Crisis? What Crisis? How PR Can Help Avert a Business Disaster

Most businesses understand the benefits of good PR. If you raise your profile and get your good news stories out in the media then people will remember you, associate you with a good product and go on to become customers.

But sometimes things go wrong and your reputation, or that of your business, is in danger. This should also be a time when you turn to PR, and use its tools to avert disaster and get a better result for yourself and your business.

So, what do you do in a crisis? What if you have a journalist ringing you for comments about a bad news story? How to you handle the fall-out?

Each situation is different, and calls for a different response but one thing you should never do – NEVER do nothing. If you bury your head in the sand, wish the reporters would go away, batten down the hatches or simply hope for the best, the best won’t happen. With nothing from you, journalists can put their own spin on a story; if you reportedly “refused to comment” or were “unavailable for comment” people will invariably draw a bad conclusion.

But this doesn’t mean you have to “spill the beans” about everything that has happened. You just need to keep calm, take a breather, and analyse what the best thing is to say.

So, if something has happened and you think the press may find out, then be prepared for that eventuality.

For example, you could have an employee arrested on a criminal charge; you might have had to let someone go and you believe they may have an axe to grind and choose to do so through the media; a customer may have a problem (real or imagined) that they are likely to shout from the rooftops.

In this case, prepare for that call by doing the following:

1. Decide who is allowed to speak to the press (senior managers or directors usually) and inform all staff that any media calls must be referred to them.
2. Make sure the spokespeople are fully briefed.
3. Come up with an agreed statement which can be issued to any reporters and don’t stray beyond it. Keep it brief, factual and unemotional. If you aren’t sure what to say, then at least say you are “looking into the matter” or “taking the matter seriously”. “No comment”” is rarely the best option.

You never know, the call may not come, but at least you were prepared.

In fact, whether you are likely to experience bad news or not, it is always a good idea to decide who is the company spokesperson, and instruct staff accordingly.

And if you aren’t expecting the proverbial to hit the fan, and a call from a newspaper comes out of the blue? Then buy some time. Ask them when their deadline is (you ought to at least have a few minutes, if not hours) and promise you will get back to them with a statement. Don’t speak off the cuff unless you are very confident.

Respect journalists’ deadlines, otherwise you will only aggravate them and – as far as possible – you need to try and keep them on side.

Then make sure you do go back to them with a prepared statement. Again, come up with something better than “no comment”. Remember, they have heard one side of the story and this is your opportunity to put yours but only let them know what you want them to know. Don’t get into a slanging match with the other side: it may make good reading but won’t do your reputation any favours.

If you are happy to be fully interviewed then go ahead – but make sure you know all there is to know about what you are talking about and prepare yourself for tricky questions.

Should you go for off the record? Journalists should respect this, and sometimes – just sometimes – it can be helpful to give them a little background information (off the record and not for publication) which might just take the wind out of their story’s sails.  Again, think carefully and rationally about this first before you jump in.

If you use the services of a PR professional, they can organise all this for you, even take the calls and deal with the press so freeing you up to take any necessary behind the scenes action

In a nutshell, be prepared if you can, don’t be an ostrich and hope it will go away, make a plan, and come up with something.

Haunted Skies: Ghosts Of The Eastern 401 Disaster

My experience with the story of Eastern Flight 401 began early in 1973. I flew from Tampa, Florida, to New York City and back several times that year. Most of my close relatives lived in the New York City area. During school breaks, I took the opportunity to combine visits with them with opportunities to attend various paranormal seminars scheduled for that year.

At sixteen, I was an experienced traveler and made most of my own airline reservations and arrangements. I hated crowds and loved red eye flights. Traveling at odd hours was no big deal for me. During the middle of Summer Break 1973, I was aboard a Sunday afternoon EAL flight that seemed almost empty. In those days there were always more flight attendants than needed on the off peak hours flights. The younger, less experienced crew members tended to hob knob with passengers. That’s how I met Susan. (I am being polite: Flight Attendants were called Stewardesses if they were women and Stewards if they were men in those days)

Her attention was drawn to a book I was reading about Flying Saucers. Like most of the flight attendants that I met during the 1970s, Susan was from the South. She seemed about twenty years old and had a pleasant personality. We talked on and off as her free time allowed. I had enough time in the air to know that there were several topics that you never brought up on a plane. These included UFOs and Airline Crashes, but both subjects came up anyway.

Susan was obviously well read on the UFO subject. Like me, she had relatives in the Air Force. She also knew people that had personally seen UFOs while on commercial flights. Most were not spectacular sightings, but strange enough to cause concern. What really got her started were some of the ghost stories I told. It turned out that hers was much better than mine.

I didn’t know much about the Flight 401 Air Disaster except that it involved an Eastern Airlines Passenger Jet which went down in the Florida Everglades about six months before. Personally, I was more concerned about airline hijackers in those days than crashes. Susan asked if I had heard any of the stories about ghosts from that flight appearing to people. I hadn’t. Before she could utter another word, a male flight attendant walking by grabbed her by the arm. Both vanished into the First Class section.

After a few minutes the male flight attendant reappeared. Although he worked in First Class, he came up to my seat and asked how I was doing? I said I was fine and didn’t need anything. He introduced himself as Bobby and asked if I wanted to move up to First Class. I accepted the invitation. While walking through the curtain that separated the sections, Susan whizzed by me with just a quick smile and stuffed some folded mimeographed papers into my hand. I shoved them into my pocket.

The five folded pages that Susan stuffed into my hand looked like some kind of insider’s newsletter. Something a Flight Attendant had put together for other Flight Attendants. It made reference to the 401 crash and how that some flight crews were seeing ghosts from the 401 crash. The pages were badly worn and had obviously been passed around and handled a lot. Although names and specifics were left out, it was obvious that this was a how-to sheet for crew members that wanted to avoid being on planes known for the 401 ghost appearances.

After we landed, I told Bobby that I left something in my seat back in coach. Before he could say anything, I headed back to speak to Susan. She was putting away pillows, so I thanked her for being so nice, pulled the mimeographed sheets out of my pocket and asked her, “Did you see any of the ghosts?” She looked down and thanked me for flying Eastern. Cold! I felt as if I had been dumped by a prom date! I mean, it wasn’t like I expected her to give me her telephone number. I just wanted to talk Airline spooks.

While in New York, I went to a library and looked up more information about the crash. It seems that the whole thing began when Flight 401 left Tampa for New York on December 29, 1972. The flight crew was Pilot Bob Loft, First Officer Albert Stockstill and Flight Engineer Don Repo. On the return leg to Miami, a problem developed. While on approach to Miami International at 11:30pm, a landing gear light failed to come on. As a result, the crew attempted to be sure the gear was down.

While trying to remedy the landing gear light issue, it’s likely that someone bumped the aircraft control column and deactivated the auto pilot. This caused a slow decent that wasn’t noticed by the flight crew until it was too late. Loft and Stockstill perished in the cockpit, although Loft hung on for a while after the crash. Stockstill was thirty-nine and Loft was fifty-five years old. Don Repo, fifty-one years old, initially survived the crash and died a day later in the hospital. In the end, ninety-six of one hundred and sixty-three passengers died.

Two weeks later I flew back to Tampa, Florida. I wondered if it had been sheer luck that caused me to learn about the 401 ghost stories on a flight from Tampa and to New York. Maybe, but I wasn’t lucky enough to end up on a flight with Susan again. My off peak flight took off on a late Sunday afternoon with a completely different crew. There were maybe thirty people on board and we ended up with an experienced Flight Attendant. She was kind of bossy, so I sat and read quietly.

At some point, I took out the folded pages that Susan gave me. I tucked them into a notebook I purchased at the airport and had been trying to decode the worn mimeo sheets for days. It proved difficult and was very frustrating, but I thought I would use the flight time back to Florida to try again. While I was using a magnifying glass to try and make out the words and letters, a member of the flight crew passed by. It was the First Officer headed to the back of the aircraft.

I probably wouldn’t have noticed him, but he stopped at my seat and looked at the sheets. He asked, “Pardon me, did someone on this flight or at the airport give that to you?” I told him no and made the mistake of saying that I found it in one of the magazines on board. I didn’t want to get Susan in trouble. He reached over and grabbed it out of my hands saying it was a scandal sheet passed around by ill-informed employees.

I had no way of knowing that I was flying Eastern at a time when the Flight 401 ghost sightings were at their high point. The sightings began in January of 1973 and continued in earnest until the summer of 1974. These events were exposed to the world in The Ghost of Flight 401, a book written by John G. Fuller. Fuller is one of my favorite authors. His book, Interrupted Journey chronicled the famous Betty and Barney Hill UFO Abduction Case and there were others like Incident at Exeter that I enjoyed as well.

Fuller’s book came out a couple of years after the ghost sightings ended. His wife, Elizabeth, was an Eastern Flight Attendant that helped him get the goods on the 401 ghost sightings. Her book, My Search for the Ghost of Flight 401, was just as good as his and I read both with equal enthusiasm. Anyone interested the paranormal should dig up copies of these and read them cover to cover.

The film, The Ghost of Flight 401, starred Ernest Borgnine and was a part of a one-two punch delivered by Hollywood. The second was the release of Crash, another film about the 401 disaster. This one starred William Shatner. Both films were shown on Broadcast Television in the USA and released in theaters in some other Countries. All told, the films were well received and probably gave Frank Borman more sleepless nights than the ghosts themselves.

In The Ghost of Flight 401, the ghosts appear as any human would. For example, during a 1973 flight from Newark to Miami, A Flight Attendant was doing a head count when she noticed a man in an Eastern Airlines Pilot uniform seated with the passengers. He refused to acknowledge her, so she contacted the flight crew. The Captain of that flight came back to see what was going on and recognized the man as Bob Loft. He cried out, “Oh my God, that’s Bob Loft!” At that point Loft vanished. Everyone present saw it happen.

During a 1974 flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Newark, NJ, the Pilot sees Don Repo sitting in the Flight Engineer’s seat. Repo says, “There will never be another crash of an L-1011, we will not allow it.” Repo vanishes after speaking. During another sighting, Repo appeared to a Flight Crew member and said he had completed the preflight check.

On another occasion, a Flight Attendant saw a man in a Flight Engineer uniform fixing a microwave oven. Thinking nothing of it, she went about her business. Later she asked the Flight Engineer what was wrong with the microwave. He had no idea what she was talking about. Repo also appeared several times in the Hell Hole (electronics room) beneath the cockpit after crew members heard knocking in that area and went to investigate.

While boarding a flight that would take him from JFK in New York to Miami International in 1973, a Vice President of Eastern Airlines entered the First Class Cabin and saw an Eastern Pilot sitting there. When he got close enough to see his face, it was Bob Loft. Loft vanished before his eyes. Loft was seen by a number of flight crews and spoke occasionally warning about problems or potential problems on board an aircraft.

There were some other types of appearances as well. Flight Attendant Faye Merryweather saw the face of Don Repo staring at her from an oven in the galley of Tri-Star 318. The galley was salvaged from the wreckage of 401. Merryweather summoned two other Flight Attendants. One was a friend of Repo and recognized his face. Repo spoke and said, “Watch out for fire on this airplane.” The airliner ended up having engine trouble a short time later on route to Acapulco. After landing, the rest of its flight was cancelled.
And it wasn’t just flight crews that saw the deceased crew members.

Several Marriott Food Service workers saw a Flight Engineer vanish in the galley of an airliner being stocked for the next flight and refused to continue their work. That flight was delayed for over an hour. Airline cleaners and mechanics began to find reasons to avoid working on or in Ship #318 where most of the sightings took place. Some believe that’s because parts were salvaged from the aircraft involved in the 401 crash and transplanted into #318. It’s as good as explanation as any.

Although the details remain sketchy and there’s a great deal of disagreement about it, the end of the ghost sightings may have had something to do with a psychic intervention of sorts. It’s been reported that one or more people who knew Loft and Repo managed to contact them through the help of a psychic medium who persuaded them to move on. The ghost sightings ended about a year and a half after the crash.

A haunting of this intensity and frequency reveals how woefully inadequate our attempts to understand or investigate the paranormal have been. This is especially true of those who do not care to acknowledge paranormal events in the first place. Rather than believe their own people, Eastern chose to ignore the ghost reports and recommend mental health evaluations and treatment for those who saw them. If the ghosts that appeared after the 401 crash have taught us anything, I would hope it is that simply ignoring paranormal events will not make them vanish into thin air.

Read more true stories about the Unexplained, order paranormal DVDs and experience the unexplained at http://www.UFOguy.com

Crisis Management – or managing the crisis?

There’s a world of difference between having a strategically
crafted crisis management plan in place and simply having to
manage a crisis, “from the back foot.” The world was served a
painful reminder on the subject, by the inept and vintage
cold-war era handling by Russian President Vladimir Putin, of
the Kursk submarine disaster.

Blunder number one was the (then) strangely paunchy Putin not
cancelling his holiday to, guideline number one: Be there. The
most senior possible person must always be dusted off and
wheeled out. The level of seniority demonstrates the seriousness
with which the issue is viewed.

The Russians are still locked into a quasi cold war mentality.
In which anything to do with the military is shrouded in a fog
of disinformation. That might have worked OK in USSR days, but
in the days of the media-enabled global village, there’s no
place for inept “spokespeople” adding to confusion and grief.
Guideline number two is: Tell the truth. There is no possibility
of having to argue later, like so many politicians, that you
were “misquoted” or that your comments were “taken out of
context.” Telling the truth, up front, is the simplest and most
effective way of defusing public hostility, however vexatious
the issue.

Many corporates fall into the trap of, “we can fix this
ourselves.” Sometimes you can’t. When it’s something requiring
outside or specialised help, it’s better to bring in early, an
excess of help, rather than too little, or none. Your public,
whoever they may be, will always be impressed by your “all hands
on deck” approach.

Guideline number three is: Tell them what you’re doing to fix
it. Bring the families or close ones of victims, or those
affected, to the heart of the operations control area if
possible and safe. Accommodate and feed them. Provide them with
communications to family and friends. Above all else, keep them
fully briefed. Think of then-Mayor of New York, Rudi Giuliani,
and his tireless communication with the media and those affected
by September 11th 2001. Corporate heads around the world can
learn from his example. Provide counselling, support and any
other facilities that might be needed to help the affected to
cope. Airlines now have this down to a formula.

So, guideline number four: Handle those affected, with utmost
sensitivity. Expect and treat their emotive outbursts with
empathy. They’re “normal”, given the circumstances. A South
African case in point is the insensitive media statement made by
the Everite (they of asbestos products notoriety) “Reputation
Management” spokesperson, via the media, to the bereaved, in
defence of his client. He said something to the effect that “the
circumstances surrounding the death are most unfortunate, but
future statements will be made only within the strict confines
of the law.” That truly is, as the Zulu aphorism says, “speaking
out of both sides of the mouth.”

Company responses such as this and those from Cape PLC – also
involved in slow-and-painful-death, asbestosis claims-related
issues, don’t win themselves any friends with such undiplomatic,
cavalier, hide-behind-the-legal-veil pronouncements. Remember
that potential investors today look to your triple bottom line
of fiscal, social and environmental performance and sensitivity.
Companies exhibiting scant regard for their past ill-doings,
deserve to go bust.

If ever there is a need for unambiguous, simple, clear
communication, this is it. Set up a communications task force
and ensure that they’re all at the same stage of familiarity on
the situation, at all times. Guideline five is: Sing off the
same, simple, song sheet. There’s nothing more awful than
conflicting views or “updates” on the situation. This can do
image and share price damage and anger the public – as did the
Russians, or years previously, those mismanaging the Exxon
Valdez oil spill disaster in Alaska. It will look as if you
don’t know what’s going on and haven’t got a handle on the
situation. Which clearly will be the case.

Guideline six is: Come up real quick with A plan showing how you
propose to avoid a repeat in the future. Think of the French
authorities and the Concorde crash. They swung speedily into
action – for which air crash investigations are not renowned -
and along with British Airways, grounded all Concordes until
designers came up with a fuel tank protection solution.

Guideline seven says: Don’t be tempted to lie or “cover” for the
boss or the corporation. South African National Minister of
Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, has made a right royal dolt
of herself, by refusing to make HIV/AIDS-related statements at
odds with those of President Thabo Mbeki. This guideline is not
in conflict with the “sing off the same song sheet” dictum. It’s
a warning to remember that your responsibility does not include
“covering” for someone else’s maverick stance. When they’re
discredited, so will you be. This may pose a moral and career
dilemma for you. Look long-term before you act.

Guideline eight is: Go the added mile. Deliver the unexpected,
go beyond the requirements of the situation. Set up a trust.
Establish a bursary fund. Create an institution. Shell, Sappi,
Sasol and numerous other environmental sinners have very
cleverly implemented wild life, ornithological or other
environmental awareness programs. You may have noticed the
inordinately frequent flighting of Shell “environmental
friendliness” commercials during Discovery Channel’s damp-squib
Egyptian, “drill through the pyramid wall” broadcast. These
“show that they care” about the environment, right? Well, that
stuff works on unthinking people, even if it does mean sailing a
tad close to the wind at times. Thank God for Greenpeace though,
to keep the record straight.

Guideline nine: When it’s good, localise or take credit for it.
When it’s bad, globalise it and “share the problem.” Example:
You’ve had (as did Shoprite Checkers, following the acquisition
of OK Bazaars) a dreadful year, because OK Bazaars “shrinkage”
had dented their bottom line. Globalise by stating quite
truthfully that no retail chain in the world is impervious to
staff theft. Tell ‘em that the people in the newly acquired
company were disaffected and demotivated and hence, destructive.
Then localise, and say what you’ve done to reassure and
remotivate the staff, and improve the security aspect. So you’re
sharing the bad and claiming the good. You should not attempt to
do this dishonestly, or hide the real story. It’s simply being
candid – but intelligently so. Tony Blair did this well, when
discussing the intoxicated and very public behaviour of his
errant son, Euan.

Guideline ten is: The media is your umbilical cord to your
public. You need to be available to the women and men of the
media day and night. You should set up a media crisis centre.
Appropriately catered with food, plenty of caffeine and
non-alcoholic beverages. The American mine management and their
State Governor did well with the coal-mine cave-in in
Pennsylvania. TV viewers valued seeing the pale, drawn,
exhausted, bags-under-the-eyes Governor, investing some “sweat
equity.”

As they did, you should have someone senior and diplomatic from
your corporate affairs team, on duty at all times. Don’t be
smart with the media. Don’t try to feed them “spin.” Don’t think
you can manipulate them. Don’t put them down, or belittle their
perspectives. The better you keep them in the loop, the less
vitriolic they’re likely to be. You need them at this time more
than any other. How you treat them will be reciprocated. If you
don’t already have a media relations program underway, you’d
better start one. You don’t know when you’re going to need it.
Don’t use a crisis as your getting-to-know-the-media opportunity.

The bottom line? What I call the “three A’s.” Acknowledge or
admit to the situation. Specify what Action you’re taking right
now to contain or repair the damage. Tell them what you’re going
to do to Avoid a repeat in the future. If you don’t, you might
well be blowing the accumulated benefits of your combined
marketing, advertising, and communications budgets and efforts,
in one fell swoop. You don’t have to.

10 Common Career Management Misconceptions

Most people do not believe in career management, they only believe in career damage control – which means when something goe’s wrong they will fix it. Until then, most people dont bother to manage their careers to prevent disasters from occurring in the first place.

Listed below are ten misconceptions with regard to career management:

1. Only the most qualified people get the job – This is simply not true. It does not matter how qualified you are for the job. What matters is the way you have presented yourself during the interview process. Qualifications are not the only criteria for getting good jobs, other things like dedication, confidence and attitude also matter.

2. No need to work at a career just because you have a job – This could be the biggest mistake you make – and quite possibly the most popular misconception. This way of thinking has potential for disaster. You never know when you may be downsized or laid off from your current job, and if you do not have a career plan then you are in serious trouble. Make sure that you spend some time on managing your career even if you have a job. Do small things like update your resume and network with your peers.

3. Professional education stopped after graduation – This cannot be further from the truth. You need to continuously work at your professional education to maintain a competitive edge. Read trade magazines, write articles for relevant magazines, attend seminars, and pursue certificate and training courses.

4. The most generous salary is always offered – This is not true. In fact most employers offer a low salary just to see your negotiation skills. This is an old trick of the trade, where the employers check to see whether the candidate has done sufficient research from every angle.

5. I have job Security if I perform well – This is not true, especially in an economy where downsizing, mergers and outsourcing seem to be the order of the day. No one has a secure job, no matter how well you do your job. You have to take a hands-on approach by managing your career properly to ensure security.

6. Only a resume is required – All job seekers need to have certain tools for job hunting and the resume is only one of these tools. Other tools include cover letters, references and so on.

7. Recruiters are sufficient for job searching – No, they are not. Yes, recruiters will help you and guide you in the best way possible, but you cannot leave it completely up to them to get you the best job. You have to be proactive and take charge in your job-hunting process.

8. Employers are responsible for defining career paths – No, employers aren’t responsible for anything except getting the job done. You are the only person who is responsible for getting your career on the right path and for defining the way you want your career to head.

9. No need to network – Networking is essential to every business and for every person. You as a career oriented person need to constantly network. It is one of the most important aspects of career management.

10. Jobs are easily identifiable – Most people think that jobs are posted on the Internet or advertised in newspapers. This also is not true. Only a small percentage of jobs are advertised in this manner. Most people identify jobs by networking.

By keeping in mind the above misconceptions, you can avoid them and keep your career on the right track!

What Are the Most Essential Features For a Managed Dedicated Server Plan?

For any corporation that requires dedicated web hosting but doesn’t have the expertise to oversee and maintain it, a managed dedicated server plan is the perfect option. To date there are no industry standards to clearly define the management role of dedicated service providers, with hosts offering varying levels of support for a wide variety of prices. Services on offer include operation administration, firewall and antivirus updates, security audits, data back-ups, disaster recovery, and general system monitoring.

The choice of managed dedicated servers on the market is vast and it is important for a corporation to feel they trust in the knowledge and integrity of the web hosting provider. After all, a reliable and dynamic website is vital for customer loyalty. There are a number of key essential features to look out for that help ensure value for money and reduce the risk of choosing an under par website host.

Acquisition and installation

A managed host should provide a dedicated server package that caters to the client’s specific requirements. It is vital to ensure the server provider can offer the kind of scalability and bandwidth the organization requires.

What services are included?

Some services are included in the monthly fee and some are additional. It is also important that a host can react quickly to implement and install new requirements for one-off special projects.

Performance guarantees

The major managed website hosts now commonly offer 99.99% network and data-centre power uptime. This is only possible if the host has an adequate power back-up system in place and a dedicated team of support and monitoring staff.

Help and support

Many of the top managed servers offer 24 hour help and support, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. One way to test the support desk is to search the various review forums online, which have endless customer reviews with honest accounts of their experiences with a provider. An essential consideration is whether the host provides a dedicated support team. If not, it is likely you’ll spend ages on hold getting through to a different customer support worker every time. The ideal situation is direct access to a dedicated service representative who only works with a handful of accounts.

Hardware replacement time

The fastest offers on the market are for hardware replacement within 15 minutes of a failure, with more companies offering replacement within one hour.

Premium brand hardware

Hardware failure is still one of the largest causes of IT service failure and use of premium brand hardware is a must with the inclusion of RAID, which provides two or more redundant disks in the event of failure.

Application monitoring

One key feature of a managed dedicated server is the regular monitoring of the website, network, and server to ensure optimum performance.

Regular data back-up

Regular data back-ups are vital to protect website and customer information in the event of crashes.

Security monitoring

The host should be responsible for keeping updated on all of the latest security updates to ensure all reasonable steps are put in place to prevent a security breach. In the case of lost data, the host should be able to react quickly to recover lost information and prevent compromising customer security.

Power efficiency

One final consideration is to analyse the power efficiency of the managed server provider. Nowadays customers judge companies on their ability to minimize the impact they have on the environment. By selecting a server provider which aims to cut its energy consumption as much as possible and use renewable energy sources is a positive public relations exercise for any corporation.

From Movies on Demand to Telecom Expense Management on Demand – It’s a Whole New Experience

Once upon a time, movie night meant traveling to the local video rental store and surveying the aisles in hopes of finding the newest release in stock. Today, the combination of rental DVD delivery services like Netflix and movies on demand from your cable or satellite provider has created an entirely new and relaxing way to enjoy movie nights. The rental store is now literally at your fingertips. Netflix delivers DVDs by mail to subscribers via a rental queue created online. The greatest part of these new rental services is that there are no late fees. Subscribers pay a monthly fee for Netflix or a per-movie fee for on-demand services; back-end operations are handled by the provider. There is no more worrying about if the movie is in stock.

Telecom expense management (TEM) has evolved in a similar fashion. Enterprises that once used premise-based TEM software to handle telecom and IT expense management are now seeing tremendous advantages in utilizing Software as a Service (SaaS). By using on-demand TEM software, companies no longer have to be concerned with loading vendor billing data or dealing with the complex changes of vendor data formats. In the past this was a common cause of failures within premise-based TEM software solutions because it prevented companies from viewing data at the highest level of billing detail. With an on-demand TEM solution, companies can see their data loaded within 24 hours of it being received by the TEM vendor. Companies can then dedicate their full resources to analyzing their billing data rather than managing it. This stress-free solution allows companies to sharpen their focus on revenue-generating activities.

The Opening Credits – Implementation

Most Hollywood summer blockbusters feature action right at the start of the movie, immediately captivating the audience. In the same way, using SaaS for a TEM solution provides rapid implementation times, yielding a much faster ROI. Traditionally, companies with a premise-based software solution lacked necessary telecom expense management experience. Their TEM initiatives were prone to errors from the start – errors that were compounded throughout the course of the TEM program. Just like a summer movie that lacks innovative special effects or a great storyline, their TEM initiatives were doomed to fail from the very beginning. These premise-based TEM software solutions failed to deliver significant ROI after companies made a substantial investment.

The combination of expert knowledge and far less complex software installation can mean smoother transitions and a decrease in the need for troubleshooting. Furthermore, because there is less need for client participation from a technical standpoint during implementation, SaaS TEM providers can offer a project timeframe with a good degree of accuracy and configure the system specific to each company’s dedicated hierarchy. This benefits both clients and service providers by removing uncertainty in the deployment schedule.

In addition, scalability is never an issue. Companies do not have to purchase additional servers or hardware to increase the amount of data that is stored. More importantly, companies do not have to be concerned with developing new processes to handle new data feeds. That is handled by the vendor on the back end and is transparent to end users, allowing them to focus on analyzing data, disputing costs, or running reports.

Preventing Bootlegs – Data and Security in an SaaS Environment

We all know of Hollywood’s struggle to prevent bootlegs, an effort that entails deploying powerful encryption to deter pirating. In much the same way, organizations in the past were reluctant to have data stored offsite for fear of a security breach. With the advent of IPSec VPNs, this roadblock has been removed.

IPSec VPNs offer an extremely high level of data encryption, coupled with hardened data centers that offer economies of scale. Vendors routinely back up data and send it to an offsite disaster recovery facility. Uptime and disaster recovery services are built into SLAs, ensuring that the client can be up and running quickly and that the vendor adheres to the highest level of security standards. While it is understandable that organizations want control, the reputation and feasibility of SaaS depend on treating data with extreme sensitivity.

The Production – Maintenance

With an SaaS solution, any problems that do occur can normally be fixed faster because of the centralized nature of the service. Software-based solutions frequently require an onsite visit, which naturally delays any troubleshooting attempt. SaaS solutions circumvent this delay and reduce downtime. Moreover, SaaS solutions generally have 24×7 monitoring and management, meaning maintenance issues can be quickly and efficiently addressed because the majority of equipment is centrally located. To achieve the same service speed with a software-based solution would require a set of expert technicians onsite, and the resulting cost would most likely be prohibitive.

System upgrades can be managed more easily with an SaaS solution than with a software-based solution. The TEM vendor manages the upgrade and rolls it out when ready, making the transition pain-free. Furthermore, with an SaaS solution, operational expenditures are fixed and predictable, which in turn aids in planning cash flow. With software-based solutions, operational expenditures can spike unpredictably when issues occur.

Data Analysis – The True Blockbuster

The bottom line is that, in the world of telecom expense management, SaaS solutions allow businesses to concentrate on revenue-generating activities and areas of their business that they do well. In areas where their knowledge is limited – such as TEM — businesses can turn over the responsibility to vendors who have real expertise. Once an organization has implemented an on-demand TEM solution, they instantly gain enhanced visibility to their telecom spend and are up and running in a matter of weeks versus six to 12 months. This enables companies to begin analyzing their data to make more informed purchasing decisions and identify areas where more cost-effective services can be utilized. By using an on-demand solution, organizations are no longer struggling with loading data and maintaining systems, but instead spending time on true telecom cost control by drilling deep into data they never had access to before.

Just as Netflix and on-demand movies have changed the way we rent films, SaaS for TEM has pulled back the curtain for a next-generation TEM solution. TEM vendors can utilize their expertise in processing electronic data to provide companies with a truly comprehensive TEM solution that presents data accurately in a secure, easy-to-use interface. While software-based solutions provide companies with the comfort level of perceived control, a TEM environment offers true control, with the ability to analyze detailed data that can generate consistent savings. And that makes for the classic happy Hollywood ending.

From Movies on Demand to Telecom Expense Management on Demand – It’s a Whole New Experience

Once upon a time, movie night meant traveling to the local video rental store and surveying the aisles in hopes of finding the newest release in stock. Today, the combination of rental DVD delivery services like Netflix and movies on demand from your cable or satellite provider has created an entirely new and relaxing way to enjoy movie nights. The rental store is now literally at your fingertips. Netflix delivers DVDs by mail to subscribers via a rental queue created online. The greatest part of these new rental services is that there are no late fees. Subscribers pay a monthly fee for Netflix or a per-movie fee for on-demand services; back-end operations are handled by the provider. There is no more worrying about if the movie is in stock.

Telecom expense management (TEM) has evolved in a similar fashion. Enterprises that once used premise-based TEM software to handle telecom and IT expense management are now seeing tremendous advantages in utilizing Software as a Service (SaaS). By using on-demand TEM software, companies no longer have to be concerned with loading vendor billing data or dealing with the complex changes of vendor data formats. In the past this was a common cause of failures within premise-based TEM software solutions because it prevented companies from viewing data at the highest level of billing detail. With an on-demand TEM solution, companies can see their data loaded within 24 hours of it being received by the TEM vendor. Companies can then dedicate their full resources to analyzing their billing data rather than managing it. This stress-free solution allows companies to sharpen their focus on revenue-generating activities.

The Opening Credits – Implementation

Most Hollywood summer blockbusters feature action right at the start of the movie, immediately captivating the audience. In the same way, using SaaS for a TEM solution provides rapid implementation times, yielding a much faster ROI. Traditionally, companies with a premise-based software solution lacked necessary telecom expense management experience. Their TEM initiatives were prone to errors from the start – errors that were compounded throughout the course of the TEM program. Just like a summer movie that lacks innovative special effects or a great storyline, their TEM initiatives were doomed to fail from the very beginning. These premise-based TEM software solutions failed to deliver significant ROI after companies made a substantial investment.

The combination of expert knowledge and far less complex software installation can mean smoother transitions and a decrease in the need for troubleshooting. Furthermore, because there is less need for client participation from a technical standpoint during implementation, SaaS TEM providers can offer a project timeframe with a good degree of accuracy and configure the system specific to each company’s dedicated hierarchy. This benefits both clients and service providers by removing uncertainty in the deployment schedule.

In addition, scalability is never an issue. Companies do not have to purchase additional servers or hardware to increase the amount of data that is stored. More importantly, companies do not have to be concerned with developing new processes to handle new data feeds. That is handled by the vendor on the back end and is transparent to end users, allowing them to focus on analyzing data, disputing costs, or running reports.

Preventing Bootlegs – Data and Security in an SaaS Environment

We all know of Hollywood’s struggle to prevent bootlegs, an effort that entails deploying powerful encryption to deter pirating. In much the same way, organizations in the past were reluctant to have data stored offsite for fear of a security breach. With the advent of IPSec VPNs, this roadblock has been removed.

IPSec VPNs offer an extremely high level of data encryption, coupled with hardened data centers that offer economies of scale. Vendors routinely back up data and send it to an offsite disaster recovery facility. Uptime and disaster recovery services are built into SLAs, ensuring that the client can be up and running quickly and that the vendor adheres to the highest level of security standards. While it is understandable that organizations want control, the reputation and feasibility of SaaS depend on treating data with extreme sensitivity.

The Production – Maintenance

With an SaaS solution, any problems that do occur can normally be fixed faster because of the centralized nature of the service. Software-based solutions frequently require an onsite visit, which naturally delays any troubleshooting attempt. SaaS solutions circumvent this delay and reduce downtime. Moreover, SaaS solutions generally have 24×7 monitoring and management, meaning maintenance issues can be quickly and efficiently addressed because the majority of equipment is centrally located. To achieve the same service speed with a software-based solution would require a set of expert technicians onsite, and the resulting cost would most likely be prohibitive.

System upgrades can be managed more easily with an SaaS solution than with a software-based solution. The TEM vendor manages the upgrade and rolls it out when ready, making the transition pain-free. Furthermore, with an SaaS solution, operational expenditures are fixed and predictable, which in turn aids in planning cash flow. With software-based solutions, operational expenditures can spike unpredictably when issues occur.

Data Analysis – The True Blockbuster

The bottom line is that, in the world of telecom expense management, SaaS solutions allow businesses to concentrate on revenue-generating activities and areas of their business that they do well. In areas where their knowledge is limited – such as TEM — businesses can turn over the responsibility to vendors who have real expertise. Once an organization has implemented an on-demand TEM solution, they instantly gain enhanced visibility to their telecom spend and are up and running in a matter of weeks versus six to 12 months. This enables companies to begin analyzing their data to make more informed purchasing decisions and identify areas where more cost-effective services can be utilized. By using an on-demand solution, organizations are no longer struggling with loading data and maintaining systems, but instead spending time on true telecom cost control by drilling deep into data they never had access to before.

Just as Netflix and on-demand movies have changed the way we rent films, SaaS for TEM has pulled back the curtain for a next-generation TEM solution. TEM vendors can utilize their expertise in processing electronic data to provide companies with a truly comprehensive TEM solution that presents data accurately in a secure, easy-to-use interface. While software-based solutions provide companies with the comfort level of perceived control, a TEM environment offers true control, with the ability to analyze detailed data that can generate consistent savings. And that makes for the classic happy Hollywood ending.

An Excellent Financial Management for Students!

It may not be affecting you directly, but the recent economic turbulence (which is supposedly heading for disaster) is just an example of what you may be facing the day you graduate and enter the job market. And, as those affected by the current economic crisis may tell you, now is probably the time to look at how you spend your money and to be more critical on those decisions you make which could affect the course of the rest of your life. Take debt for example, something which seems fine initially because you have a job (hopefully) and therefore will be able to afford the monthly installments or go to www.positive-idea.com But did you consider the other things you might be spending on which will add to your monthly expenses? Probably not.

The following will serve as a basic blueprint of financial management for students – those still at school and those at college or university.
Create A Balance Sheet

Now is the best time to explore the basics of financial management. First and foremost is the use of a balance sheet detailing the various incomes and putting them in contrast with the various expenses. Which one is greater? Are you already in debt?
Oddly enough, most people recoil in shock when they put things down on paper for the very simple reason that spending is more of a continuous thing that a once off payment. Would you pay $8, 000 for a car this minute? No, probably not. Would you pay a monthly installment of $100 for the same car right now? It’s the same way with spending: a myriad of little things accumulating over a period of time which could put you in an awkward position.
What You Need vs. What You Want

The bliss about being a student is that those things you need to spend money on are often less than those things you want to spend money on. But, when work starts and the responsibilities start mounting, these two soon switch around leaving many people unprepared for the sudden change or visit www.change-ur-mind.com Along with your balance sheet, make a list of things you really need like housing, food, travel expenses, medical expenses, etc.
Budget

This is probably one of the last things you want to hear, but budgeting could set you on the road to riches faster than you think. This can be explained with the maxim: It takes money to make money. Saving now will give you that financial edge which could take years to reach before you are in a position to invest in those opportunities which capable of adding multiple digits to your bank balance.

As a final tip, and probably the most important one, educate yourself on the consequences of not having effective financial management strategies. Examples are abundant and will help you realize which mistakes not to make so that you may reach the top sooner.
It may not be affecting you directly, but the recent economic turbulence (which is supposedly heading for disaster) is just an example of what you may be facing the day you graduate and enter the job market. And, as those affected by the current economic crisis may tell you, now is probably the time to look at how you spend your money and to be more critical on those decisions you make which could affect the course of the rest of your life. Take debt for example, something which seems fine initially because you have a job (hopefully) and therefore will be able to afford the monthly installments or go to www.positive-idea.com But did you consider the other things you might be spending on which will add to your monthly expenses? Probably not.

The following will serve as a basic blueprint of financial management for students – those still at school and those at college or university.
Create A Balance Sheet

Now is the best time to explore the basics of financial management. First and foremost is the use of a balance sheet detailing the various incomes and putting them in contrast with the various expenses. Which one is greater? Are you already in debt?
Oddly enough, most people recoil in shock when they put things down on paper for the very simple reason that spending is more of a continuous thing that a once off payment. Would you pay $8, 000 for a car this minute? No, probably not. Would you pay a monthly installment of $100 for the same car right now? It’s the same way with spending: a myriad of little things accumulating over a period of time which could put you in an awkward position.
What You Need vs. What You Want

The bliss about being a student is that those things you need to spend money on are often less than those things you want to spend money on. But, when work starts and the responsibilities start mounting, these two soon switch around leaving many people unprepared for the sudden change or visit www.change-ur-mind.com Along with your balance sheet, make a list of things you really need like housing, food, travel expenses, medical expenses, etc.
Budget

This is probably one of the last things you want to hear, but budgeting could set you on the road to riches faster than you think. This can be explained with the maxim: It takes money to make money. Saving now will give you that financial edge which could take years to reach before you are in a position to invest in those opportunities which capable of adding multiple digits to your bank balance.

http://www.change-ur-mind.com
http://www.positive-idea.com

As a final tip, and probably the most important one, educate yourself on the consequences of not having effective financial management strategies. Examples are abundant and will help you realize which mistakes not to make so that you may reach the top sooner.

How To Save Your Marriage From Disaster

How to save your marriage from disaster after some catastrophic event may be easy but it can be done.  After some horrible event, the stress becomes unbearable in the relationship, and in these moments, it is important that you know what you need to do to save your marriage.

Some event that was unexpected and traumatic, took place that completely wrecked your relationship.  Something fell apart in the relationship, whilst the couple was fighting to understand and manage what was happening.  Such an event could be the death of a close family member, particularly a child, or it may follow a catastrophe, illness or other event that left you with the impression that your life had virtually ended.

You must learn several things   If you are trying to stop a marriage turning into a divorce you must understand certain things.  Firstly, not only does everyone react differently when confronted with different events, but men and women deal differently when faced with the same problem.  Certain people may choose to hide how they feel and others prefer to express their feelings more openly.  So you should not be surprised when you see your partner doing things in another way than how you would do them; your comprehension may help you save your marriage.

Grief may leave some people feeling miserable and tend to make them exaggerate the negative aspects of their lives.  You don’t need to excuse such conduct but you must learn to recognize and understand such behavior and be diplomatic when dealing with such situations.

It is also possible that some therapy may be useful as marriage counselors have experience in helping couples struggle through difficult periods of their lives.

Some suggestions are noted below that should assist both of you in coming through this harrowing time :

Promise each other that you are going to see things through together.   You must work together making all the effort you can to understand each other.  When you start to fall by the wayside your partner must take over and vice versa.

Get a support network of friends and family in place to help you both through this period.

If possible these people should have themselves passed through a similar period in their lives as they will be better able to give advice and guidance, having themselves experienced similar problems to yours, at first hand.

Start by learning to laugh again and look for reasons to laugh. If you can’t think of anything else, watch some funny movie on the television and laugh at it!  Aim to spend as much time as possible with people who know how to amuse themselves. Their good humor will gradually start to brush off on you as well and help you ease the weight of your problems.  .

A period of great suffering does not condemn you to a broken marriage.  On the contrary, when you both decide to do everything to save your marriage you will likely come through with your relationship in a much stronger state.

I also recommend that you read “The Magic of Making Up”, written by T ‘Dud’Jackson.

He has helped many people in similar situations, throughout the world, to resolve their relationship problems.

Joe Bisley

For further information click here         http://mylove-breakup-makeup.com

The Basics of Hazmat Incident Management

Whether at home or work, there is a chance you could be impacted by a hazardous materials incident (such as a chemical spill, train derailment, or industrial explosion). It is important that you think ahead and know what to do to ensure safety. If you are at work, chances are your employer will have a detailed emergency action plan and information for you to follow. But, if you are not at work – or even if you are, the more you know, the better – it is vital you are educated on what to do in such an emergency.

Many communities have Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) whose responsibilities include collecting information about hazardous materials in the community and making this information available to the public upon request. The LEPCs also are tasked with developing an emergency plan to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies in the community. Ways the public will be notified and actions the public must take in the event of a release are part of the plan.

Contact the LEPCs to find out more about chemical hazards and what needs to be done to minimize the risk to individuals and the community from these materials. Your local emergency management office can provide contact information on the LEPCs.

You should add the following supplies to your disaster kit:

Plastic sheeting
Duct tape
Scissors

During an incident:

Listen to local radio or television stations for detailed information and instructions. Follow the instructions carefully. You should stay away from the area to minimize the risk of contamination. Remember that some toxic chemicals are odorless.

If you are asked to evacuate:
Do so immediately.
Stay tuned to a radio or television for information on evacuation routes, temporary shelters, and procedures.
Follow the routes recommended by the authorities – shortcuts may not be safe. Leave at once.
If you have time, minimize contamination in the house by closing all windows, shutting all vents, and turning off attic fans.
Take pre-assembled disaster supplies.
Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance – infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities.

If you are caught outside:
Stay upstream, uphill, and upwind! In general, try to go at least one-half mile (usually 8-10 city blocks) from the danger area. Move away from the accident scene and help keep others away.
Do not walk into or touch any spilled liquids, airborne mists, or condensed solid chemical deposits. Try not to inhale gases, fumes, and smoke. If possible, cover mouth with a cloth while leaving the area.
Stay away from accident victims until the hazardous material has been identified.

If you are in a motor vehicle
Stop and seek shelter in a permanent building. If you must remain in your car, keep car windows and vents closed and shut off the air conditioner and heater.

If you are requested to stay indoors
Bring pets inside.
Close and lock all exterior doors and windows. Close all vents, fireplace dampers, and as many interior doors as possible.
Turn off air conditioners and ventilation systems. In large buildings, set ventilation systems to 100 percent re-circulation so that no outside air is drawn into the building. If this is not possible, ventilation systems should be turned off.
Go into the pre-selected shelter room. This room should be above ground and have the fewest openings to the outside.
Seal gaps under doorways and windows with wet towels or plastic sheeting and duct tape.
Seal gaps around window and air conditioning units, bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, and stove and dryer vents with duct tape and plastic sheeting, wax paper, or aluminum wrap.
Use material to fill cracks and holes in the room, such as those around pipes.
If gas or vapors could have entered the building, take shallow breaths through a cloth or a towel. Avoid eating or drinking any food or water that may be contaminated.

After an incident
Return home only when authorities say it is safe. Open windows and vents and turn on fans to provide ventilation.
Act quickly if you have come in contact with or have been exposed to hazardous chemicals.

Do the following after being exposed to hazardous chemicals:
Follow decontamination instructions from local authorities. You may be advised to take a thorough shower, or you may be advised to stay away from water and follow another procedure.
Seek medical treatment for unusual symptoms as soon as possible.

Place exposed clothing and shoes in tightly sealed containers. Do not allow them to contact other materials. Call local authorities to find out about proper disposal.
Advise everyone who comes in contact with you that you may have been exposed to a toxic substance.
Find out from local authorities how to clean up your land and property.
Report any lingering vapors or other hazards to your local emergency services office.

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