Sunday, August 29, 2010

Google Apps for Business.

Are you just starting and in need of basic office tools? Look no further. Google Apps provides robust package to get your business up and running swiftly. It has email, calendar, office applications and web-messaging service so you and your employees can get down to business and seal that important deal quickly.

The good thing about Google Apps is portability. With your favorite browser, you can create or access office files such as documents and spreadsheets using Google Docs -- anytime anywhere. Google Calendar is another important tool which does not only allow you to plan ahead, but lets you remember an important event or meeting via SMS to your mobile phone.

Google Apps isn’t only for start-ups. Many businesses have come to see the benefits of cloud computing in Google Apps for company-wide or even client collaboration. With Apps, the document or spreadsheet always stays current, and your team and clients are rest assured that important modifications were entered in the right version. Thus, Google doesn’t only let you work faster but also smarter.

Google Apps is unbeatable in cost-savings. It requires no special hardware or software and requires minimal administration, giving businesses huge savings in terms of time and IT expenditures. Research also shows that “Google Apps is as little as 1/3 the total cost of competing solutions.”*
Downtime and data loss can be very costly not only in dollars but also your company’s productivity. Google Apps gives you the confidence that you are always up and running 99.9%** all the time and the peace of mind that your data are secured and kept by world’s trusted Google datacenter.
Best of it all, with Google Apps, it means you never have to upgrade all the time. Plus, as leader in cloud computing, Google never fails to give you something new every single day of your business.

Learn about Philippines Business Process Outsourcing .

Voiceville Communications, Inc.
Philippine Call Center
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* http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/details.html
** Available in Google Apps Premier Edition

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Dealing with Difficult People

Dealing with different types of people is pretty much what I do on a daily basis. People have different faces, different culture, different background, different principles, different values, different sources of income, and others. These tell us that we have to learn to be flexible not only because it is our obligation to do so but because we want to learn more about them. Somehow, it’s with very difficult people that I tend to become hesitant. It sometimes is so hard to open up and be comfortable with them when they’re too far from reach.

I think I have had enough of these people. In the family, I deal with a person who refuses to see that there are people surrounding him and that he actually lives with them. With friends, there is someone who denies that she has been making the wrong decisions and any advice won’t help her get through her life. At work, I dealt with incompetent workmates who simply come to work for the pay and not for the experience. I thought mainly of these factors while I was reflecting and seeing how I can overcome this weakness. It’s not that I don’t respect their stand but in business, in order for me to know how I can address issues, I have to know their needs and with their walls, I would always be hindered to move.

It’s with difficult people that I am most vulnerable to, maybe because no matter how hard I try to ignore my opinion on professional matters, personal issues don’t fail to join the picture. It’s something that I need to work on. Despite my previous experience I still think that I am not as productive as I should be. Perhaps I need to start thinking about a different job but I’m not taking that seriously right now. I want to simply express my thoughts as it has been tough lately. Without my virtual assistant, I don’t think I can survive another day. However, I’m still hoping that in time I can deal with them without fretting.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Trusting Your Instincts

Trusting our instincts can mean many different things. The reason why our instincts are so important is because they are often true. When doing business, we can always apply this but it does not have to go very far. Our instincts are what make us human and if we engage ourselves in business transactions, it is just normal to refer to them and not to business theories at all times. The things that we learn in life are somewhat the general things that apply in any situation which is why trusting our own instincts is not a bad idea at all especially in the world of business.

Instincts carry with it a personal touch. What are the instances that often require us to trust our instincts? It could be making decisions such as who to hire, what to purchase, and who to partner with, among other things. The last example requires more instinct than we can possibly imagine; although, instincts are not enough on its own. For us to achieve our desired end results we have to make sure that we support it and when our instincts tell us that we are on the right track, we usually do not need as much support contrary to how other people think.

Choosing a business partner is closely similar to choosing the right outfit. It could be funny at first but when you really think about it, it all makes sense. You see, our outfit reflects who we are. The color, the matching, the method of wearing, and others, all make a statement about our personality and choosing an ideal business partner is a very similar process. When it is time to choose who to partner up with, we make should be able to make sure that our business partner reflects who we are. It should value the same vision and it should carry with it the same principles. It can be a tough part on us considering all the factors that we have to put into consideration but nevertheless, we can ease the process by trusting our instincts. How? Know your prospect partner just like looking at an outfit before wearing it. Ask yourself questions such as, does this company look forward to growing with my company?

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Celebrating with E-Coupons

When it comes to eating out I always look for ways to make it special. Speaking of which, I have yet to find a way to gather my very big family for an important occasion in my life. It turns out that I received an award as an outstanding entrepreneur for the organization I belong to.

Now, I have tons of planning to do and a great party to experience. Lately I have been dying to consult some event organizers I know and just when I thought I had the perfect idea already, my nephew whom my sister brought along told me that he was as excited as I am. Seeing the look on that kid I really can’t afford to disappoint him but tadah! When the billing came I was overwhelmed.

My belief have always been centered towards being thankful for the blessings showered upon me but sometimes, this belief can be expensive. So instead of making it into a huge celebration, I decided to step up and do it the practical way.

As far as business is concerned, I strongly believe that there is a solution to everything because if there were none, we’d all be miserable. Seeing the big picture, I used my knowledge about efficient strategies which are often easy on the pocket. Though strange and unexpected, I asked a friend of mine who owns a restaurant to take a shot at CarryOut Directory’s banner feature, Koopons!©. As opposed to what many people think, coupons are one of the great money-saving ways on earth. With my plan, I can save a lot of money plus I’d be a good help spreading the news. Apparently, I will to have to wait till the decision has been made. Fortunately my friend agreed to it assuming it was his gift. Well, there is no rush because clearly, anything to save will be worth the wait.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Waking Up With Myself

Whenever I wake up, I make sure to look in the mirror and ask myself the question “how can I possibly wake up without a smile on my face?” Well, I never really got the chance to answer that question until today. Because today myself finally answered the one question I have been dreading everyday. So why I don’t feel happy waking up in the morning with myself? That’s because I am alone. Even with people surrounding me at work, friends over coffee, or an occasional greeting from a family member, I feel alone. And yes I am alone in this world. Nobody is REALLY THERE.

I remember at one point in my life I had everything and possibly a sense of contentment where happiness is not an issue. I left all that to pursue something I have never encountered before. I traveled a road so unknown; I got hurt a million times along the way. It is so hard trying to put the pieces back together when I know I have come a long way from home. Now that I want to go back it seems so difficult now. I regret this one decision because I thought I would be happy. I thought this was the one thing that was missing in my life. But in the end it turned out to be my biggest mistake. If my mother was here, she’d say the same things she told me a few years back. I should have listened to her. Despite her being this perfectionist, she was able to keep me away from the real world. She kept me somewhere safe where nothing can go near and even when I know she was selfish to keep me all to herself, at least I know that she just wanted what she thinks is best for me.

Now, I am desperately alone; struggling to find my way back but not getting any closer. On the contrary, there are things that I am still grateful for in my present life. I got the independence but then I wanted it so badly I wasn’t prepared for it. With independence comes the reality of fighting my own battles. This I see everyday when I wake up with myself and only me.

Thanking Saint Patrick

My aunt, who is in Europe called me two days ago and informed me of their plans for St. Patrick’s Day,. She made mention of events that they are looking forward on the 17th and I’m pretty sure they are going to enjoy it. Our clan is very much known for our deep dedication to our religion and along with that is our enthusiasm to commemorate special occasions such as the feast of Saint Patrick; which is why I clearly understand why my aunt bothered to make a phone call only to inform me of her affairs and if I was interested to fly in and join them. Unfortunately, there is a lot of work to do here and I can’t leave it knowing that it might disrupt business activities. I’m needed here and I must stay. Hopefully, next year I can spend time with friends and family because I already had the opportunity of witnessing this event for many years since I was young.

I find religious practices very enlightening and it plays a vital role in one’s personal development. Having faith in almost what I do is the least I can do to survive different trials in my life and I am just thankful that I am blessed. This coming Saint Patrick’s Day, I will be spending a moment of silence to be thankful for all the blessings, for the presence of family and friends, for the wonderful life I have been provided of, and for the struggles that kept me strong all these years.

But for now, I have to work. For now I have to attend to my responsibilities. For now I will face my life like always because I cannot miss a day like Saint Patrick’s Day. It’s one of the days when I am able to remember the traces of my footsteps. By knowing where I started and where it has put me today is a gesture of gratefulness.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Following My Own Advice

We give advices to almost anyone who needs it. Partly because these advices are somewhat close to home. Argue if you must but it’s often true that we are more comfortable giving advices about issues we already have encountered before. And if we are thoughtful enough to provide solutions, we make sure that the advices we give are indeed helpful. But sometimes, when we are too focused on giving insights to others, we forget that we too need advices of our own.

Not too long ago, I had financial problems and yes it was devastating, which lead me to resort to desperate measures but fortunately I did not give in. Losing money on my watch is the last thing I need in my life. However, it dawned on me that before this crises even took part, I was the one giving advices to people who were suffering from the same problem. I did say that I needed enlightenment but eventually I settled for my own invaluable wit. Experiences make us better persons unless of course we choose to deny the lessons but when we come to a point in our lives when we are in need of support, the first person we should rely on is ourselves.

So here I was looking like I haven’t solved a particular puzzle for years, and I suddenly had the craziest impulse to talk to myself. After some reconciliation, my self managed to engage in a conversation which turned out to be an interesting thing. From that day forward, I refused to say that such act is absurd.

My current problem at the time didn’t even take days to be solved. I guess my head was working so hard to help me sort things out. Although there are still blemishes left to correct, I am glad that there is a way to lessen the stress. Indeed, following my own advice was a great help. I would even suggest this to friends without sounding like I’m strung out from pot. Like what I always say, the cards may have been revealed but the game has just begun.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Money Problems

When it comes to financial matters, I always come up with the best solution. But today, the table has turned and I’m currently squeezing what’s left. Who would have thought that I’d put myself in this situation? I didn’t. To be honest, life’s a bitch sometimes. Unexpected things happen just when I think I’m already at the top of my game. Poor me.

Oh yes. I have consulted my friends and family but I still believe that I can do something; some miracle perhaps. I don’t want to suffer the consequences of my actions without a fight—I never have. That would be the ultimate mistake.

My thoughts are scrambled and unorganized right now but I’m staying sharp because I have only myself to rely on this time. With the accessible finances I have left, I’m thinking about making priorities. Since there is no solution that could increase the amount, I will slash off the things I don’t really need. This always works; but the grand scheme of this has yet to surface so I will be ready when that happens.

The really big problem is I cannot afford to sacrifice what I have worked hard for. My stingy uncle once said to me, “Live not a life of material things, instead save”. I’m not so sure if that makes sense but he does have a point one way or another. I just need some advice to enlighten me with this mess I’m in. Money problems are difficult to handle especially when I never had one before. Clearly, this crisis is bringing me down and I don’t think no one is capable of avoiding this matter without a fight. Even highly respected businessmen count their finances to the cent and that reflects how much they value it. So in cases of loss, they will be able to manage it better.

Seeing how things are going for me and how I am so affected by this situation makes me want to rethink a lot of things in my life. But one thing is for sure, my friends and family will be there no matter what. I just have to stand on my own two feet for the mean time.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Apple Tablet Frenzy

The other day I was in the coffee shop just observing how people are today and obviously people talk less because they have gadgets and gizmos that are considered “essential” to the current lifestyle that we have today. After a few sips from my deliciously addictive cup of coffee I noticed a guy bringing a pen and pad to his table. He looked around and asked for oatmeal cookies to the nearest lady, who was apparently beside me. At first I thought maybe he was lost or something but he wasn’t. He courteously smiled when he realized that I was staring at him. I noticed again that there was this strange look in his face while he was scanning his pad. Of course it wasn’t attractive but I was curious nonetheless.

Because I was too interested on what this guy could be doing in a coffee shop with those two relatively obsolete medium of communication or whatever that is, I made a move to approach him and made a fool of myself. It was awkward at first because I never once approached a stranger before in my entire life. But this one instance is just too hard to resist when the rest of us are too engrossed with technology.

So there I was, standing mischievously in front of this remotely handsome guy. “Are you lost?” Like a bomb, it dropped without warning. I must’ve insulted the guy when he gave a smirk and told me that he wasn’t because he lives a few blocks and he comes to this place more often than I do. Well, that was quite a response but I just confessed about my observation hoping he wouldn’t call security. My behavior was alarming in a way but I was glad he took it well.

After my brief introduction he explained that he was here to take down notes. For a moment there I thought it was confirmed, he is truly out of his mind. But then he threw me off when he jolted all of a sudden while enumerating the difference in technology consumption nowadays. He, apparently, is a researcher and is studying Apple’s new tablet pc for 2010. He looked pretty much stunned when he saw me crackle because in my head, he was still lost and crazy. Don’t get me wrong; he was smart and enthusiastic about his ideas but I was rather preemptive as I knew his intentions well.

Apple’s new tablet pc is indeed phenomenal and attractive to a lot of consumers but the market is diverse as it can be. It’ll probably be in the hands of people for a couple of years, which is impressive. But mark my words; we will all hop from one product to another. It’s that simple and disappointing for brands like Apple. No disrespect. A lot of efforts were made to establish sustainable technology by this company but the increasing rate of e-waste will always depend on people’s initiatives.

Going back to this guy, I dismissed the conversation as abruptly as I could. Surprisingly, he took it well; but then again, my experience with this stranger was after all, similar to a boring sensation inside my gut. Why can’t people just make up their minds and start a good talk for once?

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Earth Quakes.... Haiti.

The earthquake in Haiti has devastated millions and the uncertainty of the death toll is making things even more devastating. A 7.0 hit southern Haiti, 10 miles outside the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. It is the strongest earthquake that Haiti has experienced in more than a century. The country has yet to recover from the hurricane of October 2008, when another calamity struck.

The volunteer teams stood confused as they had no ample equipment to handle the search and rescue operation of this magnitude. The aftershocks also prevented any drilling because they had the magnitude of 4.0 or higher.

The world is coming together to help the victims of the earthquake. Britain Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday, “"We stand ready to provide whatever humanitarian assistance is required," he said, adding that he was "deeply saddened and worried about the reported scale of the earthquake in Haiti." Heron Holloway, Red Cross spokeswoman said the charity was preparing to fly in aid from Panama. Pope Benedict 16th also called upon the Catholic Church to help, "I appeal to the generosity of everyone, so that our brothers and sisters receive our concrete solidarity and the effective support of the international community in this moment of need and suffering."

Roman Catholic archbishop of Port-au-Prince was among the piles of body from collapsed buildings and other structures.

The United States and other nations — from Iceland to Venezuela — said they would start sending aid workers and rescue teams to Haiti.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Stop Complaining

Do you complain about how you never seem to have enough time on your hands and have so much to do? Do you complain about not spending enough time with your family? Do you complain about spending more time behind your desk than you do at home? Do people complain about how much you complain?

Are you constantly whining and complaining just about everything? Do you feel like your complaints are solid but are left unheard? Do you complain about your employees and their performance and dedication and lack thereof to friends? Do you think about complaining some more just to let it out of your chest? Are you having trouble sleeping because of the growing list of complaints? Take a breather and stop complaining.

Business is hard and times are harder. Do you really want to spend all your time complaining or thinking of more things to complain about?

The key is to relax and stop complaining. Assess the situation and see how you can address these complaints sensibly. If you have trouble seeing the bigger picture, have a friend come in and help you.

Complaining and to this degree is harmful to one's health. Stress is never a good thing no matter how some people argue this. It has been shown that stress contributes to major and varied respiratory problems. Stress also leads to sleep deprivation which in turn leads to serious health complications.

When you feel the urge to complain, take a deep breath. Think of something good and place yourself where you can think of ways how to make the situation better.

The author is a (SME) subject matter expert of Voiceville Communications, Inc. We are a business process outsourcing provider that helps you keep your business complaints to a minimum. Find out how we can help your business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Summer_S

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

People Have Issues, We all have Issues. We do.

No matter how hard we try to deny it, it will reveal itself voluntarily in the long run. I’m talking about issues. The reason why I’m tackling issues is because I’m utterly fed up with people who don’t recognize it. Having issues may be an advantageous or a disadvantageous thing but these issues vary depending on our individual differences which make it bearable, at least for the people who deal with them.

Issues no matter how broad or specific are issues nonetheless. So what’s the deal? They exist because life is frustratingly boring without it. Perhaps without issues, people won’t have much to talk about and I can’t seem to imagine an issue-free world. In the bible, the divine God had issues, to begin with. I’m not mocking the holy grail of Christianity and what nots because I’m simply making an effort not to bury this fact in life.

My brother used to have sexuality issues and he wasn’t afraid to show the world what he was going through. No, it doesn’t run in the family. In fact, a friend of mine confided with me about her boss’ relationship issues and I know someone who’s doing great in stock brokerage who has authority issues. Somehow I get the feeling that the reason why some people divert their attention to other things is because the issues they have are vivid reflections of their fears. I hate to judge but fears are to be taken constructively. If fears existed to forever put us in vain then surely no one can survive reality. Accept the fact that the coin has two sides. That’s us right there. It’s similar to avoiding one-sided stories. Again, issues are not fatal but it can be if you don’t do the right thing. Handle them as responsibly as possible. Our issues will always be in existence no matter what, period. It’s that simple. Issues, issues, issues. See?



Voiceville Issues



Monday, January 4, 2010

People Have Issues, We all have Issues. We do.

No matter how hard we try to deny it, it will reveal itself voluntarily in the long run. I’m talking about issues. The reason why I’m tackling issues is because I’m utterly fed up with people who don’t recognize it. Having issues may be an advantageous or a disadvantageous thing but these issues vary depending on our individual differences which make it bearable, at least for the people who deal with them.

Issues no matter how broad or specific are issues nonetheless. So what’s the deal? They exist because life is frustratingly boring without it. Perhaps without issues, people won’t have much to talk about and I can’t seem to imagine an issue-free world. In the bible, the divine God had issues, to begin with. I’m not mocking the holy grail of Christianity and what nots because I’m simply making an effort not to bury this fact in life.

My brother used to have sexuality issues and he wasn’t afraid to show the world what he was going through. No, it doesn’t run in the family. In fact, a friend of mine confided with me about her boss’ relationship issues and I know someone who’s doing great in stock brokerage who has authority issues. Somehow I get the feeling that the reason why some people divert their attention to other things is because the issues they have are vivid reflections of their fears. I hate to judge but fears are to be taken constructively. If fears existed to forever put us in vain then surely no one can survive reality. Accept the fact that the coin has two sides. That’s us right there. It’s similar to avoiding one-sided stories. Again, issues are not fatal but it can be if you don’t do the right thing. Handle them as responsibly as possible. Our issues will always be in existence no matter what, period. It’s that simple. Issues, issues, issues. See?