To serve as the voice of the pest control industry, protecting the livelihood of pest management professionals while fostering education, promoting professionalism, raising ethical standards, enhancing environmental stewardship, improving public health and quality of life.
Mark L. Hendrickson, Wingra Group
The FCC’s thirteenth annual report to Congress on the state of the wireless telephone industry notes that about 13.3 million wireless subscribers ported their phone number to another wireless carrier during 2007. This was about 30 percent higher than the 10.3 million who ported their phone numbers in 2006. If they were like me, they probably were shopping for a better deal on their service. Now that it’s quite easy to switch and port your number to a new service provider, why not?
However, you don’t always have to switch to lower your costs. Here are four suggestions for ways you can save on your mobile bill.
1) Call your provider and ask for a better deal.
The mere act of calling and threatening to quit may just give you a better deal. During the economic downturn the last couple of years telephone carriers are eager to keep your business. To strengthen your case, have an estimate in hand of a better deal you can get from a competitor. Further prepare by being informed about your carrier’s current promotions, and new plans. Often, while a big promotion may be aimed at luring new subscribers, a carrier may want to reward loyal customers like you.
2) Know what your use patterns look like.
Do you have any idea how much time you and your employees spend on mobile phones? Or, how many text, photo and video messages are being sent? Some online services make a business out of helping lower your phone bill. Check out www.validas.com , and www.onlinebillreview.com for the details. At its web site, Validas states that “businesses with fewer than 500 lines can use our online small business service to audit bills automatically, control wireless usage, and cut expenditures by 19% or more.” Amtel is another such service (www.amtelnet.com). They charge no upfront fee and earn their income as a percent of the savings they achieve for you.
3) Analyze who has what.
If every employee in your organization has a Blackberry or an iphone, do they really need one? During robust economic times 3-4 years ago, it may have been too easy to be too generous. Those days are gone. The best strategy is to identify key employees who need full-featured company phones.
4) Trim the fat.
When you buy a car, the options and add-ons add up in a hurry. The same happens with mobile phone plans. Roadside assistance is one example, often costing $3 – 5 per month. Or, equipment protection insurance, which can run $5 monthly. They didn’t seem like much when you were reviewing the contract, but over time they amount to quite a lot, and you probably don’t need them. Equipment protection — which is insurance against damage or loss of your phone — may be reasonable, but if your phone isn’t all that valuable, why insure it? On the other hand, if your phone is a trendy smartphone, you may want to reconsider insurance. Roadside assistance is a good idea for anyone, but you probably don’t need it in your phone contract. You may already be covered if you have membership in a motor club such as AAA, or it could be part of your auto insurance coverage.
These are just four quick ideas for you to consider. If you google “how to lower your cell phone bill”, you’ll have access to 11.7 million links with other ideas. Happy surfing.
Tim Dollmeyer, ActionCOACH, Business Coach
While in my corporate job, I remember vividly sitting in a meeting with several managers. In one of many attempts to find the key to teamwork, representatives from various areas of the company were brought together to explore the effects of reward systems on cohesiveness. The reason I remember this so vividly is because of the comment that a manager made. He said, “I say ‘Thank You’ to my assistant too often.” I was floored! I couldn’t help but say, “You can never say ‘Thank You’ too often!”
I understand that one might be tempted to believe that showing appreciation too often can weaken its effects. This is definitely true if the gratitude is not sincerely felt by the one giving it. Sure, the first few times saying thanks might be received well. But insincerity is quickly seen and felt; and then it becomes counter-productive. If you’ve ever received an insincere complement, you’ll know what I mean.
However, sincere praise has far-reaching effects. In this light, I always err on the side of too much praise than too little. Why? Because while money may motivate people temporarily, recognition has a far longer lasting effect. More importantly, it’s the right thing to do.
It goes back to Mom teaching you to say Please and Thank You. I may not remember the constant reminders of my Mom because I was too young, but I remember doing the same with my kids. We want our children to be courteous in part because we don’t want to be embarrassed, but also because courtesy is basic to our humanity.
So, why do many abandon this when it comes to business? Why do people assume that courtesy does not belong in the workplace? Of course, I’m exaggerating a bit. But it seems that many times we shed that basic humanity when we walk through those office doors. Perhaps it’s because we spend so much time with our coworkers that we forget to be polite. Or maybe we feel that we may lose some perceived power if we were to be too kind.
In the book, “Building The Happiness-Centred Business”, Dr. Paddi Lund introduces the concept of systemizing courtesy in business. He shows through his own experience, and those that he has consulted, that courtesy not only makes the workplace pleasant but also can have a positive effect on profit.
Interestingly, Dr. Lund notes that those who have the hardest time implementing the Courtesy System are those in positions of authority. This takes me back to the beginning of this article. Can you be too appreciative, or courteous, to your staff? I can’t give you any scientific proof one way or the other. However, why not stick to what Mom taught you? After all, Please and Thank You are the magic words.
Tim Dollmeyer is a certified ActionCOACH business coach. If you have questions or would like to learn about coaching, call 262-672-2915 or email timdollmeyer@actioncoach.com.