Our country has been taken over by oligarchs. The gummint is being run by them, for them, regardless of the party in charge.

The woman in this video was given the job because she is a kiss up. Of course she has no idea.

We can only hope that when things get bad enough, good people will finally run for national office and win.

When the only choice we have is between people like Obama and McCain, there is no way to do other than lose.

If people think the economy is coming back, somebody should tell the railroads who continue to report poor traffic. Store sales also continue to fall.

Unfair dismissal

Dawn of the WorkChoices era

The effect of WorkChoices is that it has brought about a return of the pre 1984 position in relation to unfair dismissal for those employees that are unable to jump through the following 3 hoops: (i) the 100 employee requirement, (ii) the sixmonth requirement, and (iii) The “genuine operational reason” requirement.

A claim for unfair dismissal will now not be able to be made to the AIRC by an employee who works for an employer that employs 100 or fewer employees. This number is based on full-time, part-time and any casual employees who have been employed by the employer on a regular and systematic basis for at least 12 months. Some related companies of the employer’s company will be treated as one entity. A claim for unfair dismissal against an employer who employs more than 100 employees may only be made to the AIRC after the employee has worked for 6 months or more with that employer.

Even if the employee is able to jump through these first two hoops, the employee’s claim may still be dismissed if the AIRC is satisfied that the employee’s employment was terminated for genuine operational reasons or for reasons that included genuine operational reasons – i.e. reasons of an economic, technological, structural or similar nature relating to the employer’s business or part of the business. This means that just to satisfy the threshold requirements for claiming unfair dismissal, the employee (i) needs to have been employed by an employer with over 100 employees, (ii) needs to have worked for six months or more for that employer, and (iii) must show that his/her termination did not include genuine operational reasons.

The Melbourne firm has a vast depth of experience in the practice of law and business. The combined legal and consulting experience of our current staff exceeds over one hundred years.

At some time in my career, I learned that the standard for customer service should be to “surprise and delight” the customer. That means you must find out what the customer expects and then give the customer more than he or she expects. The following 9 steps can be used to exceed the customer’s expectations.

1. Ask the customer what he or she expects from you.

2. Based on the customer’s answer, do whatever it takes to deliver more than the customer

expects, and remember that you want the customer to be “surprised and delighted.”

3. Ask the customer if you delivered more than he or she expected.

4. If not, do whatever it takes to deliver more so that the customer is “surprised and

delighted.”

5. Once you know that you have exceeded the customer’s expectations, ask the customer if

there is anything more that you can do.

6. If the customer tells you there is more that you can do, ask what it is and do it.

7. Assume the customer tells you there is nothing more that you can do, but you can think of

something more that you can do. Do the additional thing that you thought would be of

benefit to the customer.

8. After you have done everything that either you or the customer can think of, make sure the

customer knows that it was your pleasure to work with him or her.

9. Tell the customer that you are available at any time if something comes up and the

customer needs additional service.

These steps are not complicated and are really quite simple to follow. You have the ability to make your customer happy when you do so much to meet and exceed his or her expectations. You can be proud of yourself whenever your customers are “surprised and delighted” by your good service.

Jo Ann Joy, Esq., MBA, CEO
Copyright 2006 Indigo Business Solutions. All rights reserved.

Discover the secrets to success.

About the author:Jo Ann Joy is the CEO and owner of Indigo Business Solutions, a legal and business consulting firm that is a “one stop shop” for small businesses. We offer both legal and business services. We provide all professional services that a business requires without being “referred out” to other professionals.

Jo Ann has a law degree, an MBA, and a degree in Economics. She is a strategic business attorney who works closely with businesses to greatly improve their chance of success. Her background includes commercial, corporate, contract and real estate law, accounting, financial planning, mortgages, marketing, product development, banking, and business planning and strategies. She ran a successful business for 10 years and has written and given presentations on many different legal, tax, and business subjects.

Please visit website for free articles and for business, legal, and tax advice. http://www.indigobusinesssolutions.net/ Phone: 602-663-7007; Fax: 602-324-7582

You may contact Jo Ann by phone at (602) 663-7007, by fax at (602) 324-7582, by email at joannjoy@Indigo Business Solutions.net, and by mail at 2313 East Ocotillo Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016. Contact Jo Ann for free copies of any of her articles.

Think about it. You seek them out to provide some knowledge, skill or experience your company doesn’t have. And, in the process of providing that help, they learn more about your business than even some on your management team know. Then, in return for you laying your corporate soul bare – sharing information about processes, customer files, financials, etc. – some consultants also attempt to pick your pocket.

I am a consultant. Have been for a good many years. I’m neither rich nor famous. Not likely to be. Never really wanted to be. But that was a choice I made long ago. Since then I’ve seen a good number of consultants – male and female, individuals and corporations – achieve fame, fortune, or both. It’s not envy that prompts me to write what follows. It’s disgust.

What I find disgusting is how little some consultants value their professional relationships with clients. How much more they value the dollar.

Let’s look first at the relationship. Nothing says it can’t be pleasant, cordial, perhaps even friendly. But it is first and foremost a business relationship, a professional relationship, one that should be rooted in confidentiality. Any company hiring a consultant should insist – before any business is ever discussed – that both parties sign a Mutual Confidentiality Agreement.

Do you want people outside your company to know your firm’s inner most workings? Without an MCA you have no assurance of confidentiality

By signing an MCA, the consultant agrees not to discuss your business – perhaps even mention your company’s name, if the MCA is drawn that tightly – with any third-party without your both agreeing that third-party has a need to know. Those third-parties typically include printers, mailers and the like.

Now let’s look at the dollars. Consultants absolutely love working on retainer. Why not? It’s guaranteed income. Put enough retainer arrangements together and there’s good money to be made. The checks come in like clock work every month. Life is good. For the consultant. Not necessarily for your company.

If a firm requires long-term assistance, they should think about hiring an employee with that talent. The expense is almost sure to be less that a consultant’s retainer. But there’s that budget problem, right? Got to keep visible payroll costs down? Consultant retainers don’t show up as a payroll expense.

Want to cut your consulting expenses? Try this: Instead of agreeing to retainer arrangements – you pay them so much a month in return for which they promise you X hours of their time – hire consultants to work on individual projects. That means you pay for work done, not time “promised” to you.

The are a number of other good points about hiring project consultants. You know up front just what each project will cost because they commit to it. You also know when the project will be completed. Again, because they commit to it.

Put price, terms and other details of each project in writing. Your corporate attorney can easily include those details in something called a “Project Scope” that becomes part of the MCA signed earlier by you and the consultant. But however you and your attorney choose to do it, always require consultants to sign your Mutual Confidentiality Agreement.

© 2006, Philip A. Grisolia, CBC

Phil Grisolia is an award-winning copywriter and marketing communications consultant. He’s also an accredited Certified Business Communicator (CBC), author and adjunct professor. To learn more about Phil and the types of help he provides for his clients, visit http://PhilGrisolia.com . While there, sign up for a free subscription to his best-in-class newsletter – Making Sense of Marketing™.

Philadelphia was founded by William Penn and has the distinction of being the largest city in Pennsylvania. It is a business-friendly city, thriving and vibrant. It will be a great idea to start a matrimonial service business in Philadelphia, where people who have problems finding a partner can date several appropriate candidates, which could perhaps lead to a wedding.

How to Start a Matrimonial Service Business:
It is recommended that you give your business a legal structure by consulting an experienced attorney who could guide you regarding the kind of entity that is best suited as well as in getting all necessary licenses and permits to begin operations legally.

You will also have to select an appropriate business name that has been formed in compliance with applicable state laws.

Adequate insurance coverage is recommended from a reputed agency.
Extensive market research and competitive analysis are ideal ways of knowing all that you can about the business and the factors that influence it. Studying and analyzing the competition will give you an idea of how to operate as well as think of ways you can gain a competitive edge.

Have a well-drafted business plan with clearly defined target goals and the strategies to be used in achieving them. The plan can be used to measure if the business performs as expected, and novices can use the plan to carry out the daily operations.

It is essential to estimate the start-up costs and get the necessary finances to fund the start-up. Have a well planned loan application ready to convince loan officers to grant you the loan.

Figure out the services that you are to offer such as profile verification, arranging meetings between compatible couples, etc. Know the fee that you will charge, the method of payment such as will you accept, such as credit card payment or PayPal.

It will be necessary to figure out if you will be a virtual matrimonial service with a small office in a commercial area. It will be necessary to make the website easy to navigate and user-friendly. Make sure the web page is well designed and have easy search options to match potential compatible couples.

Make a list of all equipment such as computer, FAX and telephones, scanners that you will require and also decide the number of staff you will require, their organizational structure, and the duties assigned to them. Periodically monitor them to ensure that they are performing as expected.

Have a well-structured marketing and advertising strategy, making sure that the ads are effective and consistent. Use keyword-optimized web pages to help improve your traffic. Offer free newsletters to develop and follow up leads. Use the services as well as products that are in the market to help new entrepreneurs like you succeed.

In this fast-paced world where people are too busy earning to have much of a social life, starting a matrimonial service can be a great way to help people who are single and lonely find an ideal life partner.

Alexander Gordon is a writer for http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com – The Small Business Consulting Community. Sign-up for the free success steps newsletter and get our booklet valued at $24.95 for free as a special bonus. The newsletter provides daily strategies on starting and significantly growing a business.

Business Owners all across the country are joining “The Community of Small Business Owners” to receive and provide strategies, insight, tips, support and more on starting, managing, growing, and selling their businesses. As a member, you will have access to true Millionaire Business Owners who will provide strategies and tips from their real-life experiences.

PLEASE NOTE: This article only applies to traffic citations received in North Carolina. This article is designed for general information only. The information presented in this article should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney/client relationship.

Traffic laws are frequently violated by many people, but there are consequences to violation of those laws, primarily financial. As a private citizen or a business owner, everyone is subject to those costs if you, a member of your family, or one of your workers is convicted of a traffic violation. This article is intended to better help you understand those consequences. I have spent time as an assistant district attorney prosecuting traffic cases, and I have worked as a defense attorney defending traffic citations. Hopefully, some of my observations will be helpful to you.

First, what should you do if you get stopped and get a ticket? A good start is to cooperate with the officer. He or she is just doing their job, and the officer has some discretion as to whether to cite you for every violation that he or she finds. However, because you could be facing criminal charges, do not admit to any violations. If you admit the violation, that admission may be used against you in court. Keep your conversation with the officer to a minimum. The cooperation with the officer should consist of being polite and following the officer’s instructions. I also recommend that you be polite to the officer. It has been my experience that officers frequently remember the persons that were polite to them. If the officer mentions that fact to the assistant district attorney (ADA) that handles your case, it is more likely that the prosecutor may give you a break. Also, keep in mind that some officers make notations on their copy of the citation that indicates whether a person was rude or obnoxious to them. This notation will not show up on your copy of the citation and will only hurt you in negotiating with the ADA.

Second, don’t get angry. Getting angry will not do you any good and may tempt the officer to cite you for a minor violation that he or she might otherwise overlook, such as a burned out taillight or an expired inspection sticker. If the officer has decided to write you a citation, your anger is certainly not going to change the officer’s mind.

Once you have received the citation, what do you do then? If the violation is “non-waivable,” then you must appear in court at the time and time specified on your citation and either plead guilty or defend yourself. Examples of non-waivable offenses include driving while license revoked (DWLR) and driving while impaired (DWI). For serious traffic offenses such as these, you should strongly consider hiring an attorney to represent you. If you cannot afford an attorney, you should consider asking the judge to appoint the public defender or a private attorney to represent you. (Some counties in North Carolina have public defender’s offices, but most do not. If there is no public defender office in the county where you must appear, then the judge may appoint a private attorney to represent you.) Depending on your prior criminal record, a conviction for some non-waivable offenses could result in active jail time and a fine. Therefore, if you have a prior criminal record, it can be more important to at least consult with an attorney before appearing in court.

If the traffic violation is minor and is considered “waivable,” you can pay the ticket without appearing in court. However, this is not always a good idea. However, keep in mind that, by paying the citation, you are pleading guilty to the offense and inviting all of the consequences that may be imposed by your insurance company and the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. If the offense is sufficiently minor, such as a citation for an expired inspection sticker, you can pay the citation without incurring insurance points or driver’s license points (see discussion below of the point system). If you do decide to pay the citation, (1)pay it on time, (2) pay the payment with a cashier’s check, not a money order (money orders are more difficult to trace if lost in the mail), and (3) hand deliver the payment to the Clerk of Court or send the payment by commercial delivery service (such as Fed-Ex or UPS), or by certified mail so that you have proof the payment was received and can track the payment if necessary. If you pay in person, the Clerk should give you a receipt that indicates your case docket number, how much you paid, and what the payment was for. If you send the payment by mail or carrier, provide the Clerk of Court with a stamped, self-addressed envelope in which to return the receipt and include a note asking the Clerk to return the receipt in the provided envelope. Also, you should keep the receipt in a safe place to guard against administrative errors in logging your payment.

However, before you pay a citation, keep in mind that many waivable offenses have financial consequences that are not immediately apparent but can continue for years. In those cases, rather than blindly paying the ticket, you may want to hire an attorney to help you through the court system and possibly minimize the consequences. The consequences of a seemingly minor citation can be severe. For example, a conviction for speeding 81 mph in a 70 mph zone in N.C. will cause your license to be revoked for at least 60 days and will cause your insurance company to impose four (4) insurance points, resulting in a 90% rate increase for the next three years! If, for example, your insurance coverage cost you $1000.00 per year before such a conviction, then your insurance would cost you $1,900.00 per year after a conviction for speeding 81 mph in a 70 mph zone. If you hire an attorney to represent you, that attorney might be able to convince the assistant district attorney to reduce the citation to a lesser violation that might protect your privilege to drive and/or prevent your insurance rates from increasing.

Even if you decide to pay a traffic citation rather than fight it, before paying the citation, you should consult an attorney so that you will understand the consequences of pleading guilty. Many attorneys, including myself, will give you a free telephone consultation and explain your options. Other reasons for consulting an attorney on a traffic citation include these: (1) The district attorney offices in different counties in North Carolina deal with traffic citations differently, with wide variations from county to county. Unless you consult with a local attorney, you will not know what to expect with your citation in that county. (2) If you hire an attorney, except for DWI, DWLR, and other serious traffic offenses, you will usually not need to come to court. (3) An experienced traffic attorney is usually more likely than a non-lawyer to be able to achieve a good result. An experienced traffic attorney knows the local court system, the law, the court rules, the local prosecutors, and the local judges and will know what results to expect in most cases.

If you are considering acting as your own attorney, keep in mind that it is frequently a bad idea. You will be going up against an experienced, licensed Assistant District Attorney, who will probably prevail over you at trial. Before that ADA got to court, he or she graduated from a four year college, completed three years of law school training, passed a difficult two day bar examination, and probably has already tried and convicted multiple other defendants. You may consider talking to the DA and asking for a reduction yourself. However, unless you speak with an attorney before you come to court, you may not have any idea what kind of offer to expect from the ADA or whether any plea offer made by the ADA is reasonable. You should speak with an attorney before you go to court so that you are better informed as to whether to accept a plea offer. Also, it is not a good idea to go to trial without an attorney by your side, as you will be at a severe disadvantage at trial unless you are an attorney.

Last, I need to mention North Carolina’s point systems. If you are convicted of a moving violation, either because you plead guilty or because you were convicted after a trial, then there are consequences in the form of points that are administratively applied. There are two systems for points, – insurance points and driver’s license points. Insurance points are assigned by your insurance company, and driver’s license points are assigned by the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Insurance points determine your insurance rates, and driver’s license points determine whether you can keep your privilege to drive. A table showing the insurance points assessed by insurance companies in North Carolina is on the Insurance Commissioner’s website at http://www.ncdoi.com/Consumer/consumer_publications.asp. (Click on the link on that page to “Safe Driver Incentive Plan.”)

Insurance points translate to increased insurance rates. Insurance points are assigned based on the relative severity of various traffic violations and on the number and severity of accidents the driver has. For example, a driver with a clean record with a conviction of speeding 81 mph in a 70 mph zone will cause four (4) insurance points to be assessed, resulting in a 90% insurance rate increase for the next three years. Also, that same conviction will cause the driver’s license to be suspended.

Driver’s license points are imposed by the N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles upon a report from a Clerk of Court office that a person has been convicted of a traffic offense. Driver’s license points affect your ability to continue to have the privilege to drive in North Carolina. Under North Carolina law, if you accumulate sufficient points, your license will be suspended for at least 60 days.

In summary, if you get a ticket, be polite and cooperative with the officer. After you receive the ticket, consider hiring a local attorney. At a minimum, you should consult with a local attorney to help you determine the proper course of action.

Bonnor E. Hudson, III is a practicing attorney in Clayton, North Carolina. His areas of practice include personal injury, accident claims, business and construction law, criminal defense and traffic law, and family law. He has written several detailed legal articles related to traffic and construction law in North Carolina. More about Attorney Bonnor Hudson can be found on his firm website at http://www.hudsonlawonline.com

The legendary Frank Sinatra didn’t fully come into his own, some say, until he belted out what became his signature song: “My Way.”

Though he had crooned countless hits as a solo act, and later in duets with people as varied as Bono, Celine Dion, and Charles Aznavour, it was “My Way” that symbolized Sinatra’s bigger-than-life persona and many gifts.

Sinatra didn’t write that song.

Paul Anka, another former teenage heartthrob wrote it for The Chairman of The Board, as Sinatra was known to his Rat-Pack pals.

I heard Anka perform it once, but he didn’t come close to capturing the magic of Sinatra’s sage-like interpretation.

Sinatra made the song his own, as so many of the greats do.

And once this functional “ownership” happens, the real composer doesn’t matter. He moves offstage, far from the glow of appreciation and acclaim that the performing artist brings to the work.

Salespeople, telemarketers, and customer service people are increasingly being called upon to “sing songs” other composers have written for them.

Whether they’re called scripts, call guides, or call paths, these are compositions that also need to be performed with the right text, tone, and timing. They must be brought to life as artistically as possible, so they’ll ring true to their audiences.

But in my decades of experience in sales, service, management, and consulting, I’ve always been amazed by the naiveté of front line personnel when it comes to understanding their performance duties.

They don’t quite get the fact that they, too need to make the scripts that have been written by other people, “their own.”

Instead of trying to find their own voices within the scripts, they reject, out of hand the very idea that they need one in order to be as effective as possible with customers and prospects.

They believe “winging-it,” using a random patter that has been crudely fashioned, is going to outperform the script of an accomplished sales or service “composer.”

They would be wise to study Sinatra, who by no means had the most beautiful voice of his generation.

But he had a unique and compelling style that he brought to his work.

It doesn’t matter who writes your tunes. It’s your job to make them hits!

Best-selling author of 12 books and more than 900 articles, Dr. Gary S. Goodman is considered “The Gold Standard”–the foremost expert in sales development, customer service, and telephone effectiveness. Top-rated as a speaker, seminar leader, and consultant, his clients extend across the globe and the organizational spectrum, from the Fortune 1000 to small businesses. He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Easter came this year and you may have hunted for decorated eggs, had a nice brunch, or exchanged little chocolate bunnies, all of which are quite nifty.

But you missed out if you didn’t buy yourself some rabbit ears.

Happily, it’s not too late.

For those of you who have grown up with cable and satellite TV, you may not know what I’m talking about.

Rabbit ears are those adjustable metal rods that come out of a ball-like base that squats on or near your TV set in order to improve reception. Along with rooftop antennas, they’re what households used before the advent of cable and satellite TV.

Admittedly, the clarity they bring is less than perfect, but heck, if you’re looking to dump that cable or satellite TV provider; they’re just what you need.

I bought my rabbit ears at the 99 Cent Store, and I can’t tell you how happy I am.

I am getting about 25 stations for FREE. Compare this to paying anywhere from $39 to $69 a month for what is dubiously called, “America’s Top 30” or “America’s Top 50” by one of the satellite firms.

Their channels are no better than what my ears and I are pulling out of the air.

If you’ve been reading my articles with any regularity, you know I’ve been “unplugging” from needless technology, especially that which requires an outflow of money on a subscription basis.

There are some exceptions, such as Major League Baseball, which I can get on my laptop or my PC.

But I found the customer service at the cable and satellite firms so abysmal, and the quality of their programs so low, that I decided to take action.

If you can’t summon the gumption to go completely TV-less, try rabbit ears, and tell your friends.

When you tune in that first free show, you’re going to be in for a thrill!

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 from Santa Monica to South Africa. 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.

For information about coaching, consulting, training, books, videos and audios, please go to: http://www.customersatisfaction.com