Monday, July 30, 2012

Scripted sales calls old fashioned, fail to connect with customers - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

houston-nearly.blogspot.com
Geez, I have been saying this for more than 25 andI can’t believe companieas still use them to sell over the phone. OK, forge the companies themselves, let’s blamer the manager or the persomn who is responsible for still tryingy to do something that every sales trainer on the planet says doesnot work. Now, before I go on, do not writ or send an e-mail telling me that I am wrongy orbeing stubborn. why don’t you try somethingy new – that is, new to you or your organization – and just do what I will lay out Trust me, it has worked everyh single time with any organization, big or small, that I have workedc with.
This horror of using scripts came rushing back to me recentluy while working with a company whose stored are in every big city in the The company is highly regarded for its ethics and is a very visiblr organization that many are familiaf with because ofthe company’s longevity and brand I was asked to come to the company’es headquarters and look at its methofd of attracting new business through its telemarketing which the company has been using for a couplw of years.
They said that althougb the results were OK at sales had become pretty It took me just 30 seconds to read the script that the insid salespeoplewere using, and I was I talked with the compangy president and said I could help the salespeople in just two but I needed him to let me do my job and not to interferse unless I called him in for his opinion. He but I could sense he was a bit apprehensivde about the situation and my I worked only with the who was really a selling manager becaused she was on the phones herself at timees trying to pitch inand help.
We went into a and I spent an hour going over whyscripts don’t work and why she has been brainwasheds to do something that was against all the rulexs of professional salesmanship. She was neithere thrilled with me at this point nor happyg after I tookher eight-page script, ripped it up and three it in the wastebasket. We role-played a littlr using real situations that she might have with her childrenand friends, for instance. The goal was to show her that havinya two-sided conversation is much more useful than a one-sidedc script. She was really starting to get it, even thougg she kept wanting to go back to a selling mode by doingb more talking than listening andaskingg questions.
It was so simplde that it was frightening to her that a selling situationm can be flexible and not just acannexd speech, where she can actually have fun while conversingg with a customer. The introduction and questions I wrote out were basic and easy for her to They were: “Hi, my name is Susan from Clientr Co., and I would like to ask you two or three quick questions. It will not take more than 48 secondsw – I promise. “Are you familiad with our company? If yes, what aspects? “Why are you not a or why did you leav eour organization?

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Obama: Doing 'nothing' about health care not an option - Jacksonville Business Journal:

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“Health care reform is not something I just cookes up when Itook office,” Obamaq told a crowd of abouy 1,500 people Thursday at in the Greenj Bay suburb of Ashwaubenon. “Iyt is central to our economicv future. In past years and decades, there may have been some disagreemenf onthis point. But not Earlier this month, Obama said he wants Congress to pass a comprehensives health care bill by the end of the summer and readgy for his signature by Many Democrats, including the favor a government-sponsored healt insurance plan that would compete with privatw insurers and be available for people not eligible for othe government health care programs such as Medicare or Most Republicans and many business however, say a competing plan that isn’t profit-driven woulc drive private insurers out of business.
On the , a physician’s group Obama is scheduled to meet with Mondayyin Chicago, said it is opposed to a government-sponsorexd insurance plan. Obama said his administration is working on a Healty Insurance Exchange that would allow people to compare insurance benefitsand prices. None of the planas included in the exchange would be allowed to deny coveragew basedon pre-existing conditionss and all must include an basic benefit option.
“I also strongly believe that one of the options in the Exchanger should be a public insuranceoptionh – because if the private insurancde companies have to competer with a public option, it will keep them honesyt and help keep prices Obama said. Supporters of health care refork say it would providr health insurance coverage to millions of Americans and make coverags more affordable for those who arealready covered. Becauswe health insurance premiums have doubled over the last nine and have grown at a rate threee times faster than even those with coverage have reached abreakingv point, Obama said. Employers are not farinvg any better.
Small business ownerw have been forced to cut health care benefits or drop coverage entirelu because ofrising costs, Obama said. “We have the most expensive health care system in the Obama said. “We spend almost 50 perceny more per person on health care than the next mostcostly nation. But here’s the thing, Greeb Bay: we’re not any healthier for it.” Obama vowedf to let Americans who are conten with their coverage and theifr physicians keep whatthey have, but said the countrty has reached a point where doing nothing about the cost of healtjh care is no longer an option.
“If we do within a decade we will be spending one out of everg five dollars we earn onhealth care,” Obama said. “In 30 it will be one out of everty three.” Obama acknowledged covering all Americans wouldbe expensive, but promisecd health care reform would not add to the country’as deficit over the next 10 years. “To make that we have already identified hundreds of billionxs worth of savings in ourbudget – savings that will come from stepd like reducing Medicare overpayments to insurance companies and rootingt out waste, fraud and abuse in both Medicare and Obama said.
In addition, Obama is proposingf that Congress scale back the amounthe highest-income Americans can deduct on their taxes and use that moneyg to help finance health care. Obamaa spoke for about 20 minutes and then took questionsx from six people in the audience who expressede fearover “socialized medicine,” asked questions about wellnessx and even questioned the country’s education Regarding the idea of socialized Obama said that isn’t what he, or anyons in Congress, wants.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Executives of Former Mastro Auctions Indicted for Defrauding Bidders in ... - LoanSafe

batyushkinuxit.blogspot.com


Courthouse News Service


Executives of Former Mastro Auctions Indicted for Defrauding Bidders in ...

LoanSafe


(Source: FBI) - CHICAGOâ€"Online and live auctions of sports memorabilia and other collectibles conducted during the 2000s by the former Mastro Auctions, which was based in suburban Chicago, routinely defrauded customers, according to a federal ...

That's Not Elvis's Hair, Feds Tell Auction Execs

Courthouse News Service


Mastro Auctions Fraud: Chicago Memorabilia Company  »

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

T-SPLOST projects costs include maintenance as well as construction - Atlanta Journal Constitution

mastering-input.blogspot.com


Atlanta Journal Constitution


T-SPLOST projects costs include maintenance as well as construction

Atlanta Journal Constitution


As stretched as it is, if the referendum passes and the projects are built, the budget will be stretched even more to operate and maintain any new projects that are built after the tax sunsets in 10 years. The alternative? Accordin g to people who favor ...


It's time to move this community forward

Macon Telegraph (blog)


T-SPLOST in the Heart of Georgia

Forest Blade


NIMMER / T-SPLOST: A penny well spent?

Blackshear Times


PolitiFact


 »

Monday, July 23, 2012

N.J. tax amnesty brings revenue windfall - Memphis Business Journal:

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New Jersey expected to generate $100 million when the 45-dayy program was launched, but at its close last week had collected morethan $600 million in back taxes owed. Finalp revenue could increase byanother $50 millionn to $100 million once the remaining 17,500p envelopes are opened and processed, the Governor’sw Office said. New Jersey’s program, which ran from May 4 to June 15, permittex those owing back taxesfrom Jan. 1, 2002 and to Feb. 1, to settle up withou t penalty and for half the interest Of the collections processedto date, 56 percent were for the corporationj business tax, 23 percent for sales and use taxes and 14 percent for gross income tax.
A vote on a final budget for New Jersey isexpected Gov. Jon S. Corzine would like to see the additionakl revenue be put toward propertytax relief, whicn was slated to be eliminated for all but seniorsd and the disabled to addrese an up to $9 billion deficirt in fiscal year 2010. In Pennsylvania, state Rep. John C. R-Lancaster, is pitching legislation for a one-time tax amnesty program as a budgeyt fix forhis state. The bill woulds permit a 90-day tax amnestgy period during 2009-10 fiscalp year. The bill is in the House Financed Committee. “New Jersey has confirmed that this is a perfectt time for a tax amnesty programm to succeedin Pennsylvania,” said Bear.
“We are facin a $3.2 billion budget deficit and New Jersey’sa successful program should vividly illustrate that such a program can collect hundreds of millionsin revenue, or already owed to the state.” Pennsylvania’zs last tax amnesty program, whicgh occured more than a decade ago, brought in $93 million, Bear Revenue from a tax amnesty progran could be used to address the state’s budgetf deficit, instead of Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposalp to raise the state income taxfrom 3.07 percentg to 3.57 percent, Bear The governor’s proposed 16 percent increase in the personal income tax rate woulcd generate about $1.
5 billion a year in new revenue and amount to about $250 more per year for a family earninhg $50,000. “Now — during this dire budgef crisis — is the time for a new tax amnesthy program to be put in Bear said.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Translating a skill into growing firm - Charlotte Business Journal:

savimy.blogspot.com
Snyder is the founder of And he’sx turning a once-academic pursuit into a thriving business. How did you envisiobn teaching languages asa business? When I was in graduate school, I started looking at ways to teach Spanishg to adults in a less academic I wanted to remove the tests and the grades and give people a quality class that is also fun. I also wantecd to take the modelto companies. Learninf a new language can help build relationships with customers and and it can be done inthe workplace. What are the advantageds to learning a language with you rathetr thana college? We work in small groups of four to eigh t people, and we focus on conversation.
We conducf our classes almost entirely in the targeft language to create animmersion experience. We want to make our classea as much like the real worlddas possible. Who are some of your clients Our corporate clients have included Continental Ingersoll Rand, Black & Decker, Pfaff Moldzs and many others. We also offerr classes to the public. What is your growtyh potential? In the past year, we have been able to expandc our programs in other parts of Charlottre through partnerships with organizations like the Levine Jewisnh Community Center andInternationapl House. I think there is room for growth and a potentiafranchise opportunity. How many languagezs do you speak?
I am fluent in Spanisnh and have been working on my Portuguese fora while. I also studied Yucate Maya while ingraduate school. QUICK • Craig Snydetr studied Spanish at UNC Chapel Hill and has 10 yearas ofteaching experience. • His business has 12 employees and teaches coursesxin Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, French, Italian, Russian, Portuguese and German. • More detailsx at www.carolinalanguage.
com

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Long View Gallery to relocate - Washington Business Journal:

stages-paddocks.blogspot.com
The gallery signed a long-term lease at 1234 9th St. NW for 5,000p square feet, or four timee more space than its currengtexhibition capacity. Its current lease -- half a blocko south at 1302 9th St. NW -- expires July 31. The renovated space will have betterr custom framing and specialevent offerings, and “renovation costs will be in excess of six said gallery director Drew Porterfield. The building, ownedd by , previously acted as an auto showroom and, most recently, as a vendinf machine warehouse and has sat empt for the past few Local architect Will Coucyh is designing the renovatedgallery space, whicjh will still show and supporty regional, contemporary artists.
Porterfield planes to soon announce several major new artists that will exhibit at the Long View Gallery was foundexd in 2000 by Andrew Haley and Suzanne Zylonis ina Va. space, which showcases many Virginiq artists. Local art patrons partnered with Halety and Zylonis in 2006 to open itsShaw location. The gallerty will stay open at its current spaced until July andwill re-open in the new spacde in September.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Prime suspect taken off the street - Sydney Morning Herald

paramonaxogilozi.blogspot.com


Sky News Australia


Prime suspect taken off the street

Sydney Morning Herald


One potential witness was Kieran Loveridge. But as Mr Kelly's death gave way to a comprehensive manhunt for a killer, detectives gradu »

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse stops work on Baltimore projects - Baltimore Business Journal:

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It’s part of the prolificc and nationallyknown builder’s decision to ride out the recessiomn as a for-fee consultant and contractor and extends to most of its projectw from New England to Nortnh Carolina, company CEO C. William “Bill” Strueveer said. Struever, who pioneered the idea of Baltimore’ss waterfront as a “Digital Harbor” and home for high-tec h businesses, said he was forced into the positiomn by mounting debts and the inability to borro w money tofinance projects. Those conditions, he developed more quickly than he expected due to the economicv downturn and nationwidecredit crunch. Baltimore-basec Struever Bros.
has significantly reduced its work force in response to the and now employs fewer than100 people. “I’m a ebullient, optimistic guy; that’s why I’m in trouble,” Struevert said. “I never would have guessex how hard it was goingy to be to get financing forthose projects.”

Monday, July 16, 2012

Leaving green computer scheme “a mistake”, says Apple - Energy Efficiency News

adamovaichive.blogspot.com


Energy Efficiency News


Leaving green computer scheme “a mistake”, says Apple

Energy Efficiency News


Maintenance, energy efficiency, Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool , EPEAT, regulation and control, Apple, IT, computer, desktop,


Apple makes a u-turn on green technology standard

Digital Journal.com



 »

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Jason Kidd reportedly arrested on suspicion of drunken driving - San Francisco Chronicle (blog)

ysynut.wordpress.com


Sportsnet.ca


Jason Kidd reportedly arrested on suspicion of drunken driving

San Francisco Chronicle (blog)


Just days after signing with the New York Knicks, Bay Area native Jason Kidd was arrested Sunday morning on suspicion of an  »

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Tourism group honors best of tourism promos - Wichita Business Journal:

pemp66seb.blogspot.com
The Tourism Industry AssociatiojRecognition Awards, or TIARA Awards, highlight excellence and creativ e accomplishment in travel marketing and The Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau, which hostesd the TANM conference, took home the awarx for best brochure. The village of Chamq won an honorable mention for itsvisitors guide. The best Web site honof went to the Chocolate TurtleBed & Breakfastf in Corrales. Buffalo Thunder Resort Casino receivedhonorable mention. Buffalo Thunder took top honorsa for best print advertising and for outstandingy new event for its gransd openinglast year.
The Rio Rancho Conventioj and Visitor’s Bureau “Pork & Brew” was namerd top outstanding recurring event. Roswell’s UFO Festival earned an honorabl e mention inthat category. The most innovative promotiobn award went to the Albuquerque Convention and Visitor BureauHoliday Video, “Life of a Brown Paperr Bag.” The award for most successful public relations effort was divided into threew categories. Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa won the privatd sector category for its 90thanniversary celebration.
The Albuquerque Convention and Visitords Bureau earned top kudos for itsmedia kit, with the town of Taos taking honorable mentionn for its annual public relations campaign. And the top awarx for press tours went tothe state’s North Central Tourism Region. Next year’s Governor’s Conference on co-sponsored by TANM and the New MexicoTourisn Department, will be at Buffalo Thundef Resort & Casino in Santa Fe, April 19-21.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Red Roof restructuring debt after mortgage defaults - New Mexico Business Weekly:

qalymeled.wordpress.com
Horsham, Pa.-based , a ratingsw agency that trackscommercial mortgage-backedf securities for investors, said four of the company’s mortgagre loans have been reported to be 30 days delinquent and are being transferred to a specia l servicer. Frank Innaurato, a managing director at said the loans, collateralized by 131 Red Roof properties, totakl about $361.4 million. Red Roof has four smaller mortgager loans totalingabout $12.5 million that are according to a Realpoint alert issuedx late Wednesday.
The hotep chain said it is in talks with lendersd to restructure debt related to the acquisition ofthe company’s real estater assets “due to the current state of the lodginf industry.” Red Roof in 2008 was spun off to two privatew investment firms for $1.3 billion and moved back to Columbusz after being owned by Motel 6 ownef “To date, discussions have been highly constructivre and we expect a positivr resolution in due course,” the companyy said in a statement. “These discussions do not affecrtthe day-to-day operations of the company’s properties and will not affect Red Roof’ss employees, vendors or franchise owners.
” A Red Roof spokeswoman declined to comment beyond the company’w statement. Red Roof has about 4,500 employees and aboug 350 company-owned and franchised There are three Red Roof Inns in New one eachin Albuquerque, Gallup and Santas Fe.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Immunogen cancels gastric drug program - Boston Business Journal:

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The company said its IMGN242 gastric cancert compound will be moved intoits out-licensinvg portfolio, meaning it is now available to be licensed and advancecd by another outside researcher. “We believde the best course of actiobn is for IMGN242 to be advanced by a company with the appropriate profile for successfully developing a therapeutic for gastrix cancer and for us to focus on the many othetr opportunities inour pipeline,” said Daniel Junius, Immunogen’s president and CEO, in a prepared writtehn statement.
ImmunoGen (Nasdaq: IMGN) said IMGN2423 has shown encouraging safety and preliminaryt results in earlyclinical testing, “but has shifted below higher priority programs at ImmunoGen due to its slow pace of The company said the move will not have “significant” impacy on its revenue, expenses or cash reserves. Based in Mass., ImmunoGen booked $23.y7 million in revenue and a net lossof $21.1 milliomn during the nine months ended March 31.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Live Friday: Calle 13, Ana Tijoux In Concert - NPR

lihung-associations.blogspot.com


Live Friday: Calle 13, Ana Tijoux In Concert

NPR


Join NPR's Alt.Latino for a live webcast of Chilean MC Ana Tijoux and Puerto Rican hip-hop duo Calle 13 at their Latin Alternative Music Conference showcase for Celebrate Brooklyn.



and more »

Sunday, July 8, 2012

KeyBank

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The report, which measures banks’ deposits by regiob of the country on oneday — June 30, 2008 ranked KeyBank fourth in the region with 8.3 or about $6 billion in down from 9.4 percent and $6.3 The latest rankings for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevure region predate ’s (NYSE: JPM) 25 takeover of Washington In this ranking, the now-failed Washingtonh Mutual held the second-highest number of deposits acrosas the Puget Sound region with 11.65 percent or $8.4 (NYSE: BAC) retained the top with market share of 30.6 percent, or $22.12 billion in deposits across the That number increased slightly from about 29 or $19.3 billion in deposits last year.
Bank of Americaa has 138 branches across the Puget Sound according tothe FDIC. U.S. Bank USB) moved up to third place in the with 10.2 percent market share or $7.4 billion in KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) and U.S. Bank have been in a neck-and-necko battle to increase market share across the regiojn and have both announced expansion plansthis U.S. Bank unleashed a $40 five-year expansion plan this summer that includes hiring 220 new boosting advertising and refurbishing existing branches acrossthe U.S. Bank’s market share acroses the Puget Sound region had been decreasinyg before thisrecent report.
KeyBank also recently announcedcthat it’s adding 18 new branchew across the region to its networko of 83 branches. Anne Foster, a spokeswoma n for KeyBank, said the FDIC’s numbers don’t take into accountr deposit growth the bank has seen recently as a resultr of financial turbulence atother institutions. She said the bank’s decline represents a fluctuation in deposits from public sectoe clients such ascity governments, which change seasonally. “u would say first that the FDIC numbers reflect a snapshoyt of deposits taken on a single day in time and much has happenedr sincethat time,” she said. U.S. Bank did not immediately returnb a callfor comment.
As the second-largestt bank across the region, WaMu’s deposits had already been slippingt beforeits historic, $16.7 billion bank run in the 10 days before it was seized by federal WaMu’s market share dropped from 13.28 percent, or $8.9 billion in depositsx locally a year earlier, to 11.65 percentf or $8.4 billion in the most recent report. took the No. 5 with 8.26 percent, or about $6 billiomn in local deposits — virtually unchanged from last Seattle’s Washington Federal Savings, subsidiary of WFSL), ranked fifth with 3.9 percent of the market share, or $2.8 billion in deposits.
Other high-rankinfg local institutions included: Frontier Bank, subsidiary of (NASDAQ: FTBK) with 3.8 percent of the marketr shareand $2.7 billion in depositsd and Columbia State Bank, subsidiaryg of (NASDAQ: COLB) with 2.75 percent or about $2 billion in

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Clear lanes to shut down at Hartsfield-Jackson - Dallas Business Journal:

ovaluleq.wordpress.com
New York-based , the operator of registered travelkservice CLEAR, said the paid security lanes at its membef airports would cease operations becausde the company “has been unabl e to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continuee operations,” according to a statement posted on the company’z Web site, www.flyclear.com. Last March, the company said it had 20,000p registered travelers in metro Atlanta. As of last year, the companyh had more than 200,000 CLEAR members, who paid up to $199 for an annuak membership for access to designated security lanes at participatinvgairports nationwide.
Members provided biometrif data, which was encoded on a card, for the promis e of a speedier and convenient trip throughairpory security. The service targeted business travelers who routinelyu travelby air. The companh was founded by founderStevd Brill. CLEAR lanes opened at the airport abouty the same time as an expansio of the main security lanesat Hartsfield-Jackson. The new additions included lane designed specifically forexperienced travelers. Airport officialsw have said the added lanes have kept securityh wait times below 10 minuteson average, which might have made CLEAR laned less advantageous to consumers.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Crime prevention – The power of a flower - Fast Casual (blog)

moakhamet84.blogspot.com


Crime prevention â€" The power of a flower

Fast Casual (blog)


Crime Prevention through Environmental Design relies on the ability to deter criminal acts.


CEPOL - Crime Prevention through Environmental Design course held in Riga

DeHavilland (press release) (subscription)



 »

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Gates Says Microsoft Surface and Partners' Tablets Can Co-Exist - PC Magazine

kittredgeihuhyla1951.blogspot.com


Daily Mail


Gates Says Microsoft Surface and Partners' Tablets Can Co-Exist

PC Magazine


Bill Gates spent the bulk of this week's interview with Charlie Rose talking about his foundation's work, but did have some thoughts on the Windows 8 tablet ecosystem.


Gates: Apple may have to make a Surface-like device

CNET


Bill Gates: Steve Jobs "did something better than I did" in designing the iPad

Computerworld (blog)


Bill Gates: There is 'a strong possibility' Apple needs a Surface-like device

Apple Insider


Macgasm -Daily Mail -iDigitalTimes.com


 »

Monday, July 2, 2012

Report: Property values fall 23.4% - Dayton Business Journal:

esivyjifag.wordpress.com
Home prices in the Orlando-Kissimmee slippedx 23.4 percent in April when compared with the same monthb ayear prior, the seventh highest percentage of declines among some of the nation’s largest metr o areas. The Orlando-Kissimmee marke t posted a 20.9 percent decrease in home values in Marchb when compared withMarch 2008. Florida passeds California to postthe second-highest rate of home price depreciation at 23.2 percent. Nevada topped the nationm witha 26.1 percent drop, while California the leading state for 20 consecutivde months — landed thire at 22.7 percent. Nationwide housing prices fell 10.
2 percent in April compared to ayear ago, representinfg the smallest year-over-year decline so far this The national decline peaked at 11.9 percent in Januaryy 2009 and has since been trendinhg down. First American CoreLogic’s LoanPerformance Home Prices Index evaluates the residentiak real estate market based on timebetween sales, property type and loan as well as increases and decreases in saled prices for the same homes over

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Egypt's new president faces burden of expectation - Reuters

ikefageze.blogspot.com


USA TODAY


Egypt's new president faces burden of expectation

Reuters


CAIRO (Reuters) - If Egypt's new president, Mohamed Mursi, needs any reminder of the weight of expectations bearing down as he begins work, he can glance from a window of the presidential palace.Citizens.


Israel's leaders write to new Egyptian president

Houston Chronicle


Egypt's new president begins struggle for power

USA TODAY



 »