Modern Living

The End of Summer

I like the end of every summer for one simple reason: there are many sales around including Labor Day Sales 2015. Of course, since the summer is about to end this will mean no more sunny days on the beach or in the spa etc. but I am not worried about it because every season has something interesting to offer to me. For example, fall and winter are a great opportunity to learn new things or to master the existing ones such as playing my guitar. It’s been a while since I last played my guitar and I have to admit that I missed it a bit, maybe even more than a bit. Now, when I can look at some end of summer sales, I might be able to get something really high quality at an affordable price because I know that when you are a performer the quality of your music instruments you play matters a lot.

Must-Have Qualities for an Effective Call Center Staff

Anyone who owns a business knows the importance of maintaining a high-level of customer service. Excellent customer service provided on a consistent basis can earn a business a reputation for being customer-friendly. Not surprisingly, this can result in more sales. One way that a business owner can provide first-rate customer service is by having a team of professionals manning the call center. So, when orders arrive or customers have questions about orders, these matters can be handled with prompt efficiency. Discover some fundamental qualities of an effective call center staff.

A Professional Manner

Staff members in a call center are representatives of a person’s business. This means they must be courteous and polite with callers at all times. When a customer calls with an issue such as a delayed shipment or a return, call center staff members should be happy to help. It’s the responsibility of a call center staff to leave each caller with a positive impression of the business.

Fast, Efficient Service

Every member of a call center staff must be knowledgeable about the company they represent. This enables them to offer helpful answers to questions. In addition, knowledgeable call center staff members know how to resolve any issues that arise regarding an order. Customers appreciate call center staff members who listen carefully and respond with satisfactory solutions. In fact, even if a customer has an issue with a product or a shipment, he or she is more likely to do business with a company again based on an impressive level service. Most customers like to feel that a business has respect for their time as well as their money.

Accessibility

Staff members working in a call center on behalf of a business should be accessible in the evenings and on the weekends. There are many people who work non-traditional hours making it difficult for them to contact a call center during regular business hours. These customers and others find it helpful to be able to get their issues addressed right away instead of having to wait for the next business day. A business owner who wants a call center staff that works on the evenings and weekends may want to try a resource such as call center plus services.

Expressing Gratitude for a Customer’s Business

One of the most important qualities of an effective call center staff member is the ability to express genuine gratitude to customers. Thanking a caller for his or her business should play a part in every call that arrives at the call center. Whether the caller has been doing business with the company for a dozen years or is a first time customer, a representative must let the person know that he or she is appreciated.

Finally, an effective call center staff recognizes that every call should be handled with the same diligent service. Every caller must be treated like a longtime, valued customer.

2 Tips for Giving Your Kids Energy for a Day of Play

Children sometimes seem to be never-ending sources of energy, but you know full well they can play games, engage in sports and run around until they drop. Planning physical activities for kids is a good idea to keep your children healthy and active, but you need to make sure they have adequate nutrition in order to have the energy they need to play all day. The meals you serve them will do just that.

Start With Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal for a kid with a lot of fun on her to-do list for the rest of the day. Avoid sugary cereals that will simply cause her to crash and burn. Instead, prepare fruit salad for antioxidants and vitamins and peanut butter on toast for protein. You might also make your child French toast, waffles, pancakes, eggs or even sandwiches.

Make a Balanced Lunch
After a morning of physical activity, your child will need to replenish her energy at around noon. Pack sandwiches and finger foods for a picnic lunch. Avoid a lot of fried foods and instead chop up freshly cooked chicken and fish for additional protein.

Encourage your child to do more by giving him the energy he needs to run around and have fun. Whenever you plan a full day of physical activity, prepare the proper kind of food so your child can accomplish the tasks ahead.

Selling a Home? Tips to Get the Most Money

Selling your home is something you might be thinking about right now if you’re paying attention to the real estate market. After all, homes are up in many different parts of the country, and selling could help you make some real money while the market is up.

However, if you’re thinking about selling you’re going to want to get as much cash as you can. Otherwise why would you want to leave your home?

Use this guide to make sure you get as much out of your home as you possibly can. It’s worth the effort for every homeowner.

Do You Need Repairs?

Before you can put a home on the market you need to make sure it is in good shape if you want to get top dollar for it. While you can certainly sell a home that needs repairs, you’ll need to knock that cost off the sale price so the homeowner can fix it on their own.

However, knocking money off the sale price isn’t the worst part. The problem is that you’ll get less money for a home that needs repairs because it won’t be seen as such a good value by the owner. Their real estate agent will likely encourage them to make a lower offer as well.

Take care of repairs before you sell to get as much as you can if you can afford to make the repair. You’ll get it back and then some when you sell your near perfect home for top market value.

What About Upgrades?

Selling your home for top dollar may also require you to make some upgrades, especially if you’ve been in your home a long time. In many cases, putting money into the kitchen or outside of the house is ideal, and you’ll likely get back more than you put in by a lot.

Check neighbor’s homes and see what other houses in the area are like. You don’t want to be selling something so much different or what might be considered inferior.

Who Is Selling Your Home?

When it comes time to actively sell your home you need somebody skilled on your side. Choose a reputable realtor in your area, but look for a reputable group like Realty ONE Group, whose chairman Kuba Jewgieniew has been in the news.

You want somebody selling your home who is at the top of their game.

Why Personalized Items Make the Best Gift Ideas

It can be a struggle to decide what to give a friend or loved one for a special occasion. One reason is because there are so many different events in which you have to buy gifts, including birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and baby showers. Over time, it can be hard to come up with a unique and creative gift, which is why personalized gifts make the best gifts.

What Are and Where Do You Find Personalized Gifts?

Personalized gifts are items to which you add a personal touch. For example, maybe you put someone’s favorite photo on a mug or favorite saying on a t-shirt. This opens the door to unique gifts that you simply can’t find in stores. Thankfully, finding websites that allow you to create personalized gifts isn’t hard. Websites such as http://www.giftsforyounow.com/Personalized-Gifts-For-Him.aspx have a number of gift ideas, and you might not have thought of many of them.

Gifts on Every Budget

People generally determine the value of a gift based on its cost. However, it’s hard to put a value on a personalized gift. The personal touch that you add can turn a simple mug or shirt into a priceless item. If you have a picture of someone or know the recipient’s favorite hobbies, you already have half of the tools that you need to make a personalized gift. While it’s possible to order high-priced personalized gifts such as personalized engravings on jewelry, there are more affordable options available as well.

Quick and Easy Shopping

One benefit of buying personalized gifts is that you can do all of your shopping from home. Most of the websites that sell personalized gifts allow you to mail the order directly to the recipient’s house. Many also offer gift wrapping options. When you shop in this fashion, you can design, order and send the perfect gift without having to leave home.

No matter the occasion, there is a personalized gift that you can use to turn the occasion into a memorable one. Remember that it’s not the cost of the gift that’s important; it’s the thought behind it. Regardless of what you decide to buy, personalizing the gift makes it more special.

Running a restaurant

Running a restaurant can be a lot of fun. However, it also requires a considerable amount of work. There are many things that the owner of a restaurant must keep in mind. Obviously, hiring the right employees is a critical task. However, equally important is buying the right equipment for the kitchen. Even if you have the best employees in the world, with a talented chef and cooks, they will not be able to perform at their best while using substandard equipment. This is why you need to carefully consider the brands of the equipment that you buy. Be sure that the equipment is made by companies with a stellar reputation in the restaurant industry. Here are a few pieces of important equipment for a restaurant.

1. Convection oven

Many restaurants use convection ovens in the preparation of many different dishes. All of these ovens are not created equal. They are made in several different sizes, so you will need to determine the right size for your restaurant’s particular cooking needs. Depending on their size, some ovens can also get much hotter than other models. Therefore, they will also require more power, so be aware of this.

2. Commercial refrigerator

No restaurant kitchen would be complete without a commercial refrigerator, like the kind sold by Mission Restaurant Supply. They are one of the best places to find all of the kitchen supplies and equipment you need. As with convection ovens, you can find commercial refrigerators in many sizes. Before making a purchase like this, you will need to carefully consider several things. First of all, how much space will you have in your restaurant? Decide where the unit will go. Do not wait to make this decision until the day your refrigerator is delivered. Some of these units are very tall, so keep in mind how high the ceiling is in the area you are planning on installing it.

3. Commercial dishwashers

When it comes to keeping all of the dishes in your restaurant sparkling clean, you have several options. There are dishwashing machines that are able to be installed under a counter, so they are out of your way. There are also larger models that use a conveyer belt to clean the dirty dishes. If you are interested in a conveyer dishwashing machine, you should be aware that they are considerably larger than the under counter models. Therefore, you will need to set aside more space.

Designing Your House Plans

Ноusе рlаns nееd а grеаt dеаl оf аttеntіоn bесаusе thеrе аrе sоmе bаsіс еlеmеnts thаt аrе nесеssаrу іnрuts іn а hоusе рlаn аnd thеу саnnоt bе mіssеd by anybody who wishes to design such plans. А bаsіс knоwlеdgе аbоut аrсhіtесturаl guіdеlіnеs аnd buіldіng рlаns wіll аllоw уоu tо mаkе а fеw іnіtіаl skеtсhеs уоursеlf. Еvеn оthеrwіsе, mаkіng а rоugh рlаn оf аll thе sрасеs уоu wаnt tо іnсоrроrаtе іn а nеw hоmе аnd соnsultіng а рrоfеssіоnаl аrсhіtесt еnsurеs thаt thе рlаns аrе оf sоund dеsіgn аnd vіаblе.

Тhеrе аrе sоmе bаsіс dеsіgn соnсерts аnd еlеmеnts thаt аrе tо bе kерt іn mіnd whіlе mаkіng а hоusе рlаn. Тhе рrіmаrу fасtоr thаt іs а соmmоn еlеmеnt іn mоst hоusе рlаns іs kееріng іn mіnd thе ‘futurе’. Маkіng рrоvіsіоns fоr сhаngеs іn lіfеstуlеs must bе uрfrоnt аnd еnоugh sрасе аnd vіаbіlіtу рlасеd оn thеm. Аll thеsе hаvе tо bе соnsіdеrеd wіthіn thе sрасе аvаіlаblе wіth suffісіеnt аllосаtіоn fоr а gаrdеn оr уаrd, сhіldrеn’s рlау аrеа оr јust еnоugh ореn sрасе tо сhіll оut оn а summеr еvеnіng.
Ѕоmе bаsіс rеquіrеmеnts rеgаrdіng drаwіng uр hоusе рlаns іnсludе thе fоllоwіng tо bе аblе tо рrераrе а budgеt аnd sее іf іt іs аlіgnmеnt wіth уоur fіnаnсеs.

• Меаsurіng thе аmоunt оf sрасе аvаіlаblе fоr buіldіng
• Vіsuаlіzіng thе рlаn vіs-а-vіs thе numbеr оf flооrs
• Uрfrоnt flоw оf thе hоusе і.е. numbеr оf rооms аnd рlасіng whісh rооm whеrе іn thе hоusе
• Сhіldrеn’s аrеаs – kееріng іn mіnd thеу аrе gоіng tо grоw uр аnd nееd mоrе sрасе
• Раrеnts оr аgеd dереndаnts
• Раssаgеwауs
• Utіlіtу аrеаs – іnсludеs stоrаgе аrеаs lіkе раntrу, lаundrу, gаrdеn shеd еtс.
• Ѕtаіrсаsеs
• Іnstаllаtіоn оf grееn еnvіrоnmеnt fасtоrs / есо frіеndlу mеаsurеs – rаіnwаtеr sаvіng, sоlаr еnеrgу раnеls еtс.
• Flехіbіlіtу tо rеаrrаngе rооms bаsеd оn аrсhіtесt’s / buіldеr’s іnрuts

Тhе kеуwоrd іn drаwіng uр hоusе рlаns іs ‘рrіоrіtу’. Аsресts lіkе рrоvіdіng а strоng fоundаtіоn іs vеrу nесеssаrу еvеn іf thе сurrеnt рlаns dо nоt іnсludе mоrе thаn оnе оr twо stоrеуs fоr nоw. Аddіng аddіtіоnаl flооrs саn bе dоnе lаtеr but thе fоundаtіоn іs thе ‘аll іmроrtаnt’ fасtоr thаt аll рlаns hіngе оn. Ѕіmіlаrlу, іnstаllаtіоn оf еnеrgу sаvіngs mеаsurеs аnd аррlіаnсеs shоuld bе dоnе іn thе fіrst рhаsе. Рrіоrіtіzіng nесеssіtіеs hеlрs stісkіng tо budgеtеd ехреnsеs; slіght vаrіаtіоns nоtwіthstаndіng. Аdd-оns thаt аrе nоt оn ‘fіrst рrіоrіtу’ саn bе аddеd lаtеr рrоvіdеd уоur fіnаnсіаl sіtuаtіоn аllоws іt but уоu shоuld bе аblе tо mаnаgе fіnе wіthоut thоsе, іf nесеssаrу. Іt іs оnе оf thе іmроrtаnt thіngs tо rеmеmbеr.

Services Offered by Assisted Living Facilities

Assisted living is long term housing for seniors or those who are disabled. Assisted living facilities, like Mars Hill Retirement Community, may offer some or all of these services:

Personal Services

• 24-hour supervision
• Access to medical services
• Basic housekeeping
• Emergency call systems in private and common areas
• Staff assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) – bathing, eating, dressing, toileting, walking and continence
• Staff assistance with medication administration

Facility Services

• 24 hour security of the grounds
• Beauty or barber shop on the premises
• Central dining areas that include three meals a day
• Educational activities
• Exercise activities
• Grounds maintenance
• Health services
• Laundry services
• Organized recreational activities
• Private mail boxes
• Religious activities
• Social programs
• Transportation arrangements
• Wellness programs

Resident’s Rights

One goal of assisted living facilities is to allow residents to remain independent as long as possible. Here are some of the rights that residents can expect:

• Dignity and respect
• Privacy
• Visitation from friends and family members
• Non-interference with religious beliefs or practices
• Control of personal finances
• All necessary medical needs and services
• Freedom from neglect or abuse

Most assisted living facilities will allow a resident to have a pet. Most also allow alcohol and tobacco use, visitation at any time, and overnight guests.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Buying Furniture

Buying furniture for your home is a big part of making it unique to your family. You are adding items to your residence that define your style and share some of your tastes not only with your family, but with guests and friends who come over.
Before you buy any furniture, there are a few do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:
● Do: Check out furniture specialty stores. A recliners furniture store, for example, is more likely to have the exact recliner you’re searching for rather than a regular department store.
● Don’t: Blindly purchasing an item without getting specifications or sizing the area in your home is setting yourself up to fail. Be sure to take measurements and go home to decide if the item will sit right by your other furnishings.
● Do: Compare prices. Chances are, the item you want is available in other stores. If you compare prices, you will be able to save the most money on the piece you truly want, rather than settling for something else because you think you can’t afford it.
● Don’t: While salespeople can be quite persuasive, don’t sacrifice what you want for something you don’t. If you can’t afford the piece at the time, consider financing options or whatever it takes. It’s about quality, not quantity; if your budget can’t handle it now, be patient until it can.
Buying furniture is a serious decision because it has a significant effect on your home’s appearance. Take your time and choose wisely when making your next furniture purchase.

TV Stands

Almost all homes in the UK have at least one TV. Some homes might even have more than just one. TV is simply one of the most important pieces of equipment in our dwellings due to all the convenience and entertainment that it brings. Let’s be honest, what is a better thing to do after a tiring day at work than to come to your home and switch on your TV to watch some of your favourite programs?

In order to use a TV properly and effectively, you need some sort of a TV stand. You do not want your TV to stand in a place where it does not fit. You also want to be able to hide all the cables so that they aren’t visible. For visual reasons, it is very important that all the cables of your TV are hidden. You do not want anybody to step on your cables while you watch your TV, do you? The look of your new TV could be easily ruined by messy cables.

TV Stands UK are designed especially for a wide range of televisions.The website is based in the UK and all the items are dispatched to customers from the country. There are many payment methods available on the website and all of them are very secure. That way you can be sure that everything you pay for will be delivered to you. If you plan to buy a new TV this year and do not know where to put it yet, think of Jual Furnishings TV Stands. I would like to encourage you to take a look at some of them right now and see for yourself what you can get there. There are various models available to suit all budgets and styles. Every living space could definitely benefit from something as good as the stands from this website.