Students Of Success

I had the hardest time finding decals on the web. Not just any
decals, but ones that come on rolls and are printed with my own
designs. This seems like such an easy task until you delve in to
Cyberspace. I was trying to think of different categories that
might work for me. I obviously tried “Decals”, but most all of
the results were for preprinted items that had nothing to do
with my business. I simply wanted something I designed to be
printed on rolls of decals so that I could apply them to my own
merchandise. I decided that the word “Decals” referred more to
the automotive industry, i.e. dragsters, funny cars or Nascar.
Decals for model trains also make some sense.

I chose to try different words that might give me better
results. I tried the word “Labels” but most of
the results I found were for record labels or crazy things like
labeling you code in Programming Languages. I have a hard enough
time surfing the Web let alone program an application. I am not
in the record business so these links were useless. Address
labels as a result were a bit friendlier to my actual search,
though I still had not achieved my goal. Why don’t the search
engines open up categories like these to information that is
more relevant to the topic I am looking for?

Finally I tried “Stickers” and had a
bit more luck, but nothing to sneeze at. I mean, who isn’t
looking for Scrapbook Stickers:) Do people actually have
scrapbooks devoted strictly to stickers? I wonder they would be
interested in one of my stickers if I could find anyone to print
them? Internet bumper stickers seem silly also, as do textbook
disclaimer stickers.

I did finally find a company under each of these categories that
in fact print decals on rolls with my own designs. I have tried
each of them and the prices and final products were fantastic. I
checked to see that each had the capability of working with my
artwork and even creating a logo or design for me. All three
were willing to help with this procedure and they actually made
changes to the artwork I supplied without charging me, though
these change were pretty minor. I would recommend any of the
three companies listed below to get you out of a jam.

Decals123 - http://www.decals123.com Label-Exchange -
http://www.label-exchange.com Stickers Exchange -
http://www.StickersExchange.com

A land without ruins is a land without memories—a land without memories is a land without history. ~Abram Joseph Ryan

Why photograph old barns? What is the best way to capture them? Are people really interested in them? Let’s face it; old barns have so much character. Here in the United States and especially in California, old architecture is not that prevalent. New buildings seem to be everywhere! Old architecture is constantly being torn down while new cities arise. Not only this, but storms and the passage of time take them down too.

Recently, as I drove by and admired the most beautiful old red barn, I was compelled to photograph it. The barn is located in New Castle, California. Since environmental photographers are at the whim and mercy of the landlords, I knew I had to photograph it before a demolition transpired or a storm destroyed it. I strongly believe that old barns enhance the roadside and remind me of oil paintings of old.

Photographing architecture with diffused lighting (without hard shadows) is a great way to capture barns. Barns are too big for fill flash, so the time of day, lighting conditions, and camera setting are pretty important.

When photographing a barn, look for the best angle. Try to get the barn to fill up the whole image. If foliage is growing up over the barn, photograph it. Try to remember, the closer the better. We want to see the barn. As it is, the image is small–try to keep this in mind. If you learn to shoot bold photographs, you will have more to work with after the fact. You will have a better quality image with more detailed information. Make sure to leave a little bit of room for cropping. You want to have to option to format the image vertical, horizontal, or square.

Barns are part of our environment and trigger our thoughts of fond historical memories. Ruins tell us about the people who lived here before us. Photographing historical places makes for great images for custom postcards and family albums. Always remember, people love barns. Take pictures of what people love.

Debbie Jensen, Graphic Designer and Photographer http://www.debjensendesigns.com

Let’s be clear from the outset. The road to brand success is not easy.

It’s true that some people seem to fall upon it by chance and readily make
their way from one end to the other. For most of us though, it’s a route taken with
difficulty and marked by mis-steps and wrong turnings.

That shouldn’t surprise us. If you understand a brand to be the relationship
between you and your customer, then you’ll know how hard it can be to plot the
course of a relationship with any certainty.

It isn’t possible to chart every feature on the road or each twist and turn along
the way but we can make plans for the journey that prepare us for what might lie
ahead and give us a greater chance of success.

Step 1- Start with the end in mind.

Don’t just set off in hope.

Be clear from the beginning what brand success means for you and what a
brand can and can’t do for your business. Typically, your brand should support your
business goals by helping you to build and maintain a great relationship with your
customers.

There should be a purpose to this relationship for both you and your
customer. You bring them something important (for example, security or pleasure)
or move them from one place to another (say, from a state of anxiety to calmness),
and they give you something in return (usually, but not always, money).

Remember that people make sense of their lives in the stories they tell, so
you’re looking for a story that describes for your customers the experience of that
business relationship with you. That story should give your customers sound
reasons to invest their time, energy, attention and money in your business.

Your road to brand success should lead you there.

Step 2- Get the lie of the land.

Check local knowledge.

It’s unlikely that you’re the first to cross the territory that lies ahead. Others
will have made maps and noted landmarks. They’ll know which stretches of the road
are safe and where there are dangers.

Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and
myth will often point towards what’s really of importance in this new world.
Sometimes, even plain old gossip can prove useful.

Don’t forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will
know the territory well. But don’t expect them to make the journey for you. This is
your role, you are the leader of the expedition.

You must decide which paths to take and which to avoid, based on whatever
information is available to you.

Step 3- Map your route.

Set your course and choose your guiding star.

As you begin your journey, you will be faced with many roads that you might
follow, many ways in which you might tackle what lies ahead.

All relationships are founded on a shared set of values. For some, these are
values such as freedom or truth. If you are not to lose your way, you must choose
which values will guide you on your journey.

Trace the route that makes most sense for you and for your customers and set
your course by the stars, by your guiding principles. Avoid the apparent shortcuts
that deflect you from your purpose.

Step 4- Equip yourself for the journey.

Take what you need for the road.

Great businesses play to their strengths. Determine what it is you do well and
how that is likely to help you build and maintain your relationship with your
customers. Then do it to the best of your ability.

But travel light. Too many people weigh themselves down for what can be a
long journey. Trust your own resources and keep it simple. Bring only what you
need to feed, water and protect yourself and your customers. Leave the rest behind.

In the same way, choose your travelling companions carefully. You will rely
heavily on them. Include only those who can best bring something of value to your
relationship with your customer.

Step 5- Be prepared to ask for help.

Don’t be too proud.

Assistance can come from the most unexpected quarters. Although you must
lead the expedition, you are not expected to go it alone. There are others around
you who cannot make the journey but can lead you a small part of the way. These
can include veterans of other expeditions or those who are on neighbouring roads
that occasionally coincide with your own.

Do not forget your customers. They are keen to see you succeed - for in your
success, they see their own - and they will usually be only too happy to help you
out. Sometimes, it is they who see best of all what it is you do well and they are able
to point you in the right direction.

But again, this is your brand, and it’s you who must always take and keep the
lead.

Step 6- Keep the faith.

Don’t give up too easily.

The road to brand success is often long and difficult. It is easy to grow weary
and disheartened by the inevitable setbacks that you will meet along the way. Be
prepared to retrace your steps when you have gone astray. If your customers see
that you are committed to the relationship, they will be patient whilst you recover
your path.

Don’t simply go through the motions. Steer clear of the temptation to settle for
second-best, a shadow of the unique relationship that you wish for with your
customers. When the road you have mapped out proves to be misguided, strike out
across country if that’s what’s required and make your own road.

Keep your heart set on your goal and look to your guiding stars to direct you
towards it.

Step 7- Head for home.

Don’t become too enamoured of the road. It’s a means to an end and you must
travel its length or not at all.

Complete the journey. Remember that you started out to find your brand story.
Make sure that you have achieved your purpose. The place in which you’ve arrived
and the story you have to tell in getting there must make sense for both you and
your customers.

Now you can retrace your steps and bring the others with you, your customers
and any colleagues that you’ve left behind. They can now make the journey safely
with you.

Step 8 - Don’t settle down just yet.

Did I promise you only seven steps? Of course, there’s one more. Now that
you’ve achieved brand success, you must work tirelessly to maintain it.

You have found your strengths, so play to them. Use them to deliver on your
promise to your customers and commit resources to maintaining the relationship.

Tell your story and tell it often. Secure the road you have taken against rogues
and pretenders and make it safe for traffic. Light the way and signpost it clearly so
that you and your customers can travel the road often and easily.

Only then can you honestly say that you have taken the road to brand success.

Gerard Tannam is the founding Managing Director of
Islandbridge, a business that delivers
brand direction, planning and corporate communications across a wide range of
sectors including retail, property, hospitality and tourism. Recent clients include
Quality Hotels, Temple Country Retreat & Spa, Action Recruitment, Musgraves Food
Services, DIT School of Hospitality, Liffeyside Properties, The Westport Woods Hotel
and The Smile Conference.

For regular updates on branding or to tell your own brand story, visit
http://www.islandbridge.com

Personalized gifts

Personalizing a baby’s gift is an excellent idea, making the gift distinct and special
and grows into a cherished token through the years. When giving or making a gift
sooner, before the baby’s due, you are faced with the problem of not being certain
about the name and the birth date. One option to consider is by giving a gift
certificate for an etching or engraving design along with your gift. This way, when
the wonderful day arrives, the parents can take your gift and have it personalized.

Choices for personalized gifts are baby cups, picture frame, jewelry or a cutlery set.
There are wide selections of items that can be personalized; all you have to do is
look.

A blanket for baby embroidered with the baby’s name alongside the name’s
meaning would make an excellent gift for both mom and baby.

Your labor of love gift basket

Gift baskets are very popular today and indeed is a wonderful idea which can either
be purchased made-to-order or ready-made. Or, you can make one yourself by
putting together all baby items that you like for the baby. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Know first the size of the basket that you will use. A very large basket may be
difficult to fill, so a medium sized is recommended. Usually, craft stores sell baskets
of different sizes, shapes and colors. Shredded tissue paper and raffia make great
fillers to be layered at the basket’s bottom, alongside with baby towels and
blankets.

2. If you do have a large basket, you can easily fill it up by choosing bigger items
as well, such as crib comforters, stuffed bunny or teddy, pillows or crib bumpers.

3. Take into consideration the baby’s gender, what really the baby needs. For a
first baby, there will be many things that he will need. Having to look at a baby
registry if the mom to be has one, can help a lot, since you will know what the baby
really needs. If there is none, you could always ask the mom what else she needs
for the baby.

4. Consider having a theme. You can load the basket with everything pink for a
baby girl or everything blue for a baby boy, or everything having a “pooh” or a
dinosaur design. A bedtime theme basket filled with story books, music CD,
blankets, pillows, pajama, musical crib mobile and a teddy bear can be a wonderful
idea. Be creative and let your imagination soar.

5. Another way of being creative is instead of using a basket, a baby tub, a diaper
bag, a small laundry basket or a trunk can also be used.

6. For a tub, you can fill it with baby bathing accessories, such as soaps, towels,
bubble bath, powder, baby shampoo, lotion and bath rubber toys.

7. For the trunk, you can fill it with baby’s keepsake book, monogrammed items,
receiving blankets, heirloom items, a picture frame and an inspirational book all
about mom and baby. You can also place a little inspirational note containing all
your wishes for the baby. This will add a more personal touch to your gift.

© Copyright Vincent.C, All Rights Reserved.

Vincent has dozens more baby shower related articles and tips at his site: baby shower theme,
check them out today!

If you ever studied any probability theory in high school or college, you probably remember the marbles.

Most introductory probability books talk about drawing different colored marbles out of a bag. What’s the probability of getting a particular color?

Let’s say the bag has 20 marbles, 15 red and 5 blue. The probability of drawing a red one is 15/20, or 3 out of 4. The probability of drawing a blue one is 5/20, or 1 out of four 4.

The principle should be obvious. Given a certain total number of marbles, the probability of drawing a particlar color goes up as the number of marbles of that color goes up.

Simple right?

Yes, but almost every job seeker forgets that simple rule when it comes to free resume examples.

You want your resume to stand out. So you copy a free resume example you consider “unique.” Imagine lots of other people copy the same one. Does yours stand out anymore?

Nope. And that’s what lots of people did with the three or so templates that came with Microsoft(R) Word. It became almost a running joke for headhunters and recruiters. Only it wasn’t funny.

Free resume examples, and templates, are fine tools to use. In fact, I’ll bet in your career you’ve used examples to get started on most projects. It’s always helpful to get new ideas when you’re brainstorming.

The problem is, most people think an example or a template is a form to fill in.

That’s lazy, and the results are likely to be far from what you’re hoping for.

I recommend you use free resumes examples. I also recommend you follow a simple rule of thumb. Use a LOT of free resume examples. The more the better.

What you’re doing here is picking and choosing the styles, formats, phrases, words and techniques that will present YOU best. You’re not the person the example fit at one time. You’re you.

Remember those marbles? Imagine there is a resume example out there that fits you perfectly, so that you could in fact copy it, change the personal information at the top, and turn it in. What are your odds of finding it? I don’t know, but I do know they go way up the more marbles (or free resume examples) you have to choose from.

Now, finding that “perfect match” free resume example is an extremely remote possibility. I’d say the probability is zero. But that’s not what you’re looking for.

You’re looking for close-to-perfect pieces and parts that you can adapt to create your best possible customized resume. Fortunately, the same probability principle applies. The more pieces and parts you have to choose from, the greater your odds of finding what you’re looking for. More pieces and parts come from having more free resume examples in the bag.

Maximize your odds of success by looking at LOTS of free resume examples. I’d start with 10, then do a second round of 15 more.

It’s some work, but the result might be that “dream job” you’ve been looking for.

A little work can pay off big.

(c) Copyright 2005 by Roy Miller

An article by Roy Miller, creator of http://www.Job-Search-Guidepost.com. He has just released a new free report on how you can avoid losing thousands of dollars by copying a free resume example without knowing what you’re doing. You can claim your copy here: Free Resume Examples Report.

This article may be reprinted for use in newsletters and on websites provided that this information box is kept intact. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: roy@job-search-guidepost.com.

If over time you have accumulated multiple loans it may be wise to consider consolidating those loans into one single loan. There are a variety of ways in which this may be accomplished.

Student Loans
Multiple student loans must be handled in different ways depending upon whether they were funded originally as private loans based on personal credit or as federally insured loans. Private student loans may be consolidated in the same way that any private loans are consolidated. Federally insured student loans were placed with a private institution but they were guaranteed against default by the federal government. This type of loan has strict guidelines about how and when it can be consolidated.

A federally insured student loan cannot be consolidated with credit card debt or any other kind of consumer debt. Private student loans may in some cases be consolidated with federally insured student loans but doing so is highly inadvisable. Once a private student loan has been consolidated with a federally insured student loan it then falls under the same strict guidelines as the federal loan.

Further, federally funded student loans will only be consolidated at an interest rate equal to the weighted average of the rates on all the loans being consolidated. At present that rate is capped at 8.25% but with all interest rates on the rise, this cap may soon be increased. In addition, loans must be consolidated within a certain time period after the student either graduates or leaves school without graduating. Also, federally insured student loans cannot be consolidated a second time unless a newly funded student loan is rolled in with the loans that were previously consolidated.

Multiple Home Mortgage Loans
If your home currently carries both a first and a second mortgage you may want to think about consolidating the two. This is especially true if your credit is good and the interest rates on the current mortgages are more than two percent higher than current mortgage rates. However, there are other factors to be pondered when considering this type of loan consolidation.

Refinancing your home carries certain closing costs. In order to avoid having to pay any out of pocket costs, these closing costs will be financed as part of your new consolidated mortgage loan. You should examine the affect that the refinancing will have on the cost you pay over the lifer of the loan. Consolidating your home mortgage or refinancing that mortgage multiple times can actually be more costly than just sitting with the current loans. This is especially true if you will not be staying in your home more than three to five years.

Multiple Personal Loans
You would choose to consolidate multiple personal loans for the same reason you would consolidate multiple home mortgage loans; that is, if the interest rates you are currently paying are significantly above the currently available interest rates. Again, in order for a loan consolidation of this sort to be viable, you must have good credit and the cost of the multiple loan consolidation must not outweigh the savings you would accrue.

If you would like to read more of my personal articles like the one listed above, please visit my loan consolidation blog. Thank you for your time, and I hope I could be of some help!

As you enter the world of Forex you will immediately feel the basic need all Forex traders have: A method or technique to forecast the market behavior with the highest possible accuracy.

There are a number of methods and techniques that traders have researched through the years with this goal in mind. These techniques are based on different indicators and approaches to trading, and each one has had its own successes and positive outcomes when applied to specific market conditions, but there is no doubt that among the most successful of these techniques you will find Elliot Waves as one of the best concepts and methods you can learn.

Ralph Nelson Elliot observed that the markets have strong trends that seem to follow a repetitive pattern in all the different time frames you can trade and after analyzing a great number of charts he discovered in the late 1920’s that the markets move in a repetitive manner far away from a totally chaotic behavior.

He divided market movements into trends, corrections and sideways movements. With these distinctions being made he then assigned a wave terminology to these periodic movements; he called the trend movement an Impulsive Wave and a correction a Corrective Wave.

In order to have the formation of an impulsive wave we need five constituent waves “inside” this wave. This will be three waves in the direction of the trend and two corrections against the trend.

But considering the fractal nature of the waves found by Elliot, then each of the smaller impulsive waves will have itself other five waves “inside”.

In the case of the corrective waves they will be formed by other three smaller waves. Two in the direction of the correction and one in the direction of the trend.

Considering the repetitive nature of Elliot Waves you can make a pretty accurate forecast of what the markets will do next, with the huge advantage this represents in your daily encounters with the currency markets.

Adrian Pablo is a freelance writer with articles published in a number of places. Get a free report on Fibonacci Trading and learn more about the world of trading, visit ==>http://www.1-forex.com

No sport would be complete without a competition for the best of
that sport to show off their skills, and swooping is no
exception. Just like any other sport, there are swooping
competitions year-round in several different countries around
the world. If you have been swooping for a while, and you want
to see how well you compare, then you should look for a swooping
competition in your area.

Swooping competitions are relatively new, and there are two
different types. The first is just a swooping competition in
which all of the sky divers are accomplished swoopers. The
second type of competition takes place as part of a larger sky
diving competition.

Even though swooping is a new sport in a lot of areas, and there
are not always competitions in place wherever you go, the number
of competitions worldwide is increasing. In fact, these
competitions are doing a lot to add to the popularity of the
sport - both among other sky divers and other people who are
just looking for an extreme sport to watch.

Most swooping competitions are only for very expert swoopers.
Since a lot of the different maneuvers that are required in the
competition are difficult, none of these competitions are open
to everybody. If you would like to compete in a swooping
competition, then you’re going to have to qualify. You can
qualify by showing through a few jumps that you have control
over your canopy, and that you are able to accurately hit inside
of a target area.

Swooping competitions also generally consist of several
different rounds. This way, more than one skill is being tested
through the competition. Also, in this way, the best overall
swooper wins - and a single bad jump may average out in the end.

Before competing in swooping competitions, you may want to try
competing in regular sky diving competitions for practice. Some
of the skills that you will use in order to do well in these
competitions should help you as a sky diver - and you will be
able to get used to the stress of sky diving competitions before
you find yourself getting ready to swoop competitively.

ROI is generally defined as ‘Return on Investment’ and almost always concerns ideas of business and finance. Let me put a slant on this for you - have you ever wondered about how much ‘return’ you would get if you invested in acquiring knowledge from storytelling? Imagine having a wealth of stories to give examples when you are tying to explain something complicated? Imagine reading about the past and in the process get inspired to find new ideas? Stories from all over the world are full of intrigue, suspense, espionage and pure entertainment.

Let me introduce to you 7 stories from two ancient epics that portray love, rules of war, polygamy and polyandry, ‘upstairs, downstairs’, good parenting, gambling and all its ill effects and the real return on investment.

Story Number 1 – Love

In the Indian epic, The Ramayana, Prince Rama is sent into exile for 13 years. His devoted wife, Sita joins him there. However, bad luck befalls them and Sita is abducted by the King of Lanka, Ravana. Now, Prince Rama goes in hot pursuit of his wife and enlists the help of the monkey race. Together, they defeat Ravana, and Sita is rescued.

Story Number 2 – Rules of War

Today, there is much talk of war – war in Iraq, civil way in many African nations and even small factions in Russia, terrorist attacks in many parts of Asia. Ever wondered what the rules of war are?

In the Indian epic, The Mahabharat, there was a great war fought at Kurukshetra. Prior to battle commencing, the rules of warfare were laid out as follows:
• Each day the battle was over at sunset, and the hostiles mixed freely like friends.
• Single combats might only be between equals and one could not use methods not in accordance with dharma (concept of duty). Thus those who left the field or retired would not be attacked.
• A horseman could attack only a horseman, not one on foot.
• Likewise, charioteers, elephant troops and infantrymen could engage themselves in battle only with their opposite numbers in the enemy ranks.
• Those who sought quarter or surrendered were safe from slaughter.
• Nor might one, for the moment disengaged, direct his weapons against another who was engaged in combat.
• It was wrong to slay one who had been disarmed or whose attention was directed elsewhere or who was retreating or who had lost his armour.
• No shafts were to be directed against non-combatant attendants or those engaged in blowing conchs or beating drums.

Story 3 – Polygamy and polyandry

Polygamy is the practice of having more than one wife. Polyandry is the practice of having more than one husband. Now in The Mahabharat, the two main female characters were both Queens – the first was Queen Kunti and the second was here daughter-in-law. Kunti was one of the two wives of King Pandu. Nothing very surprising about this. But her daughter-in-law, Draupadi, was the wife of all of Kunti’s five sons!

Story Number 4 – Upstairs, Downstairs

The caste system has its origins with the Aryan people. They were nomadic warriors how began to settle in India on or about 1500BC.

The Aryans divided their society into separate castes. Castes were unchanging groups. A person born into one caste never changed castes or mixed with members of other castes. Caste members lived, ate, married, and worked with their own group.

At the top of the caste system were the Brahmin - the priests, teachers, and judges. Next came the warrior Kshatriya caste who were mainly the nobility and ruling classes. The Vaisya’s consisted of farmers and merchants and the Sudras, was composed of craftworkers and labourers.

Is this so very different from the difference aristocracy and the working class? What about the upper middle class and the lower classes?

Story Number 5 – Good Parenting

In the Mahabharat, the great war is between two factions a ruling family. The father of the ‘baddie’ is a blind King. Throughout the epic, the blind King is constantly counseled by his advisors that he should discipline his son. Unable to do so, the blind King gives in to every wish of his child. This weakness on his part eventually leads to the destruction of his entire family!

Story Number 6 – Gambling and its ill effects

In the Mahabharat, Yudhisthira, is bound by the code of Kings to play a game of dice when invited to do so. Unfortunately, not at all adept at it, he loses. But what he stakes over and over again are not only his personal possessions but eventually members of his family including his wife, brothers and eventually his kingdom! He loses it all.

Story Number 7 – Real Return on Investment!

The apostle Paul in Galatians says: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6,7). This is very simply, a reward for anything at all can only be reaped if effort is put in. In Indian mythology, this is, in very general and simple terms, the concept of karma!

*******************

Aneeta Sundararaj, a storyteller, is the creator of the bestselling program “How To Tell A Great Story”. Aneeta’s technique and famed “R.P.I. Principle”© has been used by many people and offers simple, cutting-edge strategies applicable universally. She is also the author of two ‘traditional’ books The Banana Leaf Men and Mad Heaven: the biography of Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. M. Mahadevan. Visit http://www.howtotellagreatstory.com to learn more.

A retail store is only as effective as the productivity of its employees. Your employees are critical to the operation of your store and by providing a work environment that is conducive to success, you will increase the level of productivity within your retail business. Not only will your employees be more satisfied while they work, but your customers will also form favorable impressions of your business from the employees they interact with while shopping. It is important that your employees create a favorable image that will encourage your customers to return.

There are three areas where you can affect your employees’ productivity.

1. Employees should be reliable and practice good time management skills. Time clocks will aid in tracking the time that your employees are working and will provide accurate records for your payroll. A wide selection of time clocks and time recording systems are available today and most provides accurate and indisputable time records that are key to preventing time theft. Both manual or electronic models or multi-function time clock/document stamp will help track and monitor employee work. In addition to time clocks, time clock accessories including time cards, time card racks and ink refill cartridges are crucial to making sure that your operations are running smoothly and without interuption. By having the right tools and processes to accurately measure workflow and time management, your retail business will be better suited to grow and expand with positive word of mouth advertising.

2. Responsible and trustworthy employees help to create a friendly environment throughout your store. Drug and alcohol use among employees leads to an increase in accidents, insurance costs, excessive tardiness and absenteeism. To assure that your employees are contributing to your business at their full potential consider the benefits of on-site testing kits. The use of on-site drug testing kits will aid you in hiring responsible employees and help to ensure that your employees will continue to keep your business environment safe and profitable. A variety of testing kits are available for any budget and any type of retail operation.

3. Employees who are comfortable in their working environment are likely to be more productive. Provide your employees with anti-fatigue floor mats at their workstations to relieve tired legs and feet. Anti-fatigue mats are especially important for employees who are on their feet in a stationary position all day, such as cashiers and checkout clerks. The matting provides a cushion on hard floor surfaces that reduces shock and pressure on feet and joints. Less stress to the feet and legs leaves workers less fatigued and more alert. Studies also show that changes in worker position will also aid in reducing fatigue among your employees. A wide variety of mat sizes and styles are available in today’s growing retail supplies market. Also, consider offering your employees the option to sit behind the counter swivel counter stools as this type of seating allows easy access to a variety of tasks within a retail environment.

Employees are the lifeblood to your retail operation. It is paramount to your success to supply them with a working environment that promotes productivity and energy. By monitoring your employees and providing them the tools to effectively do their jobs, you will reduce turnover and increase your store profits.