How To Select A Good Corporate Gift

Stationary items, bottles of wine, day trip to a spa and adventure breaks are all part of the package when buying corporate gifts. Choosing the right corporate gift can often prove to be a difficult decision to make for most employers. The kind of gift that most employers should look into buying for their employees is things that they would not normally buy for themselves. This may be in the form of an object or a treat day out of the office.

There are ways for employers to find out what would be the best corporate gifts to give through researching. Depending upon whether you choose to treat the staff as a whole, it is important as an employer to research what would make a good gift. Of course the kind of gift you buy should symbolise how you believe the staff member has done in terms of performance and dedication to work. This can be based on the financial success t hey have achieved for the company and what they have contributed towards the company (new initiative, reaching business targets etc).

Recent surveys have suggested that many people prefer a cash bonus however most employers are unlikely to offer this, as corporate gifts, for some, are much more personalised. Gifts that are easy to buy are things like gift certificates and create a lasting memory for those who receive the gift. Gift certificates are also a safer option as they can use this for whatever their interest lie in, so you need to know what sort of things they like to spend their money. Whether they prefer to read at book clubs or take part in adventurous activities, gift certificates will enable them to save money just this once to purchase what they like. An alternative could be buying a gift catalogue where the employee selects their own gift, saving the employer from risking the problem of selecting the wrong thing. Employees with family or children may be off ered something a little different that will include other parties. These could be treat tickets to a race car event, go for a chocolate making session, taking part in trekking or outdoors activities. These also work well as a team building exercise, which enables staff to interact with each other and get to know one another outside of the office. Team building exercises are a great way to keep people motivated and a good way of showing your appreciation for the work that they have achieved so far within the company.

Individualising each gift is a good way to show that you have noticed that member of staff and do not see them as just a number. For this reason some employers have the gift monogrammed. If the person has an interest that everyone is fully aware of, then they may appreciate a gift that will keep them motivated to continue taking up that hobby. For example if a person is a big fan of chocolate may appreciate a trip to a chocolate making factory or take part in chocolate making. Other gifts can be as big as taking the entire team on a day out which will involve various activities at a hotel or venue, dinner, music, dancing and many other ventures. Such things are designed to show appreciation and gratitude to the team for their hard work and dedication to the company. In giving corporate gifts this will motivate staffs to continue their efforts and feel like their good work has been noticed.

Real-time internet is more than a fad, says Yomego - and the risks and opportunities are immense

With "real-time Internet" becoming the latest industry buzz, social media agency Yomego argues that this is more than just a passing fad and that organisations of all types should be alive to the new risks and opportunities the trend is creating.

Real-time internet is defined as material that is literally published in real time using social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Friendfeed, Yauba and jabber, meaning there is virtually no delay between the material being composed and then published online.

Between the major platforms, it is estimated that between three and four hundred million people currently use some aspect of the real time Internet. Some companies have already realised the huge opportunity this audience offers to turn participation in the real time Internet into genuine financial gain.

Steve Richards, Managing Director of Yomego, explains:

"US computer maker Dell is a perfect example. In 2007, Dell set up @DellOutlet on Twitter, offering followers a mixture of exclusive news and money off promotions. The money off promotions are always time specific. From the Point Dell Tweet an offer, followers will usually have at most a few hours to make a purchase. The account has been a huge success and, between October 2008 and June 2009, Dell generated in excess of $3 million in revenue."

But the real-time Internet is also helping to democratise information and as a result seriously damaging those political regimes who want to control their populations. Steve Richards cites demonstrations in Iran in the wake of the recent Iranian elections as a case in point: "Until recently, the Iranian authorities have been able to exercise tight control over traditional media inside Iran. But with platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube offering users the opportunity to upload and transmit information instantaneously, we''ve seen the authorities in Iran losing control. The real time nature of these platforms has allowed protestors to circumvent state control and to arrange meetings, share information and get the word out to the outside world."

Real-time Internet can also do real damage to the commercial prospects of certain organisations if they get a bad write-up. Steve Richards points to cinema releases, where opening weekends can make or break a film, as a prime example: "''Bruno'', the latest film from Sacha Baron Cohen for instance did really well on its opening day at the US box office, grossing $14.4 million and prompting Universal Pictures to predict that the film should reach $50 million in sales over its opening weekend. But the following day''s sales dropped by almost 40%. The reason? Some of the film''s content set the Twitterverse alight on the Friday evening, with large groups of the first night audience, including gay and lesbian groups, being less than positive about it. The mass review on Twitter persuaded a huge number of cinemagoers not to go and see the film."

Steve Richards ar gues that this particular example of the huge impact the so-called "Twitter effect" can have should serve as a salutary lesson:

"If organisations aren''t already paying close attention to how they should be engaging with the real-time Internet, they need to start doing so and quickly. Otherwise, it could cost them money, credibility or even their brand."

New dual-sim handsets launched to help you save money abroad

UK company unveils range of stylish, new handsets to allow UK consumers to use international sim-card to save money on holiday

London, 20th August 2009: A range of stylish, new, dual-sim handsets have been launched today. The exciting new dual-sim handsets mean users can insert an international sim-card, and keep their home number when on holiday. UK holiday-makers can save money on their calls and texts while abroad and still receive calls from friends and family at home on the regular number.

They can also save money when back in the UK, making full use of all the money-saving tariffs on offer from operators; or conveniently use the new handsets to have only one handset for both business and personal calls.

The handsets being launched today are:

- FLIP - A lightweight and stylish clamshell dual-sim handset. The FLIP is perfect for the style conscious looking to use multiple tariffs that best match their usage or save money on calls and texts while abroad. - SLI DER - A smart, music-player that also has email functionality and a 2MP camera, combined with a dual-sim mobile phone. With the SLIDER you can stay connected and save money while abroad; or have all your personal and business needs in one handset. - NERO - A handset that combines touch screen desirability, with dual-sim practicality. The NERO also has email functionality and a 2MP camera.

The range of dual-sim handsets has been launched to provide an alternative choice for consumers that might want: - To save money - by using an international pay as you go sim-card to save money abroad, or using two UK sims cards to make the most of the multiple offers in the market - Added convenience - having two contact numbers on the same handset means they can easily combine personal and business numbers, making life easier as they only need to carry one handset and set of accessories - A stylish solution - no longer do they need to fill pockets with two handsets - An environmental s olution - as they now only need to charge one handset rather than two

The handsets are being launched by Onyx (www.onyxinnovation.com), a British handset company that is finding and serving the gaps in the current handset market, both in the UK and internationally. Onyx''s experienced team brings together sales expertise, design and engineering and will introduce more handsets over the coming months.

"These new handsets offer consumers a different choice, one that many people have been crying out for," said Zafar Mirza, Chairman of Onyx. "They are stylish, practical and will be very competitively priced. And the dual-sim function means that consumers can shop around for the best tariffs or have a great phone to take with them as they travel abroad."

Mirza continued, "these are exciting times for Onyx and for the UK handset market. What is particularly exciting is that the FLIP, SLIDER and NERO are just the first three handsets that we are launching and we''re equall y excited about the next handsets in the range."

Additional handsets that are in development include a dual-sim handset with an 8MP camera, a Windows Mobile smartphone and a dual-sim Android handset with a 5MP camera.

New time saving system for libraries

3M develops system designed to centralise library operations and improve efficiency

Diversified technology company 3M has developed a bespoke system to increase the productivity and performance of a library''s equipment. The new 3M Centralised Stats, Status and Configuration Software has been designed to help maximise performance as well as save time when used alongside the SelfCheck System by 3M.

The new software provides libraries with real-time access to statistics and hardware status by separately monitoring each SelfCheck device. This means if a problem occurs, such as a fault with the monitoring scanner, the coil (if EM), the reader pad (if RFID) or the scanner, the cause is highlighted instantly. This can also improve the user experience by optimising the performance of the SelfCheck System and other networked devices at either a single branch or many locations from a centralised site.

The software can: * save time and effort spent gathering and reporting stat istics * chart system-wide usage across individual stations, regions and at a branch-level * provide detailed item, patron and financial reports * accumulate statistics by specific time intervals - daily, weekly, monthly and annually * duplicate aspects of configuration across the SelfCheck System from a centralised location * reduce the time needed to configure the SelfCheck System across all locations.

David Fletcher, Marketing Manager of 3M''s Library Systems division, explains: "The addition of this product will help save valuable time and effort in any library. The new real-time detailed status screen has an intuitive dashboard that updates instantly, providing a green, yellow or red status indicator to create an alert for interruptions in status. It also shows the connection status of other networked devices. By using the new Centralised Stats, Status and Configuration Software, the time needed to configure the SelfCheck System across all locations is reduced and r eporting statistics are instantly available for library staff."

3M is a leading supplier of technology solutions to libraries. The company offers a wide range of options to suit all libraries, including RFID systems, Self-Check systems, Tattle-Tape Security technology and applications, detection systems and circulation accessories. For more information on how 3M can help transform your library, visit www.3M.co.uk/library or email library-uk@mmm.com

Having a Positive Attitude...

Positive Attitude The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with developing a positive attitude. I am going to ask you to something very weird right now. First of all, I want you to listen to your thoughts. Now tell me, what thoughts fill your head? Would you label them as positive, or negative? Now let''s say you are walking down the street with these thoughts. Do you think anyone who would meet you would be able to tell you what''s on your mind? The answer to number one is up to you. But, the answer number two can be pretty generic. Although people will not be able to tell you exactly what you think, they will more or less have an idea of how you are feeling. Here''s another question. When you enter a party filled with friends, do they all fall silent as if something terrible had happened? Or does everybody there perk up as if waiting for something exciting to happen? You know what? The answer to all these depends on your frame of mind. Thoughts are very powerful. They affect your general attitude. The attitude you carry reflects on your appearance, too - unless, of course, you are a great actor. And it doesn''t end there. Your attitude can also affect people around you. The type of attitude you carry depends on you. It can be either positive or negative. Positive thoughts have a filling effect. They are admittedly invigorating. Plus, the people around the person carrying positive thoughts are usually energized by this type of attitude. Negative thoughts on the other hand have a sapping effect on other people. Aside from making you look gloomy and sad, negative thoughts can turn a festive gathering into a funeral wake. A positive attitude attracts people, while a negative attitude repels them. People tend to shy away from those who carry a negative attitude. We can also define attitude as the way of looking at the world. If you choose to focus on the negative things in the world, more or less you have a negative attitude brewing up. However, if you choose to focus on the positive things, you are more likely carry a positive attitude. You have much to gain from a very positive attitude. For one, studies have shown that a positive attitude promotes better health. Those with this kind of attitude also have more friends. projecting a positive attitude also helps one to handle stress and problems better than those who have a negative attitude. A positive attitude begins with a healthy self-image. If you will love the way you are and are satisfied, confident, and self-assured, you also make others are around feel the same way. A negative attitude, on the other hand, has, of course, an opposite effect. So, carrying a negative attitude has a twofold drawback. You feel bad about yourself, and you make others feel the same way. If you want to have a positive attitude, you have to feature healthy thoughts. This is probably very hard to do nowadays since, all around us, the media feeds us nothing but negative thoughts. A study shows that for every 14 things a parent says to his or her child, only one is positive. This is truly a saddening thought. If you want a healthier outlook in life, you need to think happy thoughts, and you have to hear positive things as well. So, what can you do? Well, for starters, you could see a funny movie, you could play with children, spend some time telling jokes with friends. All these activities fill you with positive stimuli, which in turn promotes positive attitude. Although it is impossible to keep ourselves from the negative things around us, you can still carry a positive attitude by focusing on the good things, the positive things in life. And this positive attitude you now carry can be of benefit to other people. Sometimes when other people feel down, the thing people mostly do is try to give them advice. But sometimes, all they need is somebody to sit by them, and listen to them. If you have a p ositive attitude you may be able to cheer them up without even having to say anything. If positive attitude is really great, why do people choose to adopt a negative attitude instead? One who carries a negative attitude may be actually sending a signal for attention. Before you get me wrong, feeling sad, angry, or gloomy is not wrong itself. But dwelling on these thoughts for far too long is not healthy either. There is a time to mourn. As always, if you are beset by troubles, even in your darkest hour, focus on the good things in life, you will always have hope. Problems become something you can overcome. You do not have much to lose by adopting a healthy, positive attitude. Studies show that such an attitude actually retards aging, makes you healthier, helps you develop a better stress coping mechanism, and has a very positive effect on all the people you meet every day. So, what''s not to like about a positive attitude? Adopt one today. This article''s coverage of the inf ormation is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

ASC to Introduce New QM Software at Call Centre Expo in Birmingham, UK

Hoesbach/Germany, September 1, 2009 - ASC (www.asctelecom.com), a leading global provider of innovative solutions to record, analyze and evaluate communications, today announced it will introduce INSPIRATIONpro 9.0 at Call Centre Expo 2009 in Birmingham, England, on September 22-23, 2009.

Call Centre Expo, now in its 11th year, is one of Europe''s top exhibitions and conferences for customer contact and integrated customer management solutions. Over 5,000 attendees are expected to visit 250 suppliers and listen to six keynote addresses. INSPIRATIONpro 9.0 is new quality monitoring solution from ASC. It features speech analysis with emotion detection, keyword spotting and transcription; an eLearning module to send customized educational material directly to the agent''s desktop; and increased data security to help comply with the high standards set by PCI (payment card industry).

Guenther Mueller, Chairman and CEO of ASC, said, "INSPIRATIONpro makes it easier for contac t center managers to get their job done. Its speech analytics software provides extended evaluation and reporting features based on the actual meaning of the conversation."

INSPIRATIONpro helps call center managers learn about their agents'' service level through analysis and evaluation of recorded call data and screen activities. Other features include real-time contact between agents and supervisors without the customer''s knowledge, and a user-friendly browser-based interface for access from any location. The speech analytics software in INSPIRATIONpro 9.0 identifies the most interesting, critical and useful interactions among an otherwise unmanageable number of conversations. It thoroughly analyzes customer needs to establish continuous agent improvement and optimization of corporate processes. The speech analytics now includes a sophisticated multi-language module.

ASC''s new generation of solutions also support the use of Citrix software for application virtualiz ation, thus letting contact center managers streamline internal administration through central data administration with local access to the data.

About ASC ASC is a leading global provider of innovative solutions to record, analyze and evaluate multimedia-based communications. ASC''s solutions reveal information, enabling companies and organizations to considerably improve their value creation: contact centers enhance customer service, efficiently deploy staff and increase productivity. Financial institutions fulfill documentation requirements, achieve a higher level of legal security and reduce costs. First responders and public safety organizations enhance reactivity in emergency situations.

ASC

Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes - $5000 a Week for Life

Publishers Clearing House has just announced their latest sweepstakes: You could earn five thousand dollars a week for life!

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It''s totally free to enter, just click below.

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Enter the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes

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The famous "Prize Patrol" has awarded well over 200 Million Dollars since its debut in 1967. Now it''s easier then ever to apply online. Ten seconds of your time could set you up for life!

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About the Company

PCH is a direct marketing company that sells household merchandise and discounted magazine subscriptions. Their head office is in Port Washington, Long Island, New York. Harold Mertz, the company''s founder, started the firm in the same town, in 1953.

Publishers Clearing House first introduced their famous sweepstakes in 1967, after the success of the Reader''s Digest contests. The aim was publicity for their magazine subscription business.

PCH soon grew we ll known for the Prize Patrol who would suprise winners by suddenly showing up with a camera crew, flowers, balloons, champagne etc. and a big check for the lucky entrant.

Since 2000, PCH has gotten more into the merchandising business; as magazine subscriptions have fallen with the rise of the internet and world wide web. Also, the company has recently began accepting sweepstakes entries online. You can enter the latest Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes by clicking here: enter the sweepstakes.

Some of the most popular videos on Youtube lately are scenes of the Prize Patrol arriving for one of their surprise visits. The kind of visit we all could use!