My Idea, My inspiration and My diary
By admin
What a fantastic topic for a philosophical debate, this practice of self-checking your merchandise at stores. Having somewhat limited experience in the act of self-checking, I am unable to speak fluently in the mechanics of this process. In casual observation, it appears self-checking is an achievable, yet not quite comfortable task for the non-techno-savvy such as I. Designers of the machinery utilized to facilitate self-checking have obviously kept us in mind. A sidebar of irony: the establishment in which I have performed the act of self-checking maintains humans to monitor the self-checking aisles. These humans are, by my observation, kept quite busy assisting us, the self-checkers.
The previously suggested debate, as I see it, would consist of two panels. Panel one would be filled by those for whom self-checking is seen as a boon for society. Members of this debate team would (between cell phone calls and PDA entries) argue the benefits of self-checking, indeed the benefits of all robo-sprawl, to individuals and society as a whole. One could imagine their points of interest being the reduction in time spent standing in line, and more control for the shopper in the shopping process. Also, they would also cite as evidence supporting their position the reduction in wages spent by stores to employ cashiers. This, they believe, would equate to savings passed along to the consumer in the form of lower merchandise prices. Mechanization, automation, and robotization will, they say, lead to a much improved quality of life.
The opposing panel would represent the Neanderthals of modern society, opponents of micro-processed living. Those who, for either moral or practical reasons, reject the notion that quality of life is attained through improved motherboards. This group, as they pass pencil-scribbled notes to each other and shuffle through reams of paper (looking for hardcopy data), would decry the end of civilization as we know it. They would quote studies by researchers warning damage to the economy as a result of workers displaced by mechanization. There would be points made regarding the loss of social interactions, and therefore reduction in social skills, ultimately leading to the degradation of our entire social fabric. First, this panel would predict, comes a future of humans completely relying upon devices, followed soon after by a Terminatorian loss of control by humans and an earthly takeover by machines. Self-checking, they say, stands at the beginning of the slippery slope to human demise.
Alas, the circuits are already firing. The transistors cannot be resisted. In 2007, team two remains standing (ready the oxygen masks). However, it doesn’t take a crystal ball to prognosticate ultimate victory by the techies. We may go kicking and screaming, but if history is any indicator we will all eventually follow suit. In the meantime, would somebody please page a bagger to the self-checkout line.
By admin
The internet has become an integral part of millions of peoples’ lives. This
took place within one generation. We are barely aware that we’re utilizing
the internet for a myriad of seemingly mundane activities. We are able to shop
for blue jeans at bargain prices and purchase expensive sports cars that ordinary people
could never possibly afford. We can also order seasonal edibles and collectibles.
We can readily buy electronics, books and so many more things. We can look up words
in on-line dictionaries and we can translate words and phrases, for free, from one
language to another. We can instantly find out news from around the globe and also
access our local weather. We can view owner’s manuals for various items that we’ve
purchased…in case we never received them or in the event that we lost ours long ago. We
can pay our bills on-line too. But what if…the unthinkable happened?! A short term
power outage or a long term upheaval like war could steal away a luxury that turned into
a necessity for so many of us.
What would life be like without the internet? Most children and teenagers would scream
in unison “BORING!” Most elderly people, non-users of course, wouldn’t really care
or maybe they’d smile to themselves and each other. After all, they’d spent 50+ years
without it! We would feel as if our world had shrunk. Some may feel as though a dear
friend had died. Some people may even need professional help to deal with the
catastrophic loss. We would be forced to do business “face to face” or over the phone
or by snail mail. We would have to learn how to do things the old-fashioned way.
We’d definitely need to relearn patience and understanding. Children and teenagers
could still rely on their video games at home but they would lose the opportunity of
sending instant messages about gaming strategies with hundreds or thousands of fellow
on-line gamers. Research for students and others would be more difficult. Libraries
could face a Renaissance period. Many people would lose their livelihoods.
There could possibly be a period of mourning for this “Death of the Internet”. It would be
hard to calculate how long it would take for people to get used to life without the
internet. We would be forced to make the necessary adjustments though. Civilization
would somehow overcome this tragedy. We would develop coping skills that would
carry us through this terrible time. But we could live without it. People are
quite resourceful. We, as a global community, would find a solution. Hopefully,
in far less than a generation.
By admin
Time management is one of those concepts that everyone wants to master, but many people struggle with in a variety of settings. People literally spend millions of dollars a year on time management training and tools. Whether these opportunities actually make people more efficient is debatable, but for now they are continuing to be a trend. The reason people want to improve on their time management is that they want to have a sense that they can accomplish more tasks in less time. Of course, the challenge is also in finding balance between work, play, and other priorities, because the danger of increased efficiency is that some people will fill the saved time with something else. This can re-create the stress of feeling overwhelmed, and put people in the same predicament as before. Therefore, here are a few techniques and strategies for increasing time management.
Knowing is half the battle
The first thing people have to do is admit that they have a problem. If people are unaware that they struggle with time management or they attempt to minimize the problem, then they are only going to improve themselves so much. Therefore, a good first step is admitting that improvements have to be made. This can be a bit humbling for people, particularly if they feel that they should have mastered time management by now. However, a bit of humility may go a long way towards personal improvement.
Experiment
There is no one technique that will solve everyone’s time management problems. To be sure, there are some interesting technological tools on the market, but they won’t guarantee success. PDA’s, “smart” phones, laptops, and computer-based calendars can certainly help and people should experiment with these tools. However, a notepad or paper calendar can also do the trick as long as people are diligent about using them. People should give themselves some time to settle into a routine, but if something isn’t working, it is fine to try something else.
Scheduling time
One technique that is helpful is to give every task a time slot. Rather than having a list of things to do, people should put things on a calendar, and give them a specific time slot for completion. Granted, things do come up and people have to shift their tasks around, but at least if it is on the calendar, people will dedicate a time to work on something. This prevents the undesired activity from remaining on the bottom of the task list for more time than it should be there.
Transporting
Finally, time management is about being diligent. It means that people have to stay “on task” by being willing to stop one activity and move on to the next if the new task is a higher priority. In addition, it means that whatever time management task is used, it should be carried almost everywhere so that people can make notes, schedule appointments, and put tasks on the calendar. Unfortunately, the human memory can be a bit suspect, so it is important to make time management a lifestyle. Then, people will be more likely to stay on task and free up that time that they so desire to manage more effectively.
By admin
Customers are human beings that come in all shapes, colors and sizes. Customers are not dependent on us, we are dependent on them. Customers are the reasons that any organization exists. The customer is doing the organization a favor by allowing them to provide a service for them and not the organization doing a favor for them by providing that service. Without satisfied and happy customers you will have no business, you will have to close your doors and your business will cease to exist.
Customer service starts with recognizing that we are all customers. There are experiences with an organization that you will never forget. These types of memorable experiences should be the goals that customer service is based on. These are the experiences that the customer will share with others and will build the reputation of the organization you are working for. It really is pretty simple, treat everyone in a timely, courteous and competent manner and you have gained a customer who will spread the word. There is no better advertising for any kind of organization than the words of a satisfied customer.
There are times when there is a negative customer service. There is no perfect world where everyone is happy and satisfied all of the time. The most important thing for any organization to do when something has gone sour is service recovery. Do something to make the customer feel right again and admit you made a mistake. Honesty goes a long way to providing good customer service.
There are behaviors that can kill customer service in an instant. If you appear cold, never smile, have no warmth or caring you have just eliminated good customer service from happening. If you are unfriendly, pushy, discourteous or insensitive you will create a bad impression and a good customer service experience will not occur. Customer service and satisfaction is everyone’s responsibility in any organization and these negative behaviors should never be tolerated and need to be addressed.
Having committed customers should be the goal of every organization. They are the fuel for success and the future of the organization. Customer service is the measure of the organization performance, if you have built loyalty and commitment with your customers, this is what customer service is all about. If you know what your committed customers value and will continue to expect, you have built a organization that is model for customer service and what many organizations will never be able to achieve.
A key component is to never forget the employee that work for the organization and have created the culture of good customer service. Employees want to be recognized and appreciated, without them there would be no success. Employees need to be aware of what is negotiable and what is not negotiable when trying to keep customer satisfied. There should never be punitive measures taken if an employee has made an honest mistake trying to meet the needs of a customer. Instead there should be recognition for taking the effort to try to meet their expectations and help them to find a more effective way to deal with the customer. Customer service is achievable with the right focus and commitment form the employees to make it happen.
By admin
1. Begin to operate on an “I have to know everything” approach when you give out your personal information. Only give out your personal information to people you know and trust.
2. Protect your Social Security Number, credit card and other financial information. Do not give this information out over the phone unless you initiated the call or as we stated above are talking to a trusted individual from a trusted company.
3. Cancel all of your unused accounts including banking, credit card, licenses and permits.
4. At least once a year, if not more often, update and check your credit report and Social Security Earnings and Benefits Statement to make sure everything appears as it should.
5. Protect your mail. Make sure you have a secure locked mailbox to receive all of your mail. Always mail your payments and checks from a secure Post Office Box or from the Post Office. And, if you have a Post Office Box at the Post Office never discard your mail in a garbage can. Always bring your entire mail home.
6. Always crosscut shred all bank statements, credit card applications or information and important documents before discarding to recycle or the garbage. It is best to stir up the shredded documents to make it even harder for identity thieves to steal your information.
7. Purchase identity theft insurance. This will cover any losses incurred while recovering your lost identity once a crook has stolen it.
8. Invest in professional grade protection for your computer. The best protection available today comes from Managed Internet Security Service providers. The best security services include best-of-breed corporate grade security software for your computer, as well as unlimited service and support from trained security pros. Make sure it is the same kind of service that is used by major corporations around the world. Frankly, the over-the-counter and free security software programs available don’t keep up with today’s professional cyber thief. If those popular programs worked, why do we see the cyber-crime problem growing at a progressively faster pace?
A managed professional Internet security program should have the following technologies installed: A bi-directional or dual Firewall that prevents information from coming in or going out of your computer without your permission, anti-virus protection that is updated daily, and malware protection that is updated daily. Malware consists of spyware, adware, Trojan horses, keyloggers and more. It constantly changes so you will need a technology that keeps up with the professional hackers who want your identity. Your best bet is to find a professional security service that affordably manages all this for you.
9. Beware of e-mail scams like Phishing and Pharming. Phishing is an e-mail that looks like it came from a bank or business claiming you need to take care of a problem or your account will be closed down. It takes you to a page to fill out your personal information. Meanwhile, Pharming is redirecting your computer from a legitimate to a fake web site. For example, you may think that you are going to your banking site, but instead are redirected to a site that looks like your banks web site, but is hosted by an identity thief.
By admin
We all know that if we want to get the best deal of fast auto insurance we need to compare multiple quotes from several insurers. What we usually do is collecting quotes from internet with visiting each insurer web site then we fill the online form with our latest personal information. But this could make us frustrating if we must enter our personal information many times. We may not want to do such things because it wastes out time, especially for you that are very busy. Actually there is an easier way to get easy free quotes from multiple insurers.
Carinsurancerates.com is the answer for you if you do not want to do things like I said above. On car insurance rates, you just need to enter your personal information once. Then the system of the car insurance rates will suggest you some auto insurance companies or insurers that are most suitable with you based on your personal information. It is a new way for you if you want to get the best auto insurance for you, this is a new way to compare quotes from multiple insurers. It is much more easier and it can save your time or it is best for you that are quiet busy.
By admin
I think we are all agree that if we can find something cheaper then why we need to pay one that is more expensive. This thing also works the same in finding a car insurance online on the internet. It is easier for us to get a car insurance online on the internet that doing it manually (make a phone call). In finding an online car insurance with the best price it takes time. Spending some of your time is the price that you need to pay if you want to get a car insurance with the lowest price.
If you are looking a car insurance online on the internet then you can easily get quotes from some car insurance companies. At least you need to compare quotes from 3 different car insurance companies. After that you can call them to ask for more information. For the final step, you also need to ask some of your friends that are already have a car insurance. Compare the price with the coverage. This is needed so you know the range and give you an overview whether the offer from a car insurance company is good or not. So shop around to get the best online car insurance.
By admin
Are you looking for some type of insurance at one place. If you are looking for all in one insurance and you want to find them quick and do not waste your time with submitting your personal information on each insurance company you can access insurancerate.com. On the insurancerate.com you can find online homeowners insurance, health insurance, auto insurance, life insurance and other type of insurances. If I can say, insurancerate.com is a one stop insurance shopping web site. You can get free quotes about insurances in just a minute.
To be able to help you to find the best insurance for you, insurance rate has a cooperation with many best insurance companies in the country. They can help you find quick car insurance if you need to find a car insurance quickly and you also can find the best house insurance from insurancerate.com. insurancerate.com is the only site that you need to get all type of insurances. You can save much of your time if you need to find many type of insurance companies on a web site. Imagine that you just need to submit your personal information once then the system will automatically find the one the matches with your information.
By admin
Lately insurance becomes important in our life. Without insurance there is something missing in our life. As an example, if we have a car then if we do not find an auto insurance to our car. Getting an auto insurance for our car is very important. Because with an auto insurance for our car, if something unexpected like an accident happens to our car, then the insurance can take care of it until everything is fine. He auto insurance will fix our car if our car is broken or get damaged. So if you still do not have an insurance for your health, auto, or other thing that you own you can get one to minimize the cost you pay.
There are 2 ways to find an insurance, manually and search it on the internet. If you decide to search it manually, you can open your yellow pages. You can search any insurance from that book. If you decide to search it on the internet, you just simply type and search it on the google. Getting online health insurance and auto insurance on the internet can save much time. Also on the internet you can get free auto insurance quptes and other insurance quotes.
By admin
In the early 1900’s department stores and oil companies issued their own proprietary cards to people who they felt had access to money and would be able to pay them back. The first initial cards were accepted only by the company that issued them and in certain areas of the country. This was a good sound idea at the time as the creditors wanted to create customer loyalty while improving customer service. The prepaid credit came about with the coal mining companies to help pay their employee’s and keep the mines running until they actually got paid for the coal that was being mined.
It seems that many coal mining camps had company stores that were owned by the owners of the coal mines permitting their employee’s to buy the things that they needed. The owners of these stores kept them furnished with just about everything a person would need but their items could only be purchased by the use of company script. The coin was issued by the owners of the coal mining camp in order to be able to keep the miners making purchases at their own stores.
The owners of the mines and the stores usually had a good credit record and could get the much needed supplies on credit themselves and then when they sold the mined coal they were able to pay their creditors. The coal miners were not actually getting credit but were being paid in advance to help them to buy the necessitates of life. They were using prepaid cash because it was their hard earned money being paid to them in the form of script issued by the owners of the mines. This was a raw version of the prepaid card only problem the miners were paying about three times the amount for their goods than regular folks would pay when shopping outside of the camps. Today a prepaid credit card works the same as cash with no extra fees attached.
