Tuesday, April 29, 2008

How To Use A Lawn Aerator

By Kelvin Ho Wee Min Nearly every lawn could use a lawn aerator. A lawn aerator is a tool that will help turn the soil and create holes in the top portion of the soil. It is that simple! When the soil is broken up and holes are created, the soil can then get water and air to the appropriate roots to help grass and plants grow and stay healthy. Earthworms will also be able to get into the soil to help fertilize the soil with much ease. The soil often becomes compacted due to various human activities such as when the soil is being walked on, played on, driven on or anything else done on it. Unfortunately, when this happens, it slowly begins to suffocate the grass and eventually kills it. Your lawn problem may not be due to insects or anything else. It could just be that the soil has become too compacted and the grass can not get any water and earthworms can not get the air to breath. This is when a lawn aerator can help fix all of your problems. Use your lawn aerator regularly, such as in the autumn and spring. Do not use your lawn aerator on dry soil; use it only when it is damp. Do not use your lawn aerator when the soil is deeply waterlogged or extremely dry. Use your lawn aerator on a regular basis and whenever it is needed. Use it properly and you will have rich, fresh grass and plants growing on your lawn. It will be as beautiful as it can be. This is especially important if you plan to create a garden, plant flowers or anything else. Earthworms, water and oxygen will all help to keep your garden, plants and flowers to stay healthy and grow to their fullest potential. Use your lawn aerator just before planting your seeds, no matter what type of plant, flower or food you might be planting. This will help tremendously during the growth process. Earthworms need to get into the soil and help your crops grow. Air and water needs to get into the roots of your plants to help them grow and survive. A lawn aerator can help you create a beautiful flower bed, grow your own crops for eating, and even grow plants. If you have a business in this area, a lawn aerator will become your best friend for keeping your gardens healthy. You will be able to grow and sell even more plants than you ever imagined. Even if gardening is just a hobby of yours, an aerator is vital to your plants. Create a beautiful landscape in your own yard with a lawn aerator. Just imagine what you can do with your lawn even is it is just aerating your soil so the grass will grow, become more dense and look so healthy your neighbors will be asking you what your secret is. You can keep it a secret if you would like, but you know that it was just using a simple garden tool your new lawn aerator. This tool can mean the difference between having grass on your lawn or not. It can mean the difference between planting and growing beautiful plants and crops, or helplessly watching them try to grow and die. Kelvin Ho runs his own gardening site at http://www.thegreenfingers.com Looking to create your dream lawn or need more information about lawn care? Find them here at http://www.thegreenfingers.com/lawncare Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelvin_Ho_Wee_Min http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Use-A-Lawn-Aerator&id=440635 debt consolidation secured loans bad car credit in loan massachusetts lock credit report home mortgage for people with bad credit
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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Title: Alcoholic Drinks And Its Effect on Your Weight Loss Program

By Tracy Lee “I’ll just have a little…” If you are not careful, this little phrase can be an absolute killer for your weight loss plans during this holiday season. And I’m not just talking about the food. The hidden danger is in all the alcoholic drinks and cocktails that’s being offered to you. Yes, those party drinks can do more harm other than just getting you intoxicated and embarassingly uninhibited! Did you know that these drinks contain an incredible number of calories? In fact, alcohol is the number two most energy-dense food, losing out only to fat. Fat has 9 calories per gram, and alcohol comes in a close second at a whopping 7 calories per gram. What this means is that each alcoholic drink you consume will cause you to take in an alarmingly high number of calories. Here’s a sample of some of the more popular drinks, together with their calorie counts… 1 glass of Bailey’s lrish Cream - 468 calories 1 glass of Margarita - 453 calories 1 glass of Martini - 413 calories 1 glass of Pina Colada - 297 calories 1 glass of Vodka Cranberry - 250 calories 1 glass of Rum & cola - 240 calories 1 glass of Screwdriver - 200 calories 1 mug of beer - 150 calories 1 glass of white wine - 120 calories 1 tequila shot - 100 calories To put those calorie counts into perspective, I’d like to just point out that 2 glasses of Margaritas would have given you about _half_ of your daily calories requirements. Yes, 50% from just 2 drinks. And we have not even included the calories from the food, nuts and snacks yet! Once we add those in, can you see how easy it is for you to go over the daily calorie requirements, and start piling on the pounds? Now, this doesn’t mean that you should stay away from the alcoholic drinks. It’s just that when you drink, you should keep in mind the huge amount of calories in the drinks. I want you to have fun this holiday. So, if you are the sort that enjoys a drink of two at your parties, I want to leave you with a couple of useful tips to help to reduce the “guilt factor”. - Fill up your glass with lots of ice cubes. You’ll not only get a nice cold drink, the water from the melted ice has zero calories too. - Use soda water to dilute your drink. This helps to fill you up quicker, and it means you won’t get tipsy too quickly. - And probably the most important tip… Do not use the alcoholic drinks to quench your thirst. Remember, you should be drinking these party drinks for fun. After the heavy meal or when you had too much salty snacks, go drink a big glass of water first to quench your thirst. Water works better for this, and it has zero calories! I hope you have loads of fun… and Happy Holidays! Copyright 2005 Tracy Lee Tracy Lee is the owner of the “Weight Loss for Women Over 40″ site. Get the latest news, tips & tricks that can help women over 40 to lose weight safely and permanently, and your complimentary copy of our Special Report “9 Little-Known Insider Weight Loss Secrets To Help Women Over 40 Make Those Extra Pounds Disappear” instantly here: http://www.weight-loss-for-women-over-40.com/insidersecrets/ This article is available for reprint in your ezine, website or e-book. You MUST agree not to make any changes to the article and the RESOURCE BOX MUST be included WITH A LIVE LINK back to our website. Otherwise reprint is prohibited. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Lee http://EzineArticles.com/?Title:-Alcoholic-Drinks-And-Its-Effect-on-Your-Weight-Loss-Program&id=112696 3 credit reports federal annual credit report variable vs fixed credit card rates bad credit car loans fayetteville nc
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Sunday, April 20, 2008

Some Baptism Party Games for the Whole Group

By Gail Leino A Baptism can be held for anyone of any age, though usually we associate the Baptism party games with children who are entering their parents church. However, since the age can be varied here are a couple of Baptism Party Games the kids and adults can take part in. Feel the Rhythm: Get everyone involved in the Baptism party games with this rhythmic and humorous game. As the name implies you go about hand clapping to get the player to do an activity that the rest of the baptism party games group has chosen for them to do by indicating it with slower or faster clapping. Send a person out of the room and while this person is gone, get the Baptism party group together and you should all decide on something for the it person to do. The task can be anything, as simple as making a face or as involved as giving everyone a drink of water. When youve decided what the person will do have him or her return to the Baptism party game. No one can talk to the player to give him or her hints. Everyone at the Baptism party games must clap their hands in unison to indicate how close the player is to discovering the task that needs doing. Faith Run: This Baptism party game has to be played outside or else in a very large room like a gym and youll make sure that everyone at the Baptism will take a turn. Its a little daunting at first playing this game, but youll find that its actually quite freeing. Gather together a large group for this game so that each of the players can run a good length of time. The purpose of the game? Letting people experience the trust and faith that if they run through two rows of people blindfolded those people will outstretch their hands and keep the runner on a safe course. Have the group form the two rows and have someone taller and heavier stand at the end of the rows with his or her arms outstretched to catch the runner and stop him or her. These two games will get everyone into a good mood for the rest of the Baptism party games festivities or you can just use one game to break the ice and move on to celebrating after the Baptism. Mrs. Party… Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for baptism party supplies and fun free educational party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Shop has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or “just because” parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Leino http://EzineArticles.com/?Some-Baptism-Party-Games-for-the-Whole-Group&id=520646 phentermine no prescription required purchase phentermine with mastercard buy phentermine without a doctor buy phentermine without perscription
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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Chemical Cleaning Facts - All Those Chemicals Don’t Do That Much Harm, Do They?

By Angie Black Do you want to know the cleaning facts that are not widely publicised? If youve ever read the ingredients on the labels of your household cleaners, youd know that they contain a number of different chemicals. Youre also probably aware that these chemicals have a distinct smell or odour. This article is intended to tell you what you probably dont know. All the cleaning facts in this article have a direct affect on you and it should be your right to know them. Our cleaning facts research states that there are over 75,000 chemicals licensed for commercial use in todays world, with about 2000 new synthetic chemicals licensed each year. A large number of these chemicals are suspected carcinogens or are thought to cause a number of health problems. It may surprise you to know that only 600 of these chemicals have been adequately tested. Commercial cleaning product companies are under no legal obligation to research how their products might harm human health. Whats more, only 1% of toxins are required to be listed on the product label. This is because companies classify their ingredients as trade secrets. -Lorie Dwornick, researcher, educator and activist, 2002 Want more cleaning facts? According to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, chemical levels in the home are up to 70 times higher than outside. It has been proven that air quality inside the average American household is 2 to 5 times more contaminated than the outside air. This is due largely to the chemicals found in commercial products such as cosmetics and cleaning products. In 1985, research by the EPA concluded that chemicals in household cleaners are about 3 times more likely to cause cancer than any other air pollutant. Did you know that in the early 1900s, only 1 in every 8,000 Americans developed cancer. This ratio has dropped to 1 in every 3 today! Our cleaning facts research has also alerted us to the dangers concerning our children. Over a million Americans are treated for exposure to household cleaning products. The majority of these are children under the age of 12. When you take into account the weight difference between that of a child and that of an adult, the amount of air, food and water consumed by a child is far greater than that of an adult. This means that they are exposed more to pollutants than adults. A childs immune system is also less developed and their developing cells are more easily damaged. Pollutants in the air tend to be more concentrated towards ground level. Children breathe air which contains more pollutants simply because of their height. They also tend to spend more time playing on the floor and in contact with cleaning product residues. Those chemicals which are tested are only tested for adults. Children are not considered. Does this sound worrying? What affect is our chemical lifestyle having on our childrens health? The chemical industry claims that very low levels of exposure to these chemicals are safe, yet there have been no exposure studies completed for the large majority of these chemicals. There is also limited information as to how these chemicals interact with each other. According to the EPA, combined chemicals are far more dangerous. Did you know that mixing Ammonia with bleach results in a toxic gas extremely lethal to humans? If you also check the ingredients of many household cleaners you will find that they often contain both ammonia and bleach. If you remember any of these cleaning facts, remember this. Petrochemical cleaning products are absorbed easily through our skin. The chemicals travel through our blood stream and are stored in our fatty tissues. Over time, the build up of these toxic chemicals causes many health problems, including cancer and Alzheimers disease. All this can be avoided with the use of green products which contain no toxic chemicals and are much safer for the environment. You should also be aware that all the chemicals that you wash down your drains will inevitably end up in our rivers. The water in our rivers is put through a water treatment plant where it is mixed with even more toxic chemicals. It is then returned to us in our taps. Everything that we do to the environment we also do to ourselves! 5 interesting cleaning facts Cleaning Fact 1: Cold water will inhibit the spread of bacteria and germs. Hot water only encourages the growth of nasty organisms. Cleaning Fact 2: Antibacterial soaps are really not necessary in the home and may do more harm than good. Cleaning Fact 3: Commercial dish washing detergents often leave chemical residues on your dishes that accumulate each time you wash them. Those chemicals are absorbed into your food. Cleaning Fact 4: If a chemical kills half of a group of test animals it is labeled toxic. If the lab animals survives after being exposed to an amount greater than that listed it is labeled non-toxic. These tests are not specific to humans and do not consider long term exposure. (Lab animals often include mice which have a stronger immune system than humans.) Cleaning Fact 5: Women who work at home are at a 54% greater risk of developing cancer than women who work away from home. A 15 year study concluded that this is a direct result of the chemicals in household products. -Toronto Indoor Air Conference 1990 Sources: http://www.cleaningpro.com/toxic.cfm http://www.getipm.com/pesticides/kids.htm -U.S. Government, E.P.A. -American Cancer Society Angie Black. http://www.cleaningnatural.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angie_Black http://EzineArticles.com/?Chemical-Cleaning-Facts—-All-Those-Chemicals-Dont-Do-That-Much-Harm,-Do-They?&id=172474 phentermine 37.5 no prescription phentermine online rx pharmacy phentermine cod phentermine us pharmacy
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Perfect Wedding Venue - Having A ball In The Perfect Hall

By Daisy May So it`s over now those famous words have been spoken ending the perfect wedding service - I now pronounce you husband and wife. Then we have the perfect wedding dress on the bride as the solo photo shoot takes place while the perfect groom looks on with pride. Perfection ends with a perfectly organised Wedding Venue. If all your plans were carried out accordingly to your specific requirements of having the best of everything then there is no need to worry. The Wedding Venue where your reception is to take place is just as important as any other part of your wedding plans. The rave begins on the night of the wedding where guests party into the night and dance till dawn (depending on the venue) Gatherings can be large or small depending on your guest list so therefore the size of the Perfect Wedding Venue has to be carefully thought through. Ask friends and family for advice on local venue halls as they may have attended parties in the past which puts them in a position to answer your questions in general - like the size - seating capacity if any and what rules and regulations have to be adhered too. Case the joint so as to speak if you go to view - your perfect wedding venue will have a feel about it that you are either happy with or not - go back a second time if need be. Don`t rush matters and take your time before making any decision. A wedding is a very important occasion so let us get it right from the beginning. Plans to find your Perfect Wedding Venue can take time so advanced planning is a necessary step. Twelve months before the marriage is to take place is when the search should begin. What you have to remember is there maybe other events going on at the same time as your wedding who may also be interested in the same building or hall that you have your eye on. So bear in mind the early bird catches the worm. Very important is the size so it is wise to consult the guest list before making any reservations. Your wedding venue will not be perfect if to small and if to big then that may incur unnecessary costs which could be put to another good use like more spending money for the honeymoon. It is understandable that precise numbers can not be given at the time of booking due to the fact that some guests may not be able to attend on the night - but it is best to go off approximates so that you don`t lose the venue though hesitation of uncertainty. If a live band is to play the music at your wedding venue then please do yourself a favour and check out the dance floor and stage size. Also it is vital to check the clubs rules on the music. See if the venue you have booked can accommodate your guests with allotted parking areas. Your guests maybe travelling from out of town to attend the event. As with any venture when booking a hall for whatever the occasion - be sure to ask as many questions as possible. There maybe restrictions regarding music and closure times for particular areas where your perfect wedding venue is being held. Before sprucing up the hall with decorations highlighting the occasion remember to ask permission, check if the wedding hall will allow you to personalize the room by bringing along your own caterer, florist. There have been many upsets at weddings where the supposedly perfect wedding venue turned out not so perfect after all. But there you go not all of us are perfect when it comes to making the right decision so if in doubt get out and find someone who is more clued up on how to house hundreds of guest while they have a ball. A site that comes highly reccomended by past present and future brides for wedding essentials is http://www.party-organizing.com Need to relax after all that wedding planning. Need to shape up for the special day http://www.want2yoga.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daisy_May http://EzineArticles.com/?Perfect-Wedding-Venue—Having-A-ball-In-The-Perfect-Hall&id=172951 buy phentermine by cod buy phentermine ship cod phentermine diet pills mastercard cheap phentermine 37.5 mg
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Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Relationship Advice: Do Little White Lies Help or Hurt Your Relationship?

By Jeff Barnet Do you know how sometimes people tell little white lies to keep from hurting someone or to avoid confrontation? Read on to find out how those little white lies can destroy your relationship. Digging a pit for yourself Lying to your spouse, no matter what the motivation, is digging a pit for yourself. It is crucial to be honest in your communication. Most people have good intentions when they lie about small issues; they dont want to hurt their spouses feelings. However, if your spouse discovers your dishonesty, then their trust in you will be undermined. One wife said, You have been lying to me about all these little things. How do I know you are not lying about bigger things? Your pit has now become a crater. The case of lemon chicken There is a classic example of this in the television sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond. When Raymond and Debra are dating, she cooks lemon chicken for him. He tells her how much he liked it and that he could eat it for the rest of his life. Years later, Debra learns that he really dislikes lemon chicken. She is more hurt by the fact that he lied to her than the fact the he did not like the chicken. From the pit to the crater If you are not comfortable telling the truth about little things, then how will you tell the truth about major problems. For example, I have seen many couples be dishonest about money. Some women hide new clothes, because it was not in the budget. At the other extreme, I know men who did not tell their wives they were having financial trouble until after the vehicles were repossessed. Not only is this unfair to your partner, but it erodes trust and may take years to repair the damage. The crater can swallow you up It is not always easy to be honest with our spouse. Most of the time, we are sparing their feelings or avoiding confrontation. However, lying is toxic to a trusting relationship. The crater will swallow you up. Instead, commit to telling the truth. Visit http://www.BuildingYourDreamMarriage.com for more tips and tools for more relationship building tools. You can also visit http://www.BuildingYourDreamMarriage.com to subscribe to my free newsletter and listen to a free audio. You are also invited to find out more about our relationship building services from Jeff Barnet, MS LPC. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Barnet http://EzineArticles.com/?Relationship-Advice:–Do-Little-White-Lies-Help-or-Hurt-Your-Relationship?&id=348248 phentermine diet pills without a prescription phentermine with no prescription required phentermine with out prescription phentermine no prescription required
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Sunday, April 6, 2008

Book Binding A Lost Art

By Marcus Harbert Book binding can be a rewarding hobby for anyone to undertake and requires only some very basic hand tools to get started. Making a basic book is not as complicated as one might image but does take a little time. Most of the time is spent waiting on the glue to dry. Bookbinding starts with the folding of paper. Pages of paper are folded and combined to form what is referred to as a signature. These signatures are then sewn together to form the text block of a book. The text block is then reinforced with glue on its spine. Sometimes the spine can be rounded before glue is applied this depends on whether you prefer the book to have a flat spine or a rounded spine. Covers called boards are then added to the book. The boards of the book are attached with cords or bands that were sewn in during the sewing of the signatures to form the text block. If cords are used the book will have natural raised bands after the book has been covered with leather. The boards are then covered with cloth or leather. The insides of the boards have end papers pasted in. These end papers are sometime marbled to give the book a traditional and unique look. The cover is then ready for any tooling that may be required. Normally the tooling involves adding the title in gold or silver. This process is done with hand tools that are heated and pressed for a short time against the leather to form the imprint with the gold leaf design. The covers can also be blind-stamped with book binding tools to form intricate designs on the books covers. Marcus Harbert has been a book arts enthusiast for some time now and is determined to keep the craft alive. To read more about bookbinding visit his website http://www.aboutbookbinding.com where he has added the entire contents of The Art of Bookbinding by Joseph Zaehnsdorf 1897 and Bookbinding and the Care of Books 1902 that can be found here: http://www.aboutbookbinding.com/Bookbinding-20.html He also has a directory for his free online crafts books that can be found at http://www.lostcrafts.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Harbert http://EzineArticles.com/?Book-Binding-A-Lost-Art&id=118896 cheap phentermine overnight delivery phentermine online doctors phentermine online no rx buy phentermine without a prescription
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Friday, April 4, 2008

How to Make Your Backyard a Wonderland Oasis

By Robert Gravestock Home and garden accessories make the difference between house and home. Unfortunately, quality accessories can be notoriously expensive and in today’s economy, finding beauty at a price one can afford is sometimes difficult but can be done. The difference between an empty backyard and a lush garden oasis comes down to the details. Visual and aural grace notes can transform any space. Creating a relaxing atmosphere has as much to do with sound as with visual details. For instance, a simple white hammock suspended between two trees or a solid-wood swing becomes a perfect spot for Sunday afternoon naps and quiet conversations. Accompany that with tea-light candle lanterns, arranged attractively on a treated outdoor cocktail table placed next to a rose bed makes a perfect place for morning coffee. Hang a wood and steel wind chime nearby, hung high in the trees, sending pleasant notes over the air. Depending on the materials used in construction, wind chimes can sound like tinkling bells, or have rich, sonorous chimes. Finally, place a gently flowing fountain just behind is always an elegant finishing touch. Voila. You’ve incorporated all the elements: fire, water, steel and wood, and created your own Feng Shui paradise. For those fond of outdoor pieces, like garden statues, birdbaths and fountains, be sure to take the height of the surrounding plants (if any) into consideration. If you have a lush garden, full of tall grasses and flowering plants, consider foot tall or higher plaster statues of children gathering flowers, angels whispering to one another, or playful rabbits. Small plaster statues in the form of either sweet cherubs or amusing gargoyles (believed in ancient times to keep evil spirits away) are very charming when placed in garden beds featuring low growing border plants. When choosing home and garden accessories to enjoy in your backyard wonderland, don’t forget to think of the very birds, bees and butterflies which also call your backyard home. The friendlier a backyard is to flora and neighborhood fauna, the more inviting it is to people, too. Watching robins in the spring, hummingbirds in the summer and sparrows in the fall is one of the more relaxing aspects of backyard living. Outdoor garden decor is as reliant on lighting as it is on comfortable, all weather furnishings. After all, you want to be able to enjoy your beautiful outdoor living room in the evenings too. Though the most impressive lighting systems can be very expensive in ground, electrical solutions, the experts at Backyard Wonderland want to remind you that sometimes simple, old fashioned candlelight is the most romantic and beautiful lighting of all. For those with outdoor gazebos, or trees with limbs strong and low, the selection of a candle-bearing chandelier can be breathtakingly beautiful. Similarly, tea-candle lanterns, hung on low branches create mysterious and romantic lightscaping. Asian lanterns, with frosted glass panels, and Moroccan lanterns, with colored glass panels, create environments simultaneously festive and romantic. Of course, nothing beats a set of impressive table-top candlesticks. Strong carved wooden options, standing over a foot tall, make any outdoor dining experience more formal instantly. Brass, bronze, and metal sticks convey style and strength, and make dramatic impact. Ornate candle centerpieces set a beautiful table, and can be either fancy in polished metals, or whimsical in novelty designs. Statuary is not relegated only to outdoor environments. A beautiful bronze statue in the style of Remington, Rodin, or Michelangelo always makes an impressive statement in living and dining rooms. Patriotic sculptures and statues, too, are enjoying new-found popularity. My name is Robert Gravestock and I am the owner of Backyard Wonderland. In today’s economy, finding beauty at a price one can afford is difficult. Providing our customers with this opportunity is our highest priority. At Backyard Wonderland, we strive to offer our customers the finest backyard accessories at the lowest possible prices. Beyond our regular low prices, we feature online specials every month. In fact, our dedication to low prices is exceeded only by our desire to provide first-rate customer service. Visit our website at Backyard Wonderland, and see if we can help transform your house into a home. We pride ourselves on providing and delivering you with dozens of stylish, affordable solutions without sacrificing quality and style. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Gravestock http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Make-Your-Backyard-a-Wonderland-Oasis&id=45981 testimonials ambien ambien doses zolpidem targrate lethal dose of lorazepam
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Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Banks & Branches: What Happened to Online?

By Stuart Oliver So the Abbey has announced that it’s to open 100 new branches. See article here. This is interesting as the announcement comes only a few months after announcing that they will shed up to 2000 jobs in an efficiency drive I’m interested to know the motivation behind opening branches. Whatever it is, it must be compelling as the cost involved in this activity must be astronomical never mind the increase in overheads. My speculation is that it’s been decided that branches are needed in order to reduce customer churn and increase the customer base. This is the interesting bit. It’s interesting because this is old fashioned marketing. Good old face-to-face wins the day. You know the scenario, you walk in, smoke coming out of your ears, demand to have your account closed immediately and are met with smooth talking & understanding member of staff. 20 minutes later you walk out having kept your account and also signed up for a credit card and high notice deposit account. Is there a hidden message here? I think there is. The message is that they have not been successful reducing customer churn and gaining new customers through online means. I’m not sure if they’ve even tried. If they have, it’s a shame that it didn’t work. If they haven’t then it’s exactly what they should be doing. You can keep the Finance Director happy by spending far less than you would on new branches and also avoid a huge increase in overheads. Furthermore, and more importantly (at least is should be) they’ll keep their customers happy. If customers have an online community so that they can connect with their bank, so that they can communicate with their bank then they’ve just achieved the best win-win they ever could. You see here we have direct interaction with the consumer, they feel valued, they feel that someone is listening, more to the point you - the service provider, the bank - can communicate desired responses. These enable you to keep abreast of customer demands and desires and in doing so you’ll build advocates. Once you’ve done this you can dispense with your marketing director, he’s not needed anymore - you’re advocates will do his job for you. If you’re reading this and you work for the Abbey, I know what you’re thinking - “What about the internal overhead of responding to customer queries, questions, suggestions within this community”. This is a good question, let’s think about this. How many distinct questions do you think there can be. Really, how many. You’re a bank with a finite (and small) product offering. So that’s the first thing there won’t be that many distinct questions but for the questions that do exist, think about it, you’ll answer them once and hundreds or thousands will get the answer, the same answer - oh, at last, a consistent message you’ll hear your customers say. So know you’re building a nice repository of information, suggestions and advice all of which is reusable. If you have a decent search facility built in, questions should reduce as your customers will find the answers to their queries themselves. Make sense. So now, the customer is doing the work that you used to do, that sounds good - reduced headcount, the FD will be happy again. Last point (in order to keep the blog short-ish more than anything else), think about this community. Think about your clients openly expressing “I wish I didn’t have to do such and such when I setup a new direct debit” or “why does it take 5 days to sort out this” and lastly “why do the bank keep sending my cheque book to my previous address”. You’ve got free market research. Free = FD is happy again, Market Research = Marketing Director is happy. Ooops, I forgot, he’s already gone. OK, Head of Products will be happy. The future is online, the future is mobile. Few of us have the time, inclination or desire to visit a bank on the high street. The group that does have this time are reducing in number all of the time. Once we get to Global Banking, this group will be miniscule. My background and experience is mainly project management within diverse environments such as large corporate financial institutions, medium-sized technology consultancies and smaller start-ups. Having held positions including Operations Director (COO) and Head of Process Management, I recently left corporate lifethe entrepreneurial side of my character is prevailing. My focus is on becoming an Un-natural Entrepreneur. I want to work with people and companies that have vision. I can offer key values and skills to help bring your ideas to fruition. If you are a starter, then I am your finisher. My approach to a challenge is to clarify, understand, problem-solve, develop and deliver. To take an idea or concept through from its inception to its execution requires a consultative approach - a partnership. I am a rational and pragmatic thinker and can work within an existing management structure, or create a new management team through my extensive network. http://www.stuart-oliver.com/blog Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stuart_Oliver http://EzineArticles.com/?Banks-and-Branches:-What-Happened-to-Online?&id=198827 zolpidem 26 slow heart rate paxil ambien picture of ambien www ambien com ambian zolpidem
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