5
criteria to choose a web design company
For success in an enterprise, you need to let people
know you exist and there is no better way of doing that
than a well-designed website. Your website is like a
face people will see to decide whether they want to
give you a second look or not. The work you do is one
thing and its presentation is another. A well-prepared
informative website is sure to give you better returns
than an uninformative and dull one. Even if you have
some experience in web designing, it is prudent to employ
professionals to do the job, as they are more experienced
and well informed about the latest.
Here are a few points that you need to keep in mind
when choosing a web designing company that meets your
needs and your budget.
Understand your Requirements Before anything else,
decide what you want. Invest time and thought - list
everything and prioritize your needs. The top priorities
should be the absolutely indispensable ones that you
need to focus on.
Research Do not start searching for web designers right
away. Search the Internet for web designs you like that
are similar to the one you intend for your enterprise;
referring to the list of priorities that you have prepared.
These websites can be helpful in communicating with
the web designer you employ.
Gather Basic Information Get to learn a few basics.
Ask a whiz kid about the latest software in use, check
magazines and browse, ask questions on Internet forums
etc. The basic things you need to understand are the
terminology used, the prices, the utility of each software
and the rates for different services etc. Accordingly,
make a rough estimate of the amount of money you are
willing to spend.
Designer-Hunt A web designer should have a website
of their own. Make a list of the web designers who offer
the services you require, check their portfolios, the
rates for different services, the post-delivery assistance
they offer etc. Contact each company, preferably by
mail, and compare their services. The customer support
service of the web designers should be active and the
response to your queries should be a good way of estimating
how professional they are.
Dealing with the web designers: In order to be served
best, keep a track of how the assignment in developing.
The web designers should be in constant consultation
and should provide regular updates. Ask questions, review
their work and ask them to make changes if necessary.
Remember that they are to serve you and ought to do
their best to satisfy you. Make the final payment only
when you are completely satisfied with their work.
Nadya Chipova is a partner is DesignWebLab.com. She
can be reached at 416-886-8256 or by email at nadya.chipova@designweblab.com.
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The
hidden risks of acting as an estate executor
There is a good chance that at some point, you will
be asked to be an executor to someone’s estate – if
you haven’t been asked already. The request may come
from a spouse, a parent or a close friend, and you may
be well inclined to accept. But do you know what the
job entails?
The truth is, settling an estate can be a very complicated
and time-consuming process. It can mean a deluge of
responsibilities that could take years to carry out:
managing investments, selling real estate, dealing with
upset beneficiaries, even making funeral arrangements.
And you may be trying to accomplish all of this while
you yourself are mourning the loss of your loved one.
What’s more, executors are personally liable, so it
will be your responsibility to see to it that everything
gets done properly.
If you’re considering, or have accepted, a request
to be an executor for someone’s estate, there are some
important considerations to bear in mind.
Executor duties are numerous -Whether it’s collecting
life insurance, applying for death benefits, filing
a tax return or making a probate application, the range
and complexity of executor responsibilities can be daunting.
In fact, depending on the size of the estate, there
can be upward of 70 individual tasks expected of an
executor, some of which can carry a liability risk.
Estates can take a very long time to settle -About
37% of respondents in a recent survey believe the process
will take less than six months and 54% estimate less
than a year. But depending on the size and complexity
of the estate, it can take anywhere from an average
of 18 months, to up to four years.
You may be working through your own grief and sorrow
-Dealing with the death of a loved one is often very
difficult, and the added demands of settling that person’s
estate can make the situation far more trying. Be sure
to ask yourself how well you think you will be able
to carry out your duties while in mourning yourself,
and don’t be afraid to raise your concerns with the
person who has asked you to be their executor.
Consider family dynamics - Don’t be shy to ask if there
is existing family tension and to consider how a dispute
among family members and friends may affect you. As
the executor, you may have to deal with discontented
beneficiaries, especially if the estate is unequally
distributed.
You can seek help -If you feel uneasy about being named
an executor or you don’t think you will be able to handle
the responsibility effectively, you have options. If
it is not something you feel you can turn down, but
you still have concerns about dealing with all the duties
involved, you can seek out professional assistance for
some or all of your duties – whether that assistance
is provided by a trust officer for a trust services
company, a lawyer, or an accountant.
Steve Robinson is with RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
and can be reached at 905 450 5946 or by email at steve.robinson@rbc.com
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7
habits of highly successful meetings
Nearly 70 percent of business people say that the meetings
they attend are unproductive. Meetings can save time,
increase productivity and communicate important information
if they are used effectively. But they can also be a
waste of time if the meeting moderators stray from the
agenda, disrespect other people’s time or fail to plan
ahead.
Here are seven habits of highly successful meetings
that will help save time and achieve better results:
Set an objective. Effective meetings must have a purpose
with a specific goal. Determine why the meeting is being
held and what attendees should know when they leave.
Then, write down one sentence or phrase to describe
the objective of the meeting. The more specific the
objective, the more focused an agenda can be.
Check necessity. Many meetings are unnecessary. Meetings
should be used for brainstorming, assigning action items
and making decisions. If people need to take action
or solve a problem, then scheduling a meeting is important.
If the objective of the meeting is to update or share
information with others, don’t call a meeting.
Invite the right people. Make sure to invite the right
people so that others don’t waste their time attending
an irrelevant meeting. The right attendees will benefit
from the meeting and provide solutions to a problem.
People who should be invited to the meeting include
any members of a team working on a project that will
be discussed, decision makers and those that can offer
expertise to the situation. Give attendees enough notice
so they can plan accordingly to effectively participate
in the meeting.
Prepare an agenda. Develop an agenda for the meeting
that lists important details chronologically. An agenda
will help attendees know what to expect and keep the
meeting on track. Include a time for ‘other business’
so people can address additional issues here if needed.
Send the agenda before the meeting so attendees can
properly prepare specific questions or solutions.
Focus on the topic at hand. As a meeting facilitator,
it’s important to stay focused and respect other people’s
time. Begin the meeting on time, and make sure to end
as scheduled or earlier. It’s the job of the facilitator
to make sure the conversation remains focused. The agenda
can be used as a tool to pull the conversation back
on topic. If someone wants to discuss something off
subject, simply point out the current agenda item and
point out that there will be a time to bring up other
items before the close of the meeting.
Assign action items. During the meeting, take note
of any discussions or comments that require action and
address them. If your meeting is small, at the end of
the meeting, delegate action items to attendees. For
larger meetings, use this best practice by directing
attendees to additional resources or provide a handout
with general action items they can select from to implement
their own way.
Summarize main points. Briefly review key take home
messages and action items before you adjourn. Follow
up with attendees and pertinent people who were not
able to attend. E-mail participants to receive feedback
or suggestions for areas of improvement.
Effective meetings do more than simply hold the attention
of participants. They help equip people for action and
inspire continued improvement.
Lucie Piazza is owner of Express Employment Professionals.
She can be contacted at www.expresspros.com or 905-874-9824
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Bringing
order to workplace disorder
“A cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind.” While
this well-known saying may not be 100 per cent accurate,
what’s true is that a little organization and tidying
up can add a lot of productivity and a touch of tranquility
to your workplace.
1. Get Ready. Over time, every business builds up clutter
and grows its to-do list. Now is your opportunity to
knock off those undone projects and tidy up distracting
messes. To get the most out of your spring cleaning
efforts, create a plan of action before you begin. Your
plan should detail each project you’ll work on, the
supplies you’ll need and who will help with each task.
2. Assemble a Team. Next, divide the tasks among your
team members, assigning specific roles to each person
so that one person is not left with all the work. You
can make the time more enjoyable for your employees
by designating a specific spring cleaning day and allowing
them to come to work in casual clothes that day, ordering
pizza and playing music while you work. Creating a fun
environment will help your team stay positive and energized
as they work through the projects assigned to them.
3. Determine Priorities. If you have only a limited
staff or a short time period to dedicate to spring cleaning,
it’s particularly important to maximize each moment.
That means not letting your team spend two hours color
coding office supplies if your top priority is updating
the filing system. It’s easy to lose an entire afternoon
to low-priority tasks if you’re not careful, so make
sure each team member has a clear understanding of the
important tasks to work on during the designated time
period.
4. Be Realistic. It’s important to set achievable objectives
about how much you can accomplish given the amount of
time and number of people you have to work with. Expecting
too much or too little will hurt your productivity.
Team members who have too much work will feel overwhelmed
and discouraged. On the other hand, employees who don’t
have enough assigned to them will tend to slow their
pace or goof off. Realistically, divide tasks based
on how labor-intensive they are, instead of by the number
of responsibilities each person has.
5. Finish Strong. As your day of spring cleaning progresses,
evaluate how your team is coming along with their tasks.
Did a particular project end up being more difficult
than you anticipated? Shift teams accordingly to meet
the demands of the job. Even if you’re unable to finish
certain projects, make sure all areas are left neat
and safe until the task can be tackled again. Finally,
make sure you thank the team for the special effort
they made to get the office organized.
Spring cleaning can be a lot of work, but even at the
office regular housekeeping is necessary to keep your
business running smoothly and efficiently. Taking the
time to make a plan, assembling a team and encouraging
their progress will ensure your efforts are a success.
Lucie Piazza is owner of Express Employment Professionals.
She can be contacted at www.expresspros.com or 905-874-9824
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Using
3PLs for third-party intelligence
There are many advantages to using a third-party logistics
provider (3PL).
What is a 3PL? Think of the service providers between
you and your customer, or you and your supplier. Depending
on the location, they can include transportation companies,
warehouses, customs brokers, handling agents and a host
of other service providers.
Typically, a 3PL is one organization that provides
a number of these services - simply put, a ‘third party’
between the buyer and the seller.
Many small businesses shy away from 3PLs, thinking
there may be cost advantages to dealing direct with
the various companies involved in shipping their goods.
What’s the difference? The short answer is “it depends”.
If you’re shipping 42 boxes from Brampton to Ottawa,
you may get a lower shipping rate dealing directly with
a trucking company than by using a freight forwarder
that arranges shipment of your goods with the same trucking
company and marks up the cost.
However, consider the value of what “you don’t know”
in this transaction. A trucking company will pick up
your shipment and deliver it, and charge a rate accordingly
– could you have reduced the shipping cost by adjusting
the package size and weight of the individual boxes?
Should a value have been declared for shipping (claims)
purposes? What is the cost impact if you ask for a pick-up
appointment, or delivery at a specified time?
Now consider the same shipment from Brampton to a customer
in Chicago, or New York. A trucking company will provide
a rate for the shipping portion of the transaction,
but now the shipper has to familiarize themselves with
customs formalities. For example, what export documentation
is required, does the shipment qualify for duty-free
status under NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement),
what border security programs and restrictions exist
that can delay your shipment at the border?
If neither you nor your customers are aware of these
aspects of a typical sales transaction a 3PL can be
a valuable asset as a source of this information. By
providing multiple service offerings, 3PLs have an advantage
in being able to integrate various services into one
seamless move. Acting as a single point of contact,
3PLs can coordinate transportation, special handling
requirements, customs clearance and delivery to minimize
delays and help your business provide a superior level
of service to your customers.
Logistics costs can be significant, but the cost of
delay, or non-delivery, can be much higher. 3PLs can
greatly increase your chances of increasing sales, and
profits, as a source of third party information.
Laurie Turnbull is a Supply Chain Consultant with the
Cole Group. He can be reached at 905-501-1150 or by
email at laurie.turnbull@cole.ca.
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