Global Public Articles

How would you like to have a simple way to judge the overall health of a company that you are examining?

It is a known fact that happy, healthy employees do not have workers’ compensation claims or on-the-job injuries.

Here is how

The way to tell the general health of any company is to obtain the Experience Modification Factor (E-Mod or EXP MOD) for the past five years. This is represented as a number, most often between .5 to 2.0.

Background

The insurance industry has developed a system to reward workers compensation policyholders who have a better than average loss experience. For those entities that qualify, based on the minimum premium requirements, the experience rating plan is mandatory. The heart of the plan is the E-Mod, which is a number developed by a complex formula including premiums, claims cost, and exposure types.

For the majority of states, the number is promulgated annually for each workers compensation policyholder in the US by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. (NCCI). For non-participating states, the same data is developed by a state agency. Essentially, workers compensation E-Mod calculations operate under the law of large numbers, because the experience of a given class is a combination of a large number of homogeneous exposure units.

Workers compensation insurance is based on a premium charge for each $100 of payroll in each different category of employee or class code. For instance, in a typical company there may be clerical, administrative, outside sales, etc. class codes for employees. The total workers compensation premium for a specific policy is the sum of the total of the premium for each class code, subject to some modifications.

Summary

The average E-Mod for any class is 1.0. If the E-Mod is 2.0 for a specific company, they have incurred twice the losses of the average for their group, and your question should be why. If a company has an E-Mod of 0.5, they are 50 percent better than the average company in their business and are operating a very efficient company.

Reviewing the E-Mod for the past five years will give you a very good picture of how the company has been operating. To illustrate, often an insurance broker will ask for the recent E-Mod calculations when quoting other lines of coverage, because they know the E-Mod presents a good picture of a companys overall health.

I have experienced the results in both extremes. The most notable was when a company I was with announced the closing of a small office, and four of the six employees suddenly had on-the-job injuries. This was obviously a management or human resources issue that manifested as a workers compensation issue.

Alternatively, I have seen divisions within companies where the on-the-job injuries were very rare because of the tone set by the manager of the division or section. When a manager is a true leader, the employees are treated well and respond accordingly. One look at the statistics for a company and it is evident who the best managers are.

The very best way to create an effective work environment and reduce the expense of on-the-job injuries is when top corporate management sets the tone and makes efficiency (safety) a part of the corporate culture.

If you have any questions, review the page of a companys workers compensation insurance policy that shows the premium calculation. Look for the line labeled Experience Modification Factor (E-Mod or EXP MOD), that is your key.

Robert E. Underdown, AIC, ARM, is an Insurance Consultant based in Scottsdale, Arizona with a nationwide practice. He serves corporations in the area of risk management and serves the legal community as an expert witnessin insurance litigation. He is an expert in agent/broker bad faith, agent/broker standards of care and trust-owned life insurance. Find out more at http://www/Insurance-Expert.com.

If your export business is performing well in domestic market for some time, you should be thinking of expanding it to the international market. It won’t only help you make more profits but by increasing your production runs you can reduce the overall cost per unit.

Branching into global markets can be the real silver bullet for many companies. However before you rush out and branch your business out into the international market you need to realise domestic trade differs substantially from international trade, which brings many new factors into play.

The Exchange Rate is probably the most important element. It allows you to better distribute and allocate overall profits and may, in some situations, seriously harm you if you don’t play your cards correctly.

Exchange rate:

Every major country in the world has their own currency. When you’re trading with other countries, you can choose to either take payment in their currency or your currency. In order to convert between two currencies you perform a conversion at any bank.

This conversion us determined by the market defined exchange rate. Rate of exchange is the value or price of one currency in terms of another currency. Rate of exchange is also a very important factor of the economy, having an impact on country’s overall imports & exports.

Forms of exchange rate:

Two methods are used to determine foreign exchange rate.

i) Floating Exchange rate
ii) Fixed Exchange rate

Floating (or flexible exchange rate), the one widely used in most parts of the world; let the markets decide by means of demand & supply, at which rate the local currency will be exchanged for any other particular foreign currency.

This type of exchange rate is often fluctuating, and the exporters need to be secure that some dramatic change will not severely impact upon their profits or the overall revenues of their business.

Forward exchange rate (estimated exchange rates for some future supply) should always be calculated when pricing. Normally exporters come up with a cushion to make sure they have a secured position in the event that there is a substantial change in exchange rate. Fixed exchange rates are set by the government of the country for their own particular reasons.

Providing the lowest cost possible is vital in international trade, so it isn’t good business practice to put the entire burden upon your buyers.

In this manner it is therefore necessary that you observe the markets in the country you wish to export to, and even then possibly hire someone to analyse the markets before you choose the pricing levels of your particular goods.

Everything you need to start your Own Import Export Business NOW!. Visit the Import Export Home Study for more great articles and information.

In today’s world finding the right business help in terms of small business coaching or small business consulting can be a daunting task. And, to grow a small business and to have a successful small business long term, finding the right people to support you is critical. And, in today’s highly specialized world finding these people and the business help you need can be a challenge.

To start, what is the difference between a small business coach and a small business consultant? Here are some general guidelines. A small business coach works with who you are to accomplish what you want. A small business consultant works with a particular area of your business to help you get what you want. Before going forward I want one thing to be clear. Both these areas can have carry over into each other.

Here’s an example to help with the distinctions. To have a successful small business you need to have a good marketing program to generate sales. A small business consultant may come in and actually put together the program and work with you and in your office to implement it. And, very often there is a time line for the project such as 90 days. Once it is over it is over.

A small business coach would take a slightly different approach. He or she would look at who you are. They may certainly know of or have marketing programs in mind but their focus first and foremost is to discover what has the greatest probability of working for you based on who you are.

They realize that there are many great ways to market but that there is no one way that works for all. They believe that the best teaching experience is for you to actually implement the changes to get a true feel of what works and what doesn’t.

The small business coach would help you discover solutions that are best in alignment with who you are. This is similar to when you embark on change in your business. You must set yourself up for success by building your success around who you are.

The small business coach can help you do that. And, it requires a change in your thinking and a willingness on your part to be held accountable. Accountability in coaching is the fuel that will drive the engine of your small business success. And, very often, coaching is more of a long term relationship than consulting.

Remember, in taking your steps to business success, that different isn’t necessarily better. But, better is always different. Whether you choose small business consulting, small business coaching or something that is a blend, to grow small business you must always keep in mind what is best for the short term and long term.

Steve Scott is a business/life coach and business development consultant. He specializes in teaching entrepreneurs and solo and sales professionals to advance to a business and life of greater freedom and abundance.
http://www.stevescottcoaching.com

Choosing a realtor is an important decision as you look to buy your next Santa Cruz home. Your realtor needs to be someone you can trust to look out for your interest and help you find a home that meets both your needs and wants. Take some time to carefully consider your partner in the home buying process.

Get Referrals

If you know someone who has recently purchased property in Santa Cruz, find out how he felt about his realtor. If you know business people in the Santa Cruz area, talk to them to learn if they have any realtors that they can recommend. A first-hand referral is one of the best ways to find someone with the right knowledge and dedication to be a good choice.

Read Real Estate Listings

If you have a particular type of property you are interested in, such as a beach front condo or a luxury estate, start browsing real estate listings to see if there are any realtors who specialize in that type of property. Choosing someone with expertise in the exact type of property you want will help the shopping process to go smoothly.

Do Some Interviews

Narrow down the field to three or four potentially promising realtors, and then schedule interviews with them. Tell them what type of home you want, how long you have before you are ready to move, and how much money you want to spend. Ask them how they could help you, and even ask to see some properties that they think might be a good match. These interviews will help you get a feel for whether or not you enjoy the personality of the realtor. Remember, you will be spending a decent amount of time with your realtor as you shop for a home, so make sure you feel comfortable conversing with the one you choose.

Choose Someone with Experience in the Market

Knowledge of real estate in general is not enough when you are shopping for property in Santa Cruz. You need a realtor who not only understands the real estate market as a whole, but also understands the Santa Cruz real estate market. You want to work with someone who knows the amenities in the various neighborhoods, can tell you which neighborhoods offer the best views or beach access, and will tell you which areas are best to avoid. If you can, find a realtor who has spent some time living in Santa Cruz. This is the best way to get to know the area.

Inquire About Commissions

Never choose a realtor who asks for payment upfront. All reputable realtors get paid a commission at the closing. However, the percent the realtor charges may vary from realtor to realtor. Do not be afraid to ask about the commissions the realtor charges. Do not assume, though, that the cheapest realtor is the best. There is something to be said for paying for quality when it comes to finding someone to help you buy your dream home.

Seb Frey is a Capitola, California Real Estate Broker specializing in Santa Cruz Real Estate. He is fluent in Spanish and enjoys helping people find their piece of the American Dream in Santa Cruz. You can find Seb’s blog at SantaCruzHomeBroker.com/blog.

Finding a mentor will improve your succes rate. A mentor can show what it takes to make money online.

Making money online is a science and and is very methodical. If you do not know the methods you will never succeed. There are plenty of information products out there that can help you however 9 times out of 10 they will always sell you short. They tend to leave out the most important aspects of building an online business and how to go about doing so.

This can be very frustrating thats why finding a mentor to show you the way. mentors do not come cheap however you can find one that you may be able to afford.

Most mentors are reluctant to hand over the keys to the vault.They will want you to work for your success and will coach you on what it takes to be successful.Do not be fooled into buying worthless ebooks or products that promise overnight riches becuase this will not work. Just like anythiing else if you want to be wealthy you are going to have to work for it. making money online can be very difficult and time consuming you want to make sure you are headed in the right direction from the get go.

An internet coach or mentor is a good head start and will lead you in the right direction from the beginning which is very important. You could spend thousands of dollars onlin and ver make a penny. This is the case most of the time.

People are lead to believe that they just need to setup a website and then the money starts pouring in.This is not true. If you have built a website and are not making any money it is because you are off to a bad start and before long you will quit and say the internet is for the birds.

I have witnessed people that start right and end up making money very quickly because they have the right plan of action and have been helped by somebody in the know.Developing a plan of action and then following that plan will lead to your success.

If you are new to the internet and want to make money online you will need knowledge and help from others that are in the know.Find an internet coach or a mentor and get started the right way.Be one of the few who do and become an internet success.

You can find a mnetor by performing a search for an internet coach or mentor. You will find a huge list of them. Choose wisely because you may be fooled by a newbie they they are the real deal and wind up selling you a bunch of worthless junk.There is always someone looking to get in your pocket and taking everything you have leaving you with nothing but and empty wallet and a bruised ego.

be dilligent and find a reputable internet coach or mentor and you may very well be on your way to making some serious money.

Todd Ash Is An Expert In The Field of Marketing And A Well Recognized Entrepreneur. Click Here To Visit ToddAsh.com For More Information