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Six Tips for Finding the Ideal Office Space in Chicago

When you’re moving your business or getting your startup off the ground, one practical question that surfaces over and over again is the office space predicament.

Finding the Ideal Office Space in Chicago

You have your business idea, leads, marketing strategy, and budget all figured out, but where are you going to open your business? What is the best spot?

Finding Office Space Chicag o can be hard, especially in the White City. It can be hard to come by an ideal location, and the prime real estate is often going to be fought over with tooth and nail.

What should you consider when you’re out searching for the perfect spot? Below, we have some tips that will help narrow your search and ensure you have the best office spot possible.

Consider Growth

When searching for office space, it’s essential to think of your business in a few years. Now, you may have a small team of employees, but what happens in a few years? Is your team size going to increase or maybe even double?

You must find Office space in Chicago that settles the company for the years to come. You don’t want to have to be constantly moving to accommodate your growing team.

Location is Key

Location is the most important guideline in real estate, and having a prime location can hurt or help your business.

If you’re going to be welcoming plenty of clients, then maybe a spot in the downtown would be a good idea. If you just need a space for everyone to be together, then you could look outside of popular areas to save money.

Being in The Loop, Chicago’s downtown business district, may be ideal, but is it possible for you and your employees?

Look for Recently Vacated Property

You want things to be in tip-top shape, right? You don’t want to come into work every day worrying about how the paint is peeling, and there’s an old smell you can’t seem to get rid of.

When looking at spaces, make sure it was someplace that was recently used. That means it’s desirable and likely has all the working parts you need to have a successful office.

Think About Culture

What kind of business you are is what separates you from everyone else. You want your office space to portray that culture.

First impressions are huge, and what clients and employees see when they walk through the doors is the image you’re going to project. Try and connect your office space to your overall culture.

Gauge Employee Opinions

Maybe you have the perfect office idea in your head. What does it look like?

Now, take whatever you have and run that by a few employees. Not only does this encourage employee engagement, but you’re also going to get happier employees if you’re considering their opinion.

While an open office plan may sound great, the studies tend to say otherwise.

It never helps to ask a few questions to your coworkers to see what they’re thinking may work best for them.

Remember that Everything is Negotiable

When you’re looking at office space, you might find the ideal spot that just happens to be out of your budget. Everything in this world can be negotiated, and you just have to give it a try.

Yes, the art of negotiating can be uncomfortable or even weird at some parts, but it’s a way to save on some overhead and use that money to grow your business down the road.

5 Reasons to Invest in Custom Stickers for your Brand

20 11 , 2018 1 Comment

When marketing their brand, some businesses do not realize how useful it is to utilize stickers. Here are some reasons why they are a good idea to use them to build your brand.

1. So you can impress your customers – do you want to make a great first impression on your potential customers? If you have an online shop, whenever your customers receive a package from your shop, you want to make sure that you send them a premium package, You can’t just send your products in plain boxes. It may be too expensive to have customized shipping containers, but you don’t need to panic. You can still achieve a great package if you use some customized stickers. You can use your own brand’s logo so it can also be an advertisement for your company.

2. People will easily remember your brand – especially if you are just starting out and you want more people to know about your company or brand, you want to think of ways for them to remember you. A good logo on a sticker is a good idea. But what’s great about custom stickers is that you can also include important information. Aside from your brand logo and maybe a tagline on the sticker, you can also add important information such as your website, or the contact numbers where they can call to inquire about your services or products.

3. People like stickers – let’s face it! If it were not something that people like, stickers would not continue to be popular today. We’ve been using stickers since we were kids, from stickers of our favorite cartoon characters to the gold stars we get when we’ve done well in school. But even as we grow older, we still find ourselves buying them, whether it’s to support a worthy cause or just something you found witty. As a business owner, take advantage of the sticker’s popularity and use it to build your brand.

4. They are not as expensive as you might think – you might think that it is not a worthy investment because it might cost too much, especially when you will have to reproduce a lot of stickers in order to give away to your customers. But the truth is, getting custom stickers made is not expensive at all. You just need to do your research so that you can get a good company that might offer discounts or a company like stickeroo.au which offers good freebies such as free shipping Australia Wide.

5. They are versatile – stickers are not just made for car bumpers anymore. They have many uses and can be put on a variety of materials and products. You can put them as a sticker for packaging for your handcrafted wares or other products. You can have custom stickers for bumpers, yes, but also stickers for cell phone cases and laptop cases. You can have these stickers put into all your employees’ phones and laptops and it would be like a walking advertisement for your brand!

5 Benefits to Giving Out Shopping Bags with your Company Logo

28 10 , 2018 No Comments

When it comes to putting your brand or business out there, offline marketing is as important as online marketing. After all, in the day to day life, people are not always online. And a good way to make your marketing strategies more effective is to incorporate it into daily life. For instance, shopping is something a lot of us do regularly. And with that comes the use of shopping bags all the time. It is efficient and makes shopping easier. So as a brand or a business, in order for you to incorporate it through marketing strategies, include your company logo in shopping bags that you give out.

Check how to prepare for Black Friday Shopping.

Here are five benefits to giving out shopping bags with your company logo.

1. You get to promote your brand.

The first and most important benefits you will be getting of you give out shopping bags with your logo is that you get to promote your brand. The shopping bag will serve as a promotional item while at the same time it is used regularly by people. This means that you get to maintain your brand’s recognition with these shopping bags. Moreover, it will make people recognize your brand and know more about your company every time they reach for the shopping bag.You can easily use cotton bags or tote bags with your logo printed for the purpose of brand promotion.Check https://www.cottonbag.co.uk/ for cotton bags.

2. You can reduce your company’s carbon footprint especially if you use reusable bags.

Reusable or recycled shopping bags are a great way to minimize your company’s carbon footprint. Recycled materials make a great promotional item for your company as it gives old items like used plastic to have a new purpose. You can definitely have customized shopping bags done with your company’s logo such as in Custom Earth Promos. It’s a great place to start and you can get more reusable shopping bags here.

3. Shopping bags are versatile items.

Shopping bags can literally be used for a lot of things. You can use it to carry groceries from the store to your home, you can use it as picnic bags, a beach bag, or just about anything else. For this reason, it makes a good promotional item as it can be used with anything. And incorporating your company logo with it will give it even more value. It will also make a good impression to potential customers as your company will be portrayed as one that supports recycling and reusing items. It will spread a good word about your brand.

4. You get the most out of the money you spent on marketing.

When it comes to marketing, we definitely want to get the most of what we are investing. The great thing about giving out shopping bags with your company logo is that it effective to catch people’s attention and it is also budget-friendly.

5. It can be used for style or a statement.

Carrying a bag that has a brand logo makes a bold statement. So when you give out shopping bags with your logo, it will make people recognize your brand and at the same time, use it as a mix of style and statement.

How to Get Start a Food Delivery Business

24 10 , 2018 No Comments

Like any other business, starting a food delivery business requires a lot of planning and research beforehand. If the proper research is done, a food delivery business will always be a success, because food will always be in demand. In the UK the hot food courier business is huge and growing every year. Unfortunately most of the deliveries are not from healthy restaurants, but fast food outlets

Let’s have a look at different factors to keep in mind before starting a food delivery business.

Choose your food item

There are a lot of food delivery models to consider. It is unlikely that you can provide a service to all of them as such pick a niche that you feel you can operate in. Do you want to cater food for weddings and other functions? Do you want to deliver food items to local shops? When you have decided on your approach it is time to research.

Do proper research of the market

The food delivery industry is very competitive. You must do the complete research before you begin. Have a good idea about the present demand in your chosen delivery model. Choose your coverage area and timings. Visit local food restaurants , shops or function organizers and check demand for your proposed services .This is an important stage so do take your time and get to know owners as they can give insight to potential pitfalls and also advise on the best approach to being successful..

Have a business plan

Have a sound business plan and plan at least 6 months in advance and allow for things not running smoothly especially at the start. So it is best to have a case reserve to get you thru the first few months as you build up your trade.

License and other required permissions

Check the local rules, licenses and the other permissions required. Get information about the rules of the council. If necessary register your service with the local authorities in advance.

Purchase required equipment and logistics

Naturally a lot of logistic planning will be involved in this type of courier business. The first requirement for a delivery business is transport. Will you purchase the vehicles or ask employee’s to provide their own transport? If delivering hot or perishable items you will need Invest in technology to keep the food in optimum condition whilst in transit. If the food has to be kept in any cold system, arrange for a cold storage or refrigerators.

Promotion and advertisement of your business

Start off by promoting your business to your friends and family. Concentrate on both offline and online promotion. Promote on different social media sites and possible build a web site or a Yahoo business page. Try to share your post with all local groups, family groups and friend circle. For offline promotion, get banners and posters and try to advertise your food joint at market places (with prior permission from the authorities, of course.)

Technology

Your food joint will need an app or a website to communicate with customers and also to provide menu cards and other information about the joint. Keep the app or website simple and easy to navigate. Don’t keep it flashy or sophisticated. Take the help of a website programmer or designer.

Try a hand at partnership

Find people who are looking for collaboration or collaborate with any existing food joint which is already present. This might increase the chances of success of the restaurant. However this is an option.

How Auto Repair Shops Phone Answering Can Impact Business

01 08 , 2018 No Comments

Auto Repair Customer Interaction

There is a very old saying that is as relevant today as when it was first uttered, that first impressions count. This is especially true within the auto repair business, where customers have long held the suspicion that your average auto shop is going to bill you for as much as they can, while not necessarily doing everything on the list. People who have a problem with their vehicle are quite likely to be stressed out about it, especially if it is needed to get to work, or deliver and collect the kids from school. What they are looking for when they call the auto shop is for a friendly, professional and helpful voice at the other end of the phone.

The Major Problems Customers Experience

Every business has busy periods, and that is normally when the phones suddenly start to ring incessantly. This can seem to the workers be an annoying distraction, but each phone call is a potential customer, who are after all, the very lifeline the business depends upon, and should be treated with courtesy and respect. People receiving a brusk reply, or trying to hold a conversation with someone in the workshop, where they cannot hear because of the noise in the background, will not be impressed. What is equally bad of course, is when no one picks up the phone, because very few people these days will leave a voice message and realistically expect a prompt return call, they are more likely to just ring the next number on their list.

Cars Break Down at Inconvenient Times

Maybe it is just coincidence, but cars have a wicked tendency to break down at the most inconvenient times and places, often outside of normal working hours. Such stranded potential customers want to talk to someone about booking it in repair right now. Having to wait until you open tomorrow is probably not going to work for them, and it certainly doesn’t work for you, because you just lost a customer. This is where utilising the services of a professional telephone answering service can give you a serious advantage. While you and all your competitors are closed, your calls are directed to staff, dedicated to your account, and thus able to answer with the same greeting as your shop provides during the day. With the questions and prepared answers your own staff use, and with the same people answering each time, their voices will soon become as familiar to them as your regular day time crew.

Better than the Real Thing

One of the major reasons why a call answering service is good for your business, is that the people responding to your potential customers are not mechanics, or panel beaters. They are trained professionals in customer service who understand exactly how to react to any customer interaction. They are probably far better at it than any of your normal staff, which means that the phone call to subsequent customer ratio is probably better than when you are actually open.

The costs for using such services is extremely affordable, far more so than employing someone to sit in your garage all night, every night. In fact, your day time staff would do well to take some tips in how to answer the phone properly from your answering service provider.

Also read: Tips to Choosing a Fuel Injector for your Car

5 Tips to Finding a Lawyer

27 04 , 2018 No Comments

Living in a world that is moving at a fast pace, one thing is more certain than not; life is unpredictable. There are all sorts of scenarios that warrant judicial representation. It’s important to note that legal problems vary in magnitude and nature. Having said this, it brings us to the reason why lawyers have a certain area of specialization. And you don’t have to be in trouble to require legal representation or counsel. For instance, a law is important for consultation before making a huge decision in business or other kinds of investments. Of the bar settlements, and other types of agreements also require the presence of an attorney. But let’s be honest, finding the right one can be one giant of a challenging task. Whichever the reason you need advocacy for; here are 5 tips to finding a lawyer.

Look Up Online Website

There are tons of legal sites that provide legal aid referrals. These referral listings contain all the available law firms and lawyers depending on your location. Some of them also provide information about how much a particular lawyer charges, their profiles, experience, and other crucial details such as specialization. As easy as it may seem to find a lawyer online, it’s critical to expand your research further.

Get Recommendations

There are people with extensive professional networks. Always ask around. There might be someone in your close circle who may recommend or refer you to a lawyer they know or have worked with. As a matter of fact, a recommendation is one of the most common ways people find their lawyers.

Work With the State Departments

Government agencies and state justice departments have staff lawyers who are always on standby willing to help the public, but, in limited situations. They come at no charge whatsoever. You’ll, however, need to contact the relevant agency for such situations. Apart from legal representation, you may also benefit from the free guidance on local and other law related issues. You can find such agencies online, especially on state listing websites.

Public Interest Group

These are nonprofit organizations that have particular interests on civil liberties and other social interests such as housing and discrimination. Most such groups would be willing to help you locate a lawyer if the issue has to do with any of their interests. Some of them even have highly affordable staff lawyers. Some of them also provide legal counsel and assistance to groups and entities other than individual representation. You’ll find such groups in your local bar association.

Your Insurance Provider

In some cases, your insurance company can help you find a lawyer. A good example is when there are challenges when making compensation claims. Example situations may include compensation claims for auto accidents and occupational accidents. The insurance company finds a capable lawyer to represent you. However, insurance adjusters will only work on behalf of the insurance companies. If this happens to be the case, it’s important to consult with a personal injury lawyer. A place like https://desalvolaw.com/ can be a good place to start your search, especially when it comes to legal issues to do with auto accidents or you’re hurt in a CTA bus crash.

Also worth noting, it’s always important to interview a lawyer first before hiring them. Also, some lawyers charge for consultation visits. This makes it important to target law firms that offer free consultations, which can bring down your legal expenses. Be sure to choose a lawyer that is reliable, trustworthy, credible, and by all means very capable to represent you.

Choosing Course Dates that Work Best for Your Schedule

12 04 , 2018 No Comments

Every state in the U.S. has laws that regulate the real estate industry. People who want to work as professional real estate agents cannot lawfully do so until they obtain the proper credentials as mandated by the state in which they plan to practice.

However, when you are already busy with your current career, you may not have a lot of time to pursue new credentials, refresher materials, or a new Nevada real estate license. You can pick a time and day that works for you as well as courses that suit your professional goals by using the online information today.

Choosing Courses that You Need for Licensing

Like most states, Nevada expects its real estate agents to know everything there is to know about the real estate selling and buying market. You cannot competently help clients buy or sell property without knowing these basics.

However, there may be hundreds or thousands of things that you need to remember at any given time. Even if you have extensive notes and can remember some of the most important topics, you still need to go back from time to time to brush up on topics that you might have forgotten.

The website shows you what courses are available to new or experienced real estate agents like you. If you are a beginner, you may need to start with the most basic of classes to learn the ins and outs of the business. However, if you are an experienced agent, you might not need to retake the basics and instead focus on learning the more complex lessons that are required for keeping your license.

Time and Day that Work for You

As a busy professional, you might not have a lot of time in your hectic schedule to take classes. Even so, you cannot afford to let your license lapse. The website shows you on what days the materials are offered to you. You can also sign up for a time that works with your calendar, giving you the power to train within a time frame that works best for you.

Learning to become a real estate agent and maintaining your license requires you to take classes as needed. You can choose from among the many topics and find a day and time that suit you by using the online information about Nevada real estate.

How to Set Up the Ideal Home Office

28 12 , 2017 13 Comments

Working from home may not be ideal for everyone, but it definitely has more benefits than drawbacks. One of the major benefits of working from home is the fact that you get to design your office to fit your needs. You may think that you don’t need an office, that if you’re working from home you can easily work in your bed still in your pajamas. But that’s a sure way to kill productivity.

If you work from home, setting up a home office is crucial. It can be an entire room or a quiet corner of your home, whichever you can afford to spare. You could transform that old guest room no one ever uses into an office or adapt the attic. It is important to have an area dedicated only to work. That will help modify your mindset and boost your productivity.

The key to designing the ideal home office is to maximize all available space, minimize distractions and just feel comfortable. In this article, we’ll give you a few tips on how to do that.

Choose the Right Desk

Your work desk is the most important item in your office. That said, you should not skimp when buying the desk. Look around local stores or online retailers like Shore Office Warehouse. What kind of desk appeals to you most? Do you prefer the traditional desk, a standing desk or an adaptable one that can do both?

Placing the desk is also extremely important. First of all, you should make sure that your back isn’t facing the door. Your back should be facing a wall and you should be able to see the entrance to the room so no one can surprise you when you work.

Ergonomically Adjust Your Workspace

Another key component to a productive office is comfort. That’s why you have to make sure you follow basic ergonomic rules when designing your office. First of all, make sure that your screen is placed at eye level or a bit below. This will help provide your eyes some rest and prevent fatigue. Make sure your forearms are parallel to the floor as you type. Make sure your feet are resting on the floor or on a footrest while you’re sitting at the desk. Find a comfortable chair that provides good support for your back. This is especially important for people who spend most of the day in a sitting position.

Let In Enough Natural Light

There’s nothing that could kill or boost your productivity faster than lighting. That is why you have to use the most out of the available natural light. Don’t place your workstation in a dark corner, but move the desk closer to the window and set it parallel to the panes. This will provide enough natural light without distracting your from work.

Add Artificial Lighting

That said, some rooms simply do not provide enough light if the windows are facing east or if the sun is obstructed by plants or buildings. In that case, don’t shy away from adding as much natural light as you need. Overhead lighting is generally not recommended for work. Instead, try getting a good table lamp which gives off a softer light and can also be a good decoration.

Draw a Line between Home and Work

When working from home this line is extremely thin, but if you plan on being productive you have to draw it clearly. Tell your family members that your home office is off limits, especially while you’re working, or it may lead to very unpleasant and unprofessional situations. Consider adding a separate phone number to your office so calls from relatives won’t disturb you in the middle of work.

Contact Shore Office Warehouse at 9530 Cabot Dr, San Diego, CA 92126; 858-271-8645 or browse their large selection of office desks at this link: https://www.shoreofficewarehouse.com/product-category/new/desks-new/

How to Know When You’re Getting Ripped Off

13 09 , 2017 10 Comments

Do you feel businesses are taking advantage of you, trying to convince you to spend more than you intended? You are not alone. A recent survey showed 83 percent of women felt ripped off by mechanics. Here are some ways to protect yourself from overcharging.

Car Mechanics and Women

Many women are hesitant when it comes to getting their car fixed. In fact, taking your car in for service ranks right up there with going to the dentist. But preparing yourself before going to the mechanic can help save you money.

Most women do not take the interest in cars the same way men do and as a result, they are not well versed in the way a car works. Take time to study your owner’s manual. Know when items need maintenance so when the mechanic says you need an oil change, you will know exactly when your car is due for that.

Over 45 percent of car owners admit to not keeping up with preventative maintenance. If you had a leak in your roof, would you wait until the roof caved in to fix it? By following the recommended timeline for maintenance, you will save yourself money in the long run. Learning to do some of the simple things yourself will also save you money.

Getting quotes from at least three local garages before you decide where to take your car can also lead to savings. Listen to your car as well. When talking to the mechanic, be descriptive about what you hear, what you smell, or what you see. Write it down if you need to. The more information you can offer means fewer labor charges from the mechanic as he searches for the problem.

Prepare Yourself Psychologically

Ripping someone off requires a person convincing you that you need to spend money that isn’t in your best interest. Many times, salespeople try to guilt you into buying unnecessary extended warranties. The clerk makes it seem you will regret it later if you don’t buy the warranty. You are told to buy this warranty now or risk a power surge damaging that new television. In this case, a good power cord protector makes better sense. Remember, extended warranties or product insurance plans are pure profit for the store so don’t be intimated into buying something you don’t need.

Do Your Research

An effective way to prevent yourself from an overcharge is to check out the company before you hire them. Ask friends or relatives if they are familiar with the business. Online reviews are an excellent way to find out a company’s reputation. Maintenance agreements can also save you costly repairs and have less fine print that extended warranties. These agreements call for a technician to come at regular intervals to check appliances or HVAC systems. By inspecting the equipment, a trained technician can show you a potential problem and take care of it before a complete breakdown occurs.

The best prevention against rip-offs is education. Know what you are talking about before speaking with a repair person and you will save money, time, and aggravation.

The Burden of Debt Arising because of Home Loan

03 08 , 2017 1 Comment

The amount of money that is borrowed by one party from another is known as debt. The money has to be repaid by the borrower within a specified date with interest. A home loan is an agreement between a borrower and lender where the lender lends money to the borrower so that he can buy his property. The property is kept as security for the amount of money borrowed. There are only a few people who can buy their house property without any financial aid. Let us discuss a few reasons for applying for a home advance.

Different aspects of loan

Loans for homes can last for several numbers of years. It may exceed beyond ten years. You should apply for loans and make loans for repayment in an appropriate way.

Closure of advance by prepaying

You may go in for the closure of advance by prepaying the remaining portion of debt. You may be levied prepayment charges by the lender. It all depends on the terms of agreement.

Opt for one with prepayment facility

If you do not want to make that extra payment, then you should opt for a debt with prepayment facility. There are many companies which do not charge anything on the foreclosure of loan.

Capital appreciation

Investment in a real estate is a wise decision. In recent times, rents for homes and costs of construction are constantly rising. Now you may go in for a home debt by browsing online.

Take possession of your dream home

From the comforts of your home, you may make a well-informed decision. With an appropriate debt amount, you can finally be able to possess a house property of your dreams.

Entitlement to Tax benefits

You will be entitled to certain tax benefits and can save to a considerable degree by taking a home debt. You can also claim tax deductions on the interest portion of loan. Deductions are also available for the processing fee. Visit here to learn more about it.

Rates of interest depending upon your requirements

There may be a fixed interest rate or floating interest rate associated with the home debt. A fixed interest rate is set at a certain amount and remains the same till the completion of payment of loan. A floating rate of interest fluctuates with the conditions of the market. You should opt in for a fixed or fluctuating rate depending upon your requirements.

Decision of taking a loan or not

Taking a loan on home is a huge investment decision. It is a long term plan. Most of the people make home loans for a period which may extend up to thirty years. Many of them go in for floating interest rates. It is not a wise idea to make such a major decision solely by rate of interest. Twenty years or thirty years tenure is a long-term matter, and it is impossible to predict the outcome as the rates will be subject to changes. Once you decide to opt for a home loan, you should start your search for an appropriate lender who can offer the best terms after examining your eligibility criteria.

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