How yahoo can survive its current woes

How Yahoo Can Survive Its Current Woes

Yahoo was once the be-all, end-all of search engines, and it was really the first big search engine to become a household name. However, Yahoo has come a long way from the days of $118 shares. In fact, thirteen years after it burst onto the internet scene, its CEO has been fired, thousands of employees have lost their jobs, and Yahoo’s shares have dropped. In fact, the site has been so over-shadowed by Google that it has been in major talks with several companies regarding a take-over.

What has caused all of this? There are several reasons. The first is that more competitors have appeared on the scene. Besides Google’s sudden domination of the search engine world, MSN, AOL, and http://Ask.com have all fought Yahoo for users’ attention. What’s more, Google’s emergence seemed to only really detract from Yahoo’s client base-the other three search engines have actually remained steady in recent years.

Yahoo has gotten away from its roots-the search market. That’s what they were originally known for, and it’s what they really do best. Searching the internet was once Yahoo’s entire reason for being, and it’s this purpose that they need to refocus on, especially now that sites like Google are expanding (and possibly repeating the mistakes of Yahoo’s past? Only time will tell on that one).

Yahoo also needs strong, new leadership to help give its employees a new sense of direction and purpose. This leader needs to be able to bring new ideas to the table while at the same time focusing the company. Yahoo is trying to be everywhere, and that strategy simply isn’t working. They’re running Yahoo Music, Yahoo 360, Yahoo Greetings, Yahoo Personals, Flickr, and much more. With the exception of Flickr, all of these sites have been done and have been done better. Yahoo 360, for example, is a social networking site, but it doesn’t enjoy anywhere near the popularity of sites like MySpace of Facebook. Yahoo Personals, likewise, has nowhere near the users that use dating sites like eHarmony.

If Yahoo is truly to survive, these services may need to be dumped. They don’t bring much to Yahoo’s resource pool and are, in fact, financial drains on the company. While Google spread out, too, they’ve actually spent some time revitalizing their search engine capabilities. They’re not spread thin, and they tend to dump anything that doesn’t work out like they expect it to.

Google has also worked on integrating its many services, something Yahoo has not yet done or has done poorly. Yahoo is trying to be known for so many things that it’s no longer really known for anything. They also need to stop spending money on Web 2.0 services. This puts them in direct competition with hundred of other companies, and it’s simply not needed. Yahoo should have two rivals, MSN and Google. They’re fighting a war on so many fronts that it’s hard to count them all.

Overall, if Yahoo wants to survive in the coming years, they need strong leadership that isn’t afraid to cut and run when services start to fail. They have many services that aren’t bringing in nearly as much as they’re costing the company, and these services need to go. Yahoo basically needs to embrace the idea of getting back to their roots. They’re a search engine. If they remember that and refocus themselves on doing what they do best, they can stage a come-back. If they can’t, the future of Yahoo may be grim.

Is your property manager working for you

Is Your Property Manager Working For You? 5 Tips To Getting What You Pay For

With vacancy rates on the rise, it’s more important than ever to keep your units rented. Hiring the right property management company can go a long way towards doing so. But how can you be sure you’ve hired the right person? Following are 5 tips to help you make sure you’re on the right track.

1. Make Your Expectations Clear

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is rushing the process of hiring a property management company. Often they are so desperate to fill the position that they’ll interview only a few candidates before hiring someone. Taking a little extra time to hire the right property management company the first time will save you time and money in the long run.

The good news is that San Diego has a large pool of people to choose from. The first thing you want to look for in a potential property management company is enthusiasm. Remember that they will be the ones selling potential renters on your units. If they can’t even sell you on themselves, it’s unlikely that they’ll do an effective job for your rental units.

A good question to ask during the interview is, What do you like most about San Diego? If they answer with a generic response they are not the right candidate. Hire someone who exudes enthusiasm and who is passionate about the area. They should be familiar with and well informed on the attractions, such as Balboa Park, the numerous sporting options or Seaport Village. The key is to find someone who can speak with confidence and enthusiasm in regards to not just your rental units, but the area in general.

Once you have someone in mind that you think would make the right property management company, be sure to check their references and ask around and see if others in the field have any experience with them. Speaking not only to their previous employers but also with tenants that they worked with previously can be a big help.

When you’ve hired the right property management company, it’s important that you don’t simply hand them the management agreement with any addendums and assume that they’ll read them. Go over each issue individually to ensure that your new property management company understands the specifics of your rental agreement.

2. Stay Involved

While it’s true that you’ve hired a property management company to ease the burden of the day to day issues that spring up, this doesn’t mean that you can simply spend your days in Seaport Village, enjoying the San Diego sun or taking long drives through the mountains. You’ll need to strike a comfortable balance wherein you’ll check up on your properties, and your property management company, from time to time — without going overboard.

A good idea is to stop by your properties at least once a month. You’ll first want to do a drive by to check on the condition of the exterior of the property. Make sure your property looks great from the outside by creating an attractive curb appeal- this will help the property rent faster- the right kind of tenants take pride in where they live and these are types of tenants you want.

You should also take pictures of the interior and exterior of your units when you hire your property management company. This will give you proof of the condition your units were in when you hired them. In addition, have your property management company do a walk through every six months to make sure that there aren’t needed repairs that your tenants aren’t reporting.

3. Be Forward Thinking

It is the job of your property management company to take care of your advertising, but it’s your job to guide the way in which they do so. San Diego is not the type of city where you can simply place an ad in a newspaper once a month and hope someone spots it. Rather, you make sure your property manager is aware of the incredible promotional opportunities which exist on the Internet- if you see online channels your not using, get in touch with your manager and tell them about it.

Give your property management company an example of the type of ads you’d like written and follow up on them. Calling and posing as a potential renter can give you the best view of how your property management company handles these calls.

Check the books regularly. Focus on all the expenses that your property management company is incurring- keep on eye on each line item and expenditure so your property manager thinks twice before spending your money. The more often you check into these things, the less likely your property management company will be to abuse your trust.

4. Don’t Fear Change

San Diego is one of the most sought after locations to live in for many reasons. One of those reasons is that it is on the cusp of new technology and is a trend setting city. This means that you and your property management company must stay on the cutting edge if you are to find new renters and retain them.

One of the best ways to avoid having your San Diego apartment or home sit vacant for weeks or months at a time is to start showing them before your tenants move out. In order to do this, you must be sure that your property management company is keeping an open dialogue with your tenants. This will give you the best opportunity to know when you have tenants that will be vacating and to act pro actively.

You also need to be sure that you’re keeping an eye on the San Diego economy. While you do want to get a fair rate for your rental units, if you know that one of your long term tenants has been laid off or forced to take a pay cut, this is not the time for your property management company to raise their rents. Conversely, an increase in the San Diego Economy means that you should be ready to increase rental rates when the time comes not charging market rates is the worst mistake you can make as it devalues the perception of your property.

Lease increase need to be handled delicately- make sure you’re justified as if you’re not, your tenant will simply move to another location. However, if you instruct your property management company to do so in a fair way, you can relieve some of the tension. Keep your rental raises in line with other San Diego rentals. Tenants who understand that they may pay the same rent elsewhere are less likely to move-m oving is a huge headache and has many costs associated. It’s also a good idea to offer them incentive to stay, such as a bonus for signing a longer lease.

5. Appreciate Your Property Management company

Everyone likes to feel noticed and appreciated for their hard work, and your property management company is no exception. Something as little as a hand written Thank You can go a long way. As a management company, you should be quick to let your property management company know when their performance could be improved and quick to let them know when they’ve done an excellent job as well.

Interim management — increasingly part of the plan

Interim Management — Increasingly Part of the Plan

Interim Management — increasingly part of the plan
Interim management has traditionally been seen as a reactive response to organisational failure. Increasingly, a new breed of interims are emerging — people who regard interim management as a career and have transferable leadership skills to work across sectors. Building in organisational capacity to accommodate career interims ‘as part of the solution’ is discussed.

Interim management saw rapid growth in the private sector in the 1990s. It experienced a decline as the downturn bit in 2000 but has shown signs of picking up in the last eighteen months. In the public sector interim management has been slower to take off but has seen rapid growth in the last two to three years, first in London and then throughout the country. As with the private sector, interim management was associated with organisational failure but is now slowly being seen as part of the solution.
In both sectors — private and public — many corporate HR specialists, as well as group managers, are only just beginning to see the potential in recruiting interim managers as part of their change programmes. As such, interim management is still very much an untapped resource.

Below, we explore these issues in greater depth with Linda Booth, Group HR Director for United Utilities, a FTSE100 company. The interview is interspersed with real life examples where Veredus interim managers have been brought in to help organisations.

Has there been a growth in interim management used by your company?
«Yes, but very gradual. At United Utilities group level we have used no more than possibly five to seven interims in the past two years. This, out of a total of 120 staff. We have three recruitment streams: from headhunters and executive recruitment brokers, from single independent contractors and from larger consultants who can offer specialist services. Within the larger group of 17,000 employees business managers have the capacity to recruit their own interim staff. In the main we don’t use headhunters but rely more on independent contractors. My personal view is that interim management is still largely an untapped resource which, if used properly by organisations, could support forward thinking programmes.»

Part of the solution — Veredus case study
Increasingly interim managers are being used by central government in a more strategic way. In one part of central government an interim manager has been placed to oversee the establishment of a new agency with a high political profile. The interim has been responsible for setting up the corporate governance of the agency, establishing the structure of the new organisation and working with civil servants on recruiting the senior permanent staff team. In this case, interim management is being used as a resource to set up executive structures in a newly formed national organisation.

What are the qualities/skills you look for in an interim manager?
«In the main we are talking about senior managers. So, someone who comes with good technical skills and can ease into the role smoothly, someone who can quickly understand the organisational culture and work with the grain, someone who can offer a challenge to the company and identify where improvements can be made, someone who is focused, has delivered before and can form easy — but not collusive — rapport with colleagues. Also, someone who can see the bigger picture. Equally important is the ability to not get ‘pushed back’ — someone who can stand their ground in the face of opposition once having agreed ‘the brief’ and has a clear definition of the role. Good interim managers come with a degree of maturity — they tend not to be phased by the ‘ups and downs’ of an organisation and have the ability to get on with the job. They know they are only going to be around for a limited period and can ride the stormy bits. Good interims get on with the job, can be set free quickly and want to make things happen.»

Has interim management changed in the last 2-3 years in terms of skills, talent and age?
«Most definitely. My sense is there has been a big change. Alongside those who have retired or taken early retirement is a new group of interim managers. Not just people with good technical skills but people with transferable management and leadership skills who can effectively move between sectors. Also people who appear to have more flexible lifestyles, who see interim management as a career — either as a medium or long term opportunity — and who are prepared to travel. My other feeling is that they are getting younger. Good project management skills are essential but increasingly so are good leadership and management qualities. Only now are we becoming aware of the pool of talent available.»

Part of the solution — Veredus case study
A national rail infrastructure company was awarded a ?3bn contract as part of a private/public sector package. Part of the business plan was to look at different elements of the contract and consider options for more rational and cost-effective models of service delivery. For example, whether to outsource or keep in-house some aspects of the service as well as how to turn round failing parts of the organisation. In this case, interim management being brought in at an early stage to consider future strategic options for the company.

Is there a place for interim managers to be seen as part of your longer term business strategy?
«Generally we don’t plan for interims as a part of our business cycle. As I mentioned before we still use interims as a reactive response. Using interim managers or technical experts as part of a planned development is still relatively new and undeveloped. I can see how built in capacity can be valuable to an organisation given the need to stay ahead of the game and give us a competitive edge. Not only technically but also managerially. Particularly in scoping either a new role or a new development where some uncertainty exists about long term viability. Less personal upheaval may result as well as less business instability. Certainly an idea that needs to be developed.»

Part of the solution — Veredus case study
A medium size unitary county council had recently appointed a highly able Director of Children’s Services. The new director had previously turned round a failing social services and was now expected to do the same for the education (schools) in the newly combined service. The authority agreed to bring in an interim manager — on a project basis — to work on poorly performing service blocks. The interim manager was previously a successful director of education. From the beginning role boundaries were made clear. The newly appointed chief officer would have complete responsibility for the management of the service but would use the interim as a mentor in getting to grips with the schools agenda, and as a resource in quickly drawing up action plans for ‘fragile’ parts of the education function. An example of interim management as a coaching resource and providing capacity to move forward quickly in getting the whole service up to speed.

In a nutshell, how would you summarise the qualities of a good interim manager?
In a nutshell, people who provide you with immediate access to high quality talent, who come with good track records, represent low risk and maintenance and can offer you more instantly by seeing things through a fresh pair of eyes. It’s interesting to speculate — coming back to the question of using interims as part of the solution — what came first. Did organisations identify a need or were they reacting opportunistically to a more talented and flexible pool of talent. My feeling is that it was a bit of both. Either way, we need to use interims in a more creative way and develop a clearer understanding of what interim management is.

How to benefit from working with speakers bureaus

How to Benefit From Working With Speakers Bureaus

What Speakers Bureaus Do For You

The bureau’s job is to know where and how to find the right speaker for your event, send you materials to review, schedule conference calls, secure / contract the speaker and facilitate financial arrangements. Like travel agents, speaker bureaus smooth the process for securing talent for your event and charge you nothing while saving you enormous amounts of time. Since speaker bureaus get paid from the speakers fee, they receive compensation only when you book a speaker they suggest.

Bureaus act as partners for researching speakers and finding the perfect match for your event. They can assist with determining the appropriate mix of content, personality and entertainment for the presentation. Finding the right speakers who can meet your needs and budget is the bureau’s objective.

Bureaus generally represent a large roster of speakers (ranging from local business experts to worldwide celebrities), and can also book speakers they don’t exclusively represent. Speakers bureaus work with professional speakers who are seasoned experts and have demonstrated excellent speaking skills, professionalism and expertise of their topic. The bureau interviews them, checks their references, reviews their performances in person or on tape and determines that they will deliver the best presentation for your event.

Bureau Process

First, bureaus will ask you about the goals and objectives for your event and about your company / division. During the interview, a bureau agent will listen to your program needs and assess what type of speaker would fit your program objectives and budget. Is your company downsizing? Experiencing tremendous change & growth? Sales slow? Company morale low? Conference theme?

Next, your bureau agent will research the large pool of available speakers to develop a short list of the top candidates for your event. Your agent will then send you you press kits and/or videos of the speakers you find most interesting. Finally, they will confirm availability for the speaker(s) you have chosen and will arrange all contracting, finances and specific presentation and travel requirements.

How to Maximize Your Bureau Relationship

Using Multiple Sources to Find Your Speaker

Since speaker bureau services are free, meeting planners will often contact numerous bureaus to help find a speaker. This can lead to confusion and wasted time. Instead of developing a close relationship with your chosen bureau and receiving a few excellent speaker suggestions for your event, you will receive piles of speaker kits (many duplicates) and dozens of calls from various bureau agents and speakers.

By using numerous bureaus, you can quickly diminish the time savings you would gain in the first place. Often, bureaus will not devote much time to these «multiple bureau» projects since they have less chance in closing a deal and the speakers they work with will be confused from multiple bureau contacts.

For example, a meeting planner contacts five bureaus and five bureaus send them four speakers for review (many are duplicates). What do they do then? Who do they choose to book the speaker? The meeting planner will have all five bureaus calling them to find out what their decision is and how they can help.

Communication

Bureau agents work hard to help meeting planners locate and book the perfect speaker. It is important to clearly communicate throughout the speaker search process. Give your bureau agent as much information about your goals and your chosen event theme as you can. Provide clear and quick feedback on speakers they may suggest and keep them informed about your selection process.

We all know the meeting process can be ever changing, especially committee run selection processes. Your bureau agent knows this, so don’t be afraid to involve them in your process, even if it means letting them know the budget has been cut this year or that the theme has changed. Your bureau agent wants all your events — for years to come — to be successes.

If you are using other sources, it is always a good policy to let your bureau(s) know others you may be working with. Let them know immediately if you are considering booking a speaker from another source. This way, multiple bureaus won’t continue contacting the same speaker trying to secure «holds» for your event date.

Bureaus take care of many of the details for booking speakers — from locating the perfect speaker(s) available for your event to contracting negotiations and presentation details — which ultimately saves you time and money. Working with bureaus is a time saving and rewarding experience.

How to wear ugg boots

How to Wear Ugg Boots

Nowadays there are numerous styles of Ugg boots. With spring on its way, chances are you’re getting set to box up all your winter coats and boots in favor of lighter fare. How to wear Ugg boots?

Don’t be too hasty as you pack things up, though–some styles can carry you beautifully from season to season. Take the Classic Cardy Boots from UGG Australia, for instance. These comfy, easygoing boots are knit from a soft, breathable wool blend for year-round wear. Lightweight, grooved outsoles keep you steady on sunny beaches or icy streets, and cushiony sheepskin offer comfort, winter through summer. The versatile UGG Classic Cardy has three wooden buttons down the side, and you can wear it many different ways, with all sorts of different clothing.

The ugg Classic Cardy was made for layering. Its unique 3-button design allows you to wear it several different ways: with the uppers stretched up to full height and buttoned; with the uppers slouched and slightly unbuttoned; or with the cuffs rolled all the way down.

Aside from that, you’ll probably want to experiment with layers as the seasons move from winter to spring, and from spring to summer. If you’re wearing boot cut jeans, for instance, you can start the day out with your jeans rolled down. As the day heats up, cuff your jeans up above your Cardy and take the boot uppers down.

Despite the comfort reasons, many people will still not wear these boots because of their appearance. But Ugg boots now come in a variety of styles, sizes and colors and can generally be incorporated in any kind of apparel you on wearing. Typically since these boots are usually worn in the winter for thermal insulation, you can wear any kind of Ski wear or even long jeans. In fact any kind of long winter insulated pants will look quite normal and fit perfectly with a pair of matching-color Uggs. If you are still worried about what to wear with them, there are many places online such as the Yahoo Answers Forum which will help you pick out the right apparel to wear with your boots.

If you’re wearing skinny leggings, start the day out with your Cardy buttoned all the way up, and your leggings tucked in. As they day gets warmer, cuff your boots down for more airflow. Follow this general rule of thumb, and experiment with lots of different layers for your legs and feet–from socks, tights and legwarmers to leggings, jeans, Capri pants and more.

Ugg classic cardy boots have many colors, in addition to the original earthy Oatmeal, Black and Grey colors, you can also find the Cardy in this season’s freshest new colors for spring: Cream, Sorbet and Pool. You can choose different colors according to your needs.

Editor: Wang

Article source: http://www.uggmart.net/?p=21