Business

Choosing Between Online and Traditional Faxing

January 25, 2012 By Raisa Leave a Comment

Online faxing over an internet protocol system has grown in popularity over the past decade. While many organizations, large and small, have embraced online faxes, others remain hesitant. Few organizations have made the total transition to online faxing, though.

Rewards of Traditional Faxing

Traditional faxing rewards the recipient with a hard concrete product which the professional can hold in their hands. Though a reward of little value, it is a comfort to many office personnel who need a cognitive reinforcer the “deal is done.”

A past argument for the traditional fax was the legality of a paper versus an image. Previously, an image was not respected as a supporting document in court. This is because they could be edited and manipulated to make them say whatever the recipient wanted. Likewise, the sender could send one copy then edit the original to reflect a different position.

Technological Advances

Technology has advanced to include document lock safeguards. At the same time the general public and courts have become more acceptable of electronic files. It is still preferable for high value documents to be sent through overnight mail and a traditional fax probably would not have sufficed in these cases anyway.

Online fax services allow the user to be more mobile because the fax can be received via mobile devices anywhere you are.

Who is Using Online Faxing?

Tech worlds and private sectors appear to be the industries with the highest acceptance rate. Nonprofit and government agencies may be the slowest to take advantage of the cost saving effects of online faxing. This may be due to outdated policies promoting the storage of paper over productivity.

Characteristics of Online Faxing:

No need for any analog (land lines) to be installed. The existing data lines are leveraged.
Long distance dialing charges are an expense of the past.
Supply marketing materials in almost unlimited graphic settings.
Use fax with email and voicemail for coordinated marketing campaigns.
Saves money through a central process.

Characteristics of Traditional Faxing:

Analog lines are needed.
Continue to pay per call and per minute long distance charges.
Unable to integrate voicemail with fax.
Fax boards are required.

Although most companies will experience an increase in mobility, an increase in workforce flexibility, and improved efficiency, companies should compare the characteristics of each and make individualized decisions on which way to go. Keep in mind that online faxing is fairly easy to implement and there are numerous cost benefits.

Computers and the Job Market

July 25, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Computers have revolutionized our lives, the way we do business, and how we communicate. Think back to all of the jobs and the type of technology that existed 50 years ago, then think about today. There is a great demand for increased technology, but at what expense. The human element needed in the work place is not in that high of demand as it was a few years ago, and that has serious effects on the dismal job market that is in place today.

Replacing the Human Element in the Workplace

Manufacturing employment in Cleveland, OH MSA.

Image via Wikipedia

Some of the jobs that have been replaced by computers includes:

Bank Tellers
Car manufacturers
Pilots
Operators
Receptionists
Power plant employees

This is just a short list of professions that have taken a hard hit as a result of the technological advances made in our current society. The adjustments made in skilled crafts and trades and begun to incorporate the initial skills with the technology addition. However, much of the progress is geared at efficiency and quickness, resulting in little to no human workmanship being included.

Ways to Rise Above

For people that are adamant about being part of a workforce that has technological saturation, consider gaining more understanding, education, and certification in the are of computer technology, engineering, or computer programming. These areas are the key industries that develop new ideas that will later lead to less human contact, but will provide work for those that develop it. Investigate the options that are present regarding this topic, nad see if it is a good fit for you.

Filed Under: Basics, Latest Developments Tagged With: Business, Employment, Work

People are Losing Their Jobs to Machines, but Companies are Benefiting

May 15, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Business automation probably isn’t the reason for the recessions, but it is definitely putting people out of jobs. This is because companies can save a lot of money if they do not have to pay employees for a job that can be done by a machine. Plus, a lot of the time a machine is more reliable and predictable than an employee. Companies only have to pay for energy and supplies when they use a machine.

Ways to Automate Your Business

There are lots of jobs that can be replaced by automated machines. Here are two of the easiest to implement:

Use an automated phone service. Sometimes all somebody wants when they call your business is to know your store hours. This can be distracting to employees who always have to run over to answer the phone. You can keep your employees more on task when you use an automated phone system that asks questions to the caller before they are directed to an actual person. It is also a way to route calls to the best party without a receptionist.
Use a machine for manufacturing goods. Machines can be programmed to do anything, so why not hire an engineer to create a machine to manufacture the goods that you sell. This can apply to apparel, sporting goods, food processing, or anything else. You will still have to hire employees to maintain the machines, but the manufacturing staff can be cut drastically.

There are plenty of other business systems that can be automated to save your business money. Be creative and you might soon be seeing more profits.

Filed Under: Robotics & Machines Tagged With: Automation, Business, Manufacturing

Is it a Good Idea to Supply Your Employees with Smartphones?

May 5, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - NOVEMBER 28: A woman hol...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Smartphones are great for businesses because employees are able to access their email on the go, take conference calls, contact clients, adjust their schedule, and do anything else they need to do while away from the office. Employees can also do research on the Internet and create documents directly on their smartphone. The possibilities are almost limitless.

Many companies are now starting to offer smartphones as a hiring and retention incentive. This is because it benefits their business, and employees feel it is a perk of their job. Many companies, however, are beginning to regret this decision. Here are some of the reasons why:

Employees download games and other time-wasting apps and play with them during company time.
There is no way to monitor the activity of the smartphone user to make sure they are being productive.
The monthly cost of a smartphone can be a burden.
Important business information can be stolen if the smartphone gets lost or into the wrong hands.

Smartphones provide many benefits to your employees and your business, but there are some reasons why supplying them might turn out to be a bad idea. If you do decide to give your employees smartphones, make sure that they know the phones should only be used for business purposes and games and entertainment apps should only be used off business hours. The best way to do this is to check the phone bill for unauthorized activity that is done during company time. If employees know their activity is being monitored, they are more likely to obey the rules.

Filed Under: Gadgets Tagged With: Business, Employment, Smartphone

How to Save Paper While Printing from the Computer?

March 24, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

When computers were introduced to the public during the 1980s many experts and analysts predicted that printing will become obsolete and computers will take over all the work and home related sharing of information. This prediction did not come to pass, on the contrary printing industry exploded and humans are now using 10 times more paper than they did more than 30 years ago.

This means that printing is becoming so widespread that use of paper and ink is reaching unsustainable proportions threatening large scale deforestation and soil erosion while creating enormous quantities of paper industry related pollution and sewage disposal problems inside water bodies such as rivers, lakes and continental shelves.

It is impossible to ban printing immediately around the world to clean up the environment, but there are several measures which can be taken to ensure printing is done efficiently and paper is utilized in as few quantities as possible.

The first thing which comes to mind is setting the printer commands to default double sided copying, printing, faxing and scanning so that paper usage is literally cut in half. Secondly, using the Office productivity suite to edit documents to minimize the unprinted area as much as possible. The font of the printed material can be chosen so that more words and paragraphs can be fitted in one page.

Office workers should make sure that only those documents are printed which are absolutely needed. All meetings, planning and discussion should be covered on computers themselves and files should be shared thorugh e-mail or an online file sharing system accessible to the colleagues.

Printing indiscriminately in the office can also increase the overhead costs and put pressure on the operating costs of any business.

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: Business, Paper, Printing

Connections Found: Social Media Software Defined

December 14, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

It is the briefest of moments, the unexpected interlude, the time is suddenly quiet and you are… stunned. Your child is resting (the sunbeams he was chasing finally proved too elusive). Your duties are done (it’s the afternoon and you’ve scrubbed, washed and folded until your bones creaked). The seconds are now yours to command. And it’s a giddy rush of power that you intend to indulge in.

You hurry then to the computer, wishing to access the world beyond your home. Your days are devoted to familial obligations, the demands of being a mother. You wouldn’t change this, but you also won’t deny all that occurs while you’re being a keeper of secrets and smiles. There is much information to discover and you want to have it all.

And so you use social media software to make that an easier thing.

Simply defined, social media software is utilized in any form of communication between users. From networking sites to message boards to research directories, the purpose is to encourage the trade of words and ideas. It is not the common notion of computer applications (the embedded strands of codes and sources). Instead, it is dependent upon individuals, ensuring that conversations can occur.

And stay at home mothers become particularly reliant upon it.

Your life is frantic, filled with the needs of your family and parental concerns. There is never enough time to give to yourself. It’s instead siphoned away by motherhood. The hours are not your own.

They can still be filled with information, however. Social media allows you to stay in contact with the world and all other online users. You will be surrounded by facts and summoned by dialogue that will keep you abreast of all trends and changes. The connection can be made and the result can be satisfying.

Best of all, it takes only a moment to access these rewards.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Business, Facebook, Social media, Social network, Twitter

Save Big Bucks: Purchase Goods In Bulk Online

December 13, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

For those of you who have a little extra storage space in your cabinets or pantries, purchasing goods either in bulk or at wholesale prices is a great way to save money. There are a number of grocers and home product retailers that sell online at deep discounts. You can use these sites to purchase items in bulk that won’t go bad such as paper products or to purchase products such as condiments, cereal, canned goods, and grains that have long shelf lives. To get the best deal, look for retailers that offer either free shipping or a reduced rate on shipping.

If you have a home office, consider doing the same when it comes to office products. There are a number of online retailers that sell office products at deep discounts for people who buy in bulk. After all, printer paper, envelopes, and other types of packaging materials don’t have an expiration date. This can also be a good way to save on printer ink, which is sometimes one of the most expensive office supply products that people purchase. Again, look for online retailers that both offer discounts for buying in bulk and free shipping.

Finally, consider purchasing your favorite specialty items in bulk. A tea lover, for example, can easily spend nearly five dollars on a box that includes 18 tea bags. A bulk order of 240 tea bags, on the other hand, may only cost around forty dollars, reducing the price per cup by about half. Although purchasing 240 tea bags in one go may seem wild, consider this: a true tea lover is likely to go through between two and five tea bags a day every day of the year. Drinking that much tea, purchased at bulk prices, can add up to some real savings. Also, don’t forget that many websites offer free shipping for large orders, which will only add to the savings.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Bulk purchasing, Business, Purchasing, Wholesale

Just Another Reason to Love Spreadsheets: Planning Your Next Vacation

December 7, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Anyone who loves being organized will tell you that spreadsheets are just about one of the best inventions on the planet. But spreadsheets like those found in open office don’t only have to be used for business and financial purposes. They can also help you to organize fun events like vacation.

Also, one of the best parts about being organized is that it saves you time, which means that you’ll spend less time searching for more information and more time enjoying your vacation. Here’s an example: You arrive at a hotel only to find that the person behind the desk has no record of your reservation. Instead of searching their system under identifiers such as your phone number, last name, and so on and so forth, you can simply pull out your spreadsheet with your reservation number and hand that over to the clerk.

Also, staying organized is a great way to save bucks and using the spreadsheet software found at openoffice.org is free. Having addresses of all of your destinations clearly printed on your spreadsheet will keep you from spending hours driving around an unusual city looking for an address or having a taxi driver literally “take you for a ride”.

The key items to include on your vacation spreadsheet that you create with openoffice or another program are the addresses for each of your destinations as well as the phone number and the name of any contact person that you’ve been in touch with at each destination. As mentioned above, be sure to note all reservation or confirmation numbers that you are give during booking. Also, be sure to note the agreed-upon price for all of your reservations and any tickets that you’ve purchased or put a deposit on. This way you will be able to make sure that you don’t over pay for anything. You can also include a list of things to do if your first set of plans don’t work due to weather or some other factor so that you have a backup plan.

You can create your own custom spreadsheet according to your needs, but it is often most helpful to organize the information according to each day of vacation.

Filed Under: Latest Developments Tagged With: Business, Spreadsheet

Use a Blog to Promote Your Business

August 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

If you are a freelancer or own a small business, consider using a blog to promote your business. A blog is a great place to post news and updates about your business and to share information about awards and accolades. You can also create blog pages that include customer testimonials.

Depending on your business, you may even want to open up your blog to responses from readers. For example, a bookstore owner could use a blog as a place for people to have discussions about books that they are reading, make recommendations, and even organize book clubs. Or a boutique owner could create a part of the blog where customers could respond to new items and discuss the latest trends.

Also, the more posts you have on your blog, the more likely you are to create content that will draw visitors. The more visitors that visit your blog, the more people know about or are reminded of your business. One great way to create content for your blog that will draw readers is to offer useful information. If, for example, you work as a freelance writer, you may want to include useful information for people writing speeches, term papers, and articles.

Although it might seem odd to give people tips on how to perform your services instead of just doing the work on their own, this technique is more likely to make visitors to your blog more confident in your abilities and knowledge. Furthermore, being generous with information is always a good way to win a client’s confidence. And when they need professional-level work on a quick turnaround time, it is likely that they will come to you.

Even if you only have a blog that is updated once a week or a few times a month, it is a good way to disseminate information about your business and, hopefully, bring in new clients or customers.

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: Business, Freelancer, Writing

Exploring Bonds as Investment Opportunities

June 14, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image by YoTuT via Flickr

After the stock market tanked in 2007, many investors got cold feet and started pulling their money out of volatile markets. This action, of course, made the market even more precarious, which quickly revealed how unstable stock markets really were. In response, many people started to look for other ways to invest their money.

Bonds were a natural choice for many investors. Bonds have been used throughout history to help governments accumulate cash reserves. War bonds, treasury bonds, and municipal bonds are all popular options. There are, however, different types of bonds and you can buy a bond online. When exploring bond sellers, you should know the differences between these options. Knowing your options will help you make smarter long-term investment plans.

Municipal bonds are issued by territories, states, or city governments instead of the federal government. The interest rate attached to them can vary greatly depending on the bond, so be sure that you understand the specific terms of municipal bonds before purchasing them. One of the advantages of municipal bonds is that you don’t usually have to pay city, state, or federal taxes on them. Some municipal bonds, however, do not benefit from this exemption.

Fixed bonds have set rates that will not change. This means that investors who purchase them are protected from financial loss. Their ability to make money from the bonds, however, is limited. There is little risk with fixed rate bonds, but there is also little money-making potential.

Floating rate notes, however, have interest rates that vary. This makes them riskier, but also provides an opportunity to make more money than one could get from fixed bonds. The variable rate is usually linked to a specific index. Most floating rate notes accumulate money over time, usually with quarterly payments. This lessens the risk associated with variable interest rates but can also have a limiting effect on investment returns.

Filed Under: Latest Developments Tagged With: Bonds, Business, Investment, Stock market