Even seasoned frequent corporate travelers are always looking for ways to make business travel easier and more efficient. You will hopefully find some of the tips that have been shared by others to be helpful, productive, and interesting.

You can read about a large number of suggested travel tips that are geared mostly toward business travel that could also be of help for any of your personal trips. Following are some of the best ones:

* Whenever possible, schedule your departures for the first ones going out. That should mean far fewer delays, give you a possible chance for an upgrade, and more assurances that you will arrive in plenty of time for your scheduled meetings.

* Show your loyalty to the businesses you deal with and make use of frequent flyer programs and a travel-focused rewards credit card. Those will give you more of an elite status and will mean amazing benefits as well as upgrades and perks at airlines and hotels. Keeping your expenses limited to using only one or two credit cards also helps tremendously in organizing your expenditures.

* When booking your hotel, assure a better night’s sleep by asking to be away from ice machines, elevators, and any other places that would create noise and too much activity.

* Carry a minimum of 100 USD cash in the local currency if going to another country in anticipation of times when a credit card will not be an option and you need an easy and quick way of paying for something.

* Carry a photocopy of your passport and protect the original and other valuables by locking them in the hotel safe. Take pictures on your phone of your travel itinerary and license.

Ideas on Clothes and Packing

* Check the weather forecast at your destination for the days of your trip so that you can pack the correct clothes.

* Limit your wardrobe to two or three basic colors such as grey, black, and beige that you can vary and interchange to create different outfits. Pack less than think you will need, and you’ll probably not even require all of that. Pack as light as possible and create just carry-on luggage if at all possible.

* Pack only versatile pieces of clothing that will go with those basic colors and which can be layered both as needed for weather changes and for making that variety of outfits.

* Make the clothing as much iron-free as possible to cut down on expenses to get the pieces pressed. Pack dress shirts in the plastic dry cleaner bags, which will minimize wrinkles. When you arrive at your hotel room, that the shirts out of the bags, hang them in the shower, turn on the hot water, and that becomes a steam press!

* When you return home, re-pack the bag with as much as possible so that, before your next trip, all you’ll have to do is add your clothing and any other basics that you have had to use at home between travels.

Conclusion

Favorite tips from other savvy travelers should impart bits of wisdom that can be utilized by you and your business to make the trips more efficient and timely, minimize the expenses, and stick to the company’s budget. It is also always helpful to smooth out some of the rough edges that can sometimes prove to be exasperating and time-consuming. Enjoy your travel experiences!

Today’s laboratories are embracing automated liquid handling to optimize efficiency and carry out ever more complex research. Automated liquid handling can increase reliability, reduce costs and decrease the chance of human error. Given the current COVID-19 situation, its importance has never been more than what it is now.

Automation is a significant investment and so it’s important that the solution you choose is able to meet your current workflow needs and be flexible enough to meet your future needs too. 

1. Is your current manual process robust?

Automating an assay that does not work well manually won’t fix it but if it already works well, automation will improve it. Before introducing automation, you need to fully understand your manual workflow. 

When you break the process down into individual steps, it will help you to decide what elements you can improve by integrating automation. Deciding on “must-have” components will depend on your applications and goals. 

2. Does any off-the-shelf solution meet your needs?

If a small, dedicated workstation meets your current needs, it could simplify your selection process. Some specialized workstations work well for specific applications with established protocols, such as sample preparation, cell culture or DNA extraction. 

If you choose an off-the-shelf option, make sure you avoid inflexible solutions. You want a core component that you can integrate into a larger system down the line. 

3. Is the system flexible and customizable?

Before making a decision, make sure your liquid handler has experience working with laboratories of all sizes and types and has the workflow optimization expertise to work with a variety of third-party manufacturers. 

Aurora Biomed offers an automated liquid handling system that is flexible and customizable. Its VERSA series ranges from affordable entry-level liquid handlers to high-throughput fully automated ones. 

4. How much space do you have and are you using it efficiently?

Most liquid handling systems are multi-user which means space needs to be used innovatively and there is more demand for flexibility. Some automation systems, such as a floor-standing liquid handler, allow you to access the storage units below the workstations. 

5. Is the system easy to learn and operate?

Researchers today expect a great deal from automated systems but they often come with a steep learning curve they may not have time to deal with. It is important to find a system that’s easy to learn and yet doesn’t limit the flexibility of the overall system. 

Make sure you see a software demonstration because poorly designed software can leave you dependent on a vendor or external specialist to troubleshoot problems and make even simple programming changes. 

6. Does the system have built-in safety features?

Automation helps to reduce human error, but no system is immune to the unexpected and this is where humans need to pitch in. A system should be able to protect against data loss if the workflow is interrupted and have features that help to ensure operator safety. 

Sample handling needs to be safe with no cross-contamination and the system should offer accuracy and precision for a range of compatible fluids. 

7. How easy is it to maintain and service?

Whatever solution you are considering, you need to find out about servicing and maintenance. Downtime is costly and ease of access by technicians means less disruption to workflow. Support experts need to have the technical and workflow knowledge specific to your chosen solution. 

8. Can it perform under changed circumstances? 

If you want to purchase an automated sample processing system, for example, you will need to consider factors such as whether the need to process samples overnight may increase in the future. In such a case, features may need to be added to the system to allow for extended, unattended operation. 

A collection account features on your credit history when you have failed to pay one of your bills. The lender has some choices once you don’t make your scheduled payment. One of them is selling your account to a debt collector or collection agency. They then have the full right to pursue all lawful means to get the money you owe on the account.

The result is a collection account that pops up on your credit score. Future lenders will view this as a red flag and reconsider lending you money. A collection account indicates financial irresponsibility, regardless of the reason that it’s there.

A collection account can stay on your credit history for up to seven years. But all is not lost. Here are things you can do to mitigate the effects of a collection account:

Double-check

It is possible that there’s been an error on the credit bureau’s side. When you find out about a collection letter, do some investigation. Keep records of all your transactions so that you can prove payment if necessary.

There are many fraudulent accounts set up in innocent victims’ names that ruin their credit score. The sooner you find out about such a crime, the sooner you can report it and have it removed from your credit score.

Rehabilitate your credit score

After you’ve got a collection account against your name, you might have a hard time finding someone to lend you money. However, you need to build credit fast to improve your credit score. Credit builder loans from Kikoff.com can be the solution. These microloans can put your credit history back on track.

A credit builder loan is a small sum that you can apply for, and then it is paid into your savings account. Don’t be tempted to use it to pay off the problem debt. Leave it in your account and make the monthly payments. Afterward, the interest in the account is yours to spend.

Make arrangements

It’s not uncommon for people to run into financial difficulty and be unable to pay off their debts. But sticking your head in the sand like an ostrich so that you can pretend it isn’t happening is where the problem comes into play. Avoiding the lender will do nothing other than getting you a collection account on your credit history.

As soon as you know that you won’t be able to service your debt, go and see the lender. Lenders will accommodate you more than you might think. It’s as much in their best interests as it is in yours to arrange a way for you to pay off your debt. 

There are lots of options you and the lender can explore. These include a payment holiday, reduced payments, or an extended repayment period. If your account is handed over to a debt collector, negotiate with them as well. They might be agreeable to the options above as well.

Check on the collector

Some collectors can be rather unscrupulous and sail a bit close to the wind when it comes to the regulations that govern the industry. If you can prove it, this could work in your favor.

There have been numerous instances when collectors have tried to extend the length of time the collection account stays on your credit history. Some debt collectors transfer your collection account to another collector without informing the credit bureau. 

That means the name of the collector on your credit report isn’t the same as the one that is pursuing you for repayment. In either case, you can dispute this with the credit bureau, and the collection letter could be removed.

The only way you’re never going to encounter company politics is if you become the sole proprietor and employee of your own company. Otherwise, every workplace you enter has a history of unhappiness, conflict, and criticism. Putting a group of people together and expecting them to work harmoniously is impossible.

However, you should never allow company politics to stop you from putting your Six Sigma goals into action. You’ll need to be prepared for interpersonal conflict, resistance to change, and some downright hostility. 

It might come from the people you lead or the people who lead you. These factors are not unique to Six Sigma, so you should never question whether it’s the system that is causing the problem.

Here are some of the main challenges you’ll face and how to overcome them.

Inflexible company policies

In many cases, the implementation of Six Sigma requires some changes to organizational goals, processes, and expectations. When you walk into a situation wanting to implement Six Sigma, you might be faced with resistance, not from the people you’re leading, but from the company structure.

It is essential that you have top management’s buy-in when you want to implement the Six Sigma approach. It might take some persuasive talk to get them to understand its merits, but once you do, you’ll have them on board. Then company policies will change, and employees will see top management setting the example.

Personal resistance

People are, by nature, change-averse. Very few respond to massive changes with overwhelming enthusiasm. Most react to new processes and situations with resistance. Those who’ve been at the company for a long time will complain that the system in place right now works, so why should it be changed? 

When their roles and responsibilities change to accommodate the application of Six Sigma, they’ll become even more difficult to persuade.

For many people, change equals loss, whether it’s a loss of power or control. This is something most people despise, and they will fight it with everything they’ve got. 

It is a selfish response, because they are, at that moment, only considering how the change will affect them. They cannot see any positives in the change and how it will benefit the organization and, ultimately, them as well.

As per Peter Peterka, president of 6sigma.us, when you learn Global Six Sigma, you’ll see that while it has a lot to do with numbers, it also involves learning to draw people into the process to get them working toward a common goal. This is accomplished through the planning, communication, and transparency related to data, processes, and procedures.

Skepticism

As with any change, you’re going to encounter skeptics. These are the people who don’t understand Six Sigma or have heard about it but think it’s not going to work. They see it purely as a cost-cutting exercise, which will give them more responsibility without more money. Alternatively, they’ll see it as the new fad management is obsessed with, and that it won’t last long.

That jaded cynicism can be hard to break down, and sometimes the only way to prove your doubters right is to succeed when they’re rooting for you to fail. By implementing Six Sigma’s continuous process improvement procedures, they’ll soon start seeing the benefit and start embracing its principles.

Conflict

Expect arguments and team meetings that feel more like a warzone than anything else. Embrace these situations, as they give you a chance to learn about your team and recognize how best you can use their strengths to your Six Sigma advantage. 

Even if they’re opposing what you’re saying, this conflict means that they’re getting involved. And that is the first step of getting team members to welcome the change.

On January 1, 2020, the minimum wage in the state of Ohio for non-tipped employees rose 15 cents to $8.70 per hour. This calculates to $348 for a 40-hour workweek and a yearly income of $18,096. Tipped employees saw their minimum wage increase by 5 cents to $4.35 per hour. A tipped employee is defined as someone who engages in an occupation in which he or she receives more than $30 per month in tips. Employees can receive tips up to $30 per month without being legally considered a tipped employee.

Ohio Minimum Wage Automatically Adjusts Every Year

These increases were set in motion by an amendment to the state constitution in 2006, which mandated that the state’s minimum wage be based on the inflation rate of the previous year. Ohio is one of seven states where these automatic inflation adjustments to the minimum wage occur on an annual basis. Before this legislation, the minimum wage was rarely changed, often going a decade or more at the same level. Since 2006, the minimum wage in Ohio has increased almost every year, with the only exceptions being 2010 and 2016.

Overtime

Employers who gross $150,000 per year or more are required to pay an employee one and a half times an employee’s rate of pay for any hours in excess of 40 hours per week of work. This calculates out to a $13.05 per hour overtime wage. Ohio law does not define a daily limit for overtime.

Ohio Exemptions from Minimum Wage

There are quite a few conditions that could exempt a person from qualifying for Ohio’s minimum wage. Some of these include:

• Some workers in Ohio continue to earn the Federal minimum wage. For companies whose gross receipts did not exceed $319,000 in 2019, the minimum wage stays at $7.25. The same rate applies to workers who are under the age of 16.

• Individuals employed by the United States government.

• Persons employed as babysitters in an employer’s home

• Live-in companions to a sick, convalescent or elderly person—unless their principal duties include housekeeping

• Family members of the owner who are working in a company that is completely family-owned and operated.

• Workers employed by camps or recreational areas for children under the age of 18 which are owned and operated by a non-profit organization or group.

• Outside salesmen, or salesmen who go out into the field and meet clients for sales purposes, who are compensated by commission or in their executive, administrative, or professional capacity.

• In order to prevent the pricing of those with physical and mental deficiencies, the state of Ohio allows a sub-minimum wage rate to be paid according to strict guidelines set out by the Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce. In order to pay workers this special wage, an employer must have a certificate from the Ohio Department of Commerce.

Conclusion

The minimum wage in Ohio is mandated by law to reflect the Consumer Price Index of the previous year. This is designed to keep the wages of Ohio’s lowest-paid workers in line with the cost of living.

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) offers guidelines for improving the manufacturing process to make a good product with less cost. Achieving this involves optimizing and streamlining product design. Basically, it involves all the strategies that are needed to manufacture a product, from the initial idea to the assembling of parts. 

Most of the costs of manufacturing a product (labor, materials etc.) are related to the original design. As the decisions that go into the design of a product affect its costs, it makes sense to design a product with built-in cost-effectiveness. 

Global Six Sigma offers Six Sigma certification and helps companies to make processes more efficient, cut costs, eliminate waste and increase customer satisfaction. Peter Peterka, an expert in Lean Six Sigma, advises keeping it simple when designing a product, from its directions to its use. 

The following Design for Manufacturability guidelines can help designers to reduce the costs and difficulty of manufacturing an item. Creating a timeline can be difficult because it depends on the complexity of a product and quality requirements. 

It is important to have every detail verified and confirmed and this can take some time. Eliminating potential mistakes and making a product cost-effective from the start could save plenty of time and money in the long run. 

The rules for DFM

Reduce the total number of parts. Reduction in parts makes inventory, handling, processing time and many other aspects of manufacture easier and less expensive. The trick is to minimize parts without losing quality or value. 

Use components. When you use components, you can easily take them apart for an inspection and then re-assemble them. When it comes to updating a product, redesigning is easier when using components. A modular design is easier to test, update, redesign etc. 

Use standard components. Custom-made components are expensive to replace. High availability of standard components reduces product lead times and reliability is well ascertained. 

Multi-functional parts. Multi-functional parts keep costs down because you can reduce the total number of parts in your product. For example, a part could be a structural member and a heat-dissipating element. 

Design parts for multi-use. If components have the same use for different products or different use for different products, this can simplify the manufacturing process. 

Minimize assembly directions. All parts should be assembled from one direction. If possible, the best way to add parts is from above, in a vertical direction, so the effects of gravity help the assembly process. 

Design for ease of fabrication. Minimize overall manufacturing cost by selecting the optimum combination between material and the fabrication process. Commonly found problems that result in higher than necessary production costs involve excessive tolerance or surface-finishing requirements. 

Maximize compliance. Due to variation in the dimension of parts, it is important to consider compliance in part design and assembly as errors can easily occur and cause damage to parts and equipment. A simple solution is to use high-quality parts with built-in design compliance. 

Minimize handling. Use symmetrical parts where possible to make orientation easier when positioning or fixing a part or component. If this is not possible, exaggerating the asymmetry and using external guiding features can help with the orientation of a part to avoid failures. 

When designing a product, it is important to try and minimize the flow of parts, material waste, and so on, in the manufacturing process. Use a minimalist approach and you can reduce the costs and the difficulties involved. If you do this well, you can be assured of both productivity and quality.

When you want to increase traffic for your business, you should consider all the types of traffic you should look for. Your company can grow if you have the right kind of traffic, and you can add web traffic using these tips throughout the course of the year. Use these tips to make your business more successful. You can improve the performance of your business, and you can add traffic that was impossible to get in the past.

1. Website Traffic

If you are working with a company like Edkent Media, you need to build a nice website to educate your customers. You can put all the information your customers need on the site. You can sell your products on the website, and you can add content to your website at any time. You might create videos to educate your customers, or you might want to use landing pages to sell your customers on specific items.

2. Social Media

You can use social media to increase the traffic on your website. You could use social media to educate your customers, and you can post videos to social media that give customers a peek behind the scenes. You can post pictures if you want customers to meet your staff, or you could post pictures of your new products. You can even host contests on social media to increase your follower count. You can offer customer service through social media, and you can get customer input in the comments on each post.

3. Affiliate Ads

Affiliate ads are a good way to encourage people to display their ads. When a customer buys through an affiliate ad, the owner of the ad is paid a commission. Anyone who hosts your ads can make money with these commissions, and you can use affiliate ads to send customers directly to a landing page. This is often the best way to increase traffic on your website, and you can narrow the focus of every customer by using landing pages.

4. Generic Ads

Basic ads should be posted all over the Internet. You can post ads online that will target people in your area, or you can target people who are searching for certain things. Online ads can be used to make your company a household name, and the repeated viewing of these ads makes it easy for customers to remember you. You should rotate your ads, change them when they do not work and try to improve your ads over time by changing the graphics or text.

5. SEO Keyword Traffic

You should try to get SEO keyword traffic by using as many keywords related to your business as possible. Your company will get more traffic because you are using industry keywords, and you can add local keywords that are easy for people in the area to recognize.

Conclusion

When you are trying to make your business more popular, you should use the five types of traffic above to build your business. You can add traffic to your robust profile when you are using better affiliate ads, better SEO keywords, and a strong social media presence. You can create more traffic for your business by pointing people to your website, and you can even use landing pages to sell specific products to new or existing customers.

When you want to increase traffic for your business, you should consider all the types of traffic you should look for. Your company can grow if you have the right kind of traffic, and you can add web traffic using these tips throughout the course of the year. Use these tips to make your business more successful. You can improve the performance of your business, and you can add traffic that was impossible to get in the past.

1. Website Traffic

If you are working with a company like Edkent Media, you need to build a nice website to educate your customers. You can put all the information your customers need on the site. You can sell your products on the website, and you can add content to your website at any time. You might create videos to educate your customers, or you might want to use landing pages to sell your customers on specific items.

2. Social Media

You can use social media to increase the traffic on your website. You could use social media to educate your customers, and you can post videos to social media that give customers a peek behind the scenes. You can post pictures if you want customers to meet your staff, or you could post pictures of your new products. You can even host contests on social media to increase your follower count. You can offer customer service through social media, and you can get customer input in the comments on each post.

3. Affiliate Ads

Affiliate ads are a good way to encourage people to display their ads. When a customer buys through an affiliate ad, the owner of the ad is paid a commission. Anyone who hosts your ads can make money with these commissions, and you can use affiliate ads to send customers directly to a landing page. This is often the best way to increase traffic on your website, and you can narrow the focus of every customer by using landing pages.

4. Generic Ads

Basic ads should be posted all over the Internet. You can post ads online that will target people in your area, or you can target people who are searching for certain things. Online ads can be used to make your company a household name, and the repeated viewing of these ads makes it easy for customers to remember you. You should rotate your ads, change them when they do not work and try to improve your ads over time by changing the graphics or text.

5. SEO Keyword Traffic

You should try to get SEO keyword traffic by using as many keywords related to your business as possible. Your company will get more traffic because you are using industry keywords, and you can add local keywords that are easy for people in the area to recognize.

Conclusion

When you are trying to make your business more popular, you should use the five types of traffic above to build your business. You can add traffic to your robust profile when you are using better affiliate ads, better SEO keywords, and a strong social media presence. You can create more traffic for your business by pointing people to your website, and you can even use landing pages to sell specific products to new or existing customers.

When you are managing a construction company or a construction site, you need to know how to remove debris from the site safely. There are a few tips listed below that will help you protect the environment. Each of these options will change the way that you manage your company, and you can improve the experience for your workers at the same time.

Use A Waste Service

You can use waste services to remove construction debris as quickly as possible. These companies can remove the debris before it starts to overflow. You do not want to work in a space that is filled with trash because it could become litter as it gets blown around the area. Also, the waste service can pick up your trash more than once a day if you like.

Use A Recycling Service

You can use a recycling service to remove debris from the area. A recycling company might sell you some of the building materials you use because they collect recycled material throughout the year. You can build green structures that are made from recycled materials, and some of the materials you recycled can be used to build your next project.

You can get paid cash for the materials you recycle, or you might get a credit that will be used to pay for any materials you need. Your business can do something good for the environment, and you will make money at the same time.

Use A Wood Chipper

When you are working on a construction project, you may need wood chips to complete the landscaping. You can use a wood chipper to break up all the extra wood from the facility, and you can use those wood chips to make the area look nice. You do not want these materials to go to waste, and it is to run most wood products through the wood chipper.

Give The Materials To A Nonprofit

You could donate any extra materials to a nonprofit. These nonprofits can use the materials to build homes for the needy. These materials could be used to handle repairs for people who cannot help themselves. You could give these materials to a company that will repurpose the materials, or you could recycle the materials for cash. You can give some of that cash to a charity.

Give Some Materials To The Community For Major Projects

The community might want to start a big art project, and you can donate materials that will be used in those art projects. This is a simple way to make the community look nicer, or you could have an artist create an art project for the property you are working on.

Conclusion

Removing debris from your construction site is very simple if you are working with the right company. You can recycle much of what you have used, or you could run your old wood through the wood chipper. You can use a waste service that will pick up all the items for you, and they will create a schedule that works best for you. You might want to donate some of these materials to help build homes in the area, or your materials might be used for art projects that make the community look like a nice place to live.

You can’t just sit in a room, come up with an idea and expect it to become the next big thing. To come up with a successful idea, you need to understand the marketplace and various steps are necessary if you want to benefit from your idea.  

Some people succeed in generating money and fame from their ideas but others may have a good idea that fails and wonder what went wrong. Focusing not only on product creation but thinking like a business person from the start can make the difference. Otherwise, you may end up devoting time and money to developing what isn’t the creative, money-generating new product you expected it to be. 

Some awesome new resources offer more opportunities than ever before for inventive product entrepreneurs to develop, manufacture, sell and distribute their products. The journey is unique for everyone but here are some common steps most successful inventors have to go through.  

Validate your market

Creative individuals are often so absorbed with their ideas that they ignore some basic business principles. For instance, it’s important to know your market size and your competition. Design and production costs, selling price, and profit potential are other factors to consider before you spend your money on bringing a product to market.   

Document your idea

It helps with the process of filing a patent if you keep an inventor’s journal and document everything about your idea, from what it is to how it works. The journal should contain concurrent numbered pages that you can’t remove or reinsert and must be signed by a witness. 

Build a prototype

Start with a basic concept that you can refine over time. It does not have to be fancy or expensive. The purpose is to help you figure out how to make your idea work. Only once you have worked out all the kinks and fully tested your concept, can you start thinking about developing a fully-functional prototype. Inventors will find a manufacturer to develop a final prototype for them.   

File a patent

If you want patent protection for your idea, you need to do your due diligence and find out first whether anyone else has patented it. It’s worthwhile to do a search at www.uspto.gov before you even try to find a patent attorney.  

InventHelp can refer you to a patent attorney when you’re ready to take the next step and want to patent your idea. If you don’t have a strong patent written by a patent attorney, competitors may find a loophole so they can copy your idea. 

Learn how to handle setbacks

Setbacks are unavoidable and will help you to eventually come up with the best possible product. You only know how to make improvements when you test something and find its flaws.  

You may be able to fix them or you may find the seed of another even better idea in the process of trying to do so. Testing a product on the people who will use it is one of the best ways to find flaws and fix them.  

Create a marketing plan

One of the biggest challenges for inventors is often in figuring out how to bring a product to the market. You need to decide if you’ll create and sell your products yourself or whether you’ll sell another company the rights to make, use and sell your products in exchange for a license fee and royalty payments. 

IP Watchdog has more information for you about the pros and cons of these two methods, so you can decide which method suits you best.