Boutique Staff Sales Contest
Having a sales contest for employees can help motivate them to sell. Having a little competition between employees can improve morale, help them to avoid boredom, and also help you to identify weaknesses and strengths in your staff. Train your staff to help them be successful. Use their customer interactions as coaching moments to improve the level of customer service that your employees provide.First, get your employees interested in seeing the business succeed. Let them come up with promotional ideas, window displays, and have input in what inventory you sell. Not only will you benefit from the new ideas, but your employees will feel involved and start to see how their hand in the business is paying off.
Once they care about the business, explain how the success of the business is dependent on the customer experience. Providing customer service that exceeds expectations will ensure that the customer raves about your boutique to friends. Word of mouth is most definitely your most effective form of advertising. You can’t pay for a customer’s respect, you have to earn it. Once you have it, you could have a customer for life, plus a walking, talking, texting, advertising machine.
Teach your employees some basic ways to exceed customer’s expectations. Never point out where something is if a customer asks. Always say something to the effect of, “Let me show you where that is.” Never brush off a customer and say, “It’s over there by the shoes.” When you’re helping a customer, avoid distractions and store responsibilities. The display that you were straightening will be there when you’re done.
Give your staff selling tips or special deals to offer your customers. Once they are helping a customer, they can engage in conversation. Your staff could find out that this is the customer’s first visit and then inform them that if they provide their e-mail address at check out, they can receive 10% off of their entire purchase. When a customer feels like a deal is being made specifically for them, they are way more likely to purchase.
Reward employees for providing this type of service by incenting them. You could say that whoever accumulates the most e-mail addresses of first time customers in a month’s time wins $100 bonus. The extra sales, customers, and good customer experiences that you create in that month should far exceed the bonus money that you pay out.
Another way to improve the customer experience is to have your staff constantly move around the store. They can straighten and restock your displays and garment racks instead of looking bored at the register. Customers hesitate to “disturb” the staff if they look bored or involved in conversations with one another. Your employees should always approach customers and offer help. Moving around the store, managing clothing racks and displays, and offering help will further ensure that your customer’s every need is met.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
HOW TO DEAL WITH ISSUES IN THE CORPORATE WORLD
HOW TO DEAL WITH ISSUES IN THE CORPORATE WORLD
We often come across issues in our day- to- day lives, which are related to our professional environment and our personal lives. A practical and strategic outlook is imperative while coming up with a methodology which is best suited in resolving an issue. I have given a practical example from my work life in order to demonstrate how an issue can be resolved with minimum fuss and without pressing the panic button.
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION OF AN ISSUE IN A CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT. 1. Identify the problem. 2. Brainstorm along with the departments which are directly affected by the problem. 3. Find the various processes and solutions that can help resolve the problem. 4. Which is the most effective and efficient method of resolving the problem. 5. Applying the process to the problem 6. Assessing the degree to which the problem has been resolved 7. If the problem has not been resolved, the process has to be followed again.
I used to work as a Senior Customer Service Executive for a well known vending machine in India and had to resolve an issue that was affecting the profitability of the company in Pune. I applied the scientific method of resolving the problem as inspired by the “What Makes A Great Science Project Logbook” Joanne Rebbeck, Ph.D.February 24, 2005
Identifying the Problem a.A high frequency of breakdown of vending machines in clients’ site. b.Delay in registering a complaint about the break down. c.Loss to the company as we billed our client by usage. d.Delay in the time taken by the technicians in repairing the vending machines at the clients’ site.
Consequence: The problem was eating into the profits of the company, as we suffered losses on the volume of sales and our reputation also suffered because of the frequency of break down and our competitors were trying to lure our clients, who had been with our company for decades.
A national conference was immediately conducted, when I reported the issue to my immediate superior in India. The concerned departments had a brainstorming session, and various hypotheses were investigated.
Hypothesis i)The quality of the spare parts being used was not of standard quality. ii)Lack of skilled manpower had caused the delay in repair work. iii)Sabotage - by client canteen employees or our own technicians
Investigation on Various Hypotheses i)The quality of spare parts :Our national technical manager decided to conduct a surprise check on various client sites’ all over India.
ii)Lack of skilled manpower:The HR department decided to investigate on the number of site coffee boys present at one time on site and the frequency of servicing done on each department. iii)Sabotage :Number of times a vending machines broke down, against the average breakdown of machines after it has had its scheduled servicing and replacement of parts.
Conclusion of Investigations a)The National Technical Manager reported that the spare parts were of the standard quality being used our company. He also the tested the present technicians on the skill and knowledge for repairing the machines. b)An investigation by our HR departments reported that the clients were not happy about the servicing done by our coffee boys, as one coffee boy was allotted per station, by our company. There were frequent absentees and negligence in scheduled servicing. c)Vending Machine break down was 200 percent higher than the average break down as calculated by our technical department for a properly serviced machine.
I decided to investigate further into the complaints of absenteeism among the coffee boys as reported by the HR department, and the possibility of sabotage.
Further Investigations conducted on the Clients’ Site in order to gather evidence. i)I personally interviewed the sites’ canteen manager and found out that, though the sheets were filled on a timely basis, the machines were not being properly serviced and the coffee boys were often found to be missing from their stations. ii)I supervised the repair work on a vending machine and made sure that new parts were used and the coffee being prepared was of standard quality. iii)I also requested the clients’ management that a CCTV be used, to investigate the possibility of sabotage.
Conclusion on Personal Investigation a)The coffee boys were filling their sheets in advance b)The vending machine that had been serviced was not working properly again. c)One of the client canteen workers was seen tampering with our canteen machine after hours on the CCTV.
Action that was undertaken i)The station in-charge was ordered to conduct surprise visits on client sites as it was the coffee boys who were responsible for reporting, machine break downs to our technicians. ii)Errant coffee boys were sacked. iii)The client site where the damage had been reported was asked to compensate to the full cost of replacing our vending machines. iv)Their canteen department was overhauled completely and they conducted their own investigations into the sabotage.
Our final step was to speak with our client’s management about the conclusions of our investigations and reaffirm our relationship and continued business with them.
Please read How to Deal with a Difficult Customer, where the author explains how to deal in a situation when the client is at fault He says “Call Attention To A Customer’s Mistake Indirectly. If you think that your customer or client has made a mistake. Start with words like “Let’s look at this together.” Being willing to admit that you could be wrong, will make it easier for your customer to admit that he might be wrong, too. Even if you know for a certainty that he’s wrong, begin by using diplomacy so that your customer can ’save face’ if he’s proven wrong. If he feels humiliated, you’ve probably lost any chance for future business with him”. Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of besuccessfulnews.com.
This article was a true inspiration for me, on how to continue our relationship with the client. Our billing with the company has improved; we maintain a profitable business with them.
We often come across issues in our day- to- day lives, which are related to our professional environment and our personal lives. A practical and strategic outlook is imperative while coming up with a methodology which is best suited in resolving an issue. I have given a practical example from my work life in order to demonstrate how an issue can be resolved with minimum fuss and without pressing the panic button.
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION OF AN ISSUE IN A CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT. 1. Identify the problem. 2. Brainstorm along with the departments which are directly affected by the problem. 3. Find the various processes and solutions that can help resolve the problem. 4. Which is the most effective and efficient method of resolving the problem. 5. Applying the process to the problem 6. Assessing the degree to which the problem has been resolved 7. If the problem has not been resolved, the process has to be followed again.
I used to work as a Senior Customer Service Executive for a well known vending machine in India and had to resolve an issue that was affecting the profitability of the company in Pune. I applied the scientific method of resolving the problem as inspired by the “What Makes A Great Science Project Logbook” Joanne Rebbeck, Ph.D.February 24, 2005
Identifying the Problem a.A high frequency of breakdown of vending machines in clients’ site. b.Delay in registering a complaint about the break down. c.Loss to the company as we billed our client by usage. d.Delay in the time taken by the technicians in repairing the vending machines at the clients’ site.
Consequence: The problem was eating into the profits of the company, as we suffered losses on the volume of sales and our reputation also suffered because of the frequency of break down and our competitors were trying to lure our clients, who had been with our company for decades.
A national conference was immediately conducted, when I reported the issue to my immediate superior in India. The concerned departments had a brainstorming session, and various hypotheses were investigated.
Hypothesis i)The quality of the spare parts being used was not of standard quality. ii)Lack of skilled manpower had caused the delay in repair work. iii)Sabotage - by client canteen employees or our own technicians
Investigation on Various Hypotheses i)The quality of spare parts :Our national technical manager decided to conduct a surprise check on various client sites’ all over India.
ii)Lack of skilled manpower:The HR department decided to investigate on the number of site coffee boys present at one time on site and the frequency of servicing done on each department. iii)Sabotage :Number of times a vending machines broke down, against the average breakdown of machines after it has had its scheduled servicing and replacement of parts.
Conclusion of Investigations a)The National Technical Manager reported that the spare parts were of the standard quality being used our company. He also the tested the present technicians on the skill and knowledge for repairing the machines. b)An investigation by our HR departments reported that the clients were not happy about the servicing done by our coffee boys, as one coffee boy was allotted per station, by our company. There were frequent absentees and negligence in scheduled servicing. c)Vending Machine break down was 200 percent higher than the average break down as calculated by our technical department for a properly serviced machine.
I decided to investigate further into the complaints of absenteeism among the coffee boys as reported by the HR department, and the possibility of sabotage.
Further Investigations conducted on the Clients’ Site in order to gather evidence. i)I personally interviewed the sites’ canteen manager and found out that, though the sheets were filled on a timely basis, the machines were not being properly serviced and the coffee boys were often found to be missing from their stations. ii)I supervised the repair work on a vending machine and made sure that new parts were used and the coffee being prepared was of standard quality. iii)I also requested the clients’ management that a CCTV be used, to investigate the possibility of sabotage.
Conclusion on Personal Investigation a)The coffee boys were filling their sheets in advance b)The vending machine that had been serviced was not working properly again. c)One of the client canteen workers was seen tampering with our canteen machine after hours on the CCTV.
Action that was undertaken i)The station in-charge was ordered to conduct surprise visits on client sites as it was the coffee boys who were responsible for reporting, machine break downs to our technicians. ii)Errant coffee boys were sacked. iii)The client site where the damage had been reported was asked to compensate to the full cost of replacing our vending machines. iv)Their canteen department was overhauled completely and they conducted their own investigations into the sabotage.
Our final step was to speak with our client’s management about the conclusions of our investigations and reaffirm our relationship and continued business with them.
Please read How to Deal with a Difficult Customer, where the author explains how to deal in a situation when the client is at fault He says “Call Attention To A Customer’s Mistake Indirectly. If you think that your customer or client has made a mistake. Start with words like “Let’s look at this together.” Being willing to admit that you could be wrong, will make it easier for your customer to admit that he might be wrong, too. Even if you know for a certainty that he’s wrong, begin by using diplomacy so that your customer can ’save face’ if he’s proven wrong. If he feels humiliated, you’ve probably lost any chance for future business with him”. Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of besuccessfulnews.com.
This article was a true inspiration for me, on how to continue our relationship with the client. Our billing with the company has improved; we maintain a profitable business with them.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
What is an IP address?
What is an IP address?
What’s my IP address?, Every computer connected to the Internet is assigned a unique number known as an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
IP Search is IP addresses consist of four numbers separated by periods (also called a “dotted-quad”) and look something like 127.0.0.1.
Since these numbers are usually assigned to internet service providers within country-based blocks, an IP address can often be used to identify the country from which a computer is connecting to the Internet.
Because the numbers may be tedious to deal with, an IP address may also be assigned to a Host name, which is sometimes easier to remember. Hostnames may be looked up to find IP addresses, and vice-versa.
At one time ISPs issued one IP address to each user. These are called static IP addresses. Because there is a limited number of IP addresses and with increased usage of the internet ISPs now issue IP addresses in a dynamic fashion out of a pool of IP addresses (Using DHCP). These are referred to as dynamic IP addresses. This also limits the ability of the user to host websites, mail servers, ftp servers, and DNS servers. Dynamic DNS services can be used to provide DNS records for servers running on dynamic assigned IP addresses.
In addition to users connecting to the internet, with virtual hosting, a single machine can act like multiple machines (with multiple domain names and IP addresses).
An IP address can sometimes be used to determine the user’s general location.
Related Articles
Your IP Address
What is a private IP Address?
How to change your IP address
Can someone find me from my IP address?
What is a hostname?
Your Hostname
What is IPv6?
What is an RIR?
What is IANA?
What’s my IP address?, Every computer connected to the Internet is assigned a unique number known as an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
IP Search is IP addresses consist of four numbers separated by periods (also called a “dotted-quad”) and look something like 127.0.0.1.
Since these numbers are usually assigned to internet service providers within country-based blocks, an IP address can often be used to identify the country from which a computer is connecting to the Internet.
Because the numbers may be tedious to deal with, an IP address may also be assigned to a Host name, which is sometimes easier to remember. Hostnames may be looked up to find IP addresses, and vice-versa.
At one time ISPs issued one IP address to each user. These are called static IP addresses. Because there is a limited number of IP addresses and with increased usage of the internet ISPs now issue IP addresses in a dynamic fashion out of a pool of IP addresses (Using DHCP). These are referred to as dynamic IP addresses. This also limits the ability of the user to host websites, mail servers, ftp servers, and DNS servers. Dynamic DNS services can be used to provide DNS records for servers running on dynamic assigned IP addresses.
In addition to users connecting to the internet, with virtual hosting, a single machine can act like multiple machines (with multiple domain names and IP addresses).
An IP address can sometimes be used to determine the user’s general location.
Related Articles
Your IP Address
What is a private IP Address?
How to change your IP address
Can someone find me from my IP address?
What is a hostname?
Your Hostname
What is IPv6?
What is an RIR?
What is IANA?
Monday, June 15, 2009
Energy prices waver with new signs of weak economy
Energy prices waver with new signs of weak economy
NEW YORK – Oil prices wavered Thursday as the nation’s employment picture darkened and consumers pulled back on spending.
Benchmark crude for June delivery ticked up 15 cents to settle at $51.12 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent prices fell 22 cents to $50.56 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.
Natural gas, used heavily by utilities and major industries, continued to test seven-year lows as consumers spend less on energy and companies cut back on production.
Underground supplies of natural gas rose more than expected last week and, according to the Energy Information Administration, reached 1.82 trillion cubic feet for the week ended April 24.
That is 34 percent above storage levels just a year ago, hinting at just how much the economy has slowed.
“There’s still too much of it out there,” said Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates.
“When you’re in a sharp recession like this, you’ve got plants and factories all over cutting shifts to save on their fixed costs, and one of those is electricity costs to keep a plant open 24 hours a day,” he said.
On Thursday, a Commerce Department report said consumer spending fell more than expected, dropping 0.2 percent in March. And incomes were also down by 0.3 percent as waves of layoffs made their way through the economy.
Meanwhile, the Labor Department said a record 6.3 million people drew unemployment benefits last week. However, the number of newly laid-off workers signing up for jobless benefits dropped unexpectedly to a seasonally adjusted 631,000.
Oil companies also had a miserable first quarter as energy prices plunged.
Crude prices soared last year to more than $147 a barrel as experts worried that world demand would soon outstrip production. This year, oil prices have hovered around $50 a barrel as U.S. storage houses continue to fill with a huge surplus. The government reported Wednesday that the nation is consuming less petroleum per day than it has in a decade.
On Thursday, Exxon Mobil Corp. said first-quarter earnings fell 58 percent from a year ago, its lowest quarterly profit in more than five years. Marathon Oil Corp. said its first-quarter profit fell 61 percent from a year ago.
Few expect a quick rebound for oil prices given the current economic outlook.
Christina Romer, the chairwoman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, predicted another economic contraction in the second quarter. Romer, who was testifying Thursday before Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, also said there would likely be continued increases in unemployment for several more months.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has tried for several months to prop up the price of oil by producing less and draining the global surplus. Joy at the pump for consumers has meant some serious pain for OPEC nations who are now wrestling with their national budgets.
In May, OPEC ministers will consider whether to pull even less crude from the ground.
Tanker tracker Oil Movements said Thursday it’s unlikely OPEC will call for slowing oil operations on top of the 4.2 million barrels they’ve already pledged to cut each day.
Oil Movements said in a research note that in March, OPEC members were only 80 percent compliant with previous production cuts. In April they cut an additional 100,000 to 300,000 barrels a day.
That’s “hardly likely to make up a convincing case for another round of cuts,” Oil Movements said.
If OPEC did call for less crude production, it could be the tipping point that forces oil prices higher, analyst and trader Stephen Schork said.
“We’ve had an ongoing deluge of one bearish report after another, and crude oil prices haven’t dropped any lower,” Schork said. “So if you have anything that comes out that’s perceived bullish, it could send oil back up to $60″ a barrel.
That eventually could lead to higher energy prices for everyone, but many industry experts don’t think OPEC nations can stomach another production cut.
Retail gas prices were flat overnight, with the national average rising a tenth of a penny to $2.051 a gallon according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. Pump prices are up less than a penny from a month ago, but they’re $1.566 cheaper than last year.
In other Nymex trading, gasoline for May delivery rose by 2.58 cents to settle at $1.4742 a gallon while heating oil dropped 1.44 cents to settle at $1.3147 a gallon. Natural gas for June delivery fell 3 cents to settle at $3.373 per 1,000 cubic feet.
NEW YORK – Oil prices wavered Thursday as the nation’s employment picture darkened and consumers pulled back on spending.
Benchmark crude for June delivery ticked up 15 cents to settle at $51.12 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent prices fell 22 cents to $50.56 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.
Natural gas, used heavily by utilities and major industries, continued to test seven-year lows as consumers spend less on energy and companies cut back on production.
Underground supplies of natural gas rose more than expected last week and, according to the Energy Information Administration, reached 1.82 trillion cubic feet for the week ended April 24.
That is 34 percent above storage levels just a year ago, hinting at just how much the economy has slowed.
“There’s still too much of it out there,” said Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates.
“When you’re in a sharp recession like this, you’ve got plants and factories all over cutting shifts to save on their fixed costs, and one of those is electricity costs to keep a plant open 24 hours a day,” he said.
On Thursday, a Commerce Department report said consumer spending fell more than expected, dropping 0.2 percent in March. And incomes were also down by 0.3 percent as waves of layoffs made their way through the economy.
Meanwhile, the Labor Department said a record 6.3 million people drew unemployment benefits last week. However, the number of newly laid-off workers signing up for jobless benefits dropped unexpectedly to a seasonally adjusted 631,000.
Oil companies also had a miserable first quarter as energy prices plunged.
Crude prices soared last year to more than $147 a barrel as experts worried that world demand would soon outstrip production. This year, oil prices have hovered around $50 a barrel as U.S. storage houses continue to fill with a huge surplus. The government reported Wednesday that the nation is consuming less petroleum per day than it has in a decade.
On Thursday, Exxon Mobil Corp. said first-quarter earnings fell 58 percent from a year ago, its lowest quarterly profit in more than five years. Marathon Oil Corp. said its first-quarter profit fell 61 percent from a year ago.
Few expect a quick rebound for oil prices given the current economic outlook.
Christina Romer, the chairwoman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, predicted another economic contraction in the second quarter. Romer, who was testifying Thursday before Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, also said there would likely be continued increases in unemployment for several more months.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has tried for several months to prop up the price of oil by producing less and draining the global surplus. Joy at the pump for consumers has meant some serious pain for OPEC nations who are now wrestling with their national budgets.
In May, OPEC ministers will consider whether to pull even less crude from the ground.
Tanker tracker Oil Movements said Thursday it’s unlikely OPEC will call for slowing oil operations on top of the 4.2 million barrels they’ve already pledged to cut each day.
Oil Movements said in a research note that in March, OPEC members were only 80 percent compliant with previous production cuts. In April they cut an additional 100,000 to 300,000 barrels a day.
That’s “hardly likely to make up a convincing case for another round of cuts,” Oil Movements said.
If OPEC did call for less crude production, it could be the tipping point that forces oil prices higher, analyst and trader Stephen Schork said.
“We’ve had an ongoing deluge of one bearish report after another, and crude oil prices haven’t dropped any lower,” Schork said. “So if you have anything that comes out that’s perceived bullish, it could send oil back up to $60″ a barrel.
That eventually could lead to higher energy prices for everyone, but many industry experts don’t think OPEC nations can stomach another production cut.
Retail gas prices were flat overnight, with the national average rising a tenth of a penny to $2.051 a gallon according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. Pump prices are up less than a penny from a month ago, but they’re $1.566 cheaper than last year.
In other Nymex trading, gasoline for May delivery rose by 2.58 cents to settle at $1.4742 a gallon while heating oil dropped 1.44 cents to settle at $1.3147 a gallon. Natural gas for June delivery fell 3 cents to settle at $3.373 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Truth Of A Two Year College Education
The Truth Of A Two Year College Education
Higher education in this country is rapidly becoming a necessity in the business community rather than a luxury. There was a time when those who had a high school education still had the opportunity to build a better world for themselves and their families. Those days are rapidly becoming another dieing ember of the past. If you hope to have significant earning potential during your lifetime you are almost completely limited by your learning potential and the level of education you have received.
The good news is that you do not have to have an all or nothing approach when it comes to education. You can begin by taking baby steps when it comes to higher education. If you have a community college in your area, this is one of the greatest resources for beginning your college education at any stage in your life. Most community colleges offer classes at various times during the day and evening, even some on Saturday in order to accommodate students of different ages and backgrounds.
Community colleges also offer an excellent opportunity to begin your learning quest in a manner that is much more easily affordable to the average citizen than a full-blown university. These colleges are largely commuter colleges though there are several that allow students the experience of living on a college campus at a much lower price than most major universities charge for the same or very similar privileges.
Community colleges also allow you to explore your options if you aren’t really sure what direction you wish for your education to take without paying such a high price for the process. If you know the career path you wish to take you might find a two-year degree program that can have you out of school and in a career much sooner than a four-year program will allow. If that isn’t good enough news for you, many of the two-year programs of study that are offered at the community college level may very well transfer quite easily into bachelor degree programs at the university level.
Community colleges offer an excellent start for many people who are seeking higher education whether to further their careers or just to find fulfillment on a personal level in life. There are many wonderful programs in vocational fields as well as academic fields that can be explored and studies on the community college level.
For graduating high school students community colleges help students ease into the adjustment from high school to college without going through the culture shock that some universities can put students through. You will find that there are often many opportunities to meet educational as well as social needs on the community college level for students that are interested in pursuing a community college education.
You should also discover that community colleges are much easier to budget when it comes to setting aside funds and savings for either your personal college education or the educational expenses of your children. Having them attend a community college for two years then transferring to a University can save a great deal of money and provide you a little piece of mind that your children are still receiving an excellent level of education.
Seriously, if you are looking for an excellent value when it comes to education you would be doing yourself or your children a disservice if you do not check out the community college options in your area before taking the plunge and diving into the university lifestyle. You will find that community colleges often offer an equal level of education for the introductory classes that first and second year college students often take, they are a much better value for the money, and they are an outstanding values for those who are trying to juggle their education with family and work responsibilities.
Higher education in this country is rapidly becoming a necessity in the business community rather than a luxury. There was a time when those who had a high school education still had the opportunity to build a better world for themselves and their families. Those days are rapidly becoming another dieing ember of the past. If you hope to have significant earning potential during your lifetime you are almost completely limited by your learning potential and the level of education you have received.
The good news is that you do not have to have an all or nothing approach when it comes to education. You can begin by taking baby steps when it comes to higher education. If you have a community college in your area, this is one of the greatest resources for beginning your college education at any stage in your life. Most community colleges offer classes at various times during the day and evening, even some on Saturday in order to accommodate students of different ages and backgrounds.
Community colleges also offer an excellent opportunity to begin your learning quest in a manner that is much more easily affordable to the average citizen than a full-blown university. These colleges are largely commuter colleges though there are several that allow students the experience of living on a college campus at a much lower price than most major universities charge for the same or very similar privileges.
Community colleges also allow you to explore your options if you aren’t really sure what direction you wish for your education to take without paying such a high price for the process. If you know the career path you wish to take you might find a two-year degree program that can have you out of school and in a career much sooner than a four-year program will allow. If that isn’t good enough news for you, many of the two-year programs of study that are offered at the community college level may very well transfer quite easily into bachelor degree programs at the university level.
Community colleges offer an excellent start for many people who are seeking higher education whether to further their careers or just to find fulfillment on a personal level in life. There are many wonderful programs in vocational fields as well as academic fields that can be explored and studies on the community college level.
For graduating high school students community colleges help students ease into the adjustment from high school to college without going through the culture shock that some universities can put students through. You will find that there are often many opportunities to meet educational as well as social needs on the community college level for students that are interested in pursuing a community college education.
You should also discover that community colleges are much easier to budget when it comes to setting aside funds and savings for either your personal college education or the educational expenses of your children. Having them attend a community college for two years then transferring to a University can save a great deal of money and provide you a little piece of mind that your children are still receiving an excellent level of education.
Seriously, if you are looking for an excellent value when it comes to education you would be doing yourself or your children a disservice if you do not check out the community college options in your area before taking the plunge and diving into the university lifestyle. You will find that community colleges often offer an equal level of education for the introductory classes that first and second year college students often take, they are a much better value for the money, and they are an outstanding values for those who are trying to juggle their education with family and work responsibilities.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Restoring the Historical Roots of American Education
Restoring the Historical Roots of American Education
Two hundred years after the American Revolution, America is still governed by its first Constitution. We are now the longest-running constitutional republic in the history of the world. To give some perspective, France has had eight constitutions in the same 200 years. Italy has had 54 constitutions in 200 years. Why have we survived so long? It is because our founding fathers built our Constitution according to a set of ideals that are unparalleled in the history of the world.
Abraham Lincoln said, “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” If our founding fathers had a successful philosophy of government, which obviously they did, then it is very fair that we look back to the classroom to see what they taught.
Harvard: Harvard is the oldest ongoing university in the United States. Harvard produced a number of our founding fathers, including John Quincy Adams, John Hancock, John Adams, and Samuel Adams.
Harvard’s original stated purpose for its students was: “To be plainly instructed and consider well that the main end of your life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ….” One requirement of students was that “Everyone shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day that he shall be able to give an account of his proficiency therein.”
Yale: Yale also produced many founding fathers, men like Noah Webster, William Samuel Johnson, Abraham Baldwin. One of Yale’s requirements for its students read as follows: “Seeing that God is the giver of all wisdom, every student, besides his private and secret prayer, will be present morning and evening for public prayer.”
Princeton: Princeton, founded in 1746, produced people like James Madison, Benjamin Rush and John Witherspoon. John Witherspoon became an ordained minister and was president of Princeton University (1768-1776) until New Jersey sent him to Congress. During those years at Princeton, the average graduating class was between 17 and 28 students per year. In the nine years that Witherspoon taught at Princeton, the school graduated one President, one Vice President, three Supreme Court Justices, ten Cabinet members, twelve Governors, twenty-one U.S. Senators, and thirty-nine U.S. Congressmen, plus many who held state offices. A full one-third of the founding fathers were trained at Princeton University.
What was the philosophy of an institution that produced so many national leaders? Princeton’s founding statement was, “Cursed is all learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ.” It has been many years since we have seen this kind of vision of godly leadership within society set before us.
The Foundational Documents: There are four documents which are considered the organic laws of the United States (i.e., the laws upon which all other laws are built): The Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and The Northwest Ordinance.
The Northwest Ordinance tells a territory specifically what it has to do in order to become a state in the United States. Article Three requires that no territory could become a state unless the schools in that territory were teaching religion and morality as well as knowledge. As a result, many state constitutions contain the following: “Forever in the schools of this state, religion and morality will be taught as well as knowledge.” You may want to check your state constitution.
Look at Fisher Ames’ philosophy of education: (He was the author of the First Amendment of the Constitution, which today is mis-interpreted to mean we must separate God and government.)
“Why, then, if these new books for children must be retained, as they will be, why should not the Bible regain the place it held as a school book? Its morals are pure. Its examples are captivating and noble. And the reverence for the sacred book that is thus early impressed lasts long and probably, if not impressed in infancy, never takes firm hold of the mind.”
However, today under our interpretation of Fisher Ames’ amendment, the Bible is not allowed to be studied in schools. We have drifted far from the days when our country was founded. As can been seen in the founding documents of our most prestigious universities, education in America was founded not on the pursuit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but rather on the pursuit of knowledge to glorify Christ. That happened and happens primarily through the study of the Word of God.
The freshman project of each of the founding universities in America was that the student be given a copy of the Greek New Testament and from it make a handwritten translation into English! Blessed are the schools that still teach from the Bible and keep the Bible as the central source of education.
Two hundred years after the American Revolution, America is still governed by its first Constitution. We are now the longest-running constitutional republic in the history of the world. To give some perspective, France has had eight constitutions in the same 200 years. Italy has had 54 constitutions in 200 years. Why have we survived so long? It is because our founding fathers built our Constitution according to a set of ideals that are unparalleled in the history of the world.
Abraham Lincoln said, “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” If our founding fathers had a successful philosophy of government, which obviously they did, then it is very fair that we look back to the classroom to see what they taught.
Harvard: Harvard is the oldest ongoing university in the United States. Harvard produced a number of our founding fathers, including John Quincy Adams, John Hancock, John Adams, and Samuel Adams.
Harvard’s original stated purpose for its students was: “To be plainly instructed and consider well that the main end of your life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ….” One requirement of students was that “Everyone shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day that he shall be able to give an account of his proficiency therein.”
Yale: Yale also produced many founding fathers, men like Noah Webster, William Samuel Johnson, Abraham Baldwin. One of Yale’s requirements for its students read as follows: “Seeing that God is the giver of all wisdom, every student, besides his private and secret prayer, will be present morning and evening for public prayer.”
Princeton: Princeton, founded in 1746, produced people like James Madison, Benjamin Rush and John Witherspoon. John Witherspoon became an ordained minister and was president of Princeton University (1768-1776) until New Jersey sent him to Congress. During those years at Princeton, the average graduating class was between 17 and 28 students per year. In the nine years that Witherspoon taught at Princeton, the school graduated one President, one Vice President, three Supreme Court Justices, ten Cabinet members, twelve Governors, twenty-one U.S. Senators, and thirty-nine U.S. Congressmen, plus many who held state offices. A full one-third of the founding fathers were trained at Princeton University.
What was the philosophy of an institution that produced so many national leaders? Princeton’s founding statement was, “Cursed is all learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ.” It has been many years since we have seen this kind of vision of godly leadership within society set before us.
The Foundational Documents: There are four documents which are considered the organic laws of the United States (i.e., the laws upon which all other laws are built): The Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and The Northwest Ordinance.
The Northwest Ordinance tells a territory specifically what it has to do in order to become a state in the United States. Article Three requires that no territory could become a state unless the schools in that territory were teaching religion and morality as well as knowledge. As a result, many state constitutions contain the following: “Forever in the schools of this state, religion and morality will be taught as well as knowledge.” You may want to check your state constitution.
Look at Fisher Ames’ philosophy of education: (He was the author of the First Amendment of the Constitution, which today is mis-interpreted to mean we must separate God and government.)
“Why, then, if these new books for children must be retained, as they will be, why should not the Bible regain the place it held as a school book? Its morals are pure. Its examples are captivating and noble. And the reverence for the sacred book that is thus early impressed lasts long and probably, if not impressed in infancy, never takes firm hold of the mind.”
However, today under our interpretation of Fisher Ames’ amendment, the Bible is not allowed to be studied in schools. We have drifted far from the days when our country was founded. As can been seen in the founding documents of our most prestigious universities, education in America was founded not on the pursuit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but rather on the pursuit of knowledge to glorify Christ. That happened and happens primarily through the study of the Word of God.
The freshman project of each of the founding universities in America was that the student be given a copy of the Greek New Testament and from it make a handwritten translation into English! Blessed are the schools that still teach from the Bible and keep the Bible as the central source of education.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Become A Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician
Become A Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician
Microsoft has a lot of computer certifications that apply to a lot different expert computer repair technicians to operating system superstars though they also offer certifications in organization as well as engineering. Microsoft Certified Professionals are a level above in the profession of IT since Microsoft certification is broadly acknowledged and recognized by both the service as well as the support industry. Microsoft syllabus features the practical data that just an state of the art established organization can to offer.
MCDST is one of the most wanted after Microsoft certifications on our market today. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician is a title that involves much admiration for employers that desire a very qualified tech to work as a helpdesk expert and give desktop support via phone and also by providing service the individual station. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) with Microsoft Windows XP is a certification which ascertains the fundamental and higher credentials needed to enter the Information Technology profession as a support desk expert.
Due to the recognition that Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) gets a lot of web-based and conventional Information Technology facilities are offering some free tutoring. You’ll discover complimentary information technology Microsoft PC training on the internet almost as numerous as you will discover pay certificate courses. There’s a long list of electronic schools which offer free study guides, various free electronic instruction as well as complimentary practice exam questions in order to ready you for your certificate.
MCDST certification demonstrates priceless troubleshooting expertise pertaining to the Windows Desktop Operating System to executives and buyers. It gives a regiment for getting the abilities that support technicians require. Being a desktop support technician, you will utilize excellent customer service abilities, teach users, and solve computer hardware or software function and application issues on the desktop. You’ll vet irreplaceable skills and good practices related with networks and file sharing and maintaining DHCP communications devices and DNS for Internet applications to translate names into internet protocol addresses.
MCST certification acknowledges the basic qualifications needed to go into the Information Technology field as a support professional. It communicates the technical abilities of the individual to customers and employers and differentiates career potentials from their colleagues. MCDST certification enhances job enjoyment via enhanced technical proficiency as you expand your proficiency and abilities. MCDST certification helps advance support technician livelihood through providing a structured framework for learning abilities, and features a knowledge basis for additional Microsoft certificates, like the MCSA and the MCSE.
Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician Certification Requirements on Windows XP involve passing two core exams that provide a valid and dependable gauge of technical proficiency. The tests are created on the help of professionals in the industry and reflect how Microsoft applications are utilized in businesses throughout the world. The two essential exams are: Exam 70-271: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System amounting to around sixty questions and Exam 70-272: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System being of about 50 questions.
A aspirant for MCDST requires study for a certification. There are non-profit Microsoft classes accessible on the web including costless Microsoft example exam questions, free study guides and free MCDST training tomake your preparation less complicated. Free will only take you so far, you will need to purchase some Microsoft certification training so you’ll be ready for your exam. Your education isn’t the objective but earning your Microsoft certification is so learn methods to pass your information technology certification exam and because there are good resources accessible, all you require is some exploring.
Microsoft has a lot of computer certifications that apply to a lot different expert computer repair technicians to operating system superstars though they also offer certifications in organization as well as engineering. Microsoft Certified Professionals are a level above in the profession of IT since Microsoft certification is broadly acknowledged and recognized by both the service as well as the support industry. Microsoft syllabus features the practical data that just an state of the art established organization can to offer.
MCDST is one of the most wanted after Microsoft certifications on our market today. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician is a title that involves much admiration for employers that desire a very qualified tech to work as a helpdesk expert and give desktop support via phone and also by providing service the individual station. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) with Microsoft Windows XP is a certification which ascertains the fundamental and higher credentials needed to enter the Information Technology profession as a support desk expert.
Due to the recognition that Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) gets a lot of web-based and conventional Information Technology facilities are offering some free tutoring. You’ll discover complimentary information technology Microsoft PC training on the internet almost as numerous as you will discover pay certificate courses. There’s a long list of electronic schools which offer free study guides, various free electronic instruction as well as complimentary practice exam questions in order to ready you for your certificate.
MCDST certification demonstrates priceless troubleshooting expertise pertaining to the Windows Desktop Operating System to executives and buyers. It gives a regiment for getting the abilities that support technicians require. Being a desktop support technician, you will utilize excellent customer service abilities, teach users, and solve computer hardware or software function and application issues on the desktop. You’ll vet irreplaceable skills and good practices related with networks and file sharing and maintaining DHCP communications devices and DNS for Internet applications to translate names into internet protocol addresses.
MCST certification acknowledges the basic qualifications needed to go into the Information Technology field as a support professional. It communicates the technical abilities of the individual to customers and employers and differentiates career potentials from their colleagues. MCDST certification enhances job enjoyment via enhanced technical proficiency as you expand your proficiency and abilities. MCDST certification helps advance support technician livelihood through providing a structured framework for learning abilities, and features a knowledge basis for additional Microsoft certificates, like the MCSA and the MCSE.
Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician Certification Requirements on Windows XP involve passing two core exams that provide a valid and dependable gauge of technical proficiency. The tests are created on the help of professionals in the industry and reflect how Microsoft applications are utilized in businesses throughout the world. The two essential exams are: Exam 70-271: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System amounting to around sixty questions and Exam 70-272: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System being of about 50 questions.
A aspirant for MCDST requires study for a certification. There are non-profit Microsoft classes accessible on the web including costless Microsoft example exam questions, free study guides and free MCDST training tomake your preparation less complicated. Free will only take you so far, you will need to purchase some Microsoft certification training so you’ll be ready for your exam. Your education isn’t the objective but earning your Microsoft certification is so learn methods to pass your information technology certification exam and because there are good resources accessible, all you require is some exploring.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)