Business

Essentials of an Effective Business Letter

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:48:53 +0000

Business letter has a materialistic purpose but effective business letter can also strengthens the bonds between two organizations or the dealer and the customer. Business letters are used for many purposes such as to make inquiries, send replies, to place orders or bank correspondences etc. The main and the basic function of the business letter is not only to convey your message to the person who receives the letter but also to influence the reader. Following point can be used to make your business letter an effective business communication.

Language of business letter:

The language of business letter should be simple. It should not contain difficult words, phrases or technical jargons. It should have a smooth flow and should be easily understood or it should not require further explanation.

Avoid use of long sentences having many clauses. Sometimes the reader loses the beginning by the time he comes to the end of the sentence.

Avoid negative approach in the letter.

Avoid use of dull and uninteresting language. A letter with permanent style or with same tone of expression at all occasions may become stereotyped in due course. Use variety or a welcoming change in language that befits the particular occasion or pleases a particular person. But the variety should not be at the cost of clarity.

Sincerity of purpose:

Sincerity of purpose is important not only for human relations but also for business dealings. The letter should have an air of frankness and authenticity.

Give importance to the reader:

Avoid self-centered focusing on your own concerns or your business and focus on the recipient’s needs, interests, or purposes. This “you attitude” or recipient oriented style is very useful in winning new customers and maintaining old ones. It does not mean that you should use more of “you” in your letter but you should make recipient the main focus of the letter. However, you should be cautious not to overdo anything in your letter to avoid feel of deception, superficiality or ambiguity.

Adjust oneself to the reader:

Tune your sentences to the taste of the prospective buyer. Mention the advantage a buyer would get without praising your own firm.

Business letter represents the firm, organization or the business. It is like a salesman with a difference. A salesman can instantly rectify his mistake if he has said something that looks unpleasant, but a letter writer can’t.

You can use business-writing software for proofreading and to check and correct English grammar & spellings in your letter. Some software programs also has text enrichment feature to enrich your text with adjectives & adverbs, which enhances the simple sentence into more professional and sophisticated one & also suggest context related synonym for repeated words.

For more information on business writing software please visit

http://www.truevalue4money.com/businesswriting.html website.

Small Business Security – It’s A Serious Business

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:00:38 +0000

People who own and run small businesses may have been overlooked in the past. Not attracted to the big budgets and sophisticated requirements of big business, the security industry has not focused on providing small business security. Small businesses had to settle for inappropriate and overpriced security that resembled home security systems.

But there’s good news. Leading security industry manufacturers and providers are paying attention now. They’re beginning to understand that the unique needs of small business security require tailored security measures and systems.

Small business security does have one advantage. Needing smaller staff and experiencing less turnover than large businesses, small business’s risk for in-house theft is significantly less, reducing the need for inventory tracking and video monitoring for break rooms and storage areas. But small businesses still face serious risks for theft, vandalism, and violence.

Small business security needs are in many ways like those of corporations and individual homeowners. Common-sense security measures are important. Things like removing potential hiding places for would-be thieves by eliminating blind spots on building exteriors is a basic preventive measure. Lighting the building, inside and out, makes it possible for people outside the building to observe criminal activity at night and when the business is closed. Keeping entry points clear of obstructions and shadows is important to safety and security. Installing locks with security codes for individual employees prevents entry by unauthorized people.

Exterior lighting is not only important for security. It’s an important way to prevent injuries to customers and to prevent crimes against both customers and employees outside the building. Liability insurance is a significant expense, and good exterior lighting can qualify small businesses for discounts and insurance savings. So in a way, liability insurance is a good small business security measure.

Every year, small businesses lose billions of dollars to preventable theft and vandalism. Monitored commercial alarm systems are an inexpensive and effective way to protect your small business. They’re easy to install in less than a day, and they’re easy to operate. A good small business security system will include control panels, security keypads, glass break sensors, window and door contacts, motion detectors, and sirens. Systems can be hard-wired or wireless. They can include loud immediate alarms or silent alarms that alert law enforcement without interrupting ongoing business. They can have add-ons like fire alarms and video surveillance. You can get a back-up system to assure your small business security needs are covered at all times.

If you haven’t already done it, you should ask a security professional to inspect and assess your small business for vulnerabilities and ask for a proposal that addresses them. Inherently more vulnerable to financial losses, there’s no such thing as too much security for a small business. An expert in the field can help you identify your small business security needs and create a plan that both meets your budget and makes your small business more secure.

When shopping for a small business security system provider, there are a few basic ways to select the best one for your needs. First, you should always talk to more than one company. Three or four reputable vendors is a logical choice that produces competition and gives you a variety of ideas and options. They should be willing to come to your business for face-to-face meetings. Be sure to get the proposals and price estimates in writing, and make sure the proposals are complete, including monthly charges, set-up and installation fees, and warranties. Find out if they offer training for you and your staff. Once you’ve made a commitment, review the contract very carefully to make sure it includes all the options you discussed with them.

The small business security specialist can analyze your physical layout, your internal procedures, and your vulnerabilities to help you come up with a comprehensive plan.

Gain Access to an Accurate and Relevant Database by Outsourcing Data Capture and Data Extraction Services

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:00:20 +0000

Data Conversion can be defined as the conversion of data from one format to another, usually for the purpose of application interoperability or for the capability of using new features. Data Conversion plays a critical role in businesses by centralizing the flow of information and regulating the same, converting data from an unstructured format into an electronic one and helping in structuring the data into coherent and meaningful information that can be used.

Indian outsourcing companies provide data conversion services that enable companies to specifically convert all kinds of forms, periodicals, reports, journals, catalogs, and financial statements into a desired format. Two of the many data conversion services that are offered are Document Conversion services and File Conversion Services.

Document Conversion

Since data forms the backbone of any business organization, very often huge amounts of data stored in multiple data formats can cause chaos and in turn huge losses in terms of money, time and clientele. Document Conversion Services is required in order to organize and streamline varied sources of data and store them in a central repository for future use.

All documents received by the client are scanned and converted into a wide variety of documents depending on the format specified by the client. Documents are converted from

Ø DWG to JPG

Ø PDF to DOC

Ø DOC to TIFF

Ø Excel to HTML

Ø PSD to XHTML

Ø TIFF to PDF

Ø GIF to TGA

Ø PSP to PDF

Ø Books to HTML/ XML/XHTML/ PDF /MS Word

Ø Paper documents and scanned images to MS Word

Ø Scanned paper reports and images to electronic formats

Ø Image files to XHTML

Documents are accepted in any format such as CDs, DVDs, manuscripts or printed material. After going through the processes of evaluation, identification and confirmation, the documents are converted into the specified format required by the client. This ensures an accuracy rate of 99.9%.

File Conversion

Since storage software versions are constantly being updated, companies are very often left with unreadable or incompatible files. For example, Real Networks is now in their 11th version and Windows Media is in their 12th version. Outsourcing companies in India offer varied file conversion services that would ensure that all files are up-to-date and in the current format specified by the client.

In order to convert files that have valuable information which are stored in a format that was in vogue during their conception but no longer in use now, outsourcing companies offer the following file conversion services

Ø Content conversion of legacy and new content

Ø Document conversion from legacy formats into to XML/HTML

Ø Audio file conversion

Ø Video file conversion

Ø MP3 file conversion

Ø Image file conversion

Ø Pre-press preparation for print and e-publishing

Ø E-book production

Ø Graphic design and digitization of illustrations

Ø Tiff file conversion

Ø Text file conversion

Ø HTML file conversion

Data can be sent in any file format such as Paper documents, Books, Microfilms, Microfiches, Image files (.tiff, PDF, gif, jpeg, etc.), Video files (.mpg, .mov, .avi etc) and Audio files (.mp3, .wmv, .wav etc). The client then receives their converted data in any file format (txt, PDF, doc, Microsoft NetShow, Real Video, Vivo, AVI, QuickTime etc) or any media (CDs, tape, Zip disk etc.) as per their choice. The files are sent to the client via the Internet or through a secure FTP server, VPN or Telnet.

Outsourcing of Document Conversion and File Conversion services to India offer the overseas customer a host of advantages which include

Ø High expertise and experience in the area of data conversion

Ø Qualified experts attending to each project

Ø A 99.995% accuracy rate

Ø High end technical knowledge and know-how

Ø Multiple document conversions

Ø Project specific attention

Ø Preserved image quality even after conversion

Ø Advanced PDF converter which supports encrypted PDF files

Ø Ability to stay ahead of other vendors by competitive pricing

Outsourcing of Document Conversion and File Conversion services helps businesses to manage and store their data effectively, which in turn would enable them to experience an increase in profits. The quick turn around time and ability to make sure that all of the client’s objectives and goals are met work as an added bonus towards outsourcing of Document Conversion and File Conversion services to India.