Students Of Success

The tax law provides that if you rent your home for fewer than 15 days a year that the rental income is not included in your gross income (Section 280A(g)). That means that you can take a two-week vacation, rent your home while you are gone, and the rental income is not taxable. What a great way to pay for your vacation.

The tax law provides that all income is included in gross income and therefore taxable unless the item of income is specifically excluded from gross income. There are a number of these exclusions and some are commonly known such as the fact that health insurance premiums paid by your employer are excluded from your gross income. However, this exclusion for renting your home out for 14 days or fewer during the year is not as well known.

If you live near where a major sporting event, convention, or other major event is taking place, you might be able to rent your home for a large sum of money. For example, if you lived near where the Super Bowl or World Series was going to be played, you might be able to rent your home for much more than the average hotel rate in your city.

If you live in a resort area, you might be able to rent your home out during the peak tourist season when the hotels are at full occupancy. Because you may rent your home for a maximum of 14 days a year for the income to be tax free, you want to earn the highest rental rate possible.

Be sure to check with your attorney to make sure that there is no problem with zoning or other legal prohibitions for renting your home for up to 14 days a year. Local law might require that you obtain a license or collect sales or occupancy tax from the tenant. You will also want to hire a property manager to handle the rental while you are gone. You or the property manager will want to verify the tenant’s references. You will also want to obtain a reasonable security deposit.

Although the rental income is not taxable if you rent your home for 14 or fewer days during the year, you may not claim any deductions attributable to the rental activity (Section 280A(g)(1)). Thus, you may not deduct property management fees, repairs, cleaning, insurance, or depreciation attributable to the rental. You may, however, deduct the mortgage interest, real estate taxes, and any casualty or theft losses as itemized deductions just as you otherwise could.

The ability to rent your home to a tenant for up to 14 days a year and have the rent income be tax free is one of the many tax benefits that the tax law allows homeowners. If you live near a major sporting event or in a resort area, this rule allows you to generate significant tax-free income each year while enjoying a nice vacation. Just be sure that the tenant understands that 14 days is the maximum term of occupancy. If you rent the home for a total of 15 or more days during the year, all of the rent income is taxable.

Alan D. Campbell is a CPA in Arkansas and Florida and is self-employed primarily as an author of tax publications. He earned a Ph.D. in accounting with an emphasis in taxation from the University of North Texas. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. He has published numerous articles on tax topics in professional journals. He is the co-author of the book Tax Strategies for the Self-Employed and the revision editor of CCH Financial and Estate Planning Guide, 15th edition. For more tax savings strategies, please see his blog: http://taxsavingsstrategies.blogspot.com

When summer time comes and salmon are starting to run, many
people who like fishing visit Alaska. Tourists tend to know when
the salmon run starts. This may not be on purpose but they do
know the best place to catch salmon is in Alaska.

Alaska’s waters make their tourists get the Alaska fishing guide
and provide the tourists the best spots in Alaska for fishing.
First, you have to know what kind of fish you want to catch. You
can choose from different varieties of fishes like silver
salmon, arctic char, steelhead, Alaska king salmon, rainbow
trout, or any other fish.

The Arctic, Southwest, South central, Southeast and the interior
are the five known geographical places in Alaska. These are the
sites where you can maximize your fishing expedition. You have
to hire a fishing guide since you do not know the area. They may
give the best spots for you and accompany you to your fishing.

Here Are Some Things You May Want To Ask From Your Guide

1. You have to know how long they have been doing their work in
Alaska. It is good if they have been staying there for a long
time already. The reason is that they have much knowledge about
the different yearly cycles of Alaska.

2. Be aware of the time you will spend during the trip. Also,
make note of the time that you will need during the actual
fishing. The amount that you will pay your guide might only be
consumed on the time of the boat ride rather than the fishing
itself.

3. Ask how much a particular guide would cost, because they have
different rates depending on their skills, experiences and
length of stay in their job. A guide that would cost cheaper
than the average rate of the other guides might not have enough
experience and skills.

4. It is recommended that you have your references. This will
help you narrow down your choices in selecting a fishing guide.
Most people who have been there are willing to share about how
satisfied they were during the fishing vacation. They can also
give you some advice on what you need to do during the adventure.

5. Remember, this is a chance for you to ask about particular
issues that concern you. Do not hesitate to gather information
from your guide. By this time, you should be able to have your
final choice for your Alaska fishing guide that will be perfect
for your plans and make the most out of your trip in Alaska.

I didn’t understand the concept of a real estate team at first, so I had a hard time with real estate investing. I tended to be a “lone wolf,” trying to do too much myself. I have learned over the years that in real estate, you need a team of people you can trust and rely on. Here are some possible team members, and what they need to be on the team.

1. A Credit Repair Specialist: You may be saying - Why? My credit is fine or I can get by with my FICO score. The truth be told ,we can always use someone to monitor and repair our credit, especially in the age of identity theft. Why not have a professional monitoring your credit 24/7 - don’t let a deal fall apart because you are unaware of a ding on your credit. Did you know that anyone can put a mark against your credit without you knowing about it - sad but true! Enough said.

2. An Accountant & Or Bookkeeper: To keep proper books for real estate investments is getting more complicated with all the tax-law changes. Find someone that understands the law, and understands what you want and what you do as a creative real estate investor.

3. A Creative Real Estate Attorney: Find someone familiar with the laws and legal customs of your area, and that has experience with the type of deals you intend to do (If you are buying rentals, he/she should be familiar with doing evictions, if your doing lease options they should be familiar with all the aspects of them.)

4. A Good Real Estate Agent: An agent with experience in the area you invest in and access to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), can be a great help. If he/she is a seller’s agent, she can still ethically bring the best deals to you once he/she knows you’re a serious buyer.

5. A Payoff Specialist: We all have personal and business debts all through our working years. It has always been my recommendation to have someone who is good with numbers that can keep investors on track with the pay down of there obligations in the least amount of time possible. Example: pay down a investment property 30 year loan in 9 years without increasing my monthly payment. Can’t be done you say ! Wrong, with the right individual at the helm, it can be a reality.

6. Investment Advisor: When you start making profits from your investments, you must have someone on your team that will make investment suggestions based on your leverage tolerance . So many people try to reinvent the wheel and spend thousands of dollars on information that is never going to get them the return they seek. Why not have a person who devotes 24/7 to the investment industry, while giving you sound diversification strategies to maximize your investment dollar. Never place all your eggs in one basket.

Start building that team Now. Investing in real estate is a whole lot less stressful and more profitable with a good real estate team. That being said, most gurus’ tell you to go out and interview at least 3-4 of the above listed individuals before you assemble your team. If you take their advice you will spend more time on interviews rather than devoting your time to investing in real estate - does that sound like good use of your valuable time?

So, what’s the answer?
After 15 plus years of real estate investing I have found the answer to assembling the best team to achieve all of the above goals for a ridiculously low fee structure.

What is it?
Visit my website and E-Mail me with your contact information and I will be happy to share the information with you.

James A. Gage is a best-selling author and internationally-known expert in Lease Purchase, AKA Rent To Own Real Estate Investing and Negotiating. He Mentors One-On-One throughout the U.S. and across the world. James is also director of the Gage Consulting Group, LCC , 800 Main Street, Suite 104 Holden, MA 01520 . http://www.jgage.com

As you will see in the Scripture verses listed below, the Great Tribulation will last 7 years. At the midpoint of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will seat himself in the Temple of God that will have to rebuilt by the Jewish people. He will proclaim himself to be God. This event is called the abomination of desolation by the prophet Daniel. Jesus Himself specifically refers to this event in the New Testament.

Jesus says that once this event occurs, that His people are to literally run for the hills. Jesus says that the last three and half years of the Tribulation set off by the abomination of desolation will be the worst tribulation and time of trouble that the world has ever seen. He says that had these days not been shortened by God the Father, that no flesh would be saved.

I feel Jesus is implying that man probably would have destroyed the earth at or shortly after the Battle of Armageddon. The Antichrist starts to lose control of his empire. Other nations come against him in the battle of Armageddon. With the availability of nuclear weapons, my guess is that the Antichrist may have been willing to “hit the button” if he thought he was going to lose his empire. If he hits the button, chances are the other nations he is going to fight against will also be willing to hit the button, and you thus could end up in a full scale nuclear war.

You have already seen what an ego-maniac this man is going to be from the description of his personality in the above verses. With him being under the influence and control of Satan, I feel the most logical conclusion is that both he and Satan would be more than willing to hit the nuclear button if they thought they could not retain control of their built up empire.

I really feel that this is what Jesus meant when he said that no flesh would be saved if God had not shortened these days at the end of this Tribulation. Here are the key Scripture verses on the 7 year Tribulation.

1. This first verse from Daniel shows that the 7 year Tribulation is
initially established by the Antichrist confirming a covenant with Israel and then in the middle of the covenant he will set up the abomination of desolation.

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abomination shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27)

One week has been determined to be one year. How do you know that? Because in the middle of the week, the Antichrist sets up the abomination of desolation. And we already know that once the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 42 months or three and half years to go before the end. So that tells us that one week is equal to 7 years. This is how you know that the Tribulation is for a 7 year time period.

2. The next verse from Daniel specifically tells you that once the animal sacrifice is taken away from the Jews and the abomination of desolation is set up, that there will be 1290 days until the end!! 1290 is three and half years and 13 days.

“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand, two hundred and ninety days (1290). Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty five days (1335).” (Daniel 12:11-12)

Notice in the first part of the above verse that it says “the daily sacrifice is taken away.” This refers to the fact that when the Jewish people rebuild their Temple, they will once more reinstitute the practice of animal sacrifice as they did in the Old Testament. The Antichrist will allow this to go on for a time, but when he sets himself up to sit in the Temple of God in the abomination of desolation, he will take this privilege away from the Jewish people! This verse is giving you two key pieces to let you know when we are at the midpoint of the Tribulation - the taking away of animal sacrifices and the Antichrist seating himself up in the Temple proclaiming himself to be God.
At that point, we have 42 months or as Daniel says above, 1290 days which is three and half years plus 13 days. The last sentence refers however to the people going a little longer - 1335 days. This may be referring to when Jesus comes down and destroys the armies that have come against Jerusalem in the battle of Armageddon - the time period for the Jews to come back to their homes since a lot of them will have been in hiding during the last three and half years.

3. Here is another verse that bears repeating under this caption - once again showing that the persecution of the Jews and saints of God will only last three and half years.

“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.” (Daniel 7:25)

A time = 1 year. Times = 2 years. Half a time = half a year. Total comes to three and half years.

4. Here is another verse showing that the Antichrist will have a period of 42 months to continue his carnage. This verse uses the unit of time of 42 months - which again is three and half years.

“And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty two months.” (Revelations 13:5)

5. Here is the verse from Jesus telling everyone to “run for the hills” once the abomination of desolation occurs with the Antichrist. This is where Jesus also tells us that this Tribulation will be the worst of times in all of human history.

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:15-22)

6. And here is the final verse showing the carnage that will result from the Tribulation. This next verse says that two thirds of the Jewish people will be killed by the Antichrist. This is going to be worse than the German holocaust!!!! I think in one of the books I read, two thirds of the Jewish people will equate to 9.3 million Jews being killed by this one man. This will top the 6 million Jews that were killed in the German holocaust. However this verse does not tell us how many of the Christians will be killed by the Antichrist.

“And it shall come to pass in all the land,” says the Lord, “THAT TWO-THIRDS IN IT SHALL BE CUT OFF AND DIE. BUT ONE THIRD SHALL BE LEFT IN IT: I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’, and each one will say, ‘The Lord is My God.’ ” (Zechariah 13:8-9)

The end of the Great Tribulation will now lead up to the Battle of Armageddon which will be the last and final battle before Jesus comes back the 2nd time to put an end to the Antichrist, the False Prophet, Satan and all the other nations who are coming against Israel in this final battle.

About the Author

Article written by Michael Bradley of Bible Knowledge Ministries. Their website is a resource of Bible commentary and teaching.
If you do not want to wait for the next article,
you can go to our end times section.
Copyright © 2005 by Michael Bradley. All Rights Reserved.

THE JOY OF WORKING FROM HOME http://www.bukaboo.com/jobs/ If the
term home working conjures up visions of filling envelopes for a
paltry wage, think again. Almost any job could lend itself to
being carried out in your home, even if it is just for a couple
of days each week.

Many of the varied roles in the IT and Internet sectors, such as
design, programming and development are ideal for home working,
as they can be done remotely. The same goes for lots of jobs
which use a computer. Other roles suited to home working include
architecture, design, structural engineering, accountancy and
auditing, consulting, journalism, typing - the list is extensive
and varied.

For most, it means making use of technology so that your home is
as well-equipped as your office. PCs, faxes and laptops all help
to spend a few hours or days away from the office, while still
putting in a full week’s work.

Where can I find an employer offering flexible and home working
options? Some forward-thinking companies have realised that much
of their work can be done remotely and advertise flexible
working options to prospective recruits. Companies such as IBM
and Accenture not only encourage home working, they also supply
the equipment for it. But it is not just technology companies
that make the most of flexible working. BMW, Shell, Royal Bank
of Scotland, Nationwide Building Society and Marks & Spencer -
and many more - also offer the option.

How to set up a home office

http://www.bukaboo.com/jobs/

You can set up your home office from scratch for well under
£1,000. If you rely on email and use of the Internet you will
need a PC with a modem. You may consider an ISDN line, which is
a high-speed Internet line allowing faster access to the
Internet. Other essential items are a fax machine, a printer and
a mobile phone. If your company is unwilling to foot the bill,
don’t write the concept of working from home off completely.
Consider the balance - will a reduction in your commuting costs
help to pay for the equipment?

PC - from £500 up to £2,000. The cost depends on how powerful a
PC you need for your work ISDN line (optional, depending on your
line of work) - British Telecom can convert your phone line to
ISDN for £99 Fax machine - from £100 Printer - less than £100
for a basic model http://www.getcashforsurveys.com/?hop=gansallo1

The drawbacks:

Working from home can be a very isolating experience for some
people. Ask yourself if you are the type of person who thrives
in a buzzy environment with lots of noise and chatter around
you. If so, home working may not be for you. Spending time away
from the office will distance you from day-to-day activity, so
it is vital to keep in touch. Think of all those snippets of
information you pick up during a week at work, from useful
gossip about your clients and rivals to tip-offs about potential
jobs. If possible, avoid a job where you spend all your time at
home - try and get into your workplace for one or two days. It
might be appropriate to arrange catch-up meetings with your boss
or peers, just to make sure that you are kept in the loop. Also
try to attend any major company events whether they are social
or official. As well as keeping up to date, you’ll remind
everyone you’re still part of the team. Click on the link below
to read more interesting but educational articles now.
http://groups.msn.com/moneymakersbusinessopportunists

Vitamins are organic substances essential in small amounts for the body’s normal growth and activity. They are obtained naturally from plant and animal foods. Vitamins have two classifications, fat- or water-soluble, depending on the materials in which they dissolve.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins:
Fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, E and K. These vitamins are stored in the body’s fat tissues before they are absorbed in the blood stream. Because the body stores these vitamins, it is not always necessary to get a fresh supply each day. Caution should be used when taking fat-soluble vitamins to avoid the potential of harmful, toxic levels.

Fat-soluble vitamins are required for the maintenance of healthy bones, skin and hair and for bringing nourishment to the cells. Vitamin A is essential for vision, especially night vision. Vitamin K is essential for the formation of blood-clotting proteins.

The major dietary sources of these vitamins are green leafy vegetables, deep orange or yellow fruits and vegetables, cod liver oil, sardines, butter, egg yolks, fortified milk, almonds, wheat germ, peanut butter, corn oil, sunflower seeds, and liver.

Water-Soluble Vitamins:
Water-soluble vitamins include B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and vitamin C, as well as folic acid and biotin. Water-soluble vitamins, unlike fat-soluble vitamins, are not easily stored in the body and are often lost from foods in the cooking process. It is therefore important to include these vitamins in a daily dietary regimen.

B vitamins are involved in fat and protein breakdown. The B vitamins are required for healthy nervous system function, healthy skin, hair, eyes and liver function. Some of the B vitamins require other B vitamins to work correctly in the body.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is important to the body in the production of collagen, creating connective tissue and supporting our organs. Other functions include protecting the fat-soluble vitamins and preventing scurvy.

The major dietary sources of these vitamins are cereal grains, meat, poultry, eggs, fish, milk, legumes and fresh vegetables. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, guava, red bell pepper, papaya, orange juice, broccoli, green bell pepper, strawberries, cantaloupe, tomato juice, mango, potato,
cabbage, tomato, collard greens, spinach, Brussels sprouts, turnip greens, cauliflower, blackberries, and blueberries.

Laura LaGuardia is a contributing editor on www.teddycare.com/Vitamins/ to the Health Information Resources site at www.teddycare.com .
This article may be freely reprinted as long as the author’s resource box and url links remain intact.

Donald Trump’s television show, The Apprentice, attracted the
largest audience the night he was to hire his 4th apprentice.
Much about television is a numbers game which prompted us to
think about the numbers in the show. Randall is 34, Rebecca is
24. Does age matter? Was it his ten years of maturity that made
the difference, or what he chose to do with those ten years -
his education and running successful businesses? Does a 20
something candidate have a chance against a 30 something
candidate? What do you think?

It also begs the question, is age a barrier to success? Some of
us feel old at 40. Our attitude and actions can make any number
seem old. What if you go around telling yourself, “I’m too old
to (sing in a choir, horseback ride across the range, insert
your item here)?” Is that really true? Perhaps you are too old
to climb Mt. Everest; that isn’t to say there aren’t still
plenty of things left to do regardless of physical limitations.
Who is stopping you from giving the recital, climbing the hill,
doing what you really want to do? As coaches, we disregard the,
“I’m too (insert complaint here)” excuse. There is always a way
to modify whatever it is you want such that it can be achieved.
Is there a library nearby? A hobby club you might join? Films to
be watched? There are many ways to accomplish learning and you
can find the essence of your goals and dreams in many different
ways.

Think about it:

*What is the thing you’ve been telling yourself you’re too old
to do (your Mt. Everest)?

*When you look at that thing you’ve been wanting to do, what’s
at the heart of it and where else might you find its’ essence?

*Look for support. Getting support enables you to do what you
want with more ease.

As coaches, we see age doesn’t matter. There are 23 years
between us and we share times when we are being wise and times
when we’re being silly or unwise. We share work ethics,
steadfast support of our clients, interesting balance in our
lives and much more. Age is a number and counts for things like
a senior pass to the movies and possibly some extra points on
the wisdom-o-meter, yet the 40 (or 30, or 20) somethings among
us have plenty to offer as well. Our interaction as life coaches
and workshop leaders is enriched by the difference in our ages,
perspectives, and points of view. We say, “Yes” to it all and
invite you to do the same. Let age support you when you need it
to and be willing to resist using it as an excuse for postponing
going for your goals and dreams.

With the tax year end in April, it’s a good idea to look at ways you can take advantage of tax breaks that are available to you. Here are some tips for you can follow to help you save money:

1) Ensure you have used up your ISA entitlement

An ISA basically allows you to shelter your investments from tax. There are many things you can put in an ISA, including cash and equities. You are entitled to £7000 per annum in an ISA, so a couple has £14,000 they can use up this year in total.

2) Submit your Tax Return On Time

Failure to do so will result in a fine of £100. That’s £100 you can put towards other things, so make sure you’re on time.

3) Ensure Your Tax Code Is Correct

You are allowed to earn a certain amount before you become subject to paying income tax. It’s worth checking yours is correct. There is a tax calculator on our site if you would like to do this.

4) Use Up Your Capital Gains Tax Allowance

Or in other words, bank some profits before year end. Make sure you use up this years CGT allowance or you will lose it. If you have made a nice profit from stocks held outside of and ISA then take some profits to avoid a tax bill later.

5) Watch The Budget

Every year the chancellors budget has an impact on what applies to individuals and how much tax they have to pay, depending on their circumstances. Keep an eye on what new stealth taxes are introduced as well as tax on every day luxuries/necessities such as petrol, alcohol and tobacco.

Article by Jim Richardson of http://www.tax-calculator-information.com (The Tax Savings Calculation Resource)

In a recent Harvard Business Review (HBR) article the three authors (Neilson, Pasternack, and Van Nuys) described what they called the “Passive-Aggressive Organization.” While we are all familiar with the concept of the passive-aggressive individual, what the authors described in the article does not qualify as passive-aggressive.

Even though I disagree with their passive-aggressive designation, the three authors point out a very serious organizational problem. They describe an organization where conflict is rare, consensus is easy to reach, and problems are graciously overlooked (a “happy” place).

What the authors describe is what I call a “Passive, Inwardly Focused” organization. It’s a serious diagnosis because this type of organization does not have long to live. This organization will soon lose any hope of responding quickly to market changes. They typically remain passive and inwardly focused until they are near death. But as you can imagine, they don’t die happy.

Of course, it is important for organizational members to treat each other in a respectful way, but professionalism also requires the “backbone” to take a stand. In fact, I have been called into several organizations that claimed to have a conflict problem. After data gathering and diagnosis, I told the senior executives that their problem was that they did not have enough conflict. They needed to stir up some debate!

Living in a “happy world” is appropriate for children and smurfs. But, a highly effective organization requires healthy disagreement. Passively accepting the status quo leads to complacency. Questioning the status quo leads to innovation.

Of course, concern for the preferences and work habits of employees has its place, but it must be balanced with the demands of the marketplace. Ultimately, satisfied customers are more important than satisfied employees. If customers are not satisfied, eventually employees will be very unsatisfied. They will be out of work!

In passive, inwardly focused organizations several things can be done. First, match incentives to performance. Second, recognize doers, not “good ole boys (or girls).” Third, establish quantifiable goals. Fourth, bring in outsiders who can shake up the status quo. Fifth, invite (or demand) debate in meetings. Sixth, actively solicit customer complaints and concerns.

It is only a matter of time before passive, inwardly focused organizations experience financial distress. Don’t wait, act now!

Is your organizations “happy” but not productive?

Dr. Mike Beitler is the author of “Strategic Organizational Change.” Read 2 free chapters of the book online at http://www.strategic-organizational-change.com.

It seems that every time businesses decide to cut down on expenses, they always seem to focus on the Help Desk/IT department. IT Managers are very often asked to work with outdated software, understaffing and an ever- increasing backlog of calls and angry customers.

What the people upstairs seem to forget is that without proper equipment, software and competent support staff, the back bone of the company could very well crumble.

It’s a vicious downward spiral; The IT/support budget is cut, we have to service our customers with outdated software, the support staff is unmotivated and leaves, there’s not enough money to hire competent people so novices will do, we therefore offer a shocking service, the word climbs up the ladder, our budget is cut some more because the service is poor anyway, and here we go again!

The reality is that while a company is spending thousands of dollars on computers and printers and everything else they need, they’re cutting back on the one department that takes care of assuring every system works and that every employee/customer gets his/her problem fixed quickly.

It costs money when a program stops working and an employee stares at that blank screen for half an hour. It’ll cost even more if no one knows how to fix it. It’s very frustrating for people to wait hours on end to get someone to look at their problem. What a waste of time, money and productivity!

No matter how good the warranty is, at some point, the equipment needs replacing or fixing and at one point - which lets face it happens more often then not - you need competent people to come and help. That alone should justify the cost of your help desk.

What it really costs

Take a moment to analyse what your company is already spending for the following items - the ones that you won’t see on any statement:

o Time spent figuring out where to go for help.

o Time lost waiting on-hold for a customer support officer.
o Time spent reading the product manual.

o Time wasted through poor practices & procedures.

o Lost productivity of those called away to assist.

o Duplication of support efforts, re-learning the same lessons over and over.

If you think that all these items only occur once in a while and that your staff are resourceful enough to find a solution on their own, think again. The same problem could reoccur time and time again and be fixed time and time again by different people not knowing that it’s happened before. If your staff member can’t fix his/her problem on his/her own, they call someone else to help him or her. That someone else stops what they’re doing and takes an hour trying to fix the problem but can’t. They call another one, and another one. See where I’m going?

Every office has a knowledgeable person that learnt a particular software application or is naturally inclined to technology. That person is often called to help out in the situation mentioned above. And every time this person stops what they’re doing to go and help, they stop being productive at their job. Even worse, if this employee happens to be a high-paid specialist, then the company is throwing away dollars out the window when they could employ a cheaper and trained resource to deliver support.

Worse still, in some instances, when your help desk department is so short staffed that your customers are by-passing the official support people and asking the specialist for help, the company is still losing money!

How to Calculate The Costs of Your Help Desk

Start with the obvious: The salaries, cost of training your support staff, computer hardware and software, phones, copiers, office space etc. The accountants should be able to provide all of this, and tell you how your company for such assets is booking depreciation. Include in the software category the cost for the help-desk automation tools (help desk system). If you don’t have a help desk software that keeps track of the length of your calls, the level of urgency of the calls, what type of problems are logged and how long it takes to resolve the problems, then you need to seriously consider such a purchase.

This is the most efficient way to track what your department is doing, how it spends its budget and what resources need to be considered when the next budget comes around. This software must have the ability to create analysis reports on, the level of urgency of the calls, what type of problems are logged and how long it takes to resolve the problems. If you present this important information to the accountants you’ll show them what your department does and why it needs a bigger chunk of the budget!

Final Note

Basically, when it comes time to determine if you need a support department, think of how you couldn’t afford not to. Computers will crash, people will need support on different software programs, and your employees/customers will need someone to help them with their problems. Having properly trained support staff makes a big difference when we think of a company’s productivity. Without them, so much time and money would be wasted.

Paul Smith is the manager of Auratech Software, a company that specialises in Help Desk Software to help businesses with their customer support. If you would like to read more articles on improving your support or would like to check out Auratech’s range of Help Desk Software, please visit: http://www.helpdesk-support.com/better-support.htm