home office, computer or kids in need of school supplies is most likely familiar with a store called OfficeMax. The company was founded in April 1988 and the first OfficeMax store opened in Cleveland, Ohio in July of that same year. The superstore chain now has over 900 locations in the United States and Mexico with just about every kind of office supply item you’d ever need from electronics, furniture and software to post-its and pencils.

Over the years, OfficeMax has taken on business ventures with several well-established companies such as Hewlett-Packard. Their goal is to provide consumers with the highest rated state-of-the-art services and products.

In addition to their partnership with Hewlett-Packard, another undertaking OfficeMax took on was a business venture with the Earthlink internet provider service in 2001. The two companies decided to hook up and market a wide variety of internet services to focus on the small business customer. As a result of this enterprise, Earthlink became the preferred provider of internet services to OfficeMax’s customers. Web hosting, dial-up and broadband connectivity are some of the Internet services the two companies offer by what OfficeMax refers to as ‘an interactive store-within-a-store’. They have made it available at all of the OfficeMax locations and online through the Business Services area of OfficeMax.com.

OfficeMax's chairman and chief executive officer, Michael Feuer said basically, that they chose EarthLink because of it strong customer focus. OfficeMax was further impressed by Earthlink’s operation because they stand behind their customer service commitment and constantly offer new technology to help small business customers become more efficient and effective. Additionally, EarthLink agreed to and continues providing training to OfficeMax employees on concepts that are designed to provide both of their customer bases with awareness and accessibility to the latest internet services.

OfficeMax and Earthlink view their combined business venture a win/win opportunity for both the companies and their customers. Earthlink feels that through their agreement with OfficeMax, they will be achieving a solid, retail-level method for reaching millions of small business customers. Both corporations also have the opportunity to provide their customers with new services they can use for accessing the internet which will increase productivity for their businesses.

Whether you are a small business owner, home-based professional or regular, all-American family with office and computer supply needs in addition to internet services, you can depend on OfficeMax for quality products and services. Check them out at www.officemax.com.

American Success Story: Office Max

A very popular resource for purchasing office supplies such as computers, furniture, hardware and software in addition to copy and print services and much, much more is a store you’ve undoubtedly heard of called OfficeMax. OfficeMax came onto the retail scene in 1988 and has since grown from a single outlet to one largest office products superstore chains in the country.

OfficeMax actually materialized into the largest American office products superstore in operation in terms of the number of stores they opened and their vast geographical coverage. In January 1997, OfficeMax set a national record by exceeding $3 billion in sales making them the fourth company in United States history ever to achieve that amount of success in less than nine years.

It all began on April 1, 1988 in Cleveland, Ohio when OfficeMax was founded by Michael Feuer, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, along with seven other of the company’s associates. The first store opened its doors to the public in Cleveland on July 5th of the same year and by the end of that year, there were a total of three stores in the suburban Cleveland area.

The year 2000 was huge for OfficeMax because during that time, the company implemented their Enterprise Resource Planning software which is the largest program of this type. The software was designed for use in American retailing to provide real-time, integrated information throughout their organization. Also during 2000, OfficeMax combined eCommerce business, catalog operations and its commercial sales groups into what they now call their OfficeMax.com / Direct Business Unit.

OfficeMax also gives back to the communities that helped them achieve their success. In 2000, The OfficeMax Charitable Foundation was established to donate more than $300,000 for worthwhile causes. One foundation the company sponsored was a National Kids N Need Resource Center Cleveland, Ohio which was the first of its kind.

Through its partnerships with companies like Hewlett Packard and introductions of its FurnitureMax, CopyMax and TechMax ventures, OfficeMax provides the public with complete, state-of-the-art services through all of its associations with a supply chain network and high-tech computer system. Presently, you can find an OfficeMax store just about anywhere you travel in the United States. They have over 900 convenient locations throughout America which include operations in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In 1996, they opened their first international store in Mexico and by the year 2000, a total of 27 OfficeMax (OfficeMax de Mexico) stores were open for business there.

Go to www.officemax.com to find out more about the history of this company and also the extensive products and services they have to offer.

Alternative Venture Finance: Federal Grants and Loans

While most companies seeking venture capital initially think about angel investors and venture capitalists, a large alternative source of financing is federal grants and loans. The two largest federal grant programs are run by the Small Business Administration (SBA), and by Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs).

An SBA loan, regardless of whether it is a direct loan from the SBA, or, as is more common, a bank loan guaranteed by the SBA, is essentially a bank loan. The benefit of it versus a traditional bank loan is the rate. SBA rates are typically much less than traditional business loan rates.

In most cases, in a guaranteed SBA bank loan, the SBA guarantees 90 percent of the loan will be repaid to the bank. As such, banks are at much less risk than in most other loans, and are a bit more flexible with regards to who they offer these loans. However, the SBA usually requires the founders of the company to personally guarantee the loans, which makes them risky should the venture collapse.

Alternatively, Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) are privately organized corporations that are licensed and regulated by the SBA. Small or emerging businesses which qualify for assistance from the SBIC program can receive equity capital and/or long-term loans from these companies. Essentially, these companies provide their own capital, which is supplemented by federal funds, to the companies they fund.

Interestingly, U.S. taxpayers benefits from the SBIC program as tax revenues generated from successful SBIC investments have more than covered the cost of the program. Likewise the program has created hundreds of thousands of jobs.

In summary, SBA and SBIC financing are viable alternatives to financing from angel investors and venture capitalists and should be considered in the capital raising process. Similarly to angel and VC financing, companies seeking SBA and SBIC financing need a strong management team and value proposition, and a highly professional and compelling business plan in order to raise the capital they need.

Alternative Investors Eye Private Companies

Q: Entrex has brought public market standards and disciplines to the private market. I understand the value of this to the alternative investment community, but what is the value to me as the owner of a private company?

- Craig Rutkai, business owner, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

A: It's the question I get more than any other. To answer, let's start with what Entrex is.

In broad strokes, Entrex is a brand-new market for the alternative investment community. It takes the compliance standards and reporting structures that have long been a part of the public investing market and applies them to private companies.

Until Entrex, there was no way to compare apples to apples and no way of knowing what you were getting yourself into when investing in a private company. Entrex has brought transparency to the process of private investing, giving the alternative investment community a new place to put their money.

So how does this benefit you and others like you? In a word: capital.

Today, roughly 80 percent of private companies receive their funding within a 50-mile radius of their home office. Essentially this means friends and family, country club colleagues, regionally focused venture capitalists and fellow businesspeople. To say these avenues for pursuing capital are limiting would be something of an understatement.

But alternative investors are chomping at the bit to invest in private companies. They simply require the means to do so - an entity willing to do the due diligence so that they may find, research, track, manage and trade their investments. Entrex is that entity.

Whether you're looking for capital, interested in being acquired or simply want to see how your business is valued for shareholders on a quarterly basis, Entrex can help. It brings private business owners' need for liquidity and the alternative investment market's need for fresh investment opportunities together in one place.

The revolution is beginning. You can be a part of it.

All about Tucson shows

The Tucson Gem and Mineral shows are the annual site for the world’s biggest treasure hunt. Hundreds of thousands of gem and jewelry enthusiasts, wholesalers, buyers and designers make their pilgrimage to this traditional epicenter of the American jewelry industry. They all come to see the exhibitors which consist of miners, jewelry manufacturers, stone carvers, importers, beads dealers and other sellers. Tucson’s annual gathering is a winter event starting in late January and running through end of feb. Since the 1950s the event has garnered world wide recognition and has been attracting visitors from 45 international jewelry hotspots.

The focus is on gems, minerals, jewelry, rocks, colored stones and beads. These come in every international flavor, including Brazilian cut gem stones and minerals, rough stones from Africa, pearls from South East Asia, Caribbean corals, and Baltic Amber. One can also find home décor products, art, boutiques and gifts made from stones. This is all distributed amongst more than 40 shows spread out around Tucson.

Visitors attending these shows are primarily owners of retail stores looking for the latest designs to display on their shelves. Many of the shows are not even open to the general public; you must be a retail jewelry store representative to get in. More casual visitors are just jewelry enthusiasts looking for a little something for themselves or to take a jewelry design class. Also in attendance are researches, university students and geologists. All in all, the Tucson Gem Shows bring over 110 million dollars into the Tucson economy each year. If you haven’t had a chance to visit, come out for the 2008 shows and see what all the commotion is all about.

All About Lock Picking

When you don't have the right key, lock picking is a great way to open just about any lock out there. Normally, picking locks is something we associate with crime and illegal activities, although crime isn't always the case. There are a lot of instances where locking picking skills can come in real handy. Take for instance a lost house key or locking your car keys inside your car. Even though you could always break a window, calling a professional locksmith is the best to go - it can save you a lot of money in repairs, and get the lock open fast.

To properly pick a lock, you'll need the right tool kit. Even the most basic lock picking kit will contain a lock pin and a tension wrench. If you have an emergency, you can normally replace the lock pin with a hair pin. Professional locking picking kits on the other hand will normally include a variety of tension wrenches in several different shapes and sizes, covering several different styles of lock pins. Some include a locking picking gun, which uses vibration to push all the lock pins up at the same time.

When picking a lock is necessary, the first thing to do is to insert the tension wrench into the keyhole and attempt to turn the cylinder. Next, you can use the lock pin and gently pry up on the pins. Once the pins reach the normal opening position, you'll hear a clicking noise, letting you know that the pins are in the right place - and the lock is open.

There is also another technique to lock picking, which is known as racking. Racking uses a lower precision level, and uses a special pick known as a rake. To use the rake, simply insert it into the keyhole until it reaches the back of the cylinder, then quickly pull it out so that it hits all of the pins when it comes out. A tension wrench is also used as well, to turn the cylinder.

The hardest lock out there to pick are master locks. They offer an excellent protection system, and aren't as susceptible to picking as other types of locks. Master locks were invented by Henry Soref in 1921, introducing the first lock to use laminated layers of solid steel. Although master locks use the same picking system as other types of locks, those that are in combined format will require a locksmith with a lot of patience - and skill.

To learn more about lock picking, there are several books and illustrations that you can buy, which will show you the techniques step by step. Often times, a video or Cd is included that will show you the techniques in action. Several books and videos were made by true locksmiths, although others are more directed for people who just want to learn a bit more on the subject. If you want to become a locksmith or a professional at lock picking, you can also find books and videos out there that will help you become proficient at picking locks.

Anytime you buy a lock, you should always keep in mind that just about any lock can be picked. Although most locks can be picked, there are some that take a bit more time and patience than others. When you buy a lock, you should always think in terms of safety and select one that you know it isn't to penetrate. This way, you can have a sense of security in your lock - and know that you are safe and protected.

All About Fire Safes

Safes provide an extra level of protection from theft or damage for important documents, computer data and other valued items for home and business owners. Fire safes are fire-resistant rather than fireproof, as they eventually succumb to the flames. Unless your home or business is far away from the nearest fire station and the fire is abnormally hot, your safe should have no problem withstanding the flames. Made of hollow sheet metal that is filled with fire-resistant insulation, fire safes are an extremely effective means of protecting your valued items.


Homeowners owning firearms also need fire safes for storage purposes. Such safes not only help keep their firearms from being damaged, they also keep the guns secure in storage.

Many business establishments also benefit from fire safes. This is especially true for any organisation that stores valuable archives. Most newspaper offices, for example, store their past editions on microfilm, and any damage to them would lead to a tremendous loss to the paper as well as the community. State archives buildings and museums often store the most valuable pieces in their collection in fire safes.

This guide will provide you with all the information you need to decide the fire safe best suited to your needs.

Primary Considerations
The main questions you should ask yourself before buying a safe are:

What item do I want to protect? Is it cash, documents, jewelry, or computer data?

From what contingency do I want to protect those items – fire or theft?

If you want protection from theft, then what is the value of the items to you in either monetary or sentimental terms?

If you want protection from fire, then consider if the items are paper or plastic media.

Once you have answered these questions, you will have a reasonable idea of the safe best suited to your needs. Shoppers interested in fire safes should consider type, size, and fire ratings. Fire ratings indicate how long the safe will endure a certain temperature for a certain amount of time. The higher the rating is, the more heat-resistant the safe will be.

Types

There are two types of fire safes: data storage and document storage. Both are effective, but offer different degrees of fire resistance. A fire safe designed to protect paper documents from fire and smoke damage keeps the internal temperature of the safe below 170 degrees centigrade. On the other hand, since computer equipment, disks, and videotapes melt at a lower temperature than paper burns, a fire data safe or media safe keeps the internal temperature below 52 degrees centigrade.

Size

Safes are a long-term investment; before choosing a model, it is important to have a clear idea of what you need to protect—both in the present and the future. Before making a purchase, also make sure you consider both the internal and the external dimensions. The safe should fit into its designated space, but should also have enough internal space to store your valuables. To get an idea of the minimum dimensions your safe should have, take the measurements of the largest item you will place in the safe. Purchase a safe with at least 20-25% more space than you think you will need. There are advantages and disadvantages to a large safe, however. A larger safe does not necessarily assure greater security. Although such safes cannot be removed as easily by a burglar, they cannot be removed by you in case of fire either.

Quality Ratings

Make sure that the safe is certified by ECB•S, which is the European standard for quality safes. The ECB•S provides a serial number on the safe, which serves as a mark of identification of the manufacturer and prevents unauthorised use. Shoppers should also ensure that the product has been manufactured under a certified quality system in accordance with ISO 9000 (EN ISO 9000). A few ECB•S certification marks for fire-resistant safes include EN-1047-1 and VDMA 24991.


You can find a list of the ECB•S members at http://www.fup-gut.de/english/members_e.htm.


Shopping for Safes


There is a substantial number of safe manufacturers and vendors who offer quality products. Watch out for vendors selling used safes, however, as older safes might not be of the same quality as new safes. Ask vendors whether they offer any sort of warranty, in case your safe is damaged in anyway. If the size of your safe is particularly large, then ask the vendor if it can be delivered and installed in the house for you.

Installing the Safe in the House


Fire-resistant safes can be stored anywhere as they are built to resist fire under virtually all circumstances. Concrete does, however, offer an extra layer of protection; place your safe within concrete if you can. If you have a large safe, ensure that you position it in a place that can support its weight.

Aircraft sourcing efficiency

Most likely what will prevent you or your business from dominating your market is the failure to recognize the efficiencies provided by the Internet and computer technology. The procurement of aircraft parts can be one of the most inefficient processes on earth if not approached in the correct manner. The opportunity cost associated with searching for parts can be enormous. Some companies just accept the time drain of searching and calling as a normal cost of doing business. These companies will be the ones that struggle the most in the coming years. The search for parts is only going to become more difficult as chips and boards become obsolete at the fastest rates ever. If you can't find the part fast, the hidden cost of prolonged part procurement will sink you.

Savvy parts suppliers anticipated the need for simplified sourcing systems, and have developed databases and search engines to make sourcing simpler than ever. The key for you is finding these data repositories and leveraging their enormous potential to make your life easier and your company more profitable. Often times, navigating complex data bases via search engines, can be a daunting task for someone who doesn't have much experience with procurement. Maybe they just got the order from higher up to “just find it”. “ I don't care how you do it, or how long it takes you, just find me that (insert expletive here) part.” Well, the truth of the matter is, they do care how you do it , and they do care how long it takes you. And finding aircraft parts that meet strict regulations and design tolerances is obviously no easy task. If you come up empty handed after your search, what options are you left with? Most likely only one, the dreaded, expensive, redesign. Not good.


Diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages will continue to increase costs at an astounding rate in the next few years. Commodities are experiencing bull market runs like we have never seen before. Adding wasted time into the cost equation simply results in a slow, inefficient business model. Trouble shooting and finding parts fast has always been important, but now, as more parts are outsourced, inventory management will truly be the cornerstone to a successful operation. The procurement specialist is faced with two options: training themselves or staff, to perfect a sourcing process, or pay someone to do it for you. The latter is usually the wisest choice. Take advantage of the economies of scale that businesses have created. Finding an experienced business is all one needs to do in today's technological intensive parts environment. Let these companies work for you at a cost that is far cheaper than a drawn out sourcing search. They will have systems in place designed to trouble shoot your specific problems. Most likely you are not the only person on the planet to have experienced the problem, someone else may have had the same issue, or at least something similar. Harness the power of the experiences of all the people who deal with these issue every day, and your life will be much easier.

Aircraft Maintenance

Flying in the sky like a free bird has always been a dream and motivated the Wright Brothers to create this marvelous machine called Aircraft. But to ensure optimum performance, reliability and safety from it, you need to maintain the Aircraft as well.

Aircraft Maintenance has two main critical functional models- preventive maintenance and requirement-based maintenance. In Preventive Maintenance, some extra steps are usually taken to protect the aircraft from snags that could possibly occur in future, like wing inspection after every flight to foresee and rectify problems that could possibly create problems while landing or in the air.

Requirement Based Maintenance involves rectifying the problem as and when it occurs, i.e., it is requirement specific. It usually involves critical activities, so instructions are usually prepared proactively for every foreseen problem to ensure minimum time wastage during its occurrence.

Aircraft Testing is the most critical operational activity that maintenance technicians perform. Every part, like wings, fuselage, tail plane, pumps, valves and communication equipment, is inspected and immediately replaced if found problematic.

Testing procedures are usually repetitive, complex and meticulously designed. These procedures are divided into certain levels depending upon the kind of maintenance the aircraft needs. Under normal conditions, an aircraft is inspected after every flight (Level 1) and subsequently the level increases with increases in flying hours. The experts suggest getting the Aircraft checked every six months at a Maintenance Yard for thorough inspection.

Taking passenger safety into account, Aircraft Maintenance has never been considered as an ordinary maintenance activity. International Aircraft Maintenance agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration (USA), EASA (Europe), and AIATA (Australia) have laid stringent rules and guidelines for Aircraft Maintenance to ensure maximum safety for passengers.

Aim Your Sights at Your Customers' Downstream Success

Copyright 2006 Adele Sommers

Do you strive to ensure that your customers enjoy downstream success? Are you mostly concerned with your own financial gain, or do you also express a desire to see that your customers will succeed? If it's the latter, are you consciously considering the success of your customers' customers, or even of your customers' customers' customers?

Without a plan for ensuring an ongoing chain of satisfaction, you can run the risk of developing products, services, or customized solutions that might fill your coffers but not provide any significant or lasting benefits to others.

The way we approach our projects can influence our customers' success. Too often, we myopically limit ourselves to deliver only the "first-line" requirements. In so doing, we think primarily about what our customers or clients asked for, even if it's not the most suitable fit for their own -- or their customers' -- intended needs.

And although it's commendable to listen to what our customers want, and to try hard to fulfill their stated desires to a "T," it's also possible to generate an incomplete or incompatible result based on superficial information. This article offers three ways to adjust our project vision from "20:20 hindsight" to "20:20 foresight" in this regard.

1. Consult Your Client's or Customer's "Crystal Ball"

This method involves more types of questions than you might normally ask about the downstream benefits your product, service, or solution will deliver. It entails querying your clients or customers about the results they envision from the product, service, system, training program, or whatever your project will produce for them, as follows:

* "Imagine the project results six months to a year after completion. What payoffs do you see for people in your organization? Describe the benefits in detail, and any limitations they may still be experiencing after everything is delivered."

* "Now imagine how your customers or clients will benefit in the same period. What improvements in your products and services do you believe you will pass along to them from this project? Will those improvements significantly enhance your clients' or customers' situations? If not, where are the gaps in the picture?"

2. Conduct Interviews at Your Customer's or Even Their Customers' Sites

In some situations, a customer or client may agree to have you interview people at their site or possibly at one of their customers' sites. This process can be considered part of an initial needs assessment. If you are providing an estimate for the project, you might even want to separate information-gathering into its own distinct phase.

When the possibility of onsite interviewing presents itself, the purpose would be to learn from as many different sources as possible how people perceive the situation that has led to the request for a solution.

Using the information gathered in this phase, you might acquire insights that will reshape the initial set of requirements the client had requested. This could be the case if you and your client ultimately determine that the requirements do not seem to address the client's -- or the client's customers' -- needs in the best possible way.

3. Use the "Persona Interview" Approach

This method is especially useful if your project entails developing offerings for mass consumption -- where there is no specific client or customer to please. It can also, however, work extremely well when you are working with a client, to help pinpoint specific kinds of concerns and options that would not have been readily apparent.

With this technique, you begin by identifying a few imaginary characters known as "personas." These characters embody typical customers of your products or services. Regardless of what you'll be creating, you'll want to make your personas as realistic as possible. Give them names, ages, genders, professional or personal roles, families and friends, hobbies, educational backgrounds, and major challenges, for example.

If the project involves creating a financial planning Web site, for instance, you might conclude that one representative visitor is a retired electrician with limited computer skills. In contrast, another frequent visitor is a computer specialist who likes access to "power user" shortcuts. The solution you design will need to satisfy each persona's preferred way of using the Web site, without complicating life for the others.

After I've identified two or three personas, I like to "interview" each one about how they are using my offerings, as well as the benefits they are receiving. (Note that I do this before doing any development.) I let them tell an entire story about their circumstances, company situation, personal concerns, or whatever else "comes up."

These "interviews" often reveal new ideas and angles to consider. Once, I used this technique to "find out" how people might respond to a new information product I was planning to create. To my astonishment, one of my personas disclosed that she was taking advantage of the licensing program I had developed to allow others to teach the material. Up until that point, licensing had not even once crossed my mind -- but you can be sure that I added it to my requirements list after that! This is a great example of how a downstream customer benefit can emerge in a persona interview.

Yes, these exercises do take some imagination. Once you start the process, however, you'll be surprised at how much you can learn about the benefits -- and any potential shortcomings -- of a product, service, or made-to-order solution as defined by your initial assumptions.

The point is that by using a variety of techniques to expose more of your clients' and customers' needs, you can pinpoint more completely the project, product, or service requirements. And by consistently emphasizing the downstream "chain of successes" that your customers and their customers will enjoy, you'll create perpetual value for all who use your offerings or your final project results.

Aikido and The Art of Selling

What's your first instinct? Most of us will do one of two things. We’ll either try to step away, or we’ll raise our arms to deflect him and fight back, which can result in harm to you or to your attacker.

But if you were trained in Aikido, the Japanese martial art that focuses on diverting an attacker’s energy, you could quickly diffuse the situation by immobilizing him without harming him in any way.

In essence, you’re diffusing the energy that he’s using to try and attack you in a way that takes the conflict out of the situation.

Unlock The Game and the philosophy behind Aikido have many similarities.

Traditional cold calling and selling are designed to focus only on the "close" by presenting -- or in too many cases, "pushing" -- your solution onto prospects, sometimes even when they’re not interested.

But if you focus only on your goal of making the sale before having a discussion about the problems that you can help your prospects solve, something happens.

They start feeling that you’re "attacking" them. After all, you’re a stranger to them, and when you start talking about yourself and your solution rather than about them and their specific issues, you immediately trigger their suspicion and cause them to start "pushing back."

This pushback is the resistance or energy that Unlock The Game teaches you to diffuse. Then both of you can quickly "get on the same page" and open a natural dialogue that will let you determine whether it makes sense for you to work together.

Let's look at two real selling scenarios -- cold calling and "get-you-off-the-phone" objections:

Scenario 1: Cold Calling

Suppose you’re at your desk and you receive a call from someone who says "Hi, my name is Jack Johnson, I'm with XYZ Company, and we’re a full-solution provider of..." Is your first reaction to welcome and be open to his call? Or do your mental defenses immediately kick in and you shut down against this stranger "salesperson"?

Probably the latter, especially if you sense that the caller is focused on his interests and not yours.

That’s why this old-school cold calling approach triggers the resistance and negative energy that prospects immediately throw your way.

The Unlock The Game way to make a successful cold call -- "successful" being defined as not triggering rejection -- is by beginning your call with, "Hi, my name is Jack, maybe you can help me out for a moment?" That simple question is a very natural way of beginning a conversation with a stranger.

But you can't just read this word for word, like a script. It won’t work. That would be like an Aikido instructor teaching a first-time student the physical movements before he or she has learned the philosophy necessary to carry them out.

The same applies here. First you need to integrate a new Mindset that changes the goal of your call from making the sale, or getting an appointment, to engaging the person in a natural two-way dialogue.

To do this, your voice has to be low-key. You have to avoid communicating any hint of typical "salesperson" enthusiasm, or any sense that you’re trying to direct the conversation to an end goal. Once you integrate the Mindset, all this kicks in naturally.

So, if you want to succeed in prospecting and cold calling, become aware of how you might be triggering the resistance or energy that instinctively causes prospects to push back against you.

Scenario 2: "Get-you-off-the-phone" objections

Here’s another example. Forget the idea of "overcoming objections." Doing that only triggers more resistance from prospects that’s very difficult to diffuse.

Think about it for a moment. When prospects give a reason why they don’t want to proceed --when they "put up resistance" -- you’ve been trained to "overcome" their objections rather than to diffuse their resistance by acknowledging that what they’re telling you is their truth.

By applying the Unlock The Game Mindset™ and skills, you diffuse that resistance and remove the conflict from the situation, just as in Aikido.

Here’s the Unlock The Game™ process for dealing with objections:

1. Diffuse the objection with "That's not a problem... (Pause)"

2. Acknowledge the truth of their objection (see the sample language below).

3. Reopen the conversation with "Would you be open to..."

For example, suppose a prospect says, "We already have a vendor." The path of diffusing and reengaging would go like this:

1. "That's not a problem...(Pause)"

2. "I wasn't calling to replace the vendor you’re currently using." Here, you’re addressing their suspicion that your only focus is on making the sale and on ripping out their relationship with their current vendor. You’re simply asking whether they would be open to different ideas that might help them solve a problem. This diffuses the tension.

3. "Would you be open to some different ideas that you might not be using now?" After the tension is dissolved, this lets you reopen the conversation in a natural way because they clearly understand that your goal is to help them. Then, if things are a match between you, you can decide where to go from there.

Keep in mind that this process will work only if you fully integrate the Mindset so it feels as natural to you as breathing.

In short, if you’re using any form of traditional selling, you could be triggering a resistance every time you communicate with your prospect.

But if you learn this new Mindset, along with words and phrases that remove any conflict or tension from the relationship, you’ll have taken your first steps toward your black belt in unlocking the cold calling game!

Agel PRO: Perhaps the Most Important Nutritional Products Needed Today!

Health conscious people everywhere are starting to have their ears perk up a bit and notice something that’s been missing on the shelves at the nutritional stores for a long time now.

As health minded individuals, one of the toughest things for us to maintain is a diet that’s going to facilitate our needs when it comes to replenishing our bodies with the nutrients that are most important and useful to us. One of the most controversial aspects of being fit and healthy is figuring out how to assist constant growth without burn out, or hitting frustrating plateaus.

Anybody working toward improving their overall strength will tell you that the greatest factor in avoiding these two things is by having the right diet. It’s plain and simple as that. The particular source of food that is most important at these times, and for athletes in general to keep progressing, is protein. Not just protein but a certain quality of protein that will provide our bodies with the amino acids to build our muscles most efficiently.

In a crowded marketplace of products, one is beginning to stand out, and rightly so. That product is Agel PRO, developed by Agel Enterprises specifically anyone who has a need or desire to build muscle.

Agel PRO is a balanced protein gel, specifically formulated from the highest quality of whey protein isolate. This gives the athlete the ability to easily provide him or herself with a quick and simple mini-meal if you will, that comes in a unique gelceutical that Agel has revolutionized within the world of nutritional supplements. This gel formula changes the way that people take and absorb nutrients because of its ability to suspend the beneficial ingredients, which in turn allows for greater and faster absorption into the body.

With pills – the conventional and most often used way of taking nutrients – it’s been shown that you lose over half of the nutrients before your body is able to digest and absorb them. With Agel’s gelceuticals, the nutrients are nearly immediately and fully available and absorbed.

Perhaps the best part for athletes however is the ease of use. Let’s face it; it’s difficult enough to be able to squeeze in a workout – much less the 5 or 6 small meals that’s most ideal to eat throughout the day. With the single serving gel packs, it’s like having a ready made meal that you can conveniently squeeze into your mouth and take on the run anytime you wish.

This design not only saves massive amounts of time, but it also is a great source of protein for your bodies needed muscle growth. Just as well, Agel PRO provides a tremendous source of leucine, which is an essential amino acid (protein) that helps build lean muscle mass while at the same time… promotes fat loss.

Bottom-line, Agel PRO Gelceuticals are perfect for the person who wants an excellent way to get their needed amounts of protein for gaining muscle mass, or just the average busy person who wants to replace a meal now and then on the go… without having to digest unneeded carbs, sugars, and chemicals that do nothing but harm to our bodies.

Affordable Transcription Services

Affordable transcription means cost-effective transcription services to clients using web based software technology without compromising quality. It provides fast and accurate transcription service for legal, medical and other professional industries.

To make transcription affordable, the transcriptionists mainly use two kinds of services.

1. FTP Digital uploading: Uploading audio files for transcription to an FTP is the most cost effective and quick way to send voice recordings to the transcription service. For this, the audio for transcription should be of good quality and then is converted to MP3 for uploading. There are a lot of free softwares available on the internet to do the conversion. The information like time of recording, number of people in the recording and the turnaround option are provided by the client. Based on this information, the cost is calculated.

2. Call-in dictation: In call-in interview, a toll-free number is dialed via a touch-tone phone. With the help of client’s personal code, the audio is dictated into the receiver or speaker of the telephone. Key pads are used to control the recording functions. After the completion of the call, a digital file is created and can be sent for transcription.

Call-in dictation has many benefits like:

1. No capital expenditure for software.
2. 24 hour service availability.
3. Ability to dictate from anywhere, only a phone is required.
4. The costs are only for the minutes one is using.

This kind of dictation is ideal for interviews, meetings and group discussions. Here, the transcription cost is predictable.

Companies that claim their transcription services are affordable are
1) Are using advanced technology.
2) They are getting their transcription outsourced at a cheaper destination
3) They have a very large client base

By providing good quality recordings, one can make transcription affordable, as the turnaround time will be less and the transcription will be more accurate.

Affordable Online Degrees

Accredited online degree costs arms and legs - that's the general notion of many people who think of acquiring the much talked about online degrees. But the reality is a bit different. It is definitely possible to get an affordable package of the same. Browse the internet, and you will come across a bunch of online degree programs that really costs you low.

A person with high ambitions of achieving a better career always have the option of going for the online college degrees that come in an attractive yet affordable package. This degree can help you make better money, and possibly get that promotion that you have long sought after. One great thing about working towards an on-line degree is that you can work on it anytime you want. By focusing towards your degree, you could complete it in as little as two years depending on how many courses you need.

A recent survey revealed that very often a number of working adults carry out extensive research work on an affordable college degree online. Now the question is what actually motivates that kind of a search? May be enhancement of knowledge related to a specific subject or the hope of reaping some additional benefits of these online courses or just to get that long sought promotion. Whatever may be the reasons there are a number of benefits of these Affordable Online Degrees listed as follows:

1. In case of working adults, the degree can be easily pursued without hampering their full time employment.
2. The affordable online degree makes you all the more competitive in the job market.
3. The degree acts as an additional resource that proves an individual's set of skills.

Over the internet, you'll come across a number of online universities and institutes offering you an affordable online college degree. With study material being supplied to the students, these e-learning centers motivate the participant's efforts by claiming, "The world is your classroom."

These non-profit, private universities established by the Western governors are focused to offer the U.S. citizens a "cost-effective, high-quality education". In many cases there is the Federal financial aid that is available for the prospective, eligible students.

Affordable HVAC and Plumbing Services by MEP Design Services in India

HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) is a term that deals with the climate control of a structure. In some part of the world, HVAC will also be used to refer to plumbing and electrical issue. The heat, ventilation, and air conditioning of a structure are all interconnected. The aim of HVAC sevice is to provide an architectural structure with a high quality of indoor air, as well as tremendous thermal properties and competitive installation costs.

A modern home or office building is properly and economically heated, ventilated and air-conditioned. It is able to create its own climate for the comfort of its inhabitants. This kind of convenience and brilliance in design is brought about by the systematic conceptualization and implementation of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) sevice principles. Modern architecture has makes use of convenient and practical principles, applications, and designs. It creates intelligent homes, buildings and infrastructure - meaning light and energy are conserved through carefully planned and wired furniture, electronics and equipment.

HVAC Services includes Load Calculation (Cooling and Heating), HAVC duct design & its layout, Design and layout of accessories such as diffuser, dampers, grills etc. and also layout of duct system on floor plan, accounting for the direction of joists, roof hips, fire-walls and other potential obstructions. HAVC Services also Calculating required water flow, size the pipes, decides fittings locations and dielectric isolators where needed to design the piping system and layout of piping system. A system that is built with HVAC properties can also reduce the amount of infiltration that is present in a structure. In most modern buildings, either one or multiple HVAC parts systems will be used.

Plumbing Design involves the implementation of plumbing fixtures into a house during the planning stages. Plumbing design means getting involved on the ground floor and working with other home design professionals. The result is a conglomeration of efforts to make a home as efficient as possible. The goals of plumbing design include various plumbing products form, function, and safety above all. Someone involved in plumbing design must have the capacity to see the bigger picture and integrate their designs into the overall design of the home.

A plumbing designer is an engineer that is charge of planning the big picture of plumbing in building, reservoirs and other situations dealing with water. In the process they will work with architects, engineers, plumbers, and other designers. Their charge being to design the most efficient and effective plumbing systems in the new structures. The materials they choose on include pipes, tanks, valves, pumps and other means of channeling water as needed.

Plumbing Services includes domestic water system, waste water system, riser diagram, storm water system. Plumbing engineering services ranging from design, drafting to roughins. Mechanical Electrical Plumbing (MEP) Design Services add value to our client’s business by providing them the competitive edge by offering these high quality plumbing products & plumbing design services at reduced/lower cost in India.

MEP Design Services is a Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) firm providing Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) engineering services focused on / dedicated to Mechanical Drawing, Computer Aided Drafting and Design. We are known for our high quality, cost effectiveness and time bound mep engineering services complemented by state-of-the-art facilities. We serve as an extension of your mechanical engineering and HR department. Get discount 40% to 60% on your projects!!

If you have any queries about our MEP (Mechanical Electrical Plumbing) Design services, please visit http://www.mepdesignservices.com/
Please feel free to Mail us and avail up to 40% to 60% on your projects.
E-Mail: info@mepdesignservices.com