When the Rep l

The Value And Reality Of Implementing Better Project Management
It has now well been accepted that the implementation of project management practices adds value to any organization. One recent study showed a 28% ROI1 from project management initiatives in IT organizations. However, what is the reality in developing and following such practices? Are the returns on investment so easily shown? What are the key steps or processes for these returns to actually occur? Experience and examples from the field, points to the following critical steps in becoming a better project management organization.Set clear goals and establish benchmarks.

If you have outside sales or support personnel, you run a very high risk of losing your customers when your outside staff leaves the company to work for another company or to go into business for themselves.

Here's the typical scenario. You've got a great outside salesperson, often located hundreds or thousands of miles from the home office. Maybe, even in a different country. This salesperson loves his job, and works hard to service the customer. So hard, that he tells them: "Don't call the number on my business card. That's the home office and I am never there. Instead, call my cell number. I've written it on my card."

All is well until your salesperson leaves the company to go to work for a competitor or even into business for him or herself. Can you guess what customers hear when they call the cell phone number to place an order? It's probably something like: "I am so glad you called. I am no longer with that company. I am with a new company that has better products and lower prices. Let me tell you all out my new company."

This disaster happened because the company lost its connection to its customers, by allowing customers to call its staff directly on a phone number that is owned and controlled by the employee. If this has already happened to you, you're well aware of what it feels like to be blindsided by such an unexpected loss of business. If this has not already happened to you, it almost surely will, sooner than later.

Companies of all sizes have learned that protecting their customer base from such attacks starts by controlling the communications system between the customer and the company's staff. That means providing voice and fax numbers to every employee, whether they work inside or outside of the office and regardless of the country in which they work.

An easy and inexpensive solution is to outsource to a hosted service provider that can provide a voice and fax number, called a Virtual Office, for each outside employee. The Virtual Office number can be a toll free number. Some service providers have local phone numbers in the cities in which the employees work, even cities outside the US. That number is printed on the Rep's business card. When customers call that phone number, the service provider automatically routes the call to the Rep's cell phone or home office number. If the call is not answered, the call can be routed elsewhere, perhaps to an assistant or the corporate office, or it can take a voicemail message. The Virtual Office can then call the Rep and deliver the message immediately, as well as deliver the message to Rep's email, where it can be played over any Internet devise.

When the Rep le

Open Source Marketing- What Is It And Why Do You Need It
Today’s consumer is nothing like they were twenty years ago. They are much more skeptical, wealthy, better informed and in control. Yet, the advertising industry at large has not changed and is still using tactics similar to those used twenty years ago. This is leaving a huge disconnect between what consumers want and what they are getting. In either case I am sure you are wondering what this has to do with open source marketing… Well let me tell you.Open source as a movement is designed to allow the majority to design and mold whatever they are interacting with. From software t

he home office and I am never there. Instead, call my cell number. I've written it on my card."

All is well until your salesperson leaves the company to go to work for a competitor or even into business for him or herself. Can you guess what customers hear when they call the cell phone number to place an order? It's probably something like: "I am so glad you called. I am no longer with that company. I am with a new company that has better products and lower prices. Let me tell you all out my new company."

This disaster happened because the company lost its connection to its customers, by allowing customers to call its staff directly on a phone number that is owned and controlled by the employee. If this has already happened to you, you're well aware of what it feels like to be blindsided by such an unexpected loss of business. If this has not already happened to you, it almost surely will, sooner than later.

Companies of all sizes have learned that protecting their customer base from such attacks starts by controlling the communications system between the customer and the company's staff. That means providing voice and fax numbers to every employee, whether they work inside or outside of the office and regardless of the country in which they work.

An easy and inexpensive solution is to outsource to a hosted service provider that can provide a voice and fax number, called a Virtual Office, for each outside employee. The Virtual Office number can be a toll free number. Some service providers have local phone numbers in the cities in which the employees work, even cities outside the US. That number is printed on the Rep's business card. When customers call that phone number, the service provider automatically routes the call to the Rep's cell phone or home office number. If the call is not answered, the call can be routed elsewhere, perhaps to an assistant or the corporate office, or it can take a voicemail message. The Virtual Office can then call the Rep and deliver the message immediately, as well as deliver the message to Rep's email, where it can be played over any Internet devise.

When the Rep l

No Magic, Just Business
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.I started this article with a note from Bonnie Hersey because I want to make the point that it isn't magic that makes a network marketing business work. What makes a business work (network marketing or any business) are good foundational business tools. Bonnie calls them "Savvy Sponsoring simple but direct concepts" and she's absolutely correct.So many times people come to me hoping for the "m

is disaster happened because the company lost its connection to its customers, by allowing customers to call its staff directly on a phone number that is owned and controlled by the employee. If this has already happened to you, you're well aware of what it feels like to be blindsided by such an unexpected loss of business. If this has not already happened to you, it almost surely will, sooner than later.

Companies of all sizes have learned that protecting their customer base from such attacks starts by controlling the communications system between the customer and the company's staff. That means providing voice and fax numbers to every employee, whether they work inside or outside of the office and regardless of the country in which they work.

An easy and inexpensive solution is to outsource to a hosted service provider that can provide a voice and fax number, called a Virtual Office, for each outside employee. The Virtual Office number can be a toll free number. Some service providers have local phone numbers in the cities in which the employees work, even cities outside the US. That number is printed on the Rep's business card. When customers call that phone number, the service provider automatically routes the call to the Rep's cell phone or home office number. If the call is not answered, the call can be routed elsewhere, perhaps to an assistant or the corporate office, or it can take a voicemail message. The Virtual Office can then call the Rep and deliver the message immediately, as well as deliver the message to Rep's email, where it can be played over any Internet devise.

When the Rep l

To Be Or Not To Be – Being A Bill Collector In 2007
On my website I have an “Ask Michelle” button and people can email me to ask me questions about debt collection or credit. I recently received this question:“I have about 15yrs in the collection industry. I have collected on car notes, medical accounts.. I'm currently working as a contractor inside a medical facility in North Carolina. The company I work for is based out of South Carolina. I just recently started moon lighting call self-pay accounts for this medical firm after hours. The company that I'm employed in South Carolina is paying me as a independent contractor

between the customer and the company's staff. That means providing voice and fax numbers to every employee, whether they work inside or outside of the office and regardless of the country in which they work.

An easy and inexpensive solution is to outsource to a hosted service provider that can provide a voice and fax number, called a Virtual Office, for each outside employee. The Virtual Office number can be a toll free number. Some service providers have local phone numbers in the cities in which the employees work, even cities outside the US. That number is printed on the Rep's business card. When customers call that phone number, the service provider automatically routes the call to the Rep's cell phone or home office number. If the call is not answered, the call can be routed elsewhere, perhaps to an assistant or the corporate office, or it can take a voicemail message. The Virtual Office can then call the Rep and deliver the message immediately, as well as deliver the message to Rep's email, where it can be played over any Internet devise.

When the Rep l

5 Money-Saving Tips For Entrepreneurs
I write business plans and grant proposals for entrepreneurs trying to get their businesses up and running. There are millions of people out there who want to start their own business, but don't know where to begin. With so much market competition, it may seem impossible to find success running a new business with little or no experience -- but it isn't.The internet has made it increasingly easy to operate a business from home, which is why so many people are jumping on the bandwagon. Why work for your boss if you can make more money working for yourself?Since there seems

ties outside the US. That number is printed on the Rep's business card. When customers call that phone number, the service provider automatically routes the call to the Rep's cell phone or home office number. If the call is not answered, the call can be routed elsewhere, perhaps to an assistant or the corporate office, or it can take a voicemail message. The Virtual Office can then call the Rep and deliver the message immediately, as well as deliver the message to Rep's email, where it can be played over any Internet devise.

When the Rep leaves the company, goes on vacation or merely becomes ill, calls can immediately be re-routed to another company Rep. The result is that the company always controls its connection to the customer.

Losing a customer to an employee who leaves the company is not the only risk. When employees are on vacation or sick, it's common for messages and orders to pile up until the employee returns to work. This is frustrating to customers and can result in cancelled orders and losing customers.

The cost for these Virtual Office numbers is nominal, usually only a few dollars a month, and not even on the same planet with the cost of losing even one customer or sending out a team to try to save the account. The Virtual Office can be provisioned and maintained online and in real time and usually includes both voice and fax receiving, with faxes delivered by email. This eliminates downtime when a Rep is away from their fax machine. Reps can receive faxes wherever they have an Internet connection.

Businesses no longer have to risk losing customers when employees leave the company or are slow in returning calls or placing orders because they are sick or on vacation. Businesses who control the telephone number will keep control of their customers. By outsourcing, a company can buy as little as one Virtual Office phone number or thousands, with no capital expense or burden on the in-house IT department. The Virtual Office numbers will automatically transfer calls to the Rep's mobile or home office phone number, take voicemail messages, receive faxes and deliver voice and fax message to email. The destination numbers and email addresses are managed online and in real time, so customers will always be connected to company personnel.

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