ARTICLES

Have you ever had a situation where you told someone what to do, and they didn't do it like you wanted them to? Of course you have. We all have, and it's very frustrating. We throw our hands in the air and sigh about how hard it is to find good...

What is the most valuable process in your business? Is it acquiring hard-to-find parts, adding value by packaging related items or modifying a product to make it unique? Or are you simply capitalizing on volume? Whenever you or your employees touch...

After numerous postponements dating back three years, the long-awaited Red Flags Rule finally became effective Jan. 1, 2011. During this process, slight revisions have been made that impact the parties involved. It's important to know whether your...

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door." If it were only that easy! Ask anyone in business, and they'll likely tell you that it takes more than having a good product or service to attract...

In these challenging economic times, every company is looking for ways to gain market share and increase sales. But connecting with new customers requires more than a glossy brochure. One way is to leverage the power of social media – a new...

Are you tired of reading about large U.S. corporations that “game” the tax system to lower or eliminate their U.S. tax bills by shifting income to so-called “tax havens” in places that sound more like vacation destinations than business...

It's 2011, and most companies are trying to figure out how to gain market share and increase sales. Manufacturing firms and distributors are no exception. Connecting with customers in today's information-rich environment requires more than a glossy...

Incentive compensation is a frequent topic for business owners. It seems so logical – pay people for what they accomplish, not just for showing up.   That may seem logical, but it isn’t as easy to practice as you might hope. Here are a few...

Employees are the life blood of an organization. While the best among them inspire trust and confidence, the worst ones can destroy a business through incompetence or willful corruption. Experts say the question employers must continuously ask...

Having the right product in the right place at the right time is the mantra of inventory management.  With too much inventory, you can suffer from obsolescence, spoilage and excessive carrying costs. With too little inventory, you can suffer...

Last March we heard a lot about the healthcare act of 2010. What we didn't hear so much about were the "revenue raisers" that followed in its wake.  One thing to watch out for is the Economic Substance Doctrine. Section 7701(o) of the Internal...

When a fraud is suspected, organizations must proceed quickly, but carefully.  In most situations, simply calling the local police won't help. False allegations or a wrongful termination may backfire against an employer and cause worse damage...