Alright, I admit Human resources software didn’t save my life..but it did save my sanity. The business has grown (thankfully) and it was time to upgrade to a business level solution. No more spreadsheets, desk calendars and manual paychecks. I found myself spending too much time doing the HR administrative stuff and less time selling, which..let’s be honest here, is what pays the bills!

For months, I had been shopping for a customized HR solution for my business. Demos, whitepapers, sales calls..everything. I just wasn’t sure which was right for me. So based on a tip from one of my LinkedIn buddies I checked out compareHRIS.com. Four steps later, I was directed to Dresser & Associates. And voila, I know have an awesome new HR solution with Sage Abra.

Forklift Safety is a huge issue, mishandling a fork lift or having a faulty industry forklift battery can lead to serious injury or even death. Check out this YouTube clip of how NOT to unload a forklift. Enjoy!

What is a lumper? No, it’s not a city in Malaysia. Lumper services are one of the fastest growing industries serviced both by 3PL unloading providers and in-house by warehouses. Usually, a third-party lumper service will  contract with a warehouse for the right to unload their freight. The service provided includes unloading the freight from the truck and pallet stacking.  It is then the responsibility of the warehouse staff to move the freight from the dock to its appropriate warehouse location.

Because I work with a lot of business software companies, I oftentimes get asked my opinion about different accounting solutions. My answer is always this, “It depends on your business”. A software solution is usually not a one size fits al,  doing a little research and even testing out online demos can save you a lot of money and make your decision easier.

Small Business Software Solutions: Peachtree by Sage or Quickbooks

Medium Sized Business Accounting Software: MAS 90

Large Corporate Accounting Solution: MAS 200

On my way into work this morning, I came upon a car accident. Both cars were pretty banged up and traffic was backed up for a good quarter mile. As I slowly approached the accident scene, I saw one of the driver’s involved, crying hysterically, she just sat on the grass with her legs crossed and head hung low, and I immediately felt scared for her. Then I got to thinking, what would I do if I were in a car accident.

I came across this “What to do if you are involved in a car accident” checklist and thought I would share it.

1. Stay in place. Do not move the vehicles. Do not move the critically injured. Do not move accident debris. Your best bet is to stay put and don’t contamify the accident scene. This will ensure that the police and ambulance personnel can do their job effectively.

2. Call police immediately. Tell them exactly where the accident is located, who is involved and what the immediate situation warrants. This will determine what other personnel need be dispatched either fire department or ambulance.

3. Gather information. Gather the other driver’s information. Everything. name, address, phone number, cell phone number, car make, model, year, insurance company, insurance agent. Get the names and phone numbers of eye witnesses, you may need to them to testify in the event the case goes to court.

4. Document the damage. Immediately write down all the damages that occurred to your vehicle and the other one involved. If you have a camera handy or cell phone camera ready, take as many pictures as you can.

5. Document any injuries to yourself, your passengers and anyone else involved.

6. Report the accident to your insurance company. Whether you are the victim or at fault, it is necessary to report the accident to your insurance company.

7. Consult with a lawyer to know your rights and and if you have a case.

Quite possibly the best advice in this article is consult with a personal injury lawyer. Don’t have one? Aska relative or do a Google search for someone in your area (Ex. Maine car accident lawyer). A lawyer knows state laws and can give you guidance of your rights whether you are the victim or the one who caused the accident.

I need an HR software solution that will do time and attendance, payroll, sick leave and benefits. Anyone have a recommendation. I’ve been checking out some websites and nothing that I’ve found seems to be exactly what I’m looking for. So if you have any thoughts, I would love to hear it. I’m going nuts over here!

Arizona, California and Nevada have been hit the hardest by the looming real estate/housing crunch. A survey released in early April revealed,

“Total construction spending in the U.S. totaled $1.1 billion in February, according to numbers released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. That is down 0.3 percent from January 2008 and 3.5 percent below February 2007 spending levels.”

With new home construction at an all time low in Arizona, construction companies are scrambling to find work, cut costs and retain their experienced workforce. One method in which construction companies could cut costs immediately would be to employ a construction management software. A simple software program would track costs of projects, ensuring they do not go over budget and forecast job dates to ensure time efficiency. With no real end to the real estate market crash in sight, small improvements in construction processes could help them get through this construction drought.

We are looking to get a new boat this summer. When I say ‘we’ I mean ‘he’ as in my husband. Apparently he and several friends have decided to buy a boat together. Which means, tons of summer fun and a fraction of the cost! Woohoo!

I did some online searching for a Southern Maine Boat Dealer and came across this site, this one and since those are boat yacht dealers, I checked out Reo Marine. What I liked about this site, is that they literally had dozens and dozens of maine boating pictures. Now being a woman, I shop with my eyes..I really don’t care what’s under the hood.  I was also happy to see that they have an indoor showroom, which hubby and I will be checking out this weekend.

So my question to all of you is, have you been to Reo Marine? Share your experiences…

Cutting costs, improving efficiency and decreasing on the job accidents are just some of the jobs that a warehouse operator must manage.  Most of these tasks can be accomplished by simply outsourcing your warehouse needs.  Here are the top 5 reasons you should outsource your truck unloading.

1.  Cost Savings – A recent industry studies shows that a company can save up to 15% by simply outsourcing their logistical needs.

2.  Liability – Using a 3PL will reduce your liability in employee accident costs.

3.  Efficiency – Outsourcing your truck unloading will lead to a increase in dock flow and freight movement, leading to a higher customer satisfaction rate.

4. Time – Outsourcing your warehouse logistics will free up company time, allowing your employees to spend more time on improving business processes.

5.  Reporting – Using real time reporting will allow you to see the freight movement on any given day and will allow you better control of inventory.

Florida Forklift Dealers, Florida Lift Systems and Southern States Lift have embraced a new ecologically responsible initiative…Going Green! Toyota Industrial Equipment and Southern States Lift/ Florida Lift have partnered to create environmentally friendly and cost saving technologies within the industrial forklift and battery industry. Part of their green initiative is to reduce their environmental footprint by utilizing more efficient forklift batteries and ‘zero landfill’ facilities.

Toyota’s Columbus, Indiana Manufacturing plants boasts over 2 million square feet of operating space, yet is designated as a ‘Zero Landfill’ facility. This means that no manufacturing byproducts from that workspace end up in landfills, quite a enormous feat for a plant of that size.

Toyota’s 2008 8 Series forklift is entirely powered by electricity, allowing it to pass CARB’s stringent air testing.

FloridaLift and Southern States Lift are doing their part by being the only dealer in Florida to offer batteries and chargers for electric forklifts. They have also recently partnered with Brite Energy, manufacturers of industrial lighting. These fixture provide twice the light and twice the life of traditional industrial lighting, saving energy and money. Brite Energy industrial lighting fixtures actually pay for themselves in less than a year.

To learn more about how Southern States Lift/ Florida Lift and Toyota Industrial Equipment are ‘going green’ watch this presentation.