On the last day before summer recess, the United States Supreme Court handed down its ruling in the much anticipated “ObamaCare” case. Despite being difficult to follow without the assistance of a roadmap, the result of the nearly 200-page ruling is that health care reform...
Unfortunately, the concepts of right and wrong often may not influence the decision to breach a contract. This is particularly true during difficult economic times when parties to a contract often use the threat of litigation to forcibly renegotiate the terms of their agreements. Needles...
By Elizabeth Ferrin Some self-storage managers have adopted a strategy of using sophisticated algorithms and demand analyses designed to maximize revenue when calculating their rents. This means that customers will receive a different rate for storing at the same facility. A customer who calls twice in...
Would you think you could learn a profound sales lesson from American Idol? Well, it happened last season. Here’s the backstory in case you’re not a fan. Pia,the beautiful and seemingly unbeatable contestant, got the axe. The mentors (music industry bigwigs whose names I don’t know) were...
Most of us think consultative sales techniques need only be applied to big ticket items like large software purchases or luxury cars. Not true. Unless your business involves asking, “Would you like fries with that?” you probably should be selling consultatively. Here’s a great example. A new warehouse...
In the game of business, I find the bat to be a frequently used and highly ineffective piece of equipment. I know that because I conducted an unscientific survey and in the process, found an amazing difference in the way men and women employ the...
The U.S. Longshoreman and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act (Act) was enacted to create a uniform system to compensate longshoremen and harbor workers for workplace injuries that did not depend on the precise site of his or her injury. However, the Act states that such compensation...
If a coin comes up tails 100 times in a row, is it more likely that the next toss of that same coin will be heads? The answer is no. Since, as they say, "a coin has no memory," the first 100 tosses do not...
"Angel speaking," I said, my customary phone answering protocol. "Hi Angel, my name is Mary from XYZ Printing." "Who? " I replied. "Mary from XYZ Printing. I'm new here," she continued timidly, "and they gave me a list of people who have done business with us in the...
Although telecommuting is not a new phenomenon, it has certainly gained traction since the turn of the century. According to the American Community Survey, which is conducted annually by the U.S. Census Bureau, the employee work-at-home, or WAH, population grew 61% from 2005 to 2009....