Toll roads, bridges and tunnels, which motorists must pay a fee to use, bypass busy areas to ease traffic congestion, generate funds for road upkeep and repair, and often provide substantial revenues for governments and private companies. Highly beneficial in the main, toll roads present a unique set of problems associated with the collection of the correct tolls from users.Toll collection techniquesToll collection techniques fall into two...more
Automation is a key issue in modern logistics management. It is vital to the successful running of a busy warehouse or depot, and instrumental in ensuring speed, efficiency and productivity. Parcel sorting, incoming and outgoing inspection, identification and optimising transport capacities, are all essential processes that must operate smoothly and effectively.Camera-based parcel recognition systems mounted above high-speed conveyors are...more
Author: Gen WrightThe hardest part of setting up a business is that business' earliest phase. Tossing a completely unknown name into a sea of information-saturated minds is a surefire guarantee to anonymity. Yet, methods have to be devised to keep that name alive in people's minds. If these methods are limited to advertising, the company will probably be seen as a spammer. This is where PR comes in - establishing credibility and building a reputation, so that customers get to know about the company from honest, credible sources. In this piece, I shall outline five ways to earn credibility in the eyes of complete strangers: First, publicity campaigns. Before the formal launch of your business, you need to build up some buzz around it. Spread information on the Internet, submit pieces related to your industry to the local papers, and get people talking on topics related to your business. This generates a demand for your product, just before it hits the market. Obviously, the economic climate should also be taken into account before choosing your launch date - launching a line of winterwear in May is not a clever move, to give you a simple example. Secondly, press releases. Press...more
Closet organizers have come a long way in recently years. There's more to them nowadays than just a shelf above a horizontal pole. Concepts in closet organization have gone from simple home improvement to statements regarding lifestyle. And with the best use of space in mind, it is possible to get all your gear in one place, and keep it handy and...more
More and more people are using e-mail marketing in their business as a way to instantly contact hundreds if not thousands of prospects. However, few people fail to realize that there is a lot more to e-mail marketing than that.E-mail marketing is no different than any other type of marketing, the same type rules apply. It is important to understand...more
Author: Patrick Fitz-gibbonYou know your business; that is why you ventured into your field in the first place, but do you “know business”? Many small business owners know their respective fields but lack specialized knowledge about good business practices. If you find that your business could use some help establishing good business practices consider hiring a small business advisor. Small business advisors can help the budding entrepreneur in a variety of ways. Business Coaching First and foremost, small business advisors can help by actually coaching you and your business to becoming better. Whereas a business consultant outlines problems and develops a course of action, a small business coach outlines current and potential issues but also assumes the role of teacher and trainer, providing instruction on how to invest in your business, how to avoid mistakes and how to implement change. The small business advisor has, by virtue of the work they do, seen first-hand the mistakes made by various businesses and have played party to their recovery.Marketing Training Small business advisors also provide marketing training to help you navigate your chosen market successfully and...more
Website traffic is a resource to your online business. When I say a resource, I mean you must do something to get it, build it or drive it. Website visitors do not land on your page by accident.Online business is not like a brick-and-mortal shop that...more
Author: Patrick Fitz-gibbonAssessing current performance is an excellent piece of business advice because it is an integral part of running your small business. While this business advice can be taken qualitatively, or by looking an the various...more
Author: Patrick Fitz-gibbonLean is an approach to developing a more efficient way of doing things, basically using less to do more, which can be a small business help. Six-Sigma is a concept of “lean” production that was developed for small...more
To make your business profitable, you must have two critical things in place. The first is a business model that adds up. In other words, what you offer and how you offer it will generate the amount of money you need, minus all your expenses. Your...more
Author: Patrick Fitz-gibbonFor the small entrepreneur, finding small business tips that actually make a difference can be difficult. Too many sources of advice offer indistinct business tips with even more vague instructions as to how to attain those...more
Ive seen this ongoing debate debate jump up again recently in several Blogs and message boards and I cant help but laugh. Its not a new debate Ever since the long copy masters of the early 1900s, people have been arguing for or against the practice....more