February 2016 – Polka Court Consulting

Finding the Right Office Space in a Crowded Market

by Hitshopi George on February 28, 2016

Where office space is at a premium price and fierce competition exists, it makes perfect sense to invest time in looking for a commercial real estate solution that will give your business a distinct edge in the marketplace. Whether you are looking to relocate your office, refit your existing office or find premises for the first time, hiring a team of experts that understands your needs and the real estate market will translate to a huge advantage.

The Benefits of a Commercial Estate Agent

If you’re a business struggling to get ahead and you need a new office space or a way to recreate your existing one, maybe it’s time to look at the benefits of using a commercial estate agent. But what can such a service offer you in a congested market?

If you’re looking for commercial premises in a crowded and busy city like London, for example, hiring a commercial estate agent will mean that you have local market expertise on your side. Companies in this sector that have decades of experience know the market and know the commercial real estate space intimately. They will understand and be familiar with trends in the market and will have already developed a rapport with local landlords, other business owners and brokers.

If you already know what kind of business premises you require, they can help you to find them quickly. If, on the other hand, you haven’t quite developed a vision yet, they can help you to flesh it out using their knowledge of what works best for modern businesses.

In fact, there are even some commercial estate agents based in London who also specialise in office and commercial interiors, refurbishments and refits. This means that they can take an approach to assisting businesses that begins at the planning stage and ends with the office refit and workplace design.

Using a commercial estate agent in this way saves time and money in the long run, and provides valuable access to their local knowledge, contacts and expertise. A reputable agent will work with you from the planning stage right through to the move and/or the refit or refurbishment, giving you a measurable advantage in a congested and competitive business sphere.

The Right Interior for a Happy Team

Once business premises have been located, the next step is to fit the space out in order to meet the expectations of your employees and your organisational vision. In fact, the right kind of workspace can even result in a net gain in terms of employee productivity, according to recent studies. This saves both time and money and propels the business to further growth and success. In this context, it’s worth looking at just some of the types of workspace interiors that increase productivity and employee satisfaction:

A connection to nature: Providing a connection to the outside world through the extended use of window space and outside light and views can result in a more positive employee experience. If employees are happy in their workspace, it’s more likely that they’ll be more productive throughout the day.

Employee control: Psychologically, if an employee feels more personally in control of their environment, they will also feel more comfortable. One way to provide this control is to give employees direct access to heating and cooling controls. If an employee can directly control their workplace comfort on a cold day, for example, they’re far more likely to be productive and less likely to be concerned with and distracted by basic bodily needs. It has also been noted in numerous studies that improved airflow, air quality and ventilation all translate to a more positive working environment and employee productivity.

Interior design: Undoubtedly the layout and design of workspaces have changed significantly over the decades. In order to gain an advantage in a competitive market, the most reputable companies understand that putting employees at the centre of interior design and layout is paramount to gaining traction in the marketplace. Configuring office layout to clarify both workstations and social areas is key to good design and employee satisfaction, and designing in such a way as to decrease distracting interior and exterior noise provides for increased productivity. Encouraging employee collaboration without increasing distraction is one of the keys to a modern office layout.

Active areas: More and more workplaces are also including active areas for employee exercise and other related amenities, such as gymnasiums and play areas. In Silicon Valley, for example, rich tech companies often include downtime areas where employees can relax and play games in order to break out of the workspace in order to feel more refreshed when they return. Including such breakout areas may seem revolutionary, but recognising that employee satisfaction, productivity and creativity are some of the secrets to business success is vital to understanding modern trends in interior design.

Your Business and Your Ongoing Business Reputation

In order to have a successful business, it’s vital to recognise that using every tool at your disposal is one of the foundations of being able to level the playing field and promote commercial growth. By using a commercial estate agent, a business gains access to local knowledge and design expertise that translates to business success in a modern business environment.

Ultimately, your business reputation is on the line, and by creating an inviting workspace through good design, the right location and more satisfied employees, you can gain a valuable foothold in the market. A great office means:

Improved employee well-being, which translates to increased productivity and employee retention, and

The broad potential to impress clients, customers and other visitors to your place of business.

If you see your place of business as indistinguishable from the reputation of your business, then making it the best place to work should be one of the cornerstones of your success. By investing in the workspace and hiring a commercial estate agent with experience who understands the locality and business trends, you are also investing in the future of your business.

Employees

Upgrade Your Employees’ Skills with Corporate Training

by Hitshopi George on February 28, 2016

The use of corporate training courses has been a staple of successful businesses for years. The business landscape is constantly changing, and in order to keep up, business owners need to educate their employees on a consistent basis. There are many great companies that offer corporate training courses, so if you are looking to further educate your staff, finding one is just a click away. Here are some of the fantastic benefits of corporate training and why you should definitely consider using them:

The Stagnation Effect

Often, when an employee has been at the same job for years and years, they tend to become indifferent when it comes to the amount of care they put into their work. This can be detrimental to a business, because you want dedicated and thoughtful staff to make sure every project or deal goes smoothly. In order to avoid an employee becoming stagnant, you want to offer them opportunities to advance their career through corporate training. This will motivate an employee to enrol in management training courses as a way to get a higher-paying job or promotion within your company. Money certainly motivates, and allowing your employees to gain the knowledge needed for advancement within the company is a proven way to do this.

Flexibility

Corporate training not only gives your employees motivation, but it also grants them the skills needed to be more flexible in what they can do for your business. Providing your employees with a wealth of skills will undoubtedly make your business run better, simply because your employees can accomplish more. For example, having a salesperson take a course on public relations or human resources can not only elevate that employee to a higher wage and better job, but also give them the flexibility to help out in those departments when a person calls in sick or if someone abruptly quits.

Recruitment and Retention Tool

A business that offers corporate training is also a great way to attract new employees to your business. The best and brightest will want to work for you because you offer opportunities for them to acquire new skills and move up the corporate ladder. After all, determined individuals require more out of a job than just a paycheck, and corporate training provides this.

A corporate training course also proves to be a good tool for keeping employees working for you. You certainly don’t want your best employees going to work for any of your competitors. Allowing your employees opportunities to grow within your company will inspire loyalty and keep them working for you for years to come.

A No-Brainer

There is little doubt that corporate training is well worth the investment. Allowing your employees to grow will motivate them to do their job better. By showing a commitment to your employees through corporate training, it will show that you care about their well-being and not just about your business. A happy and motivated employee makes a business run better and more productively, and there is no better way to make an employee happy and more motivated than training them for advancement from the start.

Law

Looking For A Bail Bond? Let The Experts Get It For You!

by Hitshopi George on February 27, 2016

Synopsis

Know a loved one who is stuck in jail at the turn of some unfortunate events? As someone who cares, you would definitely want to help. But knowing that you cannot reach them beyond the bars is bound to feel helpless. Well, you can quit feeling low and get your friend a bail bonds professional who can bide them time out of jail until the court date.

Commercial Estate Agent

Why A Bail Bonds Person?

Because, a bail bonds person is a professional, and professionals are best at what they do. And, if you’re convicted in Brazoria County, and are looking for a bail bond, it would only be natural for you to locate and contact a bonds firm in that locality. The agent at bail bonds Brazoria County are very much professional and are used to dealing with similar cases on a regular basis.

They know the ins and outs of the local policemen, and even have their way at local courts. This is not surprising because these people have been dealing with more or less the same law enforcement officers for the past couple years, and are so familiar with their operations. Instead of yourself or a regular person scurrying off from the police stations to the court houses, out of breath and disoriented, these people can get you out of the jail real quick and real cheap.

Experts Get It For You

How Does It Work?

A bail bond is a legal document that requires a specific amount of money to be paid to the court, to get the accused out of jail until the trail. To be more specific, if an individual is taken into custody suspecting an illegal activity, he/she can opt to come out of the jail using a bail bond. The bond, in all its effectiveness, signifies to the court that the person who is accused of the crime will be free of custody for the time being, so they can go about their usual business, yet he or she will return to the courthouse for the proceedings on their case at the given date.

Releasing on a bail may be very important for certain individuals in order to be able to hire a better lawyer, arrange funds, prepare for the hearing, etc. This becomes all the more important if there is no one to help them, or they cannot trust anyone else except themselves. Sometimes, they have to go back for their families, or inform on a job, or have to take care of other responsibilities.

Let Experts Get

Conclusion

Biding time away is vital in crucial scenarios, for instance if someone is being accused of a serious crime that they did not commit, buying some time out of jail in such scenario can help them tackle the case in the best way possible. The crux of the matter is: if one needs to get out of the jail at any cost, what could possibly be a better way than taking the help of a professional who knows exactly what is being dealt with? Think about it.

News

Dr. Heidi Hanna Teaches You How To Manage Stress

by Hitshopi George on February 26, 2016

In any kind of job, you want to be able to perform at your best. You want to be in optimum mental and physical shape to be able to get work done effectively and in a timely manner. Likewise, if you’re in a position of leadership in your workforce, you take on the added responsibility of making sure everyone you’re in charge of is performing at their highest level and is in a comfortable environment to do so. One of the chief obstacles that can stand in somebody’s way to achieving this state is, of course, stress. It’s something that we all deal with in varying degrees and being able to manage it is a top priority in any business sector.

That’s where Dr. Heidi Hanna comes in – a master of dealing with the daily nuisances of stress. She’s the CEO of SYNERGY, a brain-based training provider, and her pedigree includes degrees in communications and mental health counseling as well as her Ph.D. in holistic nutrition. Even better, she is a Fellow with the American Institute and the editor of their quarterly publication. She’s also been working on a project called Energy for Performance and BrainWorks, which aims to show financial advisors better stress management techniques and the maximization of personal energy. And all of that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Hanna devotes a large part of her time to public speaking, talking at conferences as large as Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women in Business Summit or ESPN’s Women’s Leadership Summit, but she also imparts wisdom to organizations all throughout North America. Her SYNERGY programs help professionals get the most out of their daily energy, while sidestepping stress-related issues. Topics that she covers include nutrition, physical activity, sleep, relaxation and recovery, and oscillation practices.

She builds on her holistic training by aiming to show people how to take care of their brains first and foremost. If your brain is healthy, focused and energetic, then you can optimally perform the task at hand. Hanna has implemented what she calls the Synergy Fab 5 to build brain health, which includes nutrition, fitness, relaxation, sleep, and social connections.

From here, the goal is to approach stress from a different angle. Instead of trying to avoid it all together, Hanna shows you how to flow with daily stress. From mindset shifts to creating a rhythm to go with, it’s possible to deal with stress without causing everything else to crumble. She goes into the deep root causes of stress and how our brains can even be neurologically addicted to it.

Even if we don’t want to admit it, stress affects all of our lives on a frequent basis. Dr. Hanna offers some simple techniques to handle it so that it doesn’t overtake your job performance.

Service

Professional Answering Services Do More Than Just Answer Calls

by Hitshopi George on February 25, 2016

When you own a small business, or even a large corporation, you often find that there is a need for extra personnel to answer your phones. After all, no business owner wants to lose a potential customer simply because there is no one there to take calls and answer questions. Answering the telephone promptly and professionally is a must if you want your business to grow and thrive, so choosing the people to perform this service is especially important. One trend that is growing in popularity is using contract employees at a professional answering service, instead of hiring additional full-time employees to do the job themselves. This is especially important for those businesses that are looking for an answering service on a temporary basis or just to answer overflow calls. Regardless of the reason, however, it will not be difficult to find a competent answering service, because there are many of them available.

What Do Answering Services Do?

Answering services have professionals that will answer your phone calls quickly and professionally. They will answer all calls using your specific business name, so the caller never has to know that these people are not physically located in your office. They will also learn about your business so that they can provide information to those callers who wish to receive it. Businesses that hire answering services can change the information they want the operators to tell the customers at any time, and it is also very simple to switch the phones over from the answering service to the company. Many companies will switch to their answering service during times when there are an unusually high number of calls, or when their regular receptionist is on break or on holiday. Answering services like www.netcallsolutions.co.uk are very flexible, so you can switch back and forth quickly and easily.

In addition, most professional answering services have very reasonable rates, usually starting at around 55p per minute. They can answer your calls 24/7, including traditional holiday times, and will deliver your calls to you immediately via text, email or phone call. With these services, you call the shots, and the answering service works with you to make sure you are happy with the results.

Finding the Right Answering Service

When researching answering services, it is crucial to remember that cost should not be your only determinant. The fees for most services are very reasonable, but the low rates do not mean your service will be sub-standard. In fact, most answering services hire only professional and well-trained individuals to answer the phone, so their service is top notch regardless of the fee you are paying them.

It is always a good idea to research answering services on the Internet, as most of these companies have professional websites that tell you everything you need to know. Most of them have no monthly fee and will be happy to give you a free, no-obligation quote for their services. Going online is an excellent way to start researching answering services for your personal or business needs.

Business

What You Must Know About Merchant Services In Credit Card Payments?

by Hitshopi George on February 23, 2016

As a business man you have finally decided to take the plunge into the credit card payment acceptance. You must now be aware and prudent in choosing the right merchant credit card processors. This involves a little bit of research and understanding of the technical jargons.

Look for trusted representative

Before you pick the merchant services, it is important to browse through several of them. You will be visited by a representative from the merchant service company. The rep is going to play a vital role. Choose someone who can be trusted and do not hype up the actual picture. You may ask your friend for their feedback and referrals. But just don’t go by their opinions alone. Make your own calculation before taking the final leap.

Know the pricing models

There are basically three types of pricing models provided by merchant credit card processors which you must know:

Flat rate: It is more popular. Suitable for small business units with small volume of transaction. May cost more for per transaction.

Tiered: They have qualified, non-qualified and mid qualified levels. Based on the processing of the transaction, fees are charged on tiers.

Interchange: it’s a kind of wholesale cost wherein there is also a negotiated cost that is added up to it. This can be a very confusing model but is beneficial for middle to large scale business units.

Understand the fees involves

Getting to know in detail about the fees involved is the next major step. You must ask about all the vital parameters like

Annual fees
Monthly penalty if any, then negotiate on this
Termination fees rate
Service fees charged n monthly basis
Application fee, set up fee, statement fee, batch fee, online reporting fee and so on

Customer service level

You may need their assistance at any time. Ensure that they have a dedicated system for attending to customer queries 24/7.

Update on software and equipment

You must be ready with the equipment and terminals for taking on credit card payment. It is also essential to keep your staff trained for the same. Enquire if the merchant services company offer any free training for the same. This will help in hassle free set up.

Compare and change

Once installed you must keep track of your charges and fees. If you feel that the current provider is charging you high then never hesitate to switch to another provider.

Business

Top Tips for Success in your SAS Analytics Training Course

by Hitshopi George on February 23, 2016

If you are studying a SAS Analytics training course, then hopefully you will have got to choose the company that you do it through. You should pick one that you feel will lead you to success. However, you may have had the course chosen for you by your employer or you may not be sure how to tell. Luckily as well as choosing a good course, there are things that you can do to help you be more successful.

Find good study conditions

It is well worth making sure that you choose a good place to study that will be quiet and have the equipment that you need. Trying to study in a busy family home or in the office could not be good as it will be distracting. You will need to think about what will suit you the best with regards to a good environment to work. You need to think about convenience of the location, what times you will be working as well to make sure that the place you choose will fit in with that.

Ask questions

It is important to make sure that you ask questions while you are doing the course. Make sure that you understand all of the information that you are learning but also ask questions about how to apply it to your work. Learning things around the core text will help to consolidate your knowledge and help you to understand it all better.

Read around the topic

You can also read around the topic yourself as well. This will help you to expand your knowledge which will look good when you are doing the examination. You will also have to have a good understanding of all of the basics if you want to know more about it and therefore it will help you to make sure that you have a good understanding of everything due to the analytics course.

Apply your knowledge

As mentioned before it is useful to apply your knowledge. If you cannot do this in your job, then find a way to do it at home. Practicing the theoretical work that you have learned will help you to consolidate what you have learned and be sure that you fully understand it. It will also allow you to be able to leave the course knowing how to use it in your job and at home. Practicing while still doing the course means that you will be able ask your tutor any questions should you get any problems.

Make sure your understand before moving on

It is so important to make sure that you understand before you move on to the next part. If you do not have a grasp of the basics then you may struggle to understand anything beyond that point. Make sure that you ask your tutor to explain everything to you fully, if you think that you will not be able to understand it on your own. They may be able to explain it in a selection of different ways so that you will be able to get a grasp of it.

Law

Bail Bonds – Your Ticket To Freedom

by Hitshopi George on February 22, 2016

Once inside a jail, it doesn’t matter if you’re innocent or guilty. What matters is how you can prove your innocence. But it is hard to do so from behind the bars, because that way you have no eyes on the evidence and no focus on preparing yourself for defence. As is with the notion of captivity, the captive first needs to escape and then figure out the real culprit behind the act. Similarly, one needs to get out of the jail once they have been accused of a crime and captured in its light. Only then can they make any arrangements to uncover the truth.

Bail Bonds – Is It Worth Compromise?

This is exactly what the bail bonds are capable of, providing the accused with sometime to prove their innocence. For a menial service fee, a bail bondsman will negotiate terms (on behalf of the bonds firm) with the law enforcement agency to let the accused be granted freedom against a set price bond. The bail is inadvertently a trust document based on the mutual understanding between the bond firm and the defendant that the accused will attend their court proceedings without fail. If the bailed individual chooses not to return, not only will a warrant be issued against his or her identity, but also the firm will have to pay the money as per the agreement.

The alternative to being bailed out would be to stay put in prison where one’s hands are tied. One cannot converse with their friends or family freely, let alone hunting down a well reputed lawyer. The repercussions for this could be enormous, like an extended imprisonment, or a rather undeserved punishment. It is better to fancy your chances with the help of a bail bond rather than repenting later.

Who To Call For Help?

A bail bondsman! Doesn’t it sound simple? It is even simpler to execute. For example, if you are convicted of a crime in Harris County, all you need to do is contact a Harris County Bail Bond professional and arrange for the requirement documentation. The most important thing to remember here is that only a local bonds person will be able to arrange for a bail in quick time. For a minimal fee, he or she will have your freedom granted to you. The best part is that these guys are available round the clock and throughout the year. So, it doesn’t really matter at what time of the day you have been convicted, what really matters is if you have the phone number of the right bailbonds company.

When To Call For Help?

The wise course of action would be to call the bail bonds agent right away when you are allowed to make a call, or call someone that you have faith in; someone who can contact the right bail bondsperson on your behalf. This will not only save you a lot of time, but will also keep you away from all those unnecessary tensions which otherwise would stop you from thinking positively.

Conclusion

Getting thrown in jail may perhaps be an unfortunate turn of events, but how long you stay there is your choice. Now that you know your options and how to acquire the services of a bondsman, it would be prudent to gear up and mark their contact numbers in case you ever find yourself in soup.

Business

Using Flyers as Great Marketing Tools for your Upcoming Event

by Hitshopi George on February 21, 2016

Regardless of the kind of event you wish to hold, the most effective and easiest way to get your event known and try to market your offering is the use of flyers like club flyers. As long as it is done right, the use of flyers can surely get people in the event venue. The following are some tips to maximize the use of flyers as a marketing idea for your planned special event.

Keep it Simple

A lot of people try to get each event they host on an 8.5×11 sheet of paper as they design their flyers. Usually, the page could not accommodate much and the space just makes things look quite generic and cluttered. Concentrate on two of the major highlights of the event and provide more details on these.

Use Testimonials on the Flyers

Using customer testimonials provide credibility to your business events and your company itself. It is essential to include testimonials in every marketing idea apart from flyers. These should be from those who have tried taking part in your events before. The testimonials should include the customer’s full name and picture if possible.

Avoid Going Crazy with the Design

Having too many fonts and colors in your flyers can only confuse people and then they will not be able to concentrate on what they can expect from your event. The flyers must be made simple with just one to two fonts.

If Possible Use Full Color

Flyers with full colors stand out from the rest. If you try to compare a black and white copy with a colored one, you will notice right away the difference in terms of appeal. Full color flyers surely look more professional. Check with Printing VIP for your color options.

When your budget does not allow color, consider using a bold color paper with black copy. Pink or bright yellow can be appealing compared with other colors. Your aim is to get your flyers noticed.

Never Run Cheap Picture Copies

It is important to always use a service which prints original photos rather than running photo copies. Such copies look cheap and you don’t want your flyers to look really unprofessional. This will affect the impression your possible clients will have on your business. Obviously, when using higher quality prints you will have to pay more. This may be a problem for the smaller firms. Fortunately, various financing options will be available. One of the simplest is using small cash loans that would be repaid quickly. They have reasonable interest rates and receiving them in a really short period of time is not at all difficult. Just be sure that you always get a deal from a reputable lender.

Include a Discount or Coupon

People always appreciate discount. Coupons will surely provide you much better results than anything else. Just ensure it is a great discount which will impress your receivers. Make sure you include a picture of the upcoming event that you give a discount for. This will increase the number of audience you can have at the event.

Ensure People can Find your Business Easily through the Flyers

A lot of flyers are well designed and have very compelling messages. However, people cannot locate the event venue as the flyers do not include enough contact information such as the address or contact number. The flyers should tell customers what to do. Consider including a map when possible. Try to make the finding as easy as possible. In case you want your customers to check information about your event online, do not forget to include your website.

Law

Justice of the peace Jobs – Do you enjoy a job Like a Judge?

by Hitshopi George on February 21, 2016

Idol judges and judicial workers have the effect of overseeing legal processes and also the courts and using the law, which could govern traffic offenses to murder cases, additionally to covering ip and copyright violation, among other locations. Magistrates must make certain to evaluate a situation fairly and also to consider all of the evidence prior to making a ruling.

A justice of the peace may rule on whether evidence is admissible in the court and just how testimony is going to be conducted, and they’ll frequently have pretrial proceedings, where they’ll pay attention to allegations and see whether an effort should occur. In trials, juries determines the guilt or innocence of the individual, as well as their responsibilities will be different based on their jurisdiction.

Administrative law idol judges are hired by governments to be able to determine benefits payouts for programs for example social security and workers comp, additionally to hearing cases on employment discrimination and safety and health rules. Some lawyers will act as arbitrators between two parties, offering conflict resolution services.

There’s two primary kinds of arbitrators including compulsory and voluntary. Inside a compulsory arbitration, two parties will submit their negotiators who’ll then resolve the problem, but when one for reds isn’t keen on the ruling they might request to achieve the situation attempted in the court. Voluntary arbitration takes place when two parties choose arbitrators to listen to the dispute and they follow your final decision. Mediators may also help resolve disputes from court, offering methods to parties were unable achieve funds.

Most judicial workers works 40 hrs per week in fairly comfortable jobs, along with a bachelors degree and licensing needs should be met of these professionals, even though some positions will need law levels.

In The Year 2006, these professionals had about 51,000 jobs in the usa, with idol judges and magistrates creating over 1 / 2 of this total. Job growth in the area of justice of the peace work should grow fairly gradually within the next ten years as cuts in government spending and budgeting pressures forced a significantly slower rate of hiring for judicial professionals.