Garden benches are so much more than a place to sit. Available in a wide range of materials it’s easy to find one that suits your specific tastes and needs. They also can not only serve to provide you with a great looking focal point, or garden accent, but also can be used to balance and even help define your garden space as well.One reason so many people love garden benches is that there is just such a huge variety. Most people only associate a garden bench with a metal bench yet don’t realize that there are so many different types available. A metal garden bench can actually be made from iron, aluminum, copper, as well as other types of metal too. These can be as ornate or as simple as you like. For a more natural look many homeowners go with a wooden garden bench. These can range from Oak, Teak, or Pine, to something like Eucalyptus. All of these can add a natural charm and appeal to your garden. There are also many different types of stone benches and a wide variety of plastic garden benches too. Whether you prefer a man-made or natural material there is something for everyone and every garden space.Garden benches are also perfect for providing a great looking focal point or even a more subdued accent to your garden. They work so well at both of these because of the huge variety available. Many homeowners opt for their bench to be their focal point which typically means an ornate metal garden bench, but the choice of material is yours. Depending on your garden there are many types which can work well to give you a focal point which not only matches the style of your garden but calls attention to itself as an object of beauty as well. And of course all the while providing you with a place to sit and enjoy your great looking garden at the same time. Using one to accent your garden space is just as easy because all you need to do is find a bench which goes with the feel, look, and style of your garden and you’re golden. Many homeowners choose to go with a simple stone or wooden bench as an accent to enhance the beauty of their garden because they are extremely good looking but also because they are simple looking enough that they don’t demand all the attention.Another reason so many people decide to purchase a garden bench is actually one which a large number of homeowners and gardeners often overlook the importance of, or don’t think of at all. And that reason is balance. So many people tend to work very hard on one aspect or area of their garden that they completely forget about the look of their space as a whole. This often means that they end up with one fantastic looking section in their garden but nothing else. A garden bench can provide balance to this space by making your garden look much more even and well rounded. An added bonus is that at the same time it can help to define the boundaries of your garden space too. Balance is always much more pleasing to the eye and will also make your outdoor space look exponentially better when viewed as a whole.With such huge array of materials and styles available which can provide you with a gentle accent or striking focal point it’s easy to see why so many people love garden benches. This especially true when they can provide balance and help to define your outdoor space at the same time. Who would have thought a place to sit could be so versatile?
How To Start A Service Business
Setting Up A Service Based Business For BeginnersAlthough there are exceptions where both entities are entwined into one, most basics of the business is built around one unifying category so that the intentions and goals are clearly and visibly set.This distinction allows the individual to then decide of the accompanying tools that should be chosen for the purpose of enhancing the business experience and also to contribute positively to the ease of running the business entity.Most service based forays are labor intensive which the business entity revolves around. This is either packaged as the selling of expertise in a particular field or the selling of the actual “engines” that produce the desired outcome that bring in the revenue.Either way the quality, efficiency, attention and detail that is exercised within the business are the eventual elements that are going to make or break the business foray into the revenue churning mechanism.Basically offering the time frame required to create a particular service or to provide the content of the project itself is how the cost factor is calculated and the profits are gained in the service based business.Therefore, the individual would have to factor in the cost of business entity by the labor intensive tool it provides, in order to provide a suitable base line for the eventual calculation of the profits and the pricing suitable to be demanded.Alternatively the value of the service based business can be calculated on the value of the service being provided in a consultancy capacity which is evaluated against the insights the said service will bring to the company with the intention of creating a system thereby the said company is able to save or be more cost effective.Being able to identify a suitable and good service based company is very important if the new business or existing business owner intends to hire its services to help enhance the site’s potential.Identifying the characteristics of a particular service based company and matching them to the needs of the site in question will allow the business owner is make an informed decision of the merits of the chosen service.Do Your Research First-Customer perception of a company is very important to the progress and eventual success of any business endeavor, therefore it is very important to be able to identify the appropriate service based one to best suit the individual’s needs.Being able to provide good service should always be the prime concern of any business entity especially if its revenue earning power depends on this one factor.Market research is often the best way to identify the companies that have good track records and are capable of delivering what they promise.This information can easily be sourced over the internet as these companies will be active in presenting their achievements for all interested parties to view.It is also an excellent platform for potential clients and competitors alike to note the merits of the presenting service based company.Being well-placed on the search engine rankings will allow the service based company to be more visible and thus make it easier to garner the intended customer base to ensure its consistent success.The features of a good service based company would have to include the value added by the business entity from the input stage to the output stage where the results are then measured by its success rates.These input stages are often regarded as the commodity phase and the processes that it is designed around have to ensure the successful output stage which is where the end desired results are more than adequately met.Making a sale or pushing a business proposition is never an easy task to accomplish for some, therefore having the relevant assisting tools at hand should provide the individual with some encouragement to see the process to success.Marketing Skills-The following are some tools that can prove to be of great assistance to any individual intending to beef up their marketing skills:Making use of as many online tools as possible to promote the business or product intended is one way to start the enhancement of the marketing skills venture.Using blogs to create the interest and visibility for the item is something that should be considered as this is one way to get the attention of the target audience without much cost incurred.Working together with others is another way to beef up an individual’s marketing skills. Being part of a team effort where the individual’s talents and contributions are noticed and acknowledged is definitely an encouraging factor and helps the individual to be more adventurous and keen on honing his or her skills further.Availing one’s self to be listed on freelance job sites is also another way of beefing up the marketing skill of an individual. The fact that the visibility factor the site can bring to the individual will help the person focus more on ensuring the eventual connections made are optimized and locked in at the earliest opportunity.Social websites are also a good platform to introduce one’s marketing skills to the masses.Because of the competitiveness of all the participants in this particular platform the individual will subconsciously be forced to step out and ensure his or her participation leaves a positive impact on the interactions.Showcasing all the positive skill of the marketing process will eventually earn the respect and attention of others looking for such services.Create Your Website-Creating a website can be a challenging feat for those not very internet savvy, however it is not altogether a task that is formidable in nature. With a little startup knowledge and tips anyone can successfully attempt to put together their own website.The following are some guidelines that will help ease the process:Registering the suitable domain name is the first step to take when designing a website.The choice of this domain name should ideally take into consideration the relevance the name has to the intended site, an easy to remember reference, one that is short yet descriptive and whether it has the right extensions tagged to it such as.net,.com,.org.The next step would be to set up a web host account and this would entail the picking one that can provide the services the individual would need for the website.Although cost is always a factor for every business endeavor, it would be advisable to avoid using the cheaper and inexperienced ones available as this might end up costing the individual in the future.The follow up step would be to point the domain to the web host in place.This is a fairly simple exercise, however if the individual faces any potential problems along the way there are always assisting platforms to tap into to get the relevant help or explanations.Getting a word press linked to the site is another important step to incorporate into the setup. This word press is a free platform that is used by bloggers and allows the individual to build the website with the minimum of effort while making it user-friendly always.Last but by no means the least, would be for the individual to organize the website.This process would involve the backtracking exercise to ensure there are no defaults that would cause the viewer to be put off when visiting the site.Learning to build websites isn’t the complex technical process a lot of people think it is. All you really need to do is come to our website and get access to 300+ Tutorials that show you step by step how to build a website, and so much more, and start playing around with building your own websites.Advertising Ideas-In order to stay competitive it is necessary to always be able to have fresh views and ideas to present to potential customers and target audiences. Without such innovations the website will become stagnant and outdated thus eventually causing the original high volume of traffic flow to thin out. Brainstorming is one way of gathering and creating new ideas that would benefit any endeavor.Some of the ways that can be adopted to bring forth interesting and innovative ideas at the brainstorming sessions are facilitated by encouraging the participants to simulate the mindset of the customer or the intended target audience.By doing this the participant are more likely to anticipate the needs and wants of the customers and target audience and design any changes to fit into this discovery.Bringing people together to discuss ideas at the same time and in the same place is also another good advantage the brainstorming sessions can facilitate.Advertising ideas and campaigns can be discussed in “real time” as opposed to having emails flying about which is less effective and time-consuming and even confusing at times.Brainstorming for advertising purposes, should ideally take into account the following points:Problem definition and identification should be done at the very onset of the exercise. With this clearly outlined, other factors can then be worked on in line with the initial problem discovery information.Custom designing can also be worked on within the brainstorming session, as the collaboration of views can contribute to finding the one idea that is going to eventually used to build the campaign around.Customer Service-Making a sale is only the first step is the relationship building exercise, which will eventually contribute to either the success or failure of any business endeavor. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the customer service offered to cement the success rate desired.The following are some tips as to how to stay on top of the customer service exercise:Taking the customer for granted is the first and most common mistake most businesses make. This is especially evident when the business has expanded to now successful and comfortable levels. Often forgotten is the customers that brought the business to such heights in the first place.Therefore, it is very important to keep in touch with the customers so that vital information can be obtained about the current needs and wants of the customer.In the quest to stay informed and provide optimum customer service another point to consider and exercise is the importance of being fresh and innovative with ideas that are going to keep the customer coming back for more.When boredom sets in the customer will usually simply look elsewhere for the next new exciting thing that attracts their attention.Therefore, in order to induce customer loyalty innovative ideas should be a constant feature within the business.Happy Customers Are Loyal Customers-Training staff to treat each customer with respect and individuality is well worth the effort. Sometimes this positive treatment is the defining factor that keeps the customer coming back, even if the products are not exactly the best in the market.Having the protocols in place for quick and efficient responses to a customer’s queries or grievances, is one way of ensuring the individual stays a loyal customer and does not spread negativity about the business or product. Happy customers are loyal customers.In most cases it is rather difficult to specifically categorize businesses into specific service based styles. This is mainly because a lot of businesses tend to incorporate different platforms and strategies into the actual blueprint of the business format.However, there are some that can be clearly defined as service based business companies and the following are some of these examples:Types Of Service Based Business-Such service companies may include the likes of services provided by doctors, accounts, architects, actuaries, lawyers and other related fields.On a more creative side one may include the likes of services provided for by fabric designers, fashion designers, color scheme artists and many more as the list of such endeavors can be quite overwhelming.Most service type companies rarely have appreciable inventory as the purchases for usually made with the objective of facilitating a job thus the need to carry any inventory would not be necessary.Merchandising companies can also be considered service style enterprises as they to provide a service of sort to the customer base.However, this service is based solely on providing tangible elements rather than just the action of extending physical service. The generation of revenue is from the actual sale of the inventory rather than from the service extended.Manufacturing companies also come under the category of providing a service to the industry and the customer needs. In this scenario the products or items are made and sold within the company’s business entity thus ensuring monetary gains are derived both from the product and the service offered by manufacturing the product.All these different types of basic service providing entities are all in place with one goal in mind and that is to create the platform for revenue earning potential. Therefore, in order to understand and identify which would be best suited for the individual business owner, more research should be done to find the style that best suits the individual’s needs.OK, so I hope this article gives those looking to start their own online service based business a better understanding on what it takes to set up and grow a successful online serviced based business.To your great success on your online business journey, Bob
What Are The Greatest Changes In Shopping In Your Lifetime
What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.
As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.
That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.
Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.
Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.
Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.
Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.
That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.
Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.
Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.
My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.
Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.
And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.
All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:
• Farm eggs
• Fresh vegetables
• Cow’s milk
• Freshly baked bread
• Coal for our open fires
Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.
Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.
Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.
Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.
My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.
The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.
Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.
Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.
People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.
In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.
Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.
• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.
• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.
• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.
On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.
Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.
We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.
Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.
My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.