business

What I like most about email is the lack of reflection that takes place before one is sent. As an involuntary reflex, people have to think as they're writing an email, but people don't have to think about what they're saying in the email and the impact their message might have. They just need to click Send as soon as they're done typing whatever jumbled garbage they typed.
Email draws you into the raw, animalistic state of being of a person's mind. When I picture what goes on inside the head of one of my employees who is developing an email, I envision two animals fighting over a carcass picked clean by vultures. There's a struggle, a perceived victory, the clicking of Send, and a period of reflection that fills one up with an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. It makes me chuckle.
Even I don't like to reflect before I send email, and I get much more work done now because of it. In the old days, when I would dictate to a secretary, it was next to impossible to tell people what was really on my mind. I would ramble some stream-of-consciousness memo, usually about such things as the cut of my employees' pants or those pesky toxins that "may" have gotten into those Norwegian Ice Toys we sell, but when she would read my dictation back to me, I had to hear my words and thoughts. Those thoughts weren't nearly as perfect as they were when they came out of my mouth. I can't tell you how many secretaries I fired because of their ineptitude.

As an Internet-based application, VoIP can be as flexible as you need it to be. This means that it can combine several features that we take for granted when we use the Internet every day - such as free communication via e-mail or messaging. But low costs are just one of the many advantages that a VoIP system can bring to your organization. If your business like many others today, relies on heavy intercommunication between people separated in various locales, it can help you bring them together in a cheap and effective manner using features that were hitherto only available to large corporations who were willing to pay the price to the PSTN phone companies.
Conference calling with VoIP is as easy and flexible as it needs to be. Those who have access to an SIP VoIP client or a dedicated VoIP phone will be able to connect to the conference call for free. Those who're not able to join via the Internet, can still connect through their traditional mobile or landline phones. Since it's a safe bet that most of the people in the conference call will be either your employees or business partners, it's easy to ensure that most of them are making use of VoIP when they call in.
But as I mentioned above, it's not just the low costs that attracts firms and businesses to use VoIP as a conferencing solution. One feature is called HD voice which essentially means that the quality of the signal that is received over a VoIP phone is far more clear and crisp than that experienced over a PSTN line. When only two people are communicating, it's obvious who is talking and there's no need for advanced voice recognition. When several people are involved however, the codec used by the PSTN phone line is insufficient for easy recognition of the speaker.
Whenever possible, a VoIP call will make use of an HD voice codec that incorporates much more of the higher and lower ends of the spectrum than a regular line. This not only makes it easy to recognize who is speaker is, it also gets rid of annoying problems that occur when trying to differentiate between various fricative consonants such as B, P and D.
It's very easy to get used to HD voice calling. So much so, that you will have problems going back to the PSTN codecs once you've experienced it for any length of time. To find out how you can get started, contact your ITSP.

VoIP for business is fast becoming the norm as opposed to the exception. VoIP or voice over IP transports conversation in a different manner than has been traditionally done in the past. The traditional analog signal is what most people use to receive and make phone calls and VoIP business phones are changing the telecommunications landscape and giving many businesses access to resources that was beyond their reach in the past.
What is VoIP?
Phone conversations are connected via a direct line between the caller and the receiver of the call. When the call is placed, the local LEC or local exchange carrier routes the call based on the number dialed. The call is then transmitted via an analog signal. VoIP phones transmit the signal in a different way. These phones transmit the call in the form of data packets. Much like a computer that communicates by sending and receiving data, VoIP phones send the call in the form of data packets. However, because communication must be sent in a continuous stream, there are certain configuration requirements to ensure that the call sounds seamless.
On most data networks, data is simply processed in the order it is received and if there is a bottleneck, the data will continue to transmit once the bottleneck is cleared. Although voice data packets will work in the same fashion, the audio quality of the call begins to suffer. This is because although all of the data packets will be transmitted, they may not get to their destination at the same time, creating what is called delay or jitter. In laymen's terms, if the end of your conversation gets there before the beginning, your speech is not going to sound anything like the way it was spoken, often sounding like a cell phone out of range.
With VoIP business phones QoS, or quality of service, is implemented to insure that the voice data packets always have priority. This works as sort of a traffic cop directing traffic on the network. Regular data is allowed to go through until a VoIP call is made and then this "traffic cop" stops or slows other traffic and allows the voice call to go through first. In a properly configured network, problems with audio quality on a VoIP calls are kept to a minimum.
How Does VoIP for Business Provide Benefit?
Traditional voice circuits can be quite costly depending on the number of circuits and the call volume processed. VoIP phones minimize this cost by sending calls over the data network. Depending on the size of the network and the circuits, you can process these calls over the same circuits that you're currently using to process data. This eliminates the need for traditional circuits limited to voice communications. In this way, a business can leverage the data network they already have to process both data and voice traffic. This provides more versatility to the business and allows the business to expand in ways where they were limited before.
One of the biggest benefits to VoIP for business is the ability for the workforce to work from any location. Teleworking has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and saves the business money in terms of maintenance and cost of operations. If you're currently running your business in Texas and want a presence in Ohio, you can simply hire someone and give them an extension in your phone system and allow access to the network. You don't have to open a physical location in Ohio and yet you have personnel without all of the overhead costs associated with a traditional brick and mortar business.
The ability to have personnel in any location provides the business with more options and the ability to expand quickly with minimal cost. This is often the best way to "try out" a particular market without investing the time and effort it takes to procure real estate and set up a fully operational business.
Another issue that VoIP for business solves for many businesses is one of finding quality personnel. This allows the business owner to cast a wider net when recruiting quality associates. In this way, a business owner in a smaller town has access to employees in bigger markets with a broader talent pool.
VoIP for business provides even the smaller business owner with the ability to think big and expand. By leveraging resources that you're already paying for, you are walking onto a larger playing field with many benefits that larger businesses enjoy. VoIP business phones are the vehicle by which any business can eliminate boundaries and limitations in relation to physical location thereby establishing a presence almost anywhere in the world. If you want to expand your business with minimal cost, then VoIP for business should be considered as a viable option to take your business to the next level and beyond.

Nowadays, we find a lackluster in the interior designing of offices as their office furniture placement is not done properly. It is because the business organizations order for huge amounts of office furniture at a time & then employs the interior designers to help them placing this furniture & decorate their office in an elegant way. This is why most of the offices now look more or less the same, for instance, the modern office furniture trend is to use cubicles in place of separate offices but it has brought down the employee productivity & caused them greater inconvenience. However, basic layout sense & a little creativity can make every office to look attractive & professional.
Although the job of interior decoration seems interesting it is tough also. The office d? cor conveys the objective of the company as well as its image. Modern office furniture has become a part of office furnishing these days. That's why each piece of office furniture should be picked up so as to match well with the office space & its image. This furniture will not only impress your visitors but also make them gain a true idea of your business and its work culture. An aesthetic office ambience highlights your professionalism & drives more business.
Today, most of the office owners prefer to renovate their workplace with light & lovely modern office furniture rather than dull looking, old modeled & heavy wooden furniture. Although modern office furniture have started replacing traditional wooden furniture everywhere but there are some craftsmen who are giving a magic touch to the conventional wooden furniture. And the furniture are acting as antique pieces & giving an exotic feel to the area where they are placed. A shining & wood made desk with few drawers is a kind of furniture that can be treated as both conventional & professional furniture designs and can improve the image of an office easily.
Sometimes, the finely handcrafted wood furniture designs appeal to employees & give them a soothing feel. It is true that employees always like to work in an office that is attractively designed & supplied with comfortable furniture. Such kind of physical comfort inspires them to work for more time & brings greater productivity for the organization with an increase in business. It is however not necessary to remodel an office with costly wooden furniture as there are many economical furniture designs are available in market. If we go for compact & inexpensive fiber, polyethylene, glass or metal office furniture designs, our office can be still made to look classy & professional provided that the balance is perfect.
It has become necessary for every employer to build up a long term bonding with its employees & encourage them to spend more working hours in the office. So, they ask for suggestion from their employees when they are going to renovate their office. By doing so they give their employees a pampered feel & convince them to show more dedication towards their work. However, all the employees may not feel alike & used to differ a lot on the furniture designs. So, it is better to consider purchasing modern furniture designs with traditional values & professional look.

If you're running a small- to medium-sized business, chances are you'll be undergoing a lot of changes in the next few months. If you think we're only talking about economics changes here, you're wrong. These changes would also involve your office layout, which means that you'll have to be very flexible when it comes to your choices of office furniture. With that in mind, will you risk having outfitted office solutions or modular (read: temporary and re-workable) ones? Below are the benefits you can enjoy when you use modular storage equipments in your work space.
Good Money on Good Furniture
In the long run, using modular storage equipments is more practical compared to having permanent fixtures made for your office. Why should you put up permanent walls, for example, if you can just assemble temporary dividers that you can put away in the future? If you only look at the initial costs, some modular office solutions might look a tad pricier than permanent fixtures. In reality, though, when you consider all the possible ways you can re-assemble the same piece of modular office furniture, choosing to go modular may help you save more money.
Convenience
No one wants to demolish parts of the office just because a major change in the employment structure is taking place. This costs money and burns up a lot of time. Added expenses and lost work time mean negative revenue for any company, and this is doubly detrimental for a small- or a medium-sized company. On the other hand, modular office furniture pieces can be assembled and reassembled easily, even by your own men. You won't have to worry about hiring professionals to do it for you.
The reassembling time is also minimal. While you can lose weeks of work time trying to remodel an office made with permanent fixtures, modular office furniture pieces can be re-assembled in a matter of hours. You might only have to take half the day off for structural changes to be implemented.
Standard layout
Customization is a whim. If you're on a budget, the best way for you to stick to it is to go for standard or generic solutions. Modular office furniture pieces sell well because they fit the standard needs of average offices. If you're using modular desks, these have been designed to fit the needs of the greater majority of office workers, so it's always a safe choice. If you're using modular filing cabinets and shelves, these have also been sized according to standard office needs. It's perfect for the medium- or small-sized company whose primary aim is to set up a workable office in as little time, and with as little money as possible.
Where to look for them
Unfortunately, not all modular office furniture pieces are made the same. Some might be harder to assemble than others, and there's also a good chance that the modular furniture pieces you're purchasing aren't as durable as the manufacturer promised. Before purchasing modular office furniture pieces, make sure that the company providing them for you have garnered good reviews from real clients. Do your homework and invest your money only in high quality office furniture.

Troubleshooting office phone system issues at your business may be something that can be done before users call a phone system technician. There are many phone system issues that occur frequently in a business or office, and many users may be able to repair the phones on their own. If the problem exists outside of your phone system, the phone company may have to come out and repair the problem. Before the phone company is called out, try the tips below to see if users can troubleshoot the problem first.
If the phone does not work, there is no dial tone, or there is static on the line, follow these steps:
Check the cord going from the wall jack to the phone, as well as the cord going from the phone to the handset. All cords should be completely tight and secure. Loose cords may cause a phone not to work. Any noticeable damage to a phone cord may cause the phone to not work. Try swapping out a damaged or loose cord for one from a working phoneUnplug the phone and try it at another location. If it works elsewhere, you may have bad cabling
If you are having trouble with a cordless phone:
Unplug the power supply and phone cord from the wall jackBe sure all lines are properly hung upMake sure additional equipment (fax, answering machine, etc) are working properlyTo check each machine, power it off and then unplug it. Leave the machine unplugged for a few seconds, then plug it back in and power it on
If callers have trouble hearing you, or you have trouble hearing them, you may have an issue with the handset. Try swapping the handset and the cord with one from a working unit.
If the phone rings, but there is no one on the line, or the phone rings once and then stops:
Check and see if your call forward feature is onUnplug all devices from the wall jack and power supply, then plug a single phone in and have someone call. If it still does not work, try another phone jackThe calls you are receiving may be misdirected calls from a computer or fax machine. There may be silence, a fax tone, or a computer tone if this is the casePressing the phone hookup before actually hanging up (a common habit for many office workers) may cause a three-way conference call to initiate. This may cause your phone to ring back once you have hung it upTelemarketers may have a delayed greeting on an auto-dialing machine that has reached your number
If no phone calls are coming in, check and see if:
The ringer is turned onCall forwarding is turned off
If this does not work, try these steps:
Unplug all devices from the wall jack and power supplyPlug a single phone in and call the phoneIf the phone still does not work, try another phoneIf the second phone works, the first one may need to be replaced
If users hear other conversations on the line, there may be interference from a CB radio or AM/FM signal. A modular filter may be available anywhere that phone equipment is sold. This should get rid of the problem. Cordless phone users:
Unplug the phone from the wall jack and power supplyTry another phoneIf the problem is with the phone, try changing the frequencyFor corded phone users:Unplug the phone from the wall jack and power supplyTry another phoneIf the second phone works, the original phone may need to be replaced
If you think there is a problem with the phone jack, try another jack. If you believe the problem is in the wiring or cabling of your phone system, call a telecommunication technician.
If users cannot make long distance calls:
Check to see if the service has not been shut off because of payments due to the long-distance carrierA user may have placed "toll blocking" on the phone, which would disallow the ability to make long-distance callsThere may be a problem with long distance carrier switch. In that case, users would need to call their long-distance carrier
If the voice mail is not answering, check the power to the voice mail system. For many older units, the voice mail may have its own power supply
If no solution is working properly, always remember that when in doubt, power out. There is one disclaimer that comes with powering out. If a battery that retains phone memory powers down, you may lose programming to the phone, so always use caution. If you are unsure, call a telecommunications technician for help and service.

In office feng shui, there are many things that a person must be mindful of in order to create a workspace that is harmonious and that attracts wealth. By browsing the web, you can learn about A TON of different strategies to use that can help improve your office using feng shui. I'm here today to give you some quick guidelines and principles that you can immediately use to transform your office into a workplace that will attract, wealth prosperity and happiness.

1. Cleanliness
   If any of you guys read my blog, you'll see that I am a huge proponent of decluttering your office first before you do anything else to change your office. By clearing away things you don't need you'll find out what you DO need, and you'll give your office room to breathe (actually, it's to let chi circulate freely). This is a crucial step and should be done regularly to ensure that your office doesn't get overwhelmed with clutter and messiness. Neat and clean are the operative words.
   Now, once you have a base you can work with concerning feng shui, you can start to implement these other principles to weed out the necessities.
2. Function
   What is the purpose of the items in your office? How often do you really use that modern art pencil sharpener your aunt gave to you? If the answer is not much, then you should probably remove it from your office (either thow it away, give it away, or bring it home). Every item in your office should serve a function, either decorative and colorful (to augment chi, check out my blog for more info on this), functionally (your computer to write documents), or in some wat benefit your office environment. If it fits one of these criteria, it should be kept, otherwise, disposed of.
3. Comfort
   Above all physical sensations your office should be comfortable. You need to make sure that when you work in your office that you feel comfortable, at home, and ready to work. This can be done by utilizing objects such as comfortable (and ergonomic) chairs, desks, keyboards etc. Or by using pleasing feng shui colors that will excite chi.
4. Space and Arrangement
   Space is one of the most vital (if not THE most vital) parts of any feng shui office and it must be implemented generously and tactfully. Windows heighten the feeling of space, along with paintings, and actual space. One of the easiest way to get space is to rearrange your office equipment so that space is a priority. Keeping space in mind while designing your office is a must.

Office cleaning is an important task which needs to be carried out on a routine basis. For better results in this regard, you can hire a cleaning company. An office cleaning company specializes in providing quality cleaning services in offices to create a clean and hygienic environment where employees can work dedicated to the company's growth.
Your employees deserve to work only in the best and clean office. So, office cleaning on a regular basis is a very important task in the direction to generate a healthy and clean environment in an office.
It is not possible for a single person to clean the entire office properly as the process involves a lot of time and effort. Just by allotting the task of office cleaning to any professional company, you would not only save your hard-earned money but also the precious time and effort that can otherwise be utilized somewhere else. Also by doing so, you can concentrate completely on your business which can bring better results for you both in terms of productivity and increased revenue.
Hiring a professional cleaning company is a good decision as it would provide you with a better and faster service and that too at a rate which you can afford. Presently, there are many companies, which are offering quality and affordable office cleaning services to clients. Plenty of advantages can be derived from these firms, starting from the quality of services delivered to the price charged by them.
Major benefits of the companies have been discussed below:
" An office cleaning company does not disturb employees while they are busy doing their work. Once all the employees have left the office, the skilled cleaners start their cleaning job. Important tasks performed by them include dusting and wiping all the furniture; mopping the floors, cleaning walls, carpet cleaning, maintaining bathrooms, etc. In addition to this, they also carry out polishing work, if required.
" Exterior of the building is cleaned by pressure washing where powerful pressure washers are used.
" Maintenance services are also offered by the cleaning companies which include regular inspection of lights; checking of bulbs, keeping a track of damaged furniture items lying in office premises, etc.
" In addition to the usual cleaning tasks, the firms also provide expert clean-up services to ensure full client satisfaction.
" Office cleaning packages are also offered from time to time to help clients enjoy the best-possible services at competitive rates.
" The cleaning companies always employ natural cleaning products which leave no residue and are safe for pets, human beings and environment. Moreover, equipment is also well-tested before use.
Thus, cleaning companies play a vital role in creating a clean and pleasant environment that will definitely motivate employees to work with full dedication and comfort thus bringing better results for the company.