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6 Practical Tips to Maintain a Safer Office Space

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No matter where you work, office safety should be a high priority. This is especially true if you work in a potentially hazardous environment full of complex machinery and the risk of danger everywhere; but even office environments need to be kept safe, especially considering how much time you’ll be spending in them.

The best way to approach safety is to take preventative measures and understand what constitutes high-risk behavior. The more you know about how to keep your office safe, the better you’ll be able to handle emergency situations when they arise and, better yet, you’ll have to deal with these emergency situations less frequently.

Tip #1: Maintain your Area Scrupulously
It all begins with your area. A cleaner work environment is generally a better one, so make sure your area remains clear of excessive materials no matter what you’re working with. It’s harder to get around when you have a messy work area, and this can serve to increase your risk of falling or adjusting your behavior into something more dangerous.

Tip #2: Store Waste Correctly
Whether or not you work in an area that puts out a lot of hazardous waste or not, waste it is waste: it should be disposed of properly. This is especially true, of course, if you have waste that is potentially harmful or corrosive if not stored properly. In these cases, meticulous attention to the detail of proper waste disposal is required. But regular waste-disposing habits in all workspaces will contribute to a healthier atmosphere.


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Tip #3: Know First Aid and Emergency Precautions
If you want to maintain a safe workspace, then proper precautions are always warranted. But what if an emergency does arise? You should be prepared to handle basic emergencies that might arise within your specific work setting – the treatment of chemicals in eyes, fire hazards, etc.

Tip #4: Keep your Equipment Up-To-Date and Inspected
Bad office equipment is often a cause of workplace related injuries and problems, which is why you’ll want to nip that problem in the bud by regularly inspecting and maintaining said equipment. This is especially true in industrial environments that use big and heavy equipment that is more likely to pose a safety hazard for those using them.

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Tip #5: Enhance Communication
Proper inter-office communication is important for good safety practices; each employee should know all the risks that the other employees are aware of. This communication will not only help every employee stay in the loop but to be aware of the potential risks that rear themselves in your particular work environment.

Tip #6: Keep Safety Instructions Posted and Public
Sometimes, people just need reminders. Keeping safety instructions and emergency procedures posted and public in the office will help employees know what to do even if they’ve previously forgotten the best practices for handling certain situations. In essence, it pays to help employees even when they say that they don’t need any help – they may think they know safety procedures better than they actually do.

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David Ching is a marketing strategist for EQA Office Furniture, a retailer of workstations, office cubicles, conference tables, receptionist desks and more. Visit EQA’s website to get a free quote and virtual 3D walkthough.

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Accounting for your Actions With Software

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There is no visible marker in your business that notifies you of the time when the manageable becomes unmanageable. As a business grows, many parts of the day-to-day activities require increasing amounts of attention, which is why excellent enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a critical business need. During periods of growth, business productivity and profit margins can be affected detrimentally. It becomes impossible to keep a tight rein on every part of an operation. Without proper monitoring of key metrics, there is no way of knowing where your business is losing efficiency.

ERP Software Provides Complete Control

Accounting is one of the most important aspects of any business, only securing custom could possibly be more important. An awareness of how a business is functioning financially will enable efficient management. General ledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable, no longer need to operate as separate entities. With readily available data, accounting functions are streamlined and time made available to explore new ways of improving efficiency. Modern ERP software can integrate everything from the first point of contact with a customer, through to order fulfilment. All businesses have different needs, which is why there is an obvious need to tailor ERP software to each individual operation.

Turnkey Solutions for Process Monitoring

The most successful businesses take time to record and monitor the most important aspects of their enterprise. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has been a buzzword in the business software world for many years. The evolution of CRM software, lead to the emergence of enterprise resource planning solutions. ERP software takes the process of serving a customer or client and merges the functions of a business at an enterprise level. This means that, as well as being able to monitor all data that relates to customers, a business is also in control of all aspects of accounting and stock control and anything involved the general running of the business.

Targeted Improvements

ERP software is able to highlight patterns where lost opportunities keep occurring. If your business managers can identify where customers are won and lost, you can direct resources to tackling problems areas. Where customer, employee or stock retention is low, focusing efforts can help improve your margins. With ERP software, you are able to monitor and centralise every aspect of a business from procurement or manufacturing, through to point of sale. Every part of a business will handle data of some sort. Through collation, automation and analysis, there are huge improvements in productivity achievable, limited only by the imagination.

Competing on an Even Playing Field

Modern businesses are constantly looking for ways to improve their ability to compete with rivals, which means the importance of enterprise resource is constantly increasing. There are some well-known names in the world of ERP and Pastel Accounting is one of the most popular and respected systems on the market. Steady growth and the ability to adapt to the demands of customers endeared Pastel software to third party developers who build custom solutions for clients. ERP software has been around for more than a decade in some form or another, but it is now becoming a standard acquisition in any forward thinking enterprise.

How to Implement Enterprise Wide Solutions

Even the most accomplished of IT departments will need to consult with experts in the field of ERP when considering such a move. Experienced consultants will be able to provide complete solutions that include everything from development and rollout through to staff training and on-going support. Most IT departments would struggle to cope with the extra workload without the initial outside assistance unless substantial investment accompanied the move. The best approach is to speak with experienced developers who can advise you on the steps to take.

Pastel Accounting software developers can provide advice and guidance to help you improve your business.

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Internet Business Plans 101

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Business PlanningAs the internet becomes continuously ingratiated into our lives, more and more business is being conducted online. In some cases, you may be able to take the whole operation virtual. For some businesses, however, you may still require significant capital to get your ideas off the ground, even if you are conducting the operation from the comfort of your living room; if you do not have all the funds yourself, you will need to seek them out in the form of loans, interested investors and the like. A solid business plan is a key step in moving your dreams into reality. While it would be impossible to cover everything in this one article, I hope the below information serves as a good overview and starting point.

Giving a Clear, Concise Overview of Your Plan

While the internet is ubiquitous, there are still plenty of people who like to do things the traditional way or who do not spend as much time online. The potential of an online business may be obvious to you but not to the people cutting the checks. Make sure you are very clear about the advantages of taking the endeavor online and how this will contribute to your success in all areas, such as costs, audience reach,etc…

Marketing Plan

  1. Target Audience: If you want someone to give you money for a business, it is imperative to have good data on the people who are crucial to business success—the customers buying your products and services. When it come to scoping out the internet audience, you need some good demographic data; organizations such as The Internet Society and the Internet Group can provide you with the information you will need when putting together information on your target market.
  2. Pricing/Payment: Explain what you plan to charge for your products. If you are offering non-physical products such as a service or information, it is good to have some solid information on why you are charging what you are. Explain how you will deliver products and process payments—encrypted software and online payment services are a good idea.
  3. Advertising: Businesses of any kind benefit from advertising but it is particularly important for online business since you do not have the benefit of a physical location where people can spot your business while walking or driving by. You need to have a clear plan on how you will market your site whether online or offline. In the online world in particular, this also methods such as social media and running a blog.
  4. Competitors: There is a good chance there is at least one other site offering the same service or product; how are you going to deal with that? How do you plan on getting a profitable share of customers in this market?

Other Considerations

You need to establish a timeline of how long it will take your proposal to get off the ground—the Internet has many variables not present in brick and mortar businesses. It might be a good idea to reach out to other internet business owners to see how long it took them to get up and running. You will need to give specifics on finances—how much money you have now, how much you will need to operate ,etc..

If you need someone else’s money to get your venture off the ground, you are going to have to convince them your idea is good and it will work. Think if you were in their shoes…what would you need to see, what would you want to hear to write that check? This of course, does not mean being dishonest, just use this as a guide to include the most pertinent information in your pitch. This part may feel tedious, boring or intimidating, but it is vital. Good luck!

Kelli Cooper is a freelance writer who enjoys helping her clients expand their web presence and grow their businesses. If you are in the market for liability insurance for your Canadian business, be sure to head over to http://www.kanetix.ca/errors-and-omissions for quotes from multiple carriers.

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