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Weak US Dollar Weighs
on Markets
Weakness in the US dollar has continued to overshadow global stock markets as
investors offloaded exporters on fears that corporate earnings will decline.
Nintendo Shares see
Wii Benefits
Nintendo shares have soared after its new console stole the show at the E3 games
expo in Los Angeles. The Wii (pronounced "we") grabbed attention with its controller
based on motion sensors rather than buttons.
McAfee:
Beware Sponsored Search Results
All the major search engines return "risky" Web sites in their search
results for popular keywords, according to a report by antivirus vendor McAfee.
In the worst cases, users who click on malicious sponsored links risk having their
machines compromised by hackers.
Flat-rate
Mobile Internet Access 'Doomed' in Europe
The prospects for uncapped internet access via the mobile phone look to be dead
in the water, according to analysts. The industry will instead move towards variable
quality service offerings, with low grade access for basic voice calls but the
option to pay for upgraded services...
Heading
to Amsterdam for XTech 2006...
In about six hours I'll be heading off to XTech 2006 with team-mates and fellow
speakers Paul Hammond and Simon Willison. I'll be doing probably my final run
at Native to a Web of Data in public before I write it up finally and stick it
on the internet. The pitch is as follows:
Yahoo!
has Google in its Sights
Yahoo! launched its fightback against Google yesterday with the launch of a new
internet advertising system. Search engine advertising, where ads are triggered
by a keyword typed into a search site, is the driving force behind the internet
advertising boom...
Nokia to
Run Google Talk on Web Tablet
Nokia, the world's top mobile phone maker, will unveil on Tuesday a new version
of its Internet tablet device that runs Google Talk communications software, sources
familiar with the plans said on Friday.
European
Mobile Business Market at 'Inflection Point'
The European mobile enterprise market is at an "inflection point" characterised
by growing demand that has caught many operators unprepared, analysts reported
today.
Pirate
Software Case Cost UK Taxpayers £19m
A criminal prosecution involving pirated software left the UK taxpayer with the
largest bill for legal aid in 2004-2005. Operation Blossom cost £18.4m in
defence legal fees, making it the most expensive criminal law case to reach a
conclusion in 2005.
Fifty-quid
Bloke Gives Way to MP3 Woman
Women using digital downloads to circumvent intimidating record shop assistants
are driving a resurgence in music sales, according to research. The fifty-quid
bloke, the marketing name for middle-aged men credited with boosting record sales
by buying piles of CDs...
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05.15.06
How To Tell When Your Business Needs A Consultant
 By
Tom Kline
In any small to medium-size business, there comes a time when you don't know exactly
what to do or how to do it.
That's when you need an outside appraisal of your business and the way it operates. Too many businesses fail as a result of insular thinking. Sometimes, you're so close to the trees, it takes an outsider to see the forest. Don't let your business succumb to stuck-inside-the-box thinking. Read on to find out how to recognize the need for a consultant.
Hiring a consultant in the following situations can grow, or even save your company.
1. When you don't know exactly what to do or how to do it.
2. When you need an outside appraisal of your business and the way it operates.
3. When you need a special talent or desire an exceptionally high-level of competence in some field.
4. When you want to review some special issue in your business.
5. When you need help in long-range planning.
6. When you want to project or predict the effects of possible expansion or diversification.
7. When you are looking for new ideas or a fresh approach.
8. When you need help preparing a proposal.
9. When anonymous representation of your company by an outside party is advantageous for negotiations, mergers and acquisitions.
10. When a short-term project requires special expertise that no one on your staff possesses; but you do not want to hire another full-time employee.
Consultants offer other hidden advantages for your company.
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Consider some of the other advantages that consultants offer: Often times, consultants see situations that have gone unnoticed by regular staff. They can also upgrade the education and experience of your staff. A consultant is specifically oriented toward producing results; and you only pay them for the time you use them.
Using a Consultant to Help Your Business Grow.
Hiring a consultant is the surest way to know whether your business is operating as efficiently as possible, and ensure that you are accessing your maximum market penetration. Use a consultant to discover the strengths and weaknesses within your business and put that new information to work.
The top 5 advantages of using a consultant:
1. Consultants see situations that have gone unnoticed by regular staff.
2. Consultants upgrade the education and experience of your staff.
3. A consultant is specifically oriented toward producing results.
4. You pay only for the time you use them.
5. Gives you extra staff without permanent obligations.
A consultant could help your business in ways you never imagined.
Shifts in industries or economics often prove challenging to companies that aren't ahead of the curve. Perhaps you're a start-up about to pitch a new account, but have no idea how you'd handle the volume if you landed it. Here are a few other examples of companies that have benefited by the help of a consultant:
* A radio station, overshadowed by ever-growing conglomerates, helped its sales department develop new short and long-term sales strategies.
* A real-estate firm secured anonymous representation to an outside party, which proved advantageous in their negotiations for investment capital and acquisitions.
* An independent restaurant owner discovered a fresh approach to a problem she couldn't solve internally.
* A staffing firm obtained an outside appraisal of their business and how it was operating.
* A small catering company used a consultant to help prepare a proposal for a large-scale, long-term project that would take its operations to a new level.
* A start-up pet supply chain was able to project the effects of possible expansion or diversification.
Take a hard look at your business today. How could a consulting service help you reach your goals?
About the Author:
Tom Kline is Controller of RK Auto Group
(RK Buick, RK Chevrolet, RK Subaru: RK Subaru: RK Scion: RK Toyota). |
