Business Requirements

Friday, December 19, 2008

The Importance of Office Chairs in the Workplace

What kind of office chairs do you have in your workplace?Are they ergonomic and comfortable or are they less than desirable?This article will provide you information about the importance of office chairs in the workplace.Specifics may vary from office to office; however, the following information includes helpful and important guidelines from which everyone can benefit.

Most business owners focus on hiring the right employees, getting the most performance and increasing revenue.Of course these are all integral parts of any business, but have you ever considered that office chairs also an important aspect of the workplace?An average employee spends 8-10 hours per weekday sitting in their assigned office chair.If those chairs happen to be cheap, poorly constructed and uncomfortable, the employees forced to sit in them may not be putting forth their best effort at work.With the right office chairs, however, you can keep your employees happy, comfortable and motivated to do their very best.

In addition, office chairs can be the subtle difference between a classy executive office and just another office.When people walk into your office, what is their first impression?Studies have shown that your office can actually send messages to others about the way you conduct business.What do your office chairs say about you?

It's important to take the time to think about your office chairs and the features that are important to you and your employees.The decision to go with inexpensive, uncomfortable chairs could be the decision that leads to poor productivity and increased employee turnover.Yet on the other hand, providing every employee with a luxurious executive chair might just put your business in the red.Finding a good balance is the key.

Office chairs are available in many styles, colors and fabrics and contain several different features.Here is a brief look at the different types of office chairs that are available:


Office Chairs: Style
The style of an office chair is what separates it from the rest of the pack.


You'll definitely want something that fits into your office design and complements the rest of your office furniture.What is the perceived style of your office?Is it time-honored tradition?High-class executive?Or maybe something futuristic and modern?And does every office chair in your workplace have to be the same style and size?You might be better off using undersized computer chairs in certain sections of the office and luxurious executive chairs in others.Be sure to take all options into consideration before you spend too much.

Office Chairs: Fabrics
There are many choices when it comes to office chair upholstery.
Most office chairs are upholstered in leather, although there are a few manufacturers that offer other fabrics.When choosing an office chair, you should look for the best quality fabric - something that is durable and comfortable.Some office chairs are completely upholstered in leather.Other, more cost-effective chairs have a fabric section in the back and leather in the sitting area.Your choice will most likely depend on your budget.It's a good idea to remember that paying a little more now might suit you better in the long run and prevent you from having to repair or replace your office chairs.

Office Chairs: Features
Office chair features are what's most important to your employees.
Being able to adjust the chair height and chair depth will allow for more comfort and customization for each individual employee.Executive chairs even allow you to change the seat height for the greatest leg comfort and the distance between the seat and the back rest for the most favorable back and spine comfort.Chairs that have tilt and/or recline features will affect how much upper body heaviness leans and rests on the head support.These are the things that most affect the comfort of your employees, so they must be taken into consideration.

Choosing the right office chairs for your workplace is important, whether it be the perfect work chair, the optimal guest or reception chair, or the ultimate ergonomic solution for a variety of tasks.It's best to choose office chairs that are designed for comfort, engineered for performance and manufactured for years of durable service.Also keep in mind that your office chairs should fit your organization, office environment, budget and staff preferences for every work application.


About the Author

Brian McBride is Director of Business Development of @ the Office, an office furniture dealer that has been selling and installing office furniture in Arizona since 1987.

Contact us for office chairs and services including design, remodeling and installation services - visit our website.

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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Are You A Trusted Professional Advisor?

Do your clients trust you explicitly or do they often say, "We'll have to think it over" when you propose a solution or plan of action?Do your prospects trust you the very first time they meet you, or do you often hear "We want to check with some other..." before they are willing to commit to engaging your services?

Today everybody has a professional looking web site with important testimonials and links to important sounding organizations.Since you can't tell anything from that, none of it matters.

We all know that being the top listing on a search engine, other than the listings you pay for, only means that you have the top listing.That's all it means.You have the top listing, so what?Does than mean you are better at what you do than the folks on page 1,123?

I guess it does if you buy into the absurd notion that you are going to connect with people who will become profitable life long clients because they saw your link first when they did an Internet search.That's possible of course - so is winning the lottery.

Over the years it has become clear to me that professional solution providers who use the SEO post and hope approach to attracting clients do it because they are afraid to simply ask a satisfied client for a recommendation.If each satisfied client refers you along to another person like them you can use your web site for other more profitable things and invest the time and energy you now spend on web site related stuff - in front of paying clients.

To be a trusted professional advisor, the sole source provider of the services you offer, you first have to earn it.You have to walk the talk, demonstrating to your existing clients that you really are there for their benefit, knowing that when you focus on their best interests you will get paid.You will actually be the sort of person they feel confident telling their friends and colleagues about.

Trusted advisors know that up to twenty five percent of their time must be spent marketing and selling in order to have the revenues to deliver more than they promise to their clients along with paying the overhead.They must be efficient in their marketing activities using the greatest leverage at their command.When someone is considered a trusted professional advisor virtually everything they do when it comes to marketing, works.It does not have to be clever, sophisticated or costly.If you are trusted by the people whose opinions are important to you, they will use their credibility with their contemporaries and do the marketing for you.

Trusted advisors are always looking for ways to over-deliver.They understand that consistently delivering on, or above, their value proposition will keep loyal clients loyal.By always projecting a "clients first" attitude and perhaps more importantly than anything else, always doing what they say they are going to do, their clients will be on the lookout for people who need what they have on offer.In fact their clients will regularly qualify and disqualify prospective clients for them, without them knowing anything about it.

Let's face it, there are only two ways to add revenues from your personal services to your organization.One way is to consistently get repeat sales or new engagements and projects from your existing clients.The other way is for them to enthusiastically promote the benefits of your services.Naturally your online presence will add to your overall revenue stream, but a web site and all the search engine marketing and pay per click ads in the world will never replace a client's word in the ear of their friend.Be trusted by your clients and they will take care of you.

Historically, being the trusted sole source provider of products and services meant keeping your word.If your client felt that you had their best interest at heart and your products and services we OK, you were in for life.That was then, now you have to ALSO demonstrate that you are keeping up with or are ahead of the times.You have to be seen as innovative, as a life long student who regularly invests their time, energy, and money sharpening their ax.

When your actions earn the trust of your most valued clients you are in position to attract and receive their prestige recommendations.I use that expression to make it clear that you and I do not want simply a referral.We do not want a list of our clients friends or data dump from their Outlook.

We want our clients to send us to specific people, people who will see us because of the prestige of our clients.Our clients will only lend their credibility to us when we're earned it and only for as long as we honor their gift.
About the Author

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Monday, December 15, 2008

An Overview Of Industrial Safety Services And How Businesses Benefit

Businesses can find value in industrial safety services such as construction safety services that go far beyond saving lives and preventing accidents.Unfortunately, the true benefits of these options are frequently overlooked, leaving many companies to believe that all they need is the right equipment and training.Jobs, equipment, and regulations can change on a regular basis causing inadequacies throughout.The staff may not have the training or the mindset to prevent loss, injury, and the tarnishing of your business' record.Here are three options to consider and their benefits.

Consultants


The consultation portion of industrial safety services is designed to examine the various processes and equipment presently in place and compares them to the current rules and regulations.

They can also examine how these precautions are set into place and used by the employees.The suggestions and recommendations can save the company thousands and even millions by preventing fines, injuries, lawsuits, and even deaths.

As you continue to change and improve safety to meet your needs or even start different types of work, the consultant will be able to assess the current safety level and suggest additional precautions to take.In some cases, such as construction safety services, the consultant may stay with a particular business on a regular basis to make certain that each situation is as safe as possible.They examine each project and make a list of any training, equipment, and services that will be needed to perform the work safely as well as profitably.

Supervision Services


Professionally trained safety supervisors or team leaders are another valuable component of industrial safety services.

They are often far more cost effective than hiring an experienced safety team member.These individuals work directly with your employees and integrate themselves into your corporate culture to ensure that all of the rules and recommendations are followed.

This will keep every individual in your organization protected while preventing legal actions caused through negligence or injury.Safety is brought to the forefront of everyone's mind in a positive fashion while helping to meet all of the production goals and targets you have set out for your company.Supervisors aim to set an example rather than simply preaching a set of rules.Most importantly, experts working in construction safety services and other industries are professionals in their fields so you can be assured you receive the best advice possible.

Professionally Trained Teams


In some instances, a particular job requires far more knowledge and safety than usual.

The additional needs of these projects can become extremely expensive making the job unprofitable and a poor investment of your cash flow.

In these instances, you can hire industrial safety services or construction safety services that specialize in these particular procedures including confined space rescue teams who bring with them the experience and knowledge needed for the job.Other businesses may only require a few knowledgeable individuals to help their existing employees.This would require you to hire only a confined space hole watch or air technician.

Industrial safety services include a number of different solutions for businesses including providing supervisors, expert teams, and consultants.Taking advantage of all of the benefits construction safety services and other industry specific experts have to offer, you can rest easy knowing that everything possible is being done to prevent legal issues, compensation, downtime, and protect the lives and health of your employees.


About the Author

Christine O'Kelly writes for the expert construction safety services provider, Code Red Safety.

They provide industrial safety services, rentals, education, and safety teams for any industry or organization.

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Sunday, December 14, 2008

Business Succession is the ONLY Success for Successful Businesses

Decades of statistics illustrate that most successful businesses ultimately fail.In fact only 35 of successful family businesses and virtually all small businesses are family owned survive through the second generation, and of those only 20 survive through the third.

The reasons are typically straightforward and the excuses have been the same, from my personal experience, for over a quarter of a century.How do I define failure when taking about these successful businesses Why do I say these business fail Well what are the options available to a successful business owner when the founder or senior generation of owners come to the end of their careers

The business can be sold, or can it, as a going concern - but that rarely works out since the owners have to trust in the buyers ability to run the place successfully enough to pay their own salaries and still have enough left over to pay the note.

Ask your accountant to illustrate this for you.

Or the company can be broken up and sold for the value of its assets.Thats unlikely to be satisfactory, certainly not to the employees who lose their jobs - and the depreciated value of the businesses assets are unlikely be to large enough to provide the stream of income required for the retiring generation let alone having anything left for their heirs.Thats pretty pitiful results for a lifetime of work, huh

That leaves the only real possibility - the continuous operation of the company in the hands of the next generation through a process of succession that does not require a sale or other taxable event that diminishes the assets and the resulting income stream from the business.



Business owners who have put in twenty or more years building their companies know that succession is their only hope.They have all seen folks try the clever strategies to do otherwise and then ended up with very little to show for their lifes work.So why do these otherwise successful business owners fail to take the steps necessary to insure that succession happens Business advisors know that a seamless succession process is the only way their client can exit the company satisfactorily but cant seem to get their message across to them.

This article is for both of you.

Everybody knows that business succession planning is the systematic process of ownership transition, and it is no simple task.Maybe thats the problem, its too complicated for business owners to understand By now, if you have been around a while, you know that business succession planning is not a one-shot event, but requires everyones commitment to review and revise.What, did you get bored thinking you could sign a paper and keep on with business as usual

Needless to say, business succession planning can bring about peace of mind and it also protects unprepared family members from decisions connected with owning, selling and managing the family business - so whats the problem, why dont you do anything about it before the good options are taken away from you

I have learned over the last thirty years helping successful family owned companies re-design themselves for the future beyond the current generation, that business owners already know 80-90 of what they need to know in order to have a successful transition to the next generation.





Advisors often fail to serve them either because they refuse to acknowledge the most productive role they can play, providing the tools and tactics available to help make the business owners dreams come true, or they assume the "not invented here" position and refuse to listen to the other members of their clients advisory team.

Too often, estate and business succession planning is done with an eye toward the tax and financial aspects only, ignoring the very important impact of family dynamics - maybe because nobody asked the business owner specifically what he or she wanted to happen.This invariably leads to plans that collapse since the unspoken desires of family members will serve to undermine not only the tax and financial objectives but also may destroy the family harmony.Why dont advisors address the emotional issues that are keys to moving forward with transition planning instead of simply concentrating on the legal issues, tax issues, insurance issues, and management issues.

Whats holding these business owners back Isnt it because nobody has asked them to describe what they want the business to look like They have not asked them who is going to run the place and what plans they would like to see in force for their spouses and those offspring who are not involved in the business - where their entire net worth is tied up

Does anyone ask the business owner their opinion, whats possible given the abilities of the members of the next generation Maybe if their advisors would ask and then listen to the dreams and goals of the business owners and their families they could create plans that everyone will buy into

If the business owner knows 80 of what he or she needs to know in order to create a successful succession strategy - who are they gonna call to help them uncover them Whos going to ask them "whats important" over and over again across a range of issues to help them surface for themselves their desired results As a business owner dont you think that if someone could help you articulate your desires - that you could take them to your advisors so they can set it up

If you are an lawyer, accountant, or life insurance professional doing business with business owners wouldnt you welcome the insights of a professional business coach who has helped your client convert their deeply held feelings into words on paper you can use to create the documents Or are you afraid that the coach is going to encroach on your propriety turf Whats more important to you - being in charge of the process and keeping all others at bay, or taking all the help you can get to insure that the resulting business succession plan achieves the desires of the business owner

And finally, if you are a business owner you are the one with the power, the authority, and the responsibility to yourself, your employees, and your family for the ultimate success or failure of your succession plan and the financial future of your family.







If your advisors wont actively seek help of others, if they are determined to do "it" their way and you dont fire them, the possible tragedies to follow are your responsibility.

You can blame whoever you want but that wont change the fact that it is your responsibility.Will the future be the time youll be happy with the decisions you make today, or not Whos in charge of your business succession process Who is going to have to live with the outcome You know the answer, now its time for you to do something about it.
About the Author

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What You'll Learn At Fire Safety Training

Never Play With Fire.Isn't that what we are taught when we are young?Of course this is a very important lesson to learn, however as we get a little older, it does at least pay to know how to handle a fire, should one break out at your place of work.While all new employees should be given some basic fire safety training when they begin a new job, including learning where the fire extinguishers and fire exits are, employers, business owners or anyone who has control of a premises needs to be considerably better prepared.

Fire safety training for managers can take place at your workplace if suitable or at a number of different locations around the country.There are a number of companies offering fire safety training, from larger groups to smaller more personal ones.Each company will offer a slightly different programme however there are some common skills taught in most sessions.

Often taking place over the course of a day by highly qualified instructors, courses are designed to give personnel the key information, knowledge and training that will allow them to be competent to manage their facility, should a fire erupt on their premises.

Managers will learn basic fire legislation and what their responsibilities are.They will learn the duties of a fire safety manager as well as ways they can reduce the risk of fire.They will also learn how to manage and maintain fire safety equipment as well as how best to record and test the safety equipment.Understanding the effects a fire has on a company and the theory behind the chemical processes (think of the fire triangle) is important to enable you to know how to tackle it.

Managers will be taught to maintain the emergency exits, ensuring they are suitable escape routes and are always kept clear.

While fire safety training for new employees will vary from company to company, managers will also be given some basic training on how to give first day inductions, annual training and how to give training for specific roles such as fire wardens.

After all the theory, managers will move on to the practical training where they will be given fire extinguisher training.Not many of us probably know how to actually use a fire extinguisher in the event of a fire.Managers will be shown how to identify the different extinguishers for the different types of fire and how to use them to put out flames.

The course will also teach managers how to manage disabled employees and also young people in the building, should a fire break out.Upon completing the training, attendees will be aware of the best evacuation plans for their building and which materials and substances can be dangerous in the workplace.

As simple as it sounds, learning when and how to contact the emergency services could save a lot of time all round.Many people call out the fire services in un-necessary circumstances and had they received some form of fire safety training, they may have found themselves in a situation that they are in fact able to deal with themselves


Most trainees on the programmes receive an IFE (Institute of Fire Engineers) approved certificate of attendance to recognise their achievements.

Apart from physical recognition, the fire safety training courses allow managers to feel suitably prepared for the responsibility of controlling the workplace and their colleagues, in the event of a fire.


About the Author

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in Work-place Safety.

Find out more about Fire Safety Training and why it's important for managers to be prepared.

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