Archive for June, 2008
06.28.08
Posted in Best Home Improvement at 10:49 pm by admin
Grandfather clocks are also known as floor clocks or longcase clocks. In fact, although the first grandfather clocks were made around the mid-1600s, they were not commonly called “grandfather clocks” until after 1875.
What is the history of the grandfather clock?
The true history of grandfather clocks begins back in 1582 when Galileo Galilei first discovered that you could use a pendulum to keep time. It was Galileo, in fact, who drew the first designs for a floor clock. A man named Christiaan Huygens built the first working floor clock by using what Galileo discovered. Of course, it is William Clement who usually gets accredited with the first true grandfather clock.
You might say that William Clement is the “father of grandfather clocks.” The very first clocks did not actually keep time all that well. It was William Clement who helped fix this problem by making the pendulum longer. With a longer pendulum, a floor clock could keep better time. Of course, longer pendulums required longer cases, and this is where the term long case clock came from.
Where did the name “grandfather” clock come from?
The story of the grandfather clock generally goes like this: Once upon a time, in Piercebridge, North Yorkshire, England, there was a lovely lodge known as the George Hotel. Two handsome and loyal bachelor brothers named Jenkins managed the George hotel.
The Jenkins brothers had a beautiful floor clock that stood in the hotel lobby. Hotel guests would often admire the beauty of the clock, and the Jenkins brothers were very proud of it. This particular floor clock kept very good time (which was not terribly usual since the mechanics of long case clocks were still being fixed and improved at the time).
One day, one of the Jenkins brothers died quite suddenly and the old clock started to lose time. Eventually, the old floor clock began to lose an hour a day. When the second brother died, the floor clock stopped working completely. The floor clock was never repaired, and instead it just sat motionless in the hotel lobby.
Around 1875, Henry Work, an American songwriter stayed at the George Hotel while traveling through England. When he asked about the motionless clock, he received the story of the Jenkins brothers. Henry Work decided to write a song about the long case clock. The song lyrics start out, “Oh my grandfather’s clock…”
Nowadays, because of the Jenkins brothers and Henry Work, we refer to long case clocks as grandfather clocks. Grandfather clocks are still very popular in both the United States and England, as well as other countries. They are often cherished heirlooms. After all, why wouldn’t you want to pass on a clock through your family that has such a “family” name like grandfather clock and such a “family” story associated with it about the Jenkins brothers?
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on clocks, please visit Clocks.
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Posted in Investment Infos at 11:31 am by admin
Hedge funds have become a new craze among the investors who are looking for higher net returns and to diversify their investment portfolio. However, before investing one should first have a basic idea of what hedge funds are all about. A hedge fund is characteristically a privately organized joint investment fund, predominantly invested in public traded securities. It is a pool of invested capital, used mainly by wealthy or financially experienced individuals and institutions. Usually, law to just 50 to 100 investors per fund restricts hedge funds. Thus, most hedge funds set very high standards for an individual to be a qualified purchaser.
Most often, an investor with a net worth of above one million dollars and an annual income exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is only considered as a qualified customer. Hedge funds are very similar to mutual funds. The difference between the two is of strategies they use. Hedge funds use a set of strategies other than investing long in bonds, equity, mutual funds and money markets. Thus, its strategies can generate positive returns irrespective of the rise and fall in the equity and bond markets.
One way to invest in hedge funds is to invest in a company just before a major merger, as shares go up significantly once the merger occurs. This technique is called ‘Risk Arbitrage’. However one should have a prior knowledge of the merger before buying large amounts of shares in a company, as it is a very high-risk investment strategy since some mergers may not occur at all. Another technique, which one may adopt while investing in hedge funds, is ‘Leverage’. This means using borrowed capital in to own capital for investment. ‘Selling Short’ is also a popular strategy where one invests in apparently undervalued securities, trading commodities and FX contracts, and takes advantage of the difference between current market price and the highest purchase price in events such as mergers.
Even though most hedge funds promise higher net returns, they are accompanied by some limitations. For instance, in case of many hedge funds, there are certain restrictions on one’s right to redeem his shares. Often, there is a lock-in period that can extend to over a year. During this period one cannot redeem his shares. Hence, one should reconsider his options and take into consideration a long-term perspective before investing in hedge funds. Moreover, hedge funds also have a higher failure rate than traditional funds. Many of them fail by the second or third year of operation. It has been estimated that about 5.7% of the existing 8500 hedge funds closed in 2005. Also, because of their non-regulation there are no official hedge funds statistics. Besides, hedge funds are more suited for large businesses because they have a price tag.
However, hedge fund is a very helpful tool for the diversification of one’s investment portfolio. It reduces the overall portfolio risk and volatility, as it is not related with the broad stock market indices. Thus it is a smart choice for those who are willing to take the risk.
Mansi Aggarwal recommends you visit Hedge fund investing for more information.
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06.26.08
Posted in Road Rage at 3:41 pm by admin
If you are considering a Full-Service Detail Shop, which would incorporate both retail detailing and dealership or wholesale detailing, then you must be careful which types of services you provide your customers. If you are going to try and provide all types of services to the Auto Dealerships such as; spray in bed-liners for pick-ups and air-bag re-installment, you may find that the level of training your employees need and the amount of profit per type of service needs to be studied in greater detail.
We have completed our 3-Year Test Market of the Detail Guys Super Center, as we run the company; The Detail Guys, if you are already in the industry you have heard of us, if not you might wish to check out our website as it might give you some juicy ideas to help you in your auto detailing business;
http://www.DetailGuys.com
After watching the automobile trends for 5 years and running this facility in conjunction with a franchisee in Reno, NV we have learned a great deal in a very short amount of time. We were also able to put together a significant number of vendors to help with support. We learned about Paint and Dent Repair, both paint-less and air-less. We studied oil additives, bed liners spray systems, clear coat sealants, aftermarket warranties, vending machine sales, buffers, wash bays, shop flooring and coating, web sales, management, training, color sanding, labor scheduling, royalty receivables, wholesale detailing, retail detail marketing, commission technicians, rotating shifts, energy requirements, artificial lighting, multiple locations, on-site and off site Dealership Detailing and fixed billing costs for customers. Yes, a lot to learn in 3-years and we want to thank our team for studying, learning, adapting, and overcoming obstacles.
As many of you realize we were closely watching the Ziebart Corporations business model and we were testing our efficiencies to compete in that market. After our 3-year study and test market we saw where we felt Ziebart was weak in certain sunny state markets and moved to determine which types of services we would drop and which we would concentrate on as we went head to head with them in any market. We feel we have a superior concept and a better understanding of the reality of the industry. Yet no one can deny Ziebart has a rich history in the auto aftermarket business. You may also wish to check out their website as they seem to dominate many markets today in this sector.
http://www.Ziebart.com
Whether you are thinking of owning your own franchise or going it alone, study the market and understand the profit margins and of each type of service you might provide. If you are unsure, you may wish to buy a Ziebart Franchise, if not perhaps you might buy some equipment from one of the well-known industry vendors such as Detail Plus. Here is another link, which might help you with the layout of your detail shop.
http://www.detailguys.com/nw12.shtml
Best of luck and remember there is enough cars for everyone as the auto makers are selling over 17 million per year. Think about it, think about auto detailing.
“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
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06.25.08
Posted in Shopping Stuff at 7:17 pm by admin
Some husbands have a tough time keeping an erection and some gals have awfully long sex drives, meaning it takes the girl a mega long time to come. Because of this difference in sex drives, sex intercourse can often turn into a frustrating and unsatisfying experience. That’s why large dildos will be helpful. If the male ejaculates early in the love making session, or even if the girl just takes longer than her lover, he can continue to penetrate the girl with the thick dildo. That way all sexual mischief does not end. It gives the guy substantial time to recharge his batteries and also keeps her stimulated. So that when the male is prepared to come back into the session, the chick will still be aroused enough to accept the boy.
Your most erogenous area is your thoughts. And as far as numerous feminists will not admit this, the penis is a symbol of fertility, no matter how massive or tiny, it is still associated with fertility. Penetrating your woman with a big dildo might often make a fantasy of power fun reality. Buy Sex Toys from Sex Bomb today.
Some females delight in the sensation of feeling full in their vagina or anus. Whenever a sexy toy such as a great big dildo, penetrates the vagina or anus, the muscles contract around it. Tons of people observe the tightening of the above mentioned muscles to be extremely enjoyable.
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06.20.08
Posted in Investment Infos, Universe Of Real Estate at 11:48 pm by admin
Property Index have a range of properties for sale in Spain, from villas to apartments.
Despite the fact that the Property Index is only a new kid on the block syndicate, they were founded only in March 2007, they have become experts very quickly. In point of fact a unbelievably cool syndicate focused on offering guidance to any individual who is intending to rent real estate just about anywhere. They assure they will lend you a hand to light on just what’s desired quick and, of course, unproblematically. Property is across the globe presently, one of the most called for areas being properties available for sale in Spain. It’s easy as one-two-three to pinpoint all the phenomenal real estate on the market in Spain, the argument for hunting for realty here is a combination of the houses and apartments for sale and the sensational option to live surrounded by such a bubbly, passionate and dynamic populace.
This is one of the truly sought after countries presently, and in view of the overall attractiveness and the climate surrounding you, how could you ever go wrong? Property in Spain is steeped in history, this country is home to a number of indigenous nations. Only 25-30 years back there’d be just a trickle of Englishmen in search of real estate in Spain. Ask everyone who has chosen to remove to Spain and they’ll tell you the same thing. Many would descry it as a trend and others descry it as a virtually a compulsion… People that are keen on moving over here may extend from young freshly weds who are looking for an exciting new life perspective to the retired looking to settle down and enjoy themselves.
Note that you may have to wrestle with a few hindrances when trying to buy real estate abroad; there’ll be hundreds of procedures whether devising a plan, sightseeing or signing the documents. If you only miss but a single procedure that can trigger insurmountable hindrances plus, of course, preeminently, money loss. Naturally, as can be presumed with this favored location, real estate might well be expensive in this destination and this, of course, is simply a result of the peaking market demand. Notwithstanding customers are somewhat spoilt in terms of choice in an area so wonderful in terms of ripping landscape. It actually has all, stock and barrel, any of us may conceivably crave, and then some.
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Posted in It's Your Business at 10:01 am by admin
Federal Government contracting is an often scary and complex environment to many small businesses. Without the proper assistance of experts in the field it can also be dangerous to a small companies fiscal prosperity, but the risk is worth the rewards!!!!
Less than 5% of the businesses in the United States do business with the U.S. Government. The 1195 Federal budget was $1,518.3 BILLION DOLLARS! Approximately $1 billion in new opportunities in the services sector of Government contracting were available to bid on by private business each day. The services range from Food Services and Janitorial projects to complex space flight systems development.
Companies are winning and are awarded this amount in new contracts daily. Where is our part as a small business concern in this multi-billion dollar marketplace?
The Government uses two techniques to procure products and services which have values over $25,000.00 per year, Invitation for Bids (IFB’s) and Request for Proposals (RFP’s).
The IFB is an advertised procurement in which contract award is based on upon award to the lowest priced responsible bidder. The bid must offer performance and delivery at least equal to the minimum standards established by the IFB.
The RFP will often require a full Scope of Work (SOW) response (how the project will be performed, on what schedule, and by whom), the key personnel who will be assigned to the project, as well as a full company qualifications package.
The way in which the Government procures these contracts are changing rapidly. President Bill Clinton’s budget message is clear and target two principle areas:
1. Keep deficits on a downward path.
2. Continue to invest in long-term economic growth, in fighting crime, and in the skills of our children and workers.
The trends in Federal Contracting that have an impact on the small business sector are:
1. Procurement Reform - Streamlining Federal procurement was a specific target of Vice President Gore’s National Performance Review Report Issued in September 1995, focused on creating a Government that works better and costs less. The report made nearly 400 recommendations for streamlining the Federal Government while improving the quality of service to the nation’s citizens. This has ignited procurement reform legislation that will re-shape the Federal procurement process. For example, the expected changes in the current Senate Procurement Bill (S. 1587) include no CBD notices for contracts less than $100,00 if electronic commerce (Bulletin Boards) exists, small business provisions aimed at encouraging bids by small disadvantaged business Government wide and streamlined procedures that will take less than a month to complete.
2. National Performance Review (NPR) - Impact on Information Technology - Based on the market research firm Federal Sources., headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, the NRP will generate $10-$20 billion in new business opportunities between 1994-1999. The outsourcing its support services and procuring information technology systems to increase the productivity and effectiveness of the federal workforce.
3. Health Care Reform - Based on the Clinton Administration’s current plan, a new health care plan will be enacted this year. Although there are still issues to work out, market research firms are forecasting significant opportunities to result from this reform initiatives include imaging, data entry technologies, ID cards/smart cards, multimedia and business process re-engineering. This will open up unlimited opportunities for small business concerns nationwide.
4. Proposal Quality - A Washington D.C. technology publication recently issued a contractor report on “Winning Proposals Win Bids,” underscoring the link the government is acknowledging between the quality of the proposal and the quality of work the contractor will perform under contract. IN a recent RFP, in section M “Selection Criteria”, the following statement was made “The offerors ability to follow the proposal instructions set forth in the solicitation will also be considered to be an indication of the offeror’s ability to follow instructions should they be awarded a contract as a result of this solicitation.
5. Smaller, Shorter Duration Technology Equipment Buys - According to the Government’s internal policy document the period of performance of Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) hardware buys has been reduced significantly from five years to two and the size of these contracts has also been significantly reduced. This will result in more opportunities, more solicitations and more potential contract opportunities as these become within reach of small to medium-sized businesses.
The time to begin to get involved in Federal Government contracting is now. Companies currently involved, and who are successful in, Federal Government contracting started out with smaller contracts and worked their way into larger and larger contract awards.
Much of the new Source Selection Board criteria is based upon past performance, not only in Federal Government contracting, but in commercial contracting as well. The use of our current contracts as references is essential to a successful proposal to Government agencies.
The helpful hint for this month is to call your major clients and have them sign recommendation letters for your company.
In summary, Government contracting allows many businesses to have a bevy of profitable, long term contracts (normally 3-5 years) in your corporate receivables listing. This allows for stability and volume increases. Begin to prepare your company today for long term growth in the expanding Federal Government marketplace.
Paul S. Flaherty
Government Contract Services, Inc.
http://www.gcswin.com
http://www.gcswin.com/free/grow.htm
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Posted in Road Rage at 7:49 am by admin
As India progresses with outsourcing and software industry, it is adding millions of cars to it reads. Which means there is a tremendous market for used cars.
But unlike western countries India still lacks the following
- Blue Book to get a worth of your vehicle - Accident history. - Clear titles - Car payment history.
But still it is worth to try buying your used car online. You can do lot of homework before you decide to write the check.
Some of the tips I would recommend is - First see the car and find from the owner why he is selling. - If the owner is in a hurry (the most common reason being going abroad on assignment) - Get the titles of the car - If possible check with the RTO. - try to get the vehicle status in an authorized service center or take it to TVS; TVS are known to be honest. - Write an agreement; - Hire a lawyer if possible; if you are going to buy a car for lacs of rupees would not hurt to hire a lawyer for Rs 1000 just in case. - Talk to the bank if the car is under a loan; they can help you with the vehicle history. - Talk to the insurance company about any claims in the past.
If you are OK with the car and the paper work just buy it and enjoy!
There are lot of online sites listing used cars for sale. I would recommend is India’s No 1 Auto Portal to buy and sell second hand car. The site has excellent feedback, looks like number one in India, daily updates with new cars, live help, ease of use and great customer service.
James Gunaseelan writes for Indian consumers about online business.
You can reach him support@bharathautomobiles.com
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06.19.08
Posted in Life Of Marketing at 7:31 pm by admin
What’s the most important word in marketing?
Free?
Why?
Truth?
Honesty?
Integrity?
At first glance, it seems like a simple question. But the more you think about it, the more complex it gets. One could probably argue any number of answers based on his beliefs, values or type of business.
But is there really one word that’s more important than all the others?
One word without which your marketing efforts will be successful?
I recently surveyed dozens of marketing professionals, authors, consultants and small business owners on my blog. The results included a wide range of words; from the emotionally charged to the pragmatic; from the right brain to the left brain and from the customer focused to the company focus. But all of the suggested “most important words in marketing” fell into one of two categories: Traditional Marketing or Modern Marketing.
Traditional Marketing: The Old School
Traditional Marketing used to be all about advertising. It was expensive, short lived, and had little to do with the Internet or word of mouth. Also, it aimed its messages at passive audiences. Leading expert and best selling author Seth Godin calls this “Interruption Marketing,” in which the marketer talks directly to as many consumers as possible.
Now, although this traditional style of marketing has lost some of its prowess to the fierce competition of the web, it’s still a powerful medium through which companies can reach their customers. Let’s see which words the experts chose from this category.
NOTE: before you read the survey results below, take a minute to answer the question for yourself: What do you think is the most important word in marketing? Once you’ve made your decision, read on and see how your answer compares.
NEW
“NEW is probably the strongest word in marketing,” explains Ronnie Horowitz from The TRIZ Journal. “People are attracted to new products like a magnet. Introducing new products on a constant basis is the best way to get attention and invaluable free publicity for your business.”
WHY
Michael “The Success Doctor” Fortin believes the most important word in marketing is WHY. “It is much better to communicate why you are original, special or unique; why you are better, different or superior than competitors - not just the fact that you are. Imply your superiority by specifying as much as possible.”
CUSTOMER
Sivaraman Swaminathan from Customer World says we shouldn’t overlook the obvious word, CUSTOMER. “I think marketing has evolved because the focus is on the customer. The soul of marketing is the customer. Period. In marketing, you will fail even if you have greatest passion for the wrong target audience; you will fail if you don’t know whom you should respect, and you will fail if you don’t know which customer to trust.”
YOU
Similarly, Robert Middleton from Action Plan Marketing said, “The most important word in marketing is YOU. That is, marketing needs to convey very clearly what’s in it for the client or customer.”
FREE
FREE was also touted by several experts as the most important word. Edward “Skip” Masland, owner of Web Solvers says “FREE was, is and will always be the most powerful word in marketing. It attracts eyeballs. It gets results and responses quickly. And marketers may not profit today - or tomorrow - but if they can generate a groundswell of interest from something free, they know they will profit sooner or later.”
On the other hand, Bob Serling from Idea Quotient wrote an article claiming that FREE was the most dangerous word in marketing. “I’ve been advising businesses for nearly 20 years that a business model driven by attracting prospects through giving something away for free is almost always a model for failure. And it doesn’t matter whether you use this model online or offline - it will nearly always fail.”
LISTENING
Next, Karen from Dezign Matters explained that the most important word in marketing was something you DON’T say. “I think the word is LISTENING. A little time leaning back and listening quietly can save time, money and leave the client and customer feeling that someone truly heard what they were trying to say.”
BECAUSE
Michael Daehn, author of Marketing Ingenious explained, “I read a case study about cutting in lines at a copy machines. The hypothesis was that the word ‘please’ would get the best response. But the results proved that the word ‘because’ received a much better response given that the word offered a reason to let someone cut in line. Therefore, we as marketers need to give customers a reason to buy.”
RESULTS
Lastly, Michael Cage from Small Business Marketing Systems said the most important word in marketing was RESULTS. “Small businesses are often suckered into fluffy, fancy marketing concepts that sound great but produce absolutely nothing in the real world. If the business owner or marketing department can’t tie what they do to results, likewise, they need to step back and get it right before passing go.”
Modern Marketing: The New School
20 years ago, nobody knew what the words “blog,” “RSS feed,” “personal branding,” “viral marketing” or “google” meant. But now - at the risk of sounding cliché - the rules have changed. Business is different. Customers are smarter. And marketing isn’t the same old run-a-bunch-of-ads-and-hope-people-buy-your-stuff system.
Now, it’s all about creating an emotional connection. It’s about being unforgettable, unbelievable and unique. It’s about providing an experience that’s so fantastic, customers not only remain loyal to you - but they tell all their friends to do the same.
Here’s what the experts said about the most important words in Modern Marketing.
RESPECT
It’s not surprising that Seth Godin - author of seven best selling books about how to make your business remarkable - always emails me back within 30 minutes. I drop him a line every once in a while to pass along an interesting website or, in this case, ask a question. He replied with a brilliant one-word answer: RESPECT. Period.
AUTHENTICITY
John More, owner of Brand Autopsy, maintained the most important word in marketing was AUTHENTICITY. “With the world becoming one gigantic ad, consumers today can sniff out anything that smells the least bit fake and inauthentic. Success will come truer and faster if companies can design products, programs, and services that are authentic in meaning, purpose, and delivery.”
Moore dug deeper on the topic of authenticity and explained that “Authenticity is usually a by-product of a purpose-driven business. And unfortunately, there ain’t enough businesses out there with the purpose of making a positive difference in the world.”
PASSION
Similarly, Tom Asacker from A Clear Eye says it’s all about PASSION. “Passion for one’s business and for one’s calling inspires and attracts people. They want to be to believe, to belong; to become. And that’s the essence of marketing today.”
Tom and John’s posts on the blog discussion generated high amounts of support from other experts. Laura from the Smart Musings blog agreed by saying, “John and Tom are right. Consumers can distinguish between authentic and inauthentic marketing. Authentic messages will strike a chord with them. That may encourage them to buy. And once they become a customer, then they may too become passionate about the product. And that is the ultimate goal of marketing: not just to have passionate employees, but passionate customers.”
TRUST
Another popular word was TRUST. Kevin Berringer from Reflections on Business Blog simply said, “No trust = no belief = nobody listens.”
EXPERIENCE
Then, Chris Ray from Interactively Speaking voted for the word EXPERIENCE, as in The Customer Experience. “I believe this word summarizes respect, authenticity, passion, results, etc.” said Ray. “It ultimately decides whether or not a company succeeds.”
AROMA
Next, Jim Seybert from the Jim Seybert Company offered a most unusual suggestion: AROMA. “Brain scientists tell me that smell is the only sense that goes directly to the limbic lobe in our brains - and triggers nothing short of primal emotions. Marketers should pay attention to the ‘aroma’ of their brand. They need to identify the unavoidable, immediate and emotional reaction customers experience upon coming into contact with their brand.”
OPEN
Another intriguing response came from Nellie Lide of The New Persuasion Blog. Her word was OPEN. “You’ve got to be open. Open to others. Open to customers. Open to employees. Open to new. Open to old. Open to scrutiny. Open to derision. Open to joy. Open to different.”
TRUTH
George Silverman, author of The Secrets to Word of Mouth Marketing says it’s all about TRUTH. “Marketing has become synonymous with hype. The truth, compellingly told, is all you need. Just tell it in an interesting way, usually with a story. This allows you to tell the truth about your product and the truth about yourself.”
No Word
The last respondent of the survey was Sean D’Souza from Psycho Tactics. He decided to take the contrarian’s point of view. “There is no one single word that’s the most important in marketing. Making such a claim would be like saying your heart is the most important part of your body. I think we try to make things too simplistic. In reality, marketing is a series of things that coordinate together to create magic.”
It’s All In The Hunt
In case you haven’t already figured it out, the answer to the question “What’s the most important word in marketing?” is: it all depends.
Typical marketing answer, huh?
But ultimately, it’s not about the answer - it’s about the question. It’s about the creative thought process each businessperson goes through when he considers what the most important word in marketing is…to him.
Personally, I chose the word CONFIDENCE.
In other words, I want to instill confidence in the minds of potential customers that if they step onto my company’s front porch, they will be working with a credible, valuable, trustworthy individual whose unique school of thought will help them produce results.
But that’s just me. That’s how I roll.
Now, it’s up to YOU to reexamine what “marketing” truly means to you and your company. In so doing, you will gain a better understanding about who you are, what you do and whom you do it for.
So, what’s the most important word in marketing…to YOU?
© 2005 All Rights Reserved.
Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, “The World’s Foremost Expert on Nametags” and the author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He helps people MAXIMIZE their approachability and become UNFORGETTABLE communicators - one conversation at a time. For more information contact Front Porch Productions at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com.
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Posted in Politics News at 1:53 am by admin
Throughout history, societies have wrestled with a crucial choice: When we hear a speaker that the state feels is threatening, do we shut him down, squelch him instantly, and if necessary, brutally, or do we allow him to continue, and by doing so run risks of promoting instability and even, revolution?
America’s answer has been mixed. Officially, we enjoy freedom of speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution. But this is a right that is not absolute.
During wartime, political speech has been curtailed. World War I brought some seminal cases before the U.S. Supreme Court that are still used as authority to restrict what one Justice called, shouting “fire” in a crowded theater.
But, the sole voice of dissent, which by necessity must be loud, dramatic, and extreme, to garner attention, can be the only sane one to be heard when the drums of war are beating loudly and incessantly.
We don’t like to listen to contrary opinion when we’re pumped up to drop bombs, yet this is exactly what we’re fighting to preserve: our way of life, and that includes our right to be contrary, to say “no,” when the rest of society seems to be shouting, “yes!”
If we don’t like an opinion, we should be free to argue against it, to persuade the other party that he is mistaken, and we should do this persistently, tirelessly, vigorously, but peacefully.
The idea is simple, if we can keep the dialogue going long enough, we’ll finally see the other’s interests, and he, ours, and we’ll be able to find common ground.
Wouldn’t this have been a preferable course than that which we in America rushed into, in most of the conflicts since World War II?
Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.
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06.16.08
Posted in School of Health at 1:14 am by admin
Doctor, are you constantly asking your staff to show you the money, read on.
A doctor not only treats patients for their various physical needs but runs a business at the same time. Doctors have large overhead expenses. They pay rent, salaries, utilities, medical supplies and many other expenses. They also have to maintain their own private family home and family expenses.
Have you noticed that single practice doctors are now mostly in the past. Multiple doctors networking together is now what is expected. This cuts down on some of the overhead.
Since HMO’s and other insurance plans have taken over medical insurance for most people, the medical doctor also has to change. For instance, remember the days when you actually had ten(10) minutes with the doctor. Now you may only have five (5)minutes.
The reason is money. HMO’s and other insurance companies have cut the reimbursement to doctors. The doctor has to make up the difference in revenue by seeing patients in volume.
Many older doctors are now retiring thanks to HMO’s and other insurance plans. The doctors are confused and angry with the change in medical care. When they went to medical school, it did not include fighting with insurance companies for medical care for their patients.
Doctors do ever wonder why your office is not bringing in as much revenue as it should? Read on.
I worked in several doctors offices over the years and I have been a patient in many. As a patient, I always observe the receptionist. I watch the interchange between the receptionist and the patients as they come up to the window to check in. Is the receptionist courteous and polite to the patient?
RECEPTIONISTS RESPONSIBILITIES:
(1) Be aware of money owed by the patient from a previous visit.
(2) Collect co pays.
(3) Make sure the patient has given you the correct insurance information. Call the insurance company and find out if the deductible has been met for the year or if there is a co pay owed.
(4) If a cash patient make sure you collect the money before the patient leaves the office.
If an arrangement has been made between the office and the patient to pay part now and part later, make sure the patient is well aware of this before they vanish forever into the sunset.
(5) Make a copy of the front and back of the insurance card.
(6) If the patient needs a referral or authorization make sure it is in the chart ahead of time. Going back and trying to get a retro leads to more paperwork and an angry patient.
(7) Make sure you have the patients correct address.
(8) Answers the phone and makes appointments.
RECEPTIONISTS multitask constantly though out the day. They have an important job. They are the spokesperson for the doctor. When a patient checks in or out of the office is when the money is collected from the patient. It can easily be missed.
MEDICAL INSURANCE BILLING:
(1) Send the claim form out correctly the first time to the medical insurance company. Take the time to check it over and make sure all information has been keyed into the computer correctly.
(2) If a mistake was made and you receive and Explanation of Benefits (EOB) back requesting medical records or whatever is needed to get the claim paid, do it immediately. This will cut down on the number of angry patient calls to you.
Billers you may not like the piles of denied Explanation of Benefits you receive back from the insurance companies but they are pure gold for getting the claim paid. The balance is usually the patients responsibility.
THE DOCTORS RESPONSIBILITY:
Sometimes, the workload is so heavy the biller gets stressed and frustrated and feels trapped. When this happens maybe, another person is needed to divide the workload.
The doctor needs to take a good look at how smoothly the office is running. How efficient is the receptionist in multitasking and collecting the money.
The doctors today need to be well informed on medical insurance and the various plans. This way the doctor can treat their patients according to what their medical plan will allow.
If during the doctors visit the patient needs an unexpected procedure etc., the procedure should be authorized with the insurance company before the procedure is performed. By treating the patient before the authorization is obtained, the doctor may not get paid for the procedure.
The explanation of benefits (EOB) from the insurance company will be denied for the reason. Not a covered benefit or no prior authorization.
The doctor must take a more active role in the running of the office and be aware of all the medical billing nightmares that pop up and why they happen.
DOCTOR - FIND THE HIDDEN MONEY SITTING IN YOUR COMPUTER:
Many times there are claims ready to be paid by the insurance company, the insurance biller must be trained to handle problem accounts.
The easiest way to find the hidden money is to run a print out of all your open accounts.
(l) Have they been followed up?
(2) Look at all the Explanation of Benefits denials that are probably stacked on a desk. This is a very good way to get a handle on what is actually happening to your money!
(3) Sometimes, all it takes is an appeal by phone or by letter to start communication once again with the insurance company.
These are some suggestions to look at in finding hidden money. This entire article can start revenue flying into your office.
Sometimes, all it takes is a kind word, a hand shake while saying, “good job” to your staff to motivate them into zoom mode and get the job done!
Today doctors and patients are trapped in escalating medical costs. What do we do about it? How can we change this?
WHEN THE MEDICAL INSURANCE SYSTEM DOESN’T WORK:
We start with the local, state and on to federal government.
EVERYBODY NEEDS MEDICAL CARE! I will repeat. EVERYBODY NEEDS MEDICAL CARE! Did you hear me in Washington. If the system doesn’t work. CHANGE IT!
Please let me hear from you on this article or any of my other articles.
If you have a question on your medical bill when you have insurance check out my article listed below:
Horrifying Medical Bills With Insurance! Fight Back!
If you don’t have medical insurance check out my article listed below:
When I Don’t Have Medical Insurance! What Do I Do?
Everybody is entitled to medical care. Do you hear that Washington. If the system we have doesn’t work. Change It!
Copyright 2006 Linda Meckler
I have worked in many doctors offices and what I have written is my observations. I have now become a published author of my first book “Ghost Kids Trilogy” a first of its kind adventure. Love, Family Values, and Charity burst off the pages. This is 3 books in 1 book. For ages 8-14 to adult.(Book 1) Ghost Kids: 2 real children and 2 Ghost Kids team up to get the Ghost Kids back to their parents. (Book 2) Blue Vase Mystery: Uncle Charlie the villain of the book is trapped in a magical blue vase. He wants out of the vase. In return he will tell the children where Pirates’ Treasure is buried in their house. (Book 3) Pirates’ Treasure-the hunt- Go on a treasure hunt with the children.
Check my website http://www.lmeckler.com My email lmecky@tns.net
ISBN0-7414-2273-5. http://www.amazon.com or Infinity Publishing or http://www.buybooksontheweb.com With an order of 5 books = 40% discount. With an order of 20 book free shipping and handling.
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