How helpful are the directories in finding a product

How Helpful are the Directories in Finding a Product?

If you are too tired of looking out for products at different places, you can find them online. There are directories of various kinds. Just like you have yellow pages to find contact numbers and address of registered telephone users, various business and services offline, there are online tools too.

These online tools such as a directory serve as a platform for both a manufacturer as well as a consumer. One can sell his products and services and the other can buy them. It offers enough scope to compare products and prices. In addition to this a consumer can view the products before he places an order. He can buy them over the internet through the use of a credit card and this would be shipped to you home.

Finding a product is no more an up hill struggle. Just a quick search over this internet tool will bring you a sea of products and their prices. Suppliers and retailers also advertise their items in the same platform. Craftsmen and artisan from the small scale and cottage industries find a venue to display their piece of art through the suppliers. A retailer should be a keen observer. He should also be a good researcher in finding out which are the top selling items and services that people scour for. A wholesaler is saved from the trouble of distributing their wholesale products to the public. You can find a trusted supplier who will give you the services that you need. Find relevant suppliers’ listings, manufacturers listings and make your purchase based on the quotes you get. You can find any product online right from Filters, Strainers & Related Products, Hand Tools, Abrasives & Abrasive Products, Cutting, Shearing & Slitting Machinery, clothing, skin related products, food products…Adhesives & Coatings such as Coating Machinery, Adhesives, Coating Services, to Plastics & Rubber etc. In addition to this, if you subscribe for newsletters, you will get to know if there are any new products or offer on display.

Soon after you search for a product they match you with qualified vendor. You can request for competitive quotes from vendors and suppliers and then you can make your informed choice based on these valuable information! There are millions of wholesalers and retailers across the globe, and they all compete with each other. Hence they usually lower their prices, give out freebies and do other promotions so that they can call the attention of the users just like you. Identify any bonuses and good deals when you register with directories.

How to create a comfortable room

How To Create A Comfortable Room

When do-it-yourself home decorators start their projects they think of fabrics and paint colors, furniture and flooring, texture and lighting. They head to a home decorating store and look at carpet samples, compare flooring prices, study the specs on faucets, and borrow wallpaper sample books.

Very rarely do do-it-yourself decorators take the time to sit down with graph paper and map out a room for comfort. Chair placement is often decided by the aesthetic quality or balance. Almost never do home decorators determine how to place furniture before they take the time to lay out a room.

That is why there are bedrooms that contain chairs, which will never be used. Poor furniture placement in the living room forces people to turn their heads to talk, lean uncomfortably when placing coffee cups on tables, raise their voices when speaking, and twist uncomfortably in furniture.

It is not that difficult to create a comfortable room. The first step is to create a focal point. This point should be some place that draws the eyes. It can be a bookshelf, piano, mantle, or a table with a vase of flowers. However, do not become too enamored with the focal points in decorating magazines.

Yes, a beautiful $500 hand blown vase full of blood red roses may look perfect on an antique table. But, the cost of replacing $50 of roses every couple of weeks, the frustration of maintaining an antique table, and the fear that a child will shatter the vase, make the magazine’s suggestion impractical.

This type of impractical decorating has been seen in many larger homes. Home decorators buy over sized and overstuffed furniture. They expertly lay out rustic rooms with 6′ square mosaic coffee tables. However, when the room is finished, the table cannot be used for fear that it will be ruined and people are so far apart that communication is difficult.

In fact, if you’ve ever tried to curl up in an overstuffed chair with a hot drink, a quilt, and a good book, you’ll quickly realize that furniture manufacturers sacrificed comfort for prestige and image.

Another consideration when creating a comfortable room is the traffic flow. There is nothing more frustrating than running a gauntlet of furniture and clutter. Traffic should be able to move through a room without forcing people to move their feet off stools, or tuck their feet in so someone can pass.

Traffic should also be able to move through a room without stepping over furniture, or walking in front of the television screen. Traffic should also move without bumping into entertainment centers, bookcases, and knocking items off tables.

This brings another aspect into consideration. Many people feel that rooms need to be cluttered with furniture. This is not true. Purchasing a large, solid wood entertainment center, just to ‘own’ it, is as impractical as using over stuffed furniture in family rooms.

Smart home decorators do not sacrifice comfort to create an image. They do not fill a room with expensive art and figurines to make a ‘prestige’ statement. Uncluttered, comfortable rooms are easy on the eye, relaxing, and encourage people to stay together in the room — a valuable asset in today’s hectic life.

How to choose a liability insurance vendor for your business

How to Choose a Liability Insurance Vendor for Your Business

Liability insurance protects your company from financial damages if your company is sued by a third party. There are many types of liability insurance products and many businesses purchase more than one kind of liability insurance in order to ensure that they have the proper coverage. Different types of liability insurances cover different situations. Umbrella liability insurance policy may cover injuries on your property while professional liability, such as malpractice insurance, may cover a doctor that misdiagnoses a patient.

If a business does not have liability insurance, the business may lose critical assets in the event of a lawsuit or a guilty judgment. Additionally, the company could go bankrupt, depending on the damages that the company may have to pay in the event of a lawsuit. For this reason, choosing a liability insurance vendor is crucial. If you need help choosing a liability insurance vendor, click here.

In order to find the best liability insurance vendor, ask yourself the following questions:

Who or what needs the liability insurance? The business should have its own liability insurance, even if the business is a Limited Liability Company (LLC) which guarantees that the owners of the business will not lose their assets if there is a lawsuit against the company. However, LLC status does not safeguard the business itself. The company should also make an effort to protect high-profile, high-risk individuals.

What do we need to have covered? Does the business need coverage for Errors & Omissions? Does the business need any type of professional liability insurance? Does it need general liability? Umbrella liability? Workers compensation? Determine the risks that your business could face in order before choosing coverage.

Do we also need worker’s compensation? Many businesses are legally obligated to have worker’s compensation coverage. Check with your particular state’s Department of Labor to determine if your business is required to carry it.

What price am I able to pay for liability insurance? The cost of liability insurance varies by company, coverage, type of insurance, industry, size of the business and more. Make sure to get comparable quotes from at least three companies before deciding on one company to work with.

How large of a policy should I take out? The size of your policy may depend on the amount of money that your business brings in each year. Be sure to speak with representatives from your top vendor selections in order to determine exactly what kind of coverage you can expect from them and what the price for that coverage will be.

Does the vendor have a solid reputation? Always do a Better Business Bureau background check and a Google search for any complaints.

In order to ensure that you receive the best liability insurance policy and terms possible, make sure to do your research. Finding the right liability insurance company can mean the difference between thousands (or even millions) of dollars. If you want liability insurance vendors to compete for your business, click here. For additional information, you can visit our liability insurance wiki.

Itil qualifications explained

ITIL Qualifications Explained

ITIL is the most widely adopted approach to IT Service Management. This White Paper explains the structure of ITIL Version 3 training and qualifications that are available

ITIL Certification

ITIL certification is for individuals and it signifies different levels of awareness and capability with regard to ITIL

ITIL training is undertaken in the UK by over 30 specialist training companies- All accredited on behalf of the OGC. They use approved course materials based on the official ITIL manuals ? and they prepare delegates for exams which are usually included in the training course.

ITIL Qualification Structure

There are 4 levels within the ITIL Version 3 qualification structure, providing a systematic route from Foundation through to higher level management qualifications

— Foundation

— Intermediate

— ITIL Expert

— ITIL Master

The new ITIL qualifications scheme recognises the value of existing v2 qualifications and introduces a system that gives credits for both ITIL v2 and v3 courses.

To achieve the ITIL Expert qualification, candidates must achieve at least 22 credits, two of which can be gained at Foundation level. (Full details of the credits system, examinations and pre-requisites can be found via the www.best-management-practice.com website.)

ITIL Foundation

This is the first step on the ITIL v3 education programme. The course explains the basics of ITIL, its terminology and common processes. It also travels through the Service Lifecycle, defining the roles and responsibilities involved.

Who should attend: Anyone involved in IT or the business

Duration: 3 days

Exam: 40 Questions multi choice ? pass mark 26

Credits: 2

ITIL Intermediate

At the intermediate level there are 9 modular courses from which students will typically need to acquire 15 credits in order to move on to the «cap-stone» Managing Across the Lifecycle Course and achieve the ITIL Expert qualification

The courses are grouped into 2 streams. It will be possible to «pick and mix» from these various modules to suit the requirements of you and your organisation. There are some constraints to ensure a good mix of topics is covered.

The Service Lifecycle courses (each worth 3 credits) align to each of the 5 core ITIL manuals.

Service Strategy

Service Design

Service Transition

Service Operation

Continual Service Improvement

The Service Capability courses (each worth 4 credits) focus on ITIL processes:

Planning, Protection and Optimisation

Service Offerings and Agreement

Release, Control & Validation

Operational Support & Analysis

Who should attend: IT professionals interested to develop specific ITSM skill sets and those who seek to achieve ITIL Expert status

Duration:Service Lifecycle ? 21 hrs minimum (3 or 4 day course), Service Capability ? 30 hrs minimum (4 or 5 day course)

Exam:90 minute graduated multiple choice with scenario based questions. Pass mark 65% (75% for a Distinction)

Credits:Service Lifecycle ? 3, Service Capability ? 4

ITIL Expert

The ITIL Expert will replace the current ITIL Manager certification which distinguishes experienced IT service leaders who have studied the application of ITIL in depth.

The version 3 ITIL Expert qualification is obtained upon achievement of 17 or more credits from the Foundation, Intermediate, Bridge or v2 Courses — followed by the broad and high level course — «Managing Across the Lifecycle».

Managing Across the Lifecycle

The purpose of this module is to consolidate and test the content of the 5 core guidance ITIL manuals. The focus is on business, management and supervisory aspects, with attention given to the interactions between the different ITIL processes.

Who should attend: CIOs, IT Managers, IT Professionals

Duration: 5 days

Exam: 8 multiple choice, scenario based, gradient scored questions.

Pass Mark 28 marks (70%)

In addition, candidates must be able to demonstrate at least 5 years of IT experience and have at least 2 years of experience in an IT service Management environment in a supervisory, managerial or consultancy role.

ITIL Master

Candidates for this level will be required to have achieved the ITIL Expert certification and to have demonstrated practical application and experience. They will be assessed on the broader issues of ITSM implementations including:

?Managing cultural and organisational change

?Responding to industry change

?Continual improvement of ITSM capability

?Preparing organisations for audit and certification

This qualification will not be associated with an accredited course.

ITIL Bridging Courses

An interim set of Bridging Courses has been introduced for those who have already undertaken training under earlier versions of ITIL and who wish to update their knowledge to reflect the latest release.

Foundation Bridge

Who should attend: Existing holders of the Foundation Certificate. Active members of Service Management teams.

Duration: 1 day

Content: An overview of the lifecycle approach to ITIL ? highlighting key changes and explaining the benefits

Exam: 30 minute multiple choice paper with 20 questions ? 65% pass mark

Credits: 0.5 (which can be added to the 1.5 earned from version 1 or version 2 foundation certificates)

Manager Bridge

Who should attend: Existing holders of the Manager’s Certificate who wish to upgrade to the new ITIL Expert qualification. It is not necessary to have taken the Foundation Bridge. CIOs, IT Managers, IT Professionals

Duration: 4 or 5 days

Content: In depth coverage of the lifecycle approach to ITIL ? highlighting key changes and explaining the benefits

Exam: 90 minute multiple choice paper with 20 questions ? 80% pass mark

Credits: 5 (which when added to the 17 earned from version 1 or version 2 Service Manager certificates result in the 22 credits required to qualify as an ITIL Expert)

Practitioner Bridge

Those with at least 12 credits from v2 Practitioner courses but who do not hold the Manager’s Certificate may achieve ITIL Expert status by:

?First completing the Manager’s Bridge course and exam

?Then completing the Managing across the Lifecycle Course and Exam

This enables part qualified individuals to obtain ITIL Expert certification without the need to study at the new Intermediate level.

Benefits of ITIL

Investments in information services have frequently been characterised by over spend, under delivery, and a lack of transparency. ITIL provides a maturity path for IT which is not technology based ? providing practical management tools which are accessible to a wider audience.

Benefits of adopting ITIL can include:

— Increased productivity

— Higher levels of customer satisfaction

— Reduced costs

— Improved communications between the IT function and its customers

— Improved morale of service delivery staff

— Lower costs of training

— Better asset utilisation

Savings in total costs of ownership of 48% have been reported in case studies. P&G has attributed savings of 10% of their total IT costs to adoption of ITIL.

Total Cost of Ownership studies by Axios and others suggest 75% of your IT costs are associated with Service Management rather than acquisition and commissioning. ITIL training and certification can help you understand and optimise the effectiveness of this spend.

ITIL Training and ISO20000

ITIL embodies the methodologies which underpin the ISO/IEC20000 quality accreditation for organisations with respect to their information systems. This is displacing BS15000 in the UK and is rapidly being adopted as the definitive international standard for IT Service Management.

ISO/IEC20000 is an auditable standard which specifies five key service management processes:

? Service Delivery Processes

? Relationship Processes

? Resolution Processes

? Control Processes

? Release Process

How you can save on business card printing

How You Can Save On Business Card Printing

The printing business can get pretty expensive pretty quickly. People who have ever gone to offline printing shops and attempted to get letterheads or business cards printed have undoubtedly had their jaws drop at how much several pieces of paper or cardboard can cost.

Pay Less For Printing

In an effort to help customers like you keep costs down, take time to go through the tips mentioned below and save some cash on printing business cards. Some would seem common sense while the rest verge on being technical. In the end, all are aimed at helping you save a bundle on printing expenses.

• Decide what is needed – This boils down to the kind of business you have. You might require particular business stationery for client correspondence. Obviously, business cards are a necessity for any firm as they represent a mode of advertising and a way of distributing contact info. However, ponder whether your business calls for purchasing pre-printed invoices, brochures, envelopes and letterheads. If you can get all these from a single printer, you will likely get discount rates that are sure to drive down business card costs.
• No to local printers – Local printers are pricier since they have overhead costs (building rental, advertising, stock and ink costs, and staff payment) to deal with. Online printers have way less overhead and are accustomed to delivering print products fast to various locations in the country.
• Stick it – Print Rolodex cards for clients by printing sticker labels that would fit in the Rolodex that clients can place on blank cards themselves. A hundred stickers cost less than a hundred Rolodex cards, since the stock is thinner and they do not require cutting with specific designs.
• Use online discount codes – These codes can help save on a broad selection of products and services from Internet retailers. They let you receive sizeable discounts available on particular sites. Such coupons serve up the same discounts as conventional paper coupons, minus the frustration of clipping them and getting unsightly paper cuts. Companies like UPrinting and PrintRunner offer discounts that make printing business cards easier on the budget.
• Pick a logo to incorporate – Logos are excellent ways to tie branding strategies together in business stationery. Draw your own logos to save money on business card designs. There is also the option of choosing among the stock images provided by business card companies. However, be warned, these are no longer original designs and may not have much use for branding. Some online logo design firms are willing to create custom logos for customers – for a tiny fee.
• Film lasts forever – Getting printing done at local print houses usually means they will place the card designs on film. In this way, setup costs are reduced in case customers need new runs. However, if their personal details change (job title or phone number), the film might get tossed out and customers will have to pay for new ones. Then again, online print shops do it all digitally, allowing you to make modifications anytime without paying extra.

A business card says a lot about a company. While price is a definite concern for choosing a particular business card printer, it should not be the only one. There is also the issue of quality to consider. The good news is reconciling quality with affordability is possible. People can save money on business cards while still ensuring they appear attractive and professional.