Be a Rich Jerk!

You want to meet the Rich Jerk!

Ha – don’t make me laugh. What do you think the chances are of ever getting to meet this 26-year old brat who has more money than you’ve had hot dinners?

Oh, you want to BE a Rich Jerk?

Well, that’s a completely different story! I’m going to tell you why.

A few days ago, I heard about this fellow who had sold a web site and business on eBay for a fabulous sum of money. More than that, he is still running extremely successful online businesses, which are adding to his considerable wealth, every minute of the day. Now, if like me, you’ve built the web sites, made sure that the search engines find them – and then still only make a modest living online, there’s surely something to learn from this guy’s approach. So, I bought the eBook that he wrote and, although it’s only a small book, it has some great advice.

The topics covered in the eBook include

· Which are the best affiliate companies to join
· Tips on writing a sales letter for your product or website
· Pay-per-click search engine strategies
· How to improve your search engine results
· Selling on eBay – some really interesting stuff here

I have to be honest here – there’s quite a bit of this information available in forums and discussion groups online. What isn’t there, though, is how this guy applies the information to his own online businesses to make a great living. I would also say that he’s got a chapter in the book about some investment strategies; that’s one area that I am going to steer well clear of, because I don’t know enough about investments to make a good judgment on the advice.

Will these strategies make me money?

Well, since I bought the eBook, I have already put a couple of strategies in place and can confirm that I have already got a return in my investment. The next trick is to reinvest the profits and build up some capital. Then, with some good working capital behind me, applying more of the tricks and tips to my online business will start to pay good dividends. If you want to check out the eBook for yourself, you can buy it online at Meet the Rich Jerk - there is a 45 day money-back guarantee.

Taking Advantage of Trends: Cocooning

One of the biggest established trends on the market front today, and still gathering momentum, is cocooning - the desire to perform the majority of social and cultural interactions (working, entertaining, relaxing, etc.) from home, rather than by going outside the home. This trend was strongly reinforced by the 9/11 tragedy, as many people began to review their lives and, sometimes for the first time, consciously decide how they wanted to live them rather than just letting life happen to them and going with the flow.

This poses an obstacle for many businesses who rely on brick and mortar style storefronts and foot traffic, as well as for those in the entertainment industries who rely on people "going out" for a large part of their income. The advent of home theaters, rec-room "bars" or "cafe corners" - sometimes better stocked and appointed than local business versions - and similar cocooning-based home improvements are becoming more and more popular as people are rediscovering the delights of having friends and family over for social time as opposed to meeting them outside the home in a third-party establishment. This trend is here to stay, according to all economic markers, so what are some of the ways in which your business can take advantage of this trend rather than being diminished by it? Here are some ideas:

1. Create a "house call" option for whatever you do. Now of course this doesn't work in all fields, but you'd be surprised how many it can be extended to, given a little creativity and thought. For example, a new car dealer might consider creating an exclusive "We bring it to you!" option for pre-qualified buyers, where interested parties can submit an application online, choose the model they're interested in from an on-screen "sales lot" and have a sales person drive it to their house for the test-drive and negotiations. Where can your business create a house-call option to encourage cocooners to purchase with you?

2. Reconfigure services and other offerings to allow for in-home variations of previously outside-only availability. For example, the recent boom of home-delivered DVD rentals does just this - you pay a consistent monthly fee and keep the movies as long as you want, sending them back when you're ready to trade them in for new titles. No longer do you need to leave the house to stay home for movie night - the ultimate expression of cocooning. How can you recreate your service or product to meet your customers' desires to stay in?

3. Consider adding "companion services" that make your service or product more attractive to cocooning customers. A pizza delivery service now offers free movie rentals with a qualified purchase as part of their "specials and sales" menu. These creative combinations save customers time and money, and offer strong incentives to remain loyal. How can you partner your offering to create this sort of option for your customers? Hint: what are your customers likely to be doing or needing during or near the time they are using your service/product?

The trend of cocooning offers many challenges to traditional businesses, especially those that rely heavily on showroom sales and foot traffic income. However, with a little creative thinking, you can turn this obstacle to your benefit and pull ahead of the pack where your competitors are concerned. My advice? Stay home one day and examine all the things you do that could be improved or eased by some version of your product or services. See where you hit snags or annoyances in your goal of living, working and having a good time at home. Imagine your ideal customer at home - then do your best to keep him there.

BJ's Wholesale Club: An Industry Success Story

In the 1980s a phenomenon began to take hold in the retail industry: wholesale [or warehouse] clubs. These 'big box' retailers are dotting the American landscape and offer something beyond what the typical Wal-Mart, Target, or Kmart have: large packaged items at nicely discounted prices. Currently, Costco's, Sam's Club, and BJs dominate the market. Recently, my family joined BJ's and I will share with you why I think their business is a success story.

When we moved to the Raleigh, North Carolina area from New Jersey in 2004, we knew that the retail market -- including supermarkets and discount stores -- was strong. Within a two mile radius of where we live we counted at least a half a dozen supermarkets and each of the big three discounters, Wal-Mart, Target, and Kmart, were present. Certainly, our choice of stores was in the abundant category.

Initially, little thought was given by us to joining a wholesale club, but a mailing received in our home from BJ's caught our attention. We knew that Sam's Club was also located in our town, while the closest Costco was in Durham -- a thirty minute trek. Thus, our consideration to join would have only been between BJ's and Sam's Club. So, what was the deciding factor? Two free months of introductory membership! Yes, we "fell" for it.

Within a day or two I took my family to the nearest BJ's, in Cary, and marched up to the help desk. Although the cheerful woman working behind the desk attempted to persuade us to sign up immediately for a discounted and extended (15 months) one year membership, we told her that we were not familiar with the store and wanted to use the two free months to get to know the place and to see if what they sold was what we wanted. She understood as she snapped my picture and handed my club membership card to me.

It took only the first visit for us to realize we liked BJ's. My wife and I joked at the colossal sizes of some of the items -- get a look at this five pound can of tuna! -- but, in the end, we found enough items suitable for our family -- particularly dry goods -- that we realized our membership would pay for itself within our first two visits.

If you are familiar with wholesale clubs, you know that they carry just about everything. BJ's is the same way and we were impressed by the variety and amount of items available. Additionally, BJs' own line of products -- Berkley and Jensen -- is a nice alternative for even greater savings. I purchased the “Men's Daily” vitamins and the price was approximately 30% lower than the name brand competitor. You can find the Berkley and Jensen name on a variety of products including gourmet foods, specialty imports, dry goods, clothing, cookware, etc.

There are many other areas in which you will save big at BJ's. Their selection of books is good and they carry many of the current bestsellers at prices that Barnes and Noble or Borders can only dream about. You can save plenty of money shopping their optical or automotive department –- I guess I won’t be going back to Jiffy Lube anymore – and I have noticed some great discounts on vacation packages. Our Cary club also has a gas station for members. Gas discounts generally run about ten cents per gallon and that quickly adds up especially in this day of elevated fuel prices. Not all BJ's have gas stations, but it is a nice bonus for members where available.

Is the environment perfect? No, of course not. One area of disappointment is their personal computers – the laptops at their Cary location are hidden in a locked cage behind the main desk. When I asked the supervisor about the missing laptops – one had been on display two months earlier – she cheerfully explained that they did not have the room to display a laptop. Huh?! With plenty of desktop computers on display one would think that some room could be made – I wondered if the real reason was theft. Since my arms already were full of checked out items I did not want to go to a cage to view computers. Cages are for zoo animals while computers, especially if you really want to sell them, ought to be out on full display.

For the most part, the personnel working at the Cary location are very friendly and helpful. This differed sharply from one of the competing clubs we belonged to while living in New Jersey a few years back. Of course, we make sure that we shop at the slowest possible time of the day and we check out our own items. Occasionally, the scanner will give you an ‘attitude’ and claim that you didn’t scan something properly but that is usually quickly resolved by a roving clerk who comes by to rectify problems.

All in all, I give BJ's high marks. We have since converted our trial membership to a full membership and are looking forward to receiving great savings and a having a continued good shopping experience. Now, if BJ's would only put their laptops back out on full display...

Manufacturing Salaries - 2004

The composite highest-income practitioner reported in this field (salary plus cash bonus and/or cash profit-sharing) is the President "B" of a manufacturing firm (defined as a chief executive officer who has little or no financial interest in the firm). The firm manufactures automotive parts/accessories, food/beverage/tobacco products, chemical & allied products, or machinery & heavy equipment; has 1,000 or more employees; has a total annual revenue of $100,000,000 or more; and is headquartered in or near Denver/Colorado Springs, Houston, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Modesto/Stockton, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Indianapolis, Boston, New York City, or Dayton, or outside a metropolitan area studied in Idaho. However, while the median President "B' has a total annual income of $214,966, the highest-income individuals reported are Presidents "A" (having a financial interest in the firm) and make well over $30,000,000.

Far toward the other end of the income spectrum, Assemblers "D" have a median income of $20,418. Sometimes earning under $14,600, the lowest-paid employees in this group are employed by firms that manufacture building materials; have $1 million to $4.99 million in total annual revenue; have 5,000 to 9,999 employees; and are located in or near Greensboro/Winston-Salem, Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, Dallas/Ft. Worth, or Charlotte, or outside the metropolitan areas studied in Texas, North Carolina, or Florida.

These composites represent the briefest possible "boil-down" of the voluminous data provided regarding current salaries and cash bonuses and/or profit sharing, and numerous demographic variables provided by 343 firms on over 54,000 managerial, supervisory, sales, engineering, technical, clerical, and blue-collar employees in 187 benchmark jobs which resulted in the eight-volume survey report, Compensation in Manufacturing, 24th Edition - 2004, sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers.

Copies of the entire eight-volume report are available for $1,250.00 from Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc., Dept. ART, 548 First St., Crete, IL 60417 (telephone 708/672-4200; fax 708/672-4674; www.abbott-langer.com) Also available is Compensation in Smaller Manufacturing Firms (under 250 employees) for $595.00. Each volume of both reports may be purchased separately. Also available is findpay-MFG04 (a computer program which permits the user to determine pay levels of each survey job on the basis of two or more variables simultaneously).

It would be an exercise in futility to attempt more than a superficial overview of the survey results in this summary. However, some overall data regarding compensation can be presented herein. In addition to the incomes of the benchmark jobs already discussed, the median total cash compensation nationally of some of the other jobs included in the survey report is:

Chief Legal Officers - $181,200
Vice Presidents of Manufacturing/Production - $135,375
Chief Marketing & Sales Executives - $133,835

Chief Corporate Financial Officers - $130,066
Vice Presidents of Manufacturing/Production Engineering - $112,274
Research & Development Managers - $90,377
Engineering Department Managers/Superintendents - $89,232
Chief Human Resources Executives - $80,849
Plant Managers/Superintendents - $78,595
Product/Brand Managers - $75,789
Design Managers - $74,347
Facilities Managers - $68,198
Cost Accounting Managers - $67,161
Sales Engineers - $67,000
Manufacturing Engineers - $66,477
Production Managers/Superintendents - $65,730
Quality Assurance/Control Managers - $64,890
Computer Programmers - $61,963
Purchasing Managers - $61,805
Warehouse Managers - $54,000
General Production Supervisors - $49,781
General Accountants - $48,725
Product Designers - $45,000
Maintenance Leaders/Working Supervisors - $40,833
Drafters, Senior - $43,795
Buyers, Junior - $40,256
Secretaries to the Chief Executive Officer - $40,125
Machine Repairers, Maintenance - $39,192
Production Schedulers - $38,195
Automatic Screw Machine Operators - Multiple Spindle - $37,252
Maintenance Workers, General - $36,420
Chemical Production/Mixing Machine Operators - $35,686
Carpenters, Maintenance - $34,211
Quality Assurance/Control Technicians - $33,329
Inspectors "A" - $32,739
Secretaries - $32,500
Milling Machine Operators - $32,261
Payroll Clerks - $31,775
Numerically Controlled Machine Operators - $31,750
Customer Service Representatives - $29,787
Injection Molding Machine Set-up and Operators - $28,200
Senior Account Clerks - $27,913
Machine Set-Up Workers - $27,809
Material Handlers - $27,705
Lathe Operators, Engine or Turret - $27,690
Painters, Production - $27,619
Machinists, Production - $26,661
Junior Account Clerks - $26,449
Fork Lift Operators - $26,052
Shipping Clerks - $25,317
Finishers - $25,044
Janitors - $24,376
Receptionists - $23,795
Injection Molding Machine Operators - $23,443
Warehouse Laborers - $23,109
Drill Press Operators, Single - $21,320

The income relationships reported above may be distorted slightly, since some of these benchmark jobs were reported more frequently in organizations of one size, while other benchmark jobs were reported more frequently by larger or smaller organizations. This may also be true for product manufactured, geographic location, and supervisory/managerial responsibility. This possible defect is corrected in the complete survey report by reporting income for each benchmark job overall and with "break-outs" by each demographic variable.

Type of Product

Overall, administrative, fiscal, and information technology employees are paid best by manufacturers of communications equipment, medical/engineering/scientific equipment, stone/clay/concrete/glass products, and aerospace & aircraft products, and worst in firms producing building materials, heating/air conditioning/refrigeration products, chemical & allied products, and apparel & textile mill products.

Employees in the sales/marketing group enjoy the highest income in firms that produce chemical & allied products, paper & allied products, circuit board products, and measuring & controlling devices. Income is lowest among producers of building materials, apparel & textile mill products, rubber & plastic products, and heating/air conditioning/refrigeration products.

Clerical personnel are paid best by firms that manufacture aerospace & aircraft products, stone/clay/concrete/glass products, and chemical & allied products. They have the lowest median incomes in firms that produce heating/air conditioning/refrigeration products, circuit boards, and building materials.

Engineering/technical employees have the highest median incomes among manufacturers of aerospace & aircraft products, communications equipment, apparel & textile mill products, and medical/engineering/scientific equipment. The lowest median income is reported among manufacturers of circuit board products, building materials, and primary ferrous metals.

Maintenance/material acquisition personnel are best paid by firms that manufacture aerospace & aircraft products, stone/clay/concrete/glass products, and chemical & allied products. This group of employees are worst paid by manufacturers of apparel & textile mill products, building materials, furniture & wood products, and heating/air conditioning/refrigeration products.

Managerial and supervisory personnel in plant/manufacturing/production functions receive the highest median incomes when employed by firms producing stone/clay/concrete/glass products, measuring & controlling devices, and food/beverage products, and the lowest median incomes when employed by companies producing primary ferrous metals, computer & allied products, and furniture & wood products.

Quality assurance/control, regulatory affairs, and documentation employees are paid best by producers of measuring & controlling devices, aerospace & aircraft products, and primary ferrous metals. They are paid least by manufacturers of apparel & other textile products, rubber/plastic products, medical/engineering/scientific equipment, and circuit board products.

Production employees in firms of 250 employees or more fare best among producers of chemical & allied products, paper & allied products, fabricated metal products, and measuring & controlling devices, and worst among manufacturers of furniture & wood products, apparel & textile mill products, and building materials. Production employees in firms of under 250 employees fare best in firms which product stone/clay/concrete/glass products, machinery & heavy equipment, chemicals & allied products, and fabricated metal products, and worst among manufacturers of apparel & textile mill products, circuit board products, and communications equipment.

Level of Managerial/Supervisory Responsibility

This factor is an excellent predictor of overall income in the manufacturing field. In larger firms, median income increases from $54,060 for those supervising under five professionals to $83,916 for those who direct the activities of 100 or more non-professionals, and from $72,992 for those supervising under five professionals to $95,813 for those who direct the activities of 50 to 249 professionals. Median income increases further (to $245,650) for those who direct the activities of 250 or more professionals and non-professionals.

In smaller firms, median income increases from $48,505 for those supervising under five non-professionals to $90,000 for those who direct the activities of 100 or more non-professional employees, and from $75,401 for those supervising under five professionals to $91,617 for those who direct the activities of 50 to 249 professionals. Median income increases further (to $170,000) for those who direct the activities of 100 to 249 professionals and non-professionals.

Size of Organization and Geographic Location

Median income for job families and individual jobs varies significantly by size of organization and location. While the compensation data were analyzed by size of organization and region, state, and metropolitan area, the data are too voluminous to allow for succinct commentary herein and must be left to the complete report.

Dr. Steven Langer is a Licensed Psychologist with 35 years of experience in business, industry, government, academe, and consulting. As a Visiting Professor of Management at Loyola University of Chicago and Community Professor of Behavioral Sciences at Purdue University, he has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, teaching such subjects as statistics, wage & salary administration, human resources management, personnel selection, and industrial/organizational psychology.

Dr. Langer is President of Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc., consultants in human resources management and industrial/organizational psychology and publishers in the human resources field. He has directed and/or participated in a variety of compensation, human resources administration, psychological, and training projects for numerous business, industrial, and law firms, periodicals, governmental jurisdictions and human relations commissions, professional societies and trade associations, and organizations in the not-for-profit sector. He holds the B.A. degree in Psychology from California State University at Sacramento, the Master of Personnel Service degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the Ph.D. degree in Educational Psychology from Walden University.

He is past chairman of the Personnel Research Award Committee of the Society for Human Resource Management and recipient of their Senior Professional in Human Resources certificate; member of WorldAtWork (formerly the American Compensation Association); past member of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Compensation Association; past president of the Pueblo Personnel Association; past chairman of the Section of Industrial Psychologists of the Illinois Psychological Association; and past president of the Chicago Psychological Association.

10 Lessons From Don Corleone

If you’ve ever seen the Godfather, I’m sure you remember the phrase, “Make them an offer they can’t refuse.”

In the movie it often meant an offer backed by force. In real life the situation is often more complex. The modern day Godfathers seldom need violence. They know the wants, needs and desires of their target market.

There’s a lot we can learn from the modern day Don Corleones.

1. There’s more money to be made tapping into a hot target market, than there is trying to create one.

2. They’ve often replaced force by giving more at a better price than their competition.

3. They understand the value of a consumable product that has to be continually reordered.

4. They understand the power of branding. They let others spread their name for them.

5. They understand the value of rewarding their top earners.

6. They are always looking for ways to diversify,

a. By expanding their marketplace.

b. By searching for other hot products.

7. They make it easy to buy.

8. They reward themselves with their profits.

9. They’re flexible. They don’t stick with a product or service that isn’t profitable.

10. They know that enjoying their profits gives them an incentive to earn more.

So, if you’re interested in building your business, take a lesson from Don Corleone. You don’t have to be a gangster to make more money.

Wishing You Success

What Do You Need to Know About Consumer Awareness

Are you an individual, a common man who toils day and night, up and down to earn three meals a day? If yes, then do you at times come home depressed with a look of betrayal on your face? There can be reasons like someone withdrew cash from your credit card and you have no clue how; the television you purchased for your family is not properly functioning, the shopkeeper refused to take the onus even though the TV is in the warranty period or somebody stole the information from your email account by hacking it?...this is the plight of today’s consumer, who at the end of the day comes back home defeated and cursing his fate and today’s world.

But one should never forget that God only helps those who help themselves. You can never be beaten unless you admit that you have lost; similarly no one can deceive you unless you let him do so. Thus, it is time for the consumers to wake up and realize that nothing will happen by sitting hands on hands, more than talking of action, one should believe in implementing or doing it. Howsoever one may try it is impractical to erase theft, fraud etc. form our society. In this case the only option left is to take preventive measures.

• The first and the foremost step for a consumer to prevent himself from cheating is to keep his eyes and ears open. Know or be aware of what is happening around you. Read the cases of various scams, thefts, burglaries, phishing scams etc. in that are highlighted in your local newspaper and also seen on television. This will keep you informed and conscious of what is going on and what can unfortunately even happen with you.

• Learn from the mistakes of your neighbors. If a shopkeeper has given a malfunctioning gadget to your neighbor, do not make the mistake of going to that shop. If somebody stole important mails from their mailbox, do make it a point to collect all your crucial mails directly from the post office.

• Never reveal personal identity to a stranger. You go for a morning walk and a man over their tries to be extra amiable even asks you to come home for lunch etc. does not imply that he wants your friendship or that he is a genuine person. So do not disclose your residence, telephone numbers, your workplace numbers etc. to him unless you gather complete information from a known person about him. Avoid giving personal details on phone. If you receive calls from unknown place that offers you some benefits and asks for your particulars, don’t be carried away by that. Tell your particulars only when you are sure that the call is genuine and that there is no other way out.

• Do not rely much on courier services. If you an access to the place where you have to deliver the parcel, take out some time and go yourself.

• Do not hand over your credit or debit cards even to your friends. It is foolish to trust someone blindly nowadays. Never tell your friends or colleagues to check your mails while you are holidaying with your family. It is not wise to let others know your password and mails.

• When you are out for shopping in the market, do not carry much cash. Keep the tentative amount and credit or debit card in case of emergency. This will not only help you do a regulated shopping but will also save you from many pitfalls.

• Before purchasing any commodity, always read the manufacturing date, the expiry date and the MRP carefully.

• Never forget to take all the bills and an assurance for the warranty period. Take the bills for each and every thing you buy and it is advisable to take things on a longer warranty basis even if you have to pay a little more for it.

• If while coming back home you lose your wallet, call up the police and register your complaint. This can protect you from the illegal use your documents by the one who picks them up. It is better that you de not carry your essentials every time you move out of the house.

• Keep all the emergency numbers (like the social security unit of your area, the police station number etc.) stored in your mobile phone. Also what is vital for your security is to keep a back up record in a diary of all the essential numbers in your phone and addresses. This will facilitate you with all the information in case you lose your mobile phone.

Wake Up, Its Time to Retaliate by Being Cautious and Not to Sit Quite.

Administrative Professional's Day/ Secretary's Day

April 24-30 is Administrative Professional’s Week. Wednesday, April 27th is Administrative Professional’s Day, also known as Secretary's Day. It has become a time for recognition of those assistants and/or secretaries that work with you to make your life easier! Often in the hustle and bustle of work, we don’t get the opportunity to thank those who work so diligently to keep things running smoothly.

Your local florist can provide many options to express your "Thanks" to these very important employees!

Fresh Floral Arrangement
Green or Blooming Plants
Dish Gardens (several plants in a decorative container)
Fruit Baskets
Gourmet Baskets
Gift Items (candles, etc.)
A Festive Balloon Bouquet

Recognition is a great way to create loyalty and show your appreciation to those employees that assist you. Include a message of "Thanks" with your gift. Some examples;

*Thank you for all that you do!
*We appreciate your hard work and enthusiasm!
*We are so greatful that you are part of our team!
*I couldn't do it without you!
*You make the office a friendly place to be!
*Your determination and efforts are appreciated!
*We don't tell you enough, for all that you do... Thanks.

We suggest ordering your gift a few days ahead of time to ensure timely delivery. Order your floral gifts directly from the local florist that will be designing and delivering your order. You will always get a better value and service when dealing directly with a professional florist.

Emery Express and Consolidated Freight; an end of an era

What many may not realize is that Emery Express was also a CF Company. You see John C. Emery, Sr. founded Emery Air Freight in 1946, when his company became the first air freight forwarder to apply for a common carrier license from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). While Emery envisioned his company working in partnership with scheduled airlines, the airlines considered freight forwarders as competitors and fought his license application until 1948, at which time the CAB granted Emery a license as a common air freight carrier. His plan worked. During that time, the company operated out of a New York office with a fleet of vehicles that consisted of two Ford station wagons. Since those beginnings a half-century ago, Emery has grown into a $2.9-billion global air, ocean, customs brokerage and logistics services company.

By 1956, Emery Air Freight had expanded overseas with its first international office in London and had inaugurated transatlantic service. The company moved to the cutting edge of technology in 1969 with a computerized tracking and tracing system called EMCON, short for Emery Control. John Emery died that same year and his son, John Emery, Jr., assumed leadership of the company. The fuel crisis of the early 1970's prompted the company to lease its own aircraft and launch the "Emery Air Force" in 1976. Emery now offered closed-loop control of shipments from pickup to delivery, with Emery trucks and aircraft overseeing every step of the transportation process. In a bid for expansion into the small package and letter market, the company acquired Purolator Courier in 1987. The acquisition proved disastrous and Emery struggled until Consolidated Freightways, Inc. purchased the company and merged it with CF Airfreight, CFI Inc.'s existing air cargo company. That was when CF became the parent of Emery. Over the next two years, from 1989 to 1991, the new Emery, now known as Emery Forwarding, struggled financially as did the original company in its last several years of existence. In response, CFI Inc. implemented management restructuring and marketing plans that helped launch Emery to its position as a market share leader in the heavyweight, business-to-business airfreight industry. By early 1992, the new marketing and operations plan had started to turn the company around. Customer confidence increased, as evidenced by the award of several major "primary carrier" contracts from such companies as General Motors. In September of that year, Emery reported its first monthly profit since its acquisition by CFI Inc. Emery completed its financial turnaround in 1993, earning its first annual profit for Emery under any management since 1986. That same year, the company won a 10-year, $1-billion operations contract from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to operate its Express Mail air transportation system. They lost that contract due to non-performance and then Fed Ex picked up that volume. However once back on good financial footing, Emery tried to position itself into a "one-stop" transportation and logistics provider. Thus it was happy to have the support of CF.

The Company introduced its logistics subsidiary in 1992 and strengthened its ocean services and customs brokerage divisions, both of which Emery had owned since 1976. The company also committed more than $75 million for information technology upgrades to meet customer needs beyond the year 2000. Emery's parent company, Consolidated Freightways, Inc., restructured itself toward the end of 1996 with the spin-off of its national long-haul motor carrier unit. The parent company was renamed CNF Inc. and consisted of Emery, Con-Way Transportation Services and Menlo Logistics. Con Way was the Non-Union part of CF.

In December 2001, Emery was combined with the former Menlo Logistics and Vector SCM. As part of the Menlo Worldwide group of integrated service providers, Emery Forwarding now looks forward to working with our customers in new directions to design an even greater range of supply chain solutions than ever before. Menlo Worldwide is the acknowledged industry leader in global 3PL solutions, and launched the first successful 4PL program. I know this sounds very official however realize that this is the project of the Bell Labs Think Tank and is partly improvised from the theory of Net-Centric Warfare with a slice of Fred smiths, Hub System thoughts, implementing every type of known transportation to deliver the packages and shipments. Emery Forwarding, part of the Menlo Worldwide group of integrated business solution providers, offers international air and ocean forwarding, North American overnight, expedited, second-day and deferred air freight, customs brokerage and project management services. Menlo Worldwide, based in Redwood City, Calif., is a $2.9 billion company with 12,000 employees and global supply chain services in more than 200 countries. Menlo Worldwide was formed in December 2001.

Few realize the connection between Emery and Consolidated Freight, but those who do realize that more was lost when CF filed bankruptcy as there were synergies in the entire logistic chain spanning nearly 7 and a half decades.

Government Auto Auctions

Ever pull up to a late model Mercedes, or fully loaded BMW and catch yourself daydreaming about how that person had enough good fortune to be able to own such a remarkable luxury car? He might have purchased his ride from a government auto auction for a fraction of its retail value. As a matter of fact, he might be that one neighbor with all the toys in the garage you can’t quite figure out how he can afford. Don’t keep up with the Joneses – BE the Joneses. Find and attend government auto auctions near you!

Government seized auto auctions:

Government seized auto auctions are constantly supplied by criminals when they are caught. The government seizes cars – and anything else – the criminal owns, and there aren’t too many drug dealers driving Ford Escorts! The government routinely seizes high-end luxury cars or highly customized vehicles during criminal investigations. These autos seized by the government include Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes, Nissan, and the occasional exotic import – Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati. If you are interested in a high end vehicle, but don’t care for the retail price tag, then government seized auto auctions are for you. To find a government seized auto auction near you, check within DEAauctions.COM "Members area" today!

Government fleet vehicles:

Government fleet vehicles are the retired police cars and government service vehicles that are replaced at regular intervals. Government auto auctions include many government fleet vehicles. These tend to be domestic cars with high mileage, but regularly maintained. Unlike the government seized autos, you are more likely to receive vehicle history with a government fleet vehicles purchase. If vehicle history is important to you, ask before the auto auction begins for the information. Click here for more auction hints.

Government surplus autos:

Government surplus autos can be a combination of government fleet vehicles and government seized vehicles. These cars do not necessarily have higher mileage, they are simply no longer needed by the government. These can be passenger vehicles, “decoy vehicles” used by law enforcement, heavy equipment or even motorcycles and ATVs or snowmobiles. When a vehicle is no longer needed, it becomes a government surplus vehicle, available at a government surplus autos auction. For a listing of surplus autos auctions check out your local government auto auctions events.

A Final Word About government auto auctions

There are literally thousands of bargains available at government auto auctions. These bargains could be in your own backyard, and you may not even know it. Whether you need a car for yourself and don’t want to spend a lot, or you have a teenager with a new license, government auto auctions offer some of the best values in the car auction market. All makes and models are available – that second car can become a reality without sacrificing safety or style to keep your wallet intact. With the high cost of storing cars, governments want to liquidate their surplus auto inventory as quickly as possible to save money. If you want to rack up the savings on your next government auto auctions purchase, click here.

Direct Access to the Most Complete Information Some of the more common auction items include:

used autos • marine vehicles • jet skis • aircrafts • homes • real estate • commercial property • farm equipment • industrial • business • electronics • computers • antiques • art • coins • stamps • appliances • guns • travel • collectibles • clothing • crafts • boats • bikes • motorcycles • mobile homes • jewelry • toys • cars • trucks • mopeds • bicycles • cameras • televisions • clocks • furniture • unclaimed property • abandoned property • personal property • office furniture • condominiums • town homes • commercial property • vacant land • single family homes • machinery • tools • hardware • building supplies

and much, much more...

Hurdles to Cross Cultural Business Communication

International businesses are facing new challenges to their internal communication structures due to major reforms brought about through internationalization, downsizing, mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.

Lack of investment in cross cultural training and language tuition often leads to deficient internal cohesion. The loss of clients/customers, poor staff retention, lack of competitive edge, internal conflicts/power struggles, poor working relations, misunderstandings, stress, poor productivity and lack of co-operation are all by-products of poor cross cultural communication.

Cross cultural communications consultants work with international companies to minimise the above consequences of poor cross cultural awareness. Through such cooperation, consultancies like Kwintessential have recognised common hurdles to effective cross cultural communication within companies.

Here we outline a few examples of these obstacles to cross cultural co-operation:

Lack of Communication

It may seem obvious to state that non-communication is probably the biggest contributor to poor communication. Yet it continues to prove itself as the major problem within most companies.

Lack of communication with staff is not solely due to lack of spoken dialogue. Rather it relates to access to information.

For example, not giving feedback (negative or positive), informing staff of decisions and actions that will affect their roles or failure to properly communicate expectations are all ways in which information can be withheld from staff. This will eventually result in an alienated staff base that feels divided from management and superiors.

If managers are too selective in providing information, this can cause suspicion and jealousy among staff and will eventually result in internal strife instead of cohesion.

A management which does not and will not communicate and interact physically with staff demonstrates a lack of interest, trust and respect.

In the West it is often the case that communication lines are vertical. Staff report up to managers and managers up to senior levels and so on. Ideally lines of communication should run both ways. Those with a subordinate place in the communication process tend to feel estranged, indifferent and possibly even belligerent.

Lack of communication in all its forms is unhealthy. Companies and managers must be aware of how, what and to whom they are communicating.

Language

Communication difficulties through language come in two forms:

Use of inappropriate language

Language carries with it subliminal meanings and messages transmitted through vocabulary, stress and tone. The wrong use of words or emotions hidden behind phrases can send messages that affect staff self-perception, confidence and attitude. Critical language causes poor interpersonal relationships and low self-confidence whereas supportive language and tones has the opposite effect.

Foreign Languages

These days, offices may have native speakers of over 50 languages all under one roof. It is important that the main language of the office is established, whether it be English, French or Spanish. Once this is constituted all employees should only converse in the main language. This avoids exclusion of staff who can not understand other languages. In addition, a company should ensure that all its employees are fully conversant in the main language. Language tuition should be seen as a necessity not a luxury.

Culture

International businesses with a highly diverse workforce in terms of nationality and cultural background face challenges from the differences in language, values, belief systems, business ethics, business practices, behaviour, etiquette and expectations.

Cross cultural differences can negatively impact a business in a variety of ways, whether in team cohesion or in staff productivity. As we have seen above, different methods of communication are just one area in which cross cultural differences are manifested.

In such multicultural companies, objective help may be needed through a cross cultural consultant who will show teams and individuals how to manage communication and work together more cohesively and productively.

Company Culture

Company culture pertains to the internal culture of a company in terms of how it is managed. For example, does the company view its different departments such as sales, production, administration and HR as closed or open systems? A closed system is one in which a total lack of synergy exists between a sales and production department due to the structure and communication lines between the two. A consequence of such compartmentalization is that managers of departments have a tendency to become territorial. It is vital that team work, team building and team spirit are encouraged in order to create open systems.

Such measures are especially valid in joint ventures and mergers whereby co-operation between two or more companies requires their total commitment to an open system.

Understandably many companies are primarily focused on the financial and strategic side of company operations. International businesses are now realising that many of their business problems have roots in man-management and communication.

In summary, we can conclude that the biggest hurdle to effective cross cultural communication is a reluctance to invest in the expertise and resources needed to overcome the problems as outlined above. Cross cultural hurdles are easily negotiable with some objective and well-qualified assistance.

Government Seized Property Auctions

When people commit crimes, the government seizes their property associated with the commission of the crimes. This means the government seized property becomes auction goods for the general public to bid on. At a government seized property auction, property can include the following:

VEHICLES:

The most common government seized property auction is easily vehicles. Luxury cars, SUVs, pickup trucks – even boats, RVs, ATVs, snowmobiles and motorcycles are government seized auction property available in your area. Since vehicles have a documented value you can check against the Kelley Blue Book, it is easy to calculate your savings when bidding on this type of government seized auction property. Be sure to check out government seized auction vehicles in your area.

REAL ESTATE:

Drug dealers and tax cheats have to live somewhere too, right? Some of the most expensive government seized auction property available for sale is real estate. Vacant land, cabin getaways, suburban houses and mansions are some of the private use real estate available at government seized auctions. Commercial property can include car dealerships and customization shops, restaurants, ranches, retail space, and anything else you can imagine. Government seized auction property often sell far below fair market value. For more information about government seized auction property inside with DEAauctions.com.

HOUSEHOLD HOODS AND FURNITURE:

All those criminals have things they no longer need when they go to jail. You can buy their government seized auction property for pennies on the dollar. Area rugs, appliances, bedroom and living room sets are all government seized auction property you can bid on. Big-screen TVs, video games and pool tables are some of the recreation property available at government auctions. Make crime pay for you! Click here for your helpful hints to bidding at government seized property auctions near you.

ANTIQUES AND FINE ART:

If you like antiques and fine art, but your budget doesn’t allow you to indulge this pastime, government seized property auctions were madefor you! Oriental rugs, listed painters, sculptures, Chippendale furniture, Stickley and Tiffany glass could be yours for Martha Stewart Living prices! Government seized auction property includes art and antiques you may not be able to otherwise afford. Be sure to find bargain priced art and antiques at a government auction near you.

DESIGNER CLOTHES AND JEWELRY:

The fabulous designer duds once donned by people now wearing orange jumpsuits everyday can be had for unbelievably low prices. Government seized auction property includes some of the best name brands on the market today. Versace. Prada. Burberry. Vera Wang. Ralph Lauren. Nautica. Jewelry by Tiffany, Harry Winston, Bulgari, and Cartier can all be yours at government seized property auctions. Don’t hesitate – click here for more information about government seized property auctions near you.

DIRECT ACCESS TO THE MOST COMPLETE INFORMATION

Some of the more common auction items include:

used autos • marine vehicles • jet skis • aircrafts • homes • real estate • commercial property • farm equipment • industrial • business • electronics • computers • antiques • art • coins • stamps • appliances • guns • travel • collectibles • clothing • crafts • boats • bikes • motorcycles • mobile homes • jewelry • toys • cars • trucks • mopeds • bicycles • cameras • televisions • clocks • furniture • unclaimed property • abandoned property • personal property • office furniture • condominiums • town homes • commercial property • vacant land • single family homes • machinery • tools • hardware • building supplies and much, much more...

Pump Maintenance and Repair for Pressure Washers

If you have a pressure washer business you will eventually need to change out or repair the pump. There are a few things you should know to make such change outs easy. You may also need to study up on preventative maintenance so that you do not have to worry about pump failure. Your pressure washer probably has one of two different pumps if it is industrial grade. Either a Cat Pump or a General pump; both are industry standards. General is the leader in the industry for sales and many prefer Cat as it sucks better from plastic water tanks.

Your pump is powered by two parallel belts connected to your engine. You should make sure not to starve your pump from water. When the water tank is empty turn off the engine. Starving a pump will burn it out in about thirty-five minutes. The manufacturer says five to ten minutes, but that’s not life threatening. Your pump has a safety feature whereby when you are not spraying the water, it will automatically by pass into the tank provided there is enough water for the complete loop. Thank you. We also thought it was one of our great ideas. You should change the oil in the pump every month. Make sure your pressure washer rig is on level ground and fill the pump to the red dot on the center of the eyeglass. Over filling is a really bad idea.

On your pump you will notice six large bolts. Inside of the holes are check valves with springs. After 300-500 hours you should change them. You can do this yourself. The valve kits are $60.000. It’s very easy:

Unscrew bolts

Remove old valve

Replace valve

Make sure to seat the valve evenly

Screw the bolt back in by hand

Make sure the O-ring on the bolt is snug

Tighten with wrench pretty tight

Inspecting The Pump

If you drain the oil and it’s got bubbles in it or has turned white, then you have a blown seal and water is getting into the oil because: It overheated due to water starvation; The casing cracked because of vibration; You forgot to change the oil, dummy ($600 mistake and one lost day’s work if you can get the parts that fast).

Check to see if the belts are tight. If not tighten them. Look for water drips. A slow drip on the exit side of the pump could cost you as much as 150 PSI at the nozzle. A fast drip (two to three drops per second) could be a 250-300 PSI loss at the nozzle. A steady drip stream might be a 500 plus PSI loss. When you see water leaking, fix the leak ASAP. Be sure to use ample Teflon tape when re-tightening fittings. This will stop future leaks, prevent rust and make fittings easy to separate in the future.

A hole in a hose or leak on the inlet side of the pump causes air to get in. The pump will act as if it’s starving for water. It might even pulsate. When the water level in your tank reaches a point below the leak in the hose, air will replace the water and you’ll get zero pressure. That makes it very hard to wash anything.

Low pressure in the pump can be caused by a number of things; these are by far the most common, but this is not a complete list, generally if you go thru this list the problem will be solved, check the easiest things first such as water supply:

Faulty pressure gauge (Replace)

Out of water (Fill up tank)

Old or worn out tip at gun nozzle (Replace)

Incorrect tip (Remove and replace)

Belt slippage (Tighten belt)

Hose leaks (Fix leaks)

Faulty unloader (Replace)

Mis-adjusted unloader (Re-adjust)

Worn packing in pump (Take it to dealer)

Inline filter clogged with dirt (Clean it)

Obstruction in spray nozzle tip (Remove it)

Chemical metering valve sucking air (Turn it off)

Slow engine rpm (Check engine)

If you have a pulsating issue at the gun or the machine is Fluctuating pressure, this is a completely different problem than low pressure. You should check for: Worn piston packing (Call dealer). Pump sucking air (Fix hole), Blockage in valve (Remove, check valves and take out blockage). If it is fluctuating and very noisy or if your pump is only noisy check for:

Air in suction line (Check water supply and connections)

Broken or weak inlet or discharge valve springs (Call dealer)

Excessive matter in valves (Check and clean if necessary)

Worn bearings (Check and replace. If necessary, call dealer)

Vibrations from mounting (Tighten it. If unable, call dealer)

If you find the presence of water in the pump oil, it could be caused by: Blown pump head seals, High humidity in air (Change oil more often) or Piston packing worn then call your dealer. If water or oil drips from the bottom of the pump this could be a number of things such as Piston packing worn, the O-ring plunger retainer is worn, Oil seal worn, Pump head seal shot or Crack in pump head. If any of these call the dealer and see if they have the parts in stock, you may be able to fix it yourself if you feel confident, if not you will need to leave your machines with the dealer for repairs.

Pump lubrication should be done every three months or 500 hours, which ever comes first. Use SAE 40 weight oil or equivalent for Cat pumps. Use 20/30 weight non-detergent oil for General pumps. It should be hydraulic oil with anti-wear and rust inhibitor additives. The oil level should be checked by looking in the window on the side of the pump. Only fill oil half way to the red dot.

As a pressure washing contractor you must understand how to maintain and repair your equipment, think about it.

Gender Jive: Communication Between Men and Women

As Carl Rogers said, "The major barrier to mutual interpersonal communication is our very natural tendency to judge, to evaluate, to approve or to disapprove." Approval usually comes when my perceptions of your behavior match my assumptions of how I think you should behave. It's time to stop shoulding on each other and begin to ACCEPT each other with our differences. This doesn't mean we always have to agree with each other; just accept.

People perceive things differently due to differences in cultural/ethnic background, personal experiences, personality styles, gender differences, attitudes and beliefs, etc. This diversity may impact our ability to communicate with each other. Therefore, it is important to keep an open mind about such differences so we can reduce the probability for communication breakdown.

Not only are we faced with ethnic and cultural diversity at the workplace, we are also faced with

· different management styles
· different learning styles
· different decision making styles
· different personalities
· different genders

A deeper awareness of how differently men and women communicate is necessary in order to prevent these gender differences from leading to resentment, decreased productivity and workplace stress.
Research indicates men and women are socialized differently and consequently, have diverse styles of speaking. In her best-selling book, You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, Deborah Tannen says the sexes often speak virtually different languages. She calls it "report talk" vs. "rapport talk."

Men and women, and their different languages

Men tend to use “report talk” to convey information and self-importance, while women tend to use “rapport talk” to establish intimacy and connection. Tannen says that women will then see men as self-centered and domineering, while men will then see women as illogical and insecure. What results? Accusations that are hurtful. Men will accuse women of asking for advice and then not taking it, of rambling on about nothing, and of being unable to make decisions. Women will accuse men of not listening, invalidating their feelings, and always stepping in to solve problems with a lot of "you shoulds."

Speaking different languages at work

In the workplace, these differences impact the way messages are sent and received, thus causing communication breakdown, misunderstanding and major frustration. For example, a female supervisor seeks conversation from her male boss about a problem situation she is having with one of her employees. Her intent for the meeting is to inform her boss of the problem. She just wants him to listen to her, rephrase and repeat what she's saying so that she can become more clear on how she wishes to proceed. Perhaps he would ask her some probing questions about options, etc. Instead, he begins telling her what she should do with the problem employee. She becomes frustrated and leaves, feeling like her time was wasted. He feels he has solved the problem, and it's time to move on.

...and then at home

Taking this situation into the home, the wife wishes to discuss a problem she's having with her husband, and he jumps in with the solution before she has had a chance to process her options. She gets mad and leaves the room saying, "You just never listen!"

An immediate translation is what's needed

In both scenarios, some very important communication skills are sorely lacking. First of all, the woman needs to be up front about what she wants from the man. "I'd really appreciate it if you'd help me process this problem by listening and asking questions," is one way for her to be clear in the beginning. If she decides she wants his advice, then she can ask for it. If she doesn't tell him what she wants in the beginning, then he would be wise to ask, "Do you want my advice or just someone to listen to you?"
Having a deeper awareness of gender differences will help you increase understanding, decrease tension and improve teamwork.
It is crucial to embrace differences and realize that there may, indeed, be alternative ways of doing things. It would behoove us to listen to each other and be more open to learning from our differences rather than allowing them to stifle our growth and ability to communicate with one another.

As we move into the next decade, we are going to have to learn how to better establish and maintain relationships with clients and co-workers so that we can create greater quality and productivity in an ever-changing world. The best way to do this is to fine-tune communication skills and accept that people are different, and it's okay. Follow these tips:

Keep an open mind
Accept and understand differences
When in doubt, check it out
Take the time to talk about talking
Create an environment where people feel safe sharing ideas/opinions

How Do You Set Consulting Fees?

One of the most frequent questions I receive from those who are trying to start or grow their own consulting business is: "How and what do you charge clients for your consulting services?"

The ways of billing clients are numerous. There are hourly rates, by-the-job fixed rates, contingency or performance arrangements, flat fee plus expenses, daily fee plus expenses, and many other methods of charging for your consulting services. Which one is best?

Let us consider some ways of billing for your time.

1. Hourly or Daily Rate

Many consultants charge by the hour or day. To establish an hourly or daily rate, they try to calculate the number of billable hours in a year. Many hours will be spent marketing and in administrative and other functions, so this time is not chargeable to the client. As well, vacation time, holidays, sick days, and so on, can not be directly billed to the client.

Consultants, like other businesses, must charge enough to cover their overhead expenses and also earn a profit. If a consultant wants to earn twenty-five dollars per hour of working time, he (or she) might have to charge one hundred dollars per hour to the client. This assumes one half billable hours and fifty percent overhead and profit.

Your hourly or daily rate may be limited by what your competition charges, especially if you have not positioned yourself as different from them.

2. Fixed or Flat Rate

Some consultants charge by the job or a flat rate. For example, a tax consultant might charge three hundred dollars to prepare a tax return for you and your spouse, including an unaudited income statement for your business from information supplied by you. If the consultant takes only one hour to do this, he grosses three hundred dollars per hour. If, though, the tax consultant miscalculates the time required, he could take twenty hours to complete the job and make only fifteen dollars per hour.

Of course, consultants can also make a profit on the labour of their employees or subcontractors.

Many consultants claim to make more on a flat rate than on a hourly basis. Advantages include being able to give a quote to the client up front and less disputes on price (as the total bill was agreed upon in advance).

To protect yourself on flat rate assignments, always limit the scope of your engagement to something that you can calculate easily.

For example, if you are asked to give a quote for setting up a website for a business, you might break this project into smaller assignments.

First, you could give a quote for preliminary research and recommendations. Estimate the time required to meet with the client, learn about his business and goals, develop strategies and a budget, and prepare recommendations on how to proceed. Then, give the client a quote (perhaps in the form of a one page letter agreement or proposal). Upon acceptance of the offer by the client in writing, you may proceed with this phase of the project.

Some consultants collect one-half of their fee up front and half upon assignment completion for each phase of the consulting project.

If the client doesn`t like your recommendations, at least you get paid for the work you did. Perhaps you can charge him to prepare alternative suggestions.

If your website project was not broken into smaller steps or assignments, you could find that you spent way more time on the project than anticipated.

Also, you might not find out until you present your bill for the whole project that your client won`t pay, either because he is not satisfied with the results or because he is unable or unwilling to pay.

Breaking down a project into smaller assignments helps you estimate more accurately and limits your financial exposure.

3. Contingency or Performance Arrangements

Sometimes clients will ask you to become their partner. If you do, you are no longer an objective consultant.

What if your client asks you to do management consulting for twenty-five percent of the net profits? Will there even be any profit by the time he writes off his car, home office, entertainment, travel, wages to self and family members, and other expenses?

On the other hand, if you are a marketing consultant that is absolutely certain that you can increase a client`s sales, you may feel confident charging a fee based on the increased sales volume of the client. Are you sure your client will co-operate with you in the attaining of this goal?

Some consultants charge a flat rate plus a percentage of ownership or profits for their services.

Fees based on contingency or performance arrangements are risky. Most consultants are better off charging a fair price for their services and leaving the risk of the client`s business to the client.

4. Value Based Fees

Sometimes consultants can justify fees based on their value to the client. For example, if you save a client one million dollars in taxes, your fee may be higher than normal to reflect the value of the services rendered.

You might pay an accountant or lawyer a fee of fifteen hundred dollars based on time for certain tax related services. What would you be willing to pay to legally save an extra million dollars in taxes? Ten thousand dollars, one hundred thousand dollars, or more?

Can you apply this information to your own consulting practice? Is there some particularly valuable service that you can render that would justify premium rates?

However and whatever you charge, be sure that your fee is a good value for your client and also compensates you fairly.

Creative Ways to Say "Thank You"

Thanksgiving Day comes once a year in the U.S., but every day there are people in our lives who deserve our thanks. Sometimes a simple "Thank you" is appropriate. At other times, it is more thoughtful to be creative in expressing appreciation. It's just good business.

Here are some suggestions for thanking people at work, at home, and in the community.

1. When you say "Thank you" tell the person specifically what it is you appreciate and why you appreciate it. "Thank you for going to the Post Office for me. It saved me a lot of time."

2. Send an e-mail note. When I sent a thank you note to my staff in the Pentagon, the energy level shot up.

3. Send a hand-written thank you note. These are noteworthy because so few of us take time to write and mail them.

4. Place an unexpected phone call just to say "Thank you." Connecting verbally adds warmth to your appreciation even if you reach voice mail.

5. Present a small certificate. Half-page certificates take up less space if displayed and are as meaningful as full sized certificates. They tend to draw attention because they are different.

6. Give a single flower from your garden, flowerpot, or florist, with a verbal "Thank you" or a note.

7. Put a candy bar or piece of fruit on the desk of the person to be thanked, with or without a note. (Be sure the person is not on vacation!)

8. Bake some cookies. This is especially effective when men bake and present a few cookies in thanksgiving.

9. Say something nice about the recipient of your thanks to someone else when the person you appreciate can overhear you. This is especially powerful in a business setting.

10. For special occasions, present a US flag that has flown over the Capitol. It is a unique, reasonably priced item which few people own. A certificate of authenticity is provided in honor of any special occasion you designate. Call your congressman's office and ask for it. If you don't have a local contact, call 202 224-3121 and ask for your congressman or congresswoman by name. When you reach that person's office, ask to purchase a flag. They'll know what to do!