The Hidden Costs of Freeware

Resolve to Improve Transparency with Your Constituents: The Benefits of Citizen Request Management Software
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2009-01-21 | Word Count: 399 | Page Views: 260 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 3.67
Well it's a New Year, with all of its promises of fresh starts and new beginnings, but you may not be as optimistic as in years past. Everyone is feeling the squeeze of the struggling economy. Municipalities are being forced to do business-as-usual with less staff, and budget cuts have butchered most cities and counties plans to purchase much needed equipment.

5 Benefits of SaaS Software in a Downturn Economy
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2008-11-18 | Word Count: 735 | Page Views: 360 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.00
Whether you call it a 'hosted solution' or SaaS (Software as a Service), this model of software delivery is a perfect fit for many organizations. While the concept of 'leasing' software has been around for a long time, it has been gaining popularity in recent years, and for good reason.

3 Keys to Cutting Costs Through Centralized Knowledge Management
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2008-09-30 | Word Count: 850 | Page Views: 411 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 0.43
We all know the saying 'Knowledge is Power', and this still rings true today, but knowledge can also be analogous to 'Time'. Whether it be time gained, or time lost, how quickly employees can access company knowledge translates into huge amounts of time, translating into huge amounts of money. In a season where companies are forced to maintain and improve services, while often cutting budgets, time (knowledge) management can be an overlooked tool that can produce dramatic effects to the bottom line.

Government in Action: Cities Move Toward Four-Day Work Week
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2008-09-09 | Word Count: 476 | Page Views: 750 | Votes: 3 | Rating: 3.00
While we cannot know if gas prices have 'peaked' or will continue to rise, some municipalities have moved to a four-day work week in an effort to cut expenses for cities and employees alike. Facility utilities are reduced by up to 20 percent, and employees realize an immediate savings in commuting expenses when shifting to a four-day week.

Municipal Localities Using 311 Systems to Provide Better Service to Citizens
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2008-09-03 | Word Count: 623 | Page Views: 673 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 3.00
All across the country, cities and counties are implementing "311 Systems" for non emergency citizen requests. Like 911 systems, 311 call centers assist citizens inside their jurisdictions and resolve issues through approved 'answers' contained in the center's 'knowledge base' repository.

The Advantages of Customer Self Support in a Downturn Economy
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2008-07-24 | Word Count: 487 | Page Views: 420 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.00
With today's economic challenges forcing management to tighten spending, companies are looking for effective ways to sustain excellent customer service while maintaining or reducing overall expenses.

2008 Application Development Trends: 'Building for Change' To Accommodate Today's Shifting Business Conditions
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2008-02-06 | Word Count: 441 | Page Views: 1449 | Votes: 14 | Rating: 2.57
Software developers and businesses alike can expect to see significant changes in the year ahead in how applications are developed. Research analysts are projecting that 2008 will reveal a shift in the conventional development process, resulting in more flexible solutions that can evolve with a company's changing needs.

Analysts Speculate IT Tech Trends for 2008
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2007-12-05 | Word Count: 1048 | Page Views: 568 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 3.17
At the recent Gartner Symposium/ITxpo held last October in Orlando, more than 6000 senior business and IT strategists from virtually all major industries gathered for the industry's largest conference to gain the latest advice on driving profits and performance with IT.

Utilizing Service Desk Software in SOX Compliance
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2007-10-26 | Word Count: 743 | Page Views: 575 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 3.25
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, also known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 has brought sweeping changes to agencies and businesses since its introduction a few years ago. Commonly called 'SOX', the mandated compliance was enacted in response to a number of major corporate and accounting scandals. These scandals resulted in a decline of public trust in accounting and reporting practices.

Need Support? Phone Home! Employers Paying Call Center Service Reps To Work From Home!
Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2007-03-09 | Word Count: 418 | Page Views: 710 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 1.86
In the U.S today millions of employees work from home part-time or full-time, either on a regular basis or occasionally. This increasingly popular trend of telecommuting has migrated into the world of customer support. The CSR (customer service representative) you are calling may not be in a busy corporate call center, but in her home, miles away from company operations.

All of Author's Articles on this site: Anne Sych Articles

To Improve Collections in Your Dental Practice, Manage Patient Expectations
Written by: Peter Gopal, Ph.D. | Distributed: 2010-02-09 | Word Count: 596 | Page Views: 30 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 4.00
Many patients come into a dental practice with the notion that insurance will cover everything. This needs to be set straight during their first visit. In fact, the word "insurance" is a misnomer. What the patient has is really a dental benefit plan, which could cover all or a portion of their treatment. The coverage is never guaranteed, and there are dozens of ways in which payment could be denied even for a preventive exam and cleaning visit...

A Confession From Barack Obama
Written by: Scott Bywater | Distributed: 2010-02-08 | Word Count: 292 | Page Views: 56 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 5.00
One of the big mistakes many business owners make is coming across as if they are perfect and have no faults. But here's the problem with this. Perfection doesn't endear you to anyone. And everybody knows it's false.

Why I Admire Bob the Builder
Written by: Scott Bywater | Distributed: 2010-02-05 | Word Count: 321 | Page Views: 54 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 3.00
Today I want to talk about why I admire Bob the Builder. Until recently, I never thought much about Bob the Builder. But over the holidays, I spent some time watching different shows with my 3 year old son.

Marketing Coaching: Understanding the Basics of Page Rank
Written by: Paul Marshall | Distributed: 2010-02-04 | Word Count: 868 | Page Views: 35 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 1.00
PageRank (PR) is a numerical value Google assigns to a site as a measure of "authority." A marketing coach will emphasize that building PR is one of the most affordable SEO methods. Understanding PR and using it to craft a link-building campaign is a first step toward higher search engine results.

A Business Lesson From The Australian Open
Written by: Scott Bywater | Distributed: 2010-02-03 | Word Count: 614 | Page Views: 48 | Votes: 2 | Rating: 1.50
Unless we move outside our comfort zone on a regular basis, we end up just going around in circles. We need to learn to play 'The Red Line' if we are going to achieve our dreams. And that's what we need to do in business, isn't it? We have to escape our comfort zone to find real success in life and in business...

Link Building in Online Marketing: Tougher Than It Sounds
Written by: Paul Marshall | Distributed: 2010-02-02 | Word Count: 871 | Page Views: 54 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 2.00
You probably don't need to read the latest professional advice...Without links, your site won't develop authority. Without authority, it won't move up on the search engines. But even the most savvy online marketing consultant would have to admit that doing that is just not as easy as it sounds.

Educate Your Customers
Written by: Jesse Self | Distributed: 2010-02-02 | Word Count: 465 | Page Views: 50
Take the time to market and sell new products to your old customers and less time trying to sell old products to new customers and you will see a drastic change in your sales, customer quality and branding position.

Evaulating Medical Gas Costs In Your Dental Practice
Written by: Chick Cowan | Distributed: 2010-02-02 | Word Count: 583 | Page Views: 47 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 5.00
Medical gas is a standard expense item in most dental practices. What most dental practitioners do not know is that there are wide variances in pricing depending on the source - perhaps as much as 30% to 40%. This article will explain the many factors that may influence the cost of medical gas purchases, and how you can reduce expenses in your dental practice.

Maintain Your Dental Practice Profits by Dealing Effectively with Patients Who Chronically Break Appointments
Written by: Peter Gopal, Ph.D. | Distributed: 2010-02-02 | Word Count: 503 | Page Views: 53 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 4.00
Appointment cancels; broken appointments, and no-shows are a source of endless frustration in any dental practice. Although the vast majority of patients keep their appointments, about 10% of patients cause 80% of that frustration. Developing a protocol for handling this group of patients is essential to avoid lost revenue of anywhere from $150 (minimally) to $700 per day, depending upon the procedure. Follow the four steps below to slow the daily losses.

The A Word: Accountability
Written by: Martin Harshberger | Distributed: 2010-02-02 | Word Count: 578 | Page Views: 60 | Votes: 2 | Rating: 2.50
My 35 plus years of experience has proven that the majority of executives simply will not or cannot do the things that are necessary to succeed...

How To Write A 300 Page Book In Four Months
Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-15 | Word Count: 821 | Page Views: 35862 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 1.40
There's a lot of hoopla about becoming an author of your very own business book. The promise of fame and fortune is very alluring. Yet your book remains perpetually 'about to be' written. Meanwhile your business has ground to a halt. Hmmm... might there be a better way to get a book written?

The Best Marketing Book I've Ever Read (You'll Be Surprised)
Written by: Judy Murdoch | Distributed: 2007-05-09 | Word Count: 1522 | Page Views: 33040 | Votes: 15 | Rating: 3.60
From time to time someone asks me to recommend marketing books. Here's one of my favorite marketing books that always surprises people. Curious? Read on.

The Bizarre History Of The HOLLYWOOD Sign
Written by: Morris Timlen | Distributed: 2008-11-05 | Word Count: 1211 | Page Views: 24745 | Votes: 17 | Rating: 3.06
The most famous sign in the history of mankind is the one that graces the side of the hill above Hollywood, California. As famous a landmark as the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio De Janeiro, the Eiffel Tower in Paris France, the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, The Church of the Savior on Blood in Saint Petersburg Russia, and the Statue Of Liberty in New York City, the Hollywood sign is known around the world as the symbol of the American movie industry.

What Does It Take To Be A Successful Salesman?
Written by: Casey Moher | Distributed: 2008-08-05 | Word Count: 930 | Page Views: 4254 | Votes: 29 | Rating: 3.14
In the course of my average workweek, I meet people who tell me that they have no sales experience, and very literally, many will tell me that they could not sell if their lives depended on it. Do you fit into this mold? Do you seriously believe that you can sell me on the idea that you cannot sell things?

You Can Turn Complaints into Cash!
Written by: Judy Murdoch | Distributed: 2006-08-08 | Word Count: 795 | Page Views: 2844 | Votes: 24 | Rating: 3.54
Most of us don't like listening to complaints. We can't imagine the value in listening to someone rant and rage about something they're dissatisfied with. But here 's a secret: There's gold in those complaints—-if—-you know what to listen for.

Selecting Between a 401(k) And 403(b) For a Nonprofit
Written by: Daniel Lamaute | Distributed: 2007-10-11 | Word Count: 333 | Page Views: 2572 | Votes: 14 | Rating: 2.64
Newly released IRS regulations impose several new requirements and fiduciary responsibilities on employers with 403(b) plans. While the regulations generally don't take effect until January 1, 2009, there are some provisions that apply sooner.

A Wedding Competition Worthy Of American Idol Status
Written by: Wesley Berry, AAF | Distributed: 2007-12-11 | Word Count: 392 | Page Views: 2499 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.00
Past American Idol contestants Clay Aiken, Taylor Hicks, and Kelly Clarkson may have stood up to the pressures of the American Idol competition, but could they handle the stress of the Designer Wedding Challenge.

The Pros And Cons Of Postcard Marketing-direct marketing offline
Written by: Cheryl Miller | Distributed: 2006-11-29 | Word Count: 675 | Page Views: 2414 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.60
Postcard marketing is one of the oldest methods of marketing. Its concept is simple but can be quite effective. It is just sending out your message to your mailing list on a postcard. Postcard marketing is a powerful and cost effective way to advertise and will keep building in momentum when done correctly.

Interior Designers Expand Your Advice to the Exterior
Written by: Catherine Wilson | Distributed: 2006-07-19 | Word Count: 775 | Page Views: 2201 | Votes: 10 | Rating: 2.50
Do you have clients that depend on you for everything? Do they often want you to advise them in areas that somewhat fall out of your expertise? Do they ask for direction with parties, holiday decorating, coordinating weddings or even advice on landscaping? These are just a few of the ways a good interior designer is asked to stretch beyond the norm by clients who love their tastes and respect them.

Getting The Best Work From Your Graphic Designer
Written by: Erin Ferree | Distributed: 2006-11-02 | Word Count: 717 | Page Views: 2170 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 3.60
A graphic designer's goal is to provide you with the logos, artwork, and page designs that best fit your business, personality, industry, and target market and that convey your offerings and differentiators. The experience of reaching that goal can be extremely smooth and pleasant if you know what to expect up front, and if you understand that you do need to work with your designer rather than just letting them loose to create.

Why Businesses Need Receivable Factoring In Cash Flow Management
Written by: Toby Seibert | Distributed: 2007-08-08 | Word Count: 866 | Page Views: 844 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.60
In today's business environment, many businesses need to fine-tune the process of getting paid on invoices, in order to improve their cash on hand. Improving cash flow can be an ongoing challenge for businesses of all sizes, and it is an issue that must be addressed to ensure the long-term viability of the business.

Whose Restaurant Can You Find Online?
Written by: Rudy Vener | Distributed: 2007-07-09 | Word Count: 640 | Page Views: 672 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.40
What is so significant about Pizza Hut's latest TV commercial?

Equal Opportunity Pizza Ordering
Written by: Rudy Vener | Distributed: 2007-10-19 | Word Count: 629 | Page Views: 621 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.40
With online ordering, your menu and restaurant suddenly become accessible to both the deaf and blind customers in your community.

Business School for Non-Business Minds: Got a NAICS Number?
Written by: Melissa Mashtonio | Distributed: 2008-04-15 | Word Count: 423 | Page Views: 455 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.40
I’m a journalist. I spent a lot of my career in the news business. As my career has progressed, I’ve spent time at small and large companies, and I have sat through dozens of business meetings wondering what the heck the “money” people are talking about. They used acronyms as if they were a foreign language.

FDA's New Process Validation Guidance Recommends Team Approach
Written by: Norm Howe | Distributed: 2009-01-21 | Word Count: 665 | Page Views: 537 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.40
The November 2008 FDA draft guidance for process validation says "We recommend an integrated team approach to process validation that includes expertise from a variety of disciplines..." But when different people from different backgrounds work together, disagreements can stall your team. How do you get your project back on track?

The Problem With Swiping Sales Copy
Written by: Scott Bywater | Distributed: 2009-12-03 | Word Count: 480 | Page Views: 134 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.40
This is what people miss when they try to simply "swipe" sales copy from another advertisement.

The Secret To Making Successful Business Connections
Written by: Kate Smalley | Distributed: 2006-10-11 | Word Count: 672 | Page Views: 673 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 4.00
If you have a hard time making successful business connections, don't despair. Anyone can be good at meeting people-if they use the right technique. The whole secret to making a positive connection is knowing how to attract people and inspire them to want to give you a chance.

How to Build a Really Great Business? (Super Success Secrets from a Legendary Business Master)
Written by: Chet Holmes | Distributed: 2007-01-15 | Word Count: 1523 | Page Views: 748 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 4.00
Times are tough. The economy is in a constant state of upheaval. Is your company doing better than most? Are you placing greater emphasis on pure performance?

How to Charge More and Get It!
Written by: Kendall SummerHawk | Distributed: 2006-08-01 | Word Count: 290 | Page Views: 645 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 3.88
Why do businesses undercharge for their service? Fear. Fear of being rejected and fear of being disapproved of certainly. But the real fear is of not being good enough. Here are some tips to help you decide what the right price is for your products or service.

Online Copywriting Makes Content as the King
Written by: Steven Gerber | Distributed: 2006-12-11 | Word Count: 560 | Page Views: 767 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 3.86
The inverted pyramid is basically the placing of 4 W's in the primary sentences of the articles, supported by the other W and H on the following discussions. Four W's consist of what, when, where, and who. The other W which stands for why on the other hand, follows on the succeeding paragraphs, including the elaboration for the H which also stands for how, if necessary.