07.17.06
Posted in Human Resources/Staffing at 3:51 pm by Diana Heeb Bivona
Interviewing applicants is pivotal. It is through this process, that we glean the information we need to determine whether the individual sitting across from us is the right person for the job. Therefore, being able to ask substantive questions are important. However, there are questions that are not appropriate for the interview process, and can get you in trouble. Here are a few questions that can prove problematic and why:
Do you have children?
Problem: First, questions regarding children, family or even marital status are not appropriate because they may be seen as being based upon the applicant’s gender. Secondly, it can be construed as an inappropriate way of asking about someone’s work availability. If you are trying to get this type of information, be more direct and too the point such as “What hours can you work?” or “What shifts can you work?”
Have you ever been arrested?
Problem: Questions relating to an arrest record are improper, but questions about a conviction record may be asked if job-related. According to EEOC policy, an employer may consider someone’s conviction in making employment decisions IF the employer can establish a business necessity for the conviction record in its employment decision.
In establishing business necessity, the employer must consider three factors to justify use of a conviction record: (1) nature and gravity of the offense for which convicted; (2) amount of time that has elapsed since the applicant’s conviction and/or completion of sentence; and (3) the nature of the job in question as it relates to the nature of the offense committed.
Are you a U.S. citizen?
Problem: EEOC states that consideration of an applicant’s citizenship may constitute evidence of discrimination on the basis of national origin. If a person is a lawful immigrated alien, legally eligible to work, they may not be discriminated against on the basis of their citizenship.
When did you graduate from high school?
<>Problem: considered an indirect inquiry as to an applicant’s age and may create an inference of age discrimination.
The best piece of advice to employers when interviewing applicants: if you can not demonstrate a job-related necessity for asking a particular question, then don’t ask it.
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07.15.06
Posted in Human Resources/Staffing at 12:03 pm by Diana Heeb Bivona
Nobody likes having to fire someone. Some bosses hate the idea of confrontation so much, or the fact that they will have to start the whole hiring and training process all over again, that they keep the employee around. The fear of a potential lawsuit is also a prevalent motivator for hesitating when terminating an employee.
What you say and do during the termination process will have a significant bearing on any possible lawsuit filed later by a disgruntled employee. Barbara Kate Repa, an attorney and expert on employment rights provides these suggestions regarding things you should NOT say when firing an employee.
Potential problem: If you say it, and you aren’t truly cutting back, you will have problems later proving your bogus claim in court. Will you have the documentation or the proof that other employees were fired during this so-called layoff period? If you are betting that the employee won’t find out there were no other cutbacks, think again. They are motivated and will probably stay in touch with other co-workers who will keep them apprised of what is happening.
“We’re changing our image”
The obvious implication is that the employee does not fit this new “image”. You are leaving the impression that the employee may be too old, married, or ethnic to work for the company. All are illegal grounds for termination and scream lawsuit.
“We need team players”
Don’t think that the employee won’t understand the hidden code for “troublemaker” implied in this statement. If you are terminating such an employee, keep the conversation short, honest in terms of the business-related reasons you are firing them, and don’t be drawn into a conversation where you end up providing them with ammo for a lawsuit.
If you want to avoid putting your attorney’s number on speed dial, stop and give a little thought as to how you are going to phrase the conversation in your final meeting. You may want to even discuss it ahead of time with your attorney or an HR specialist if you think you are going to have a problem. The key is to be prepared and not act in the heat or spur of the moment.
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07.13.06
Posted in Human Resources/Staffing at 3:17 pm by Diana Heeb Bivona
The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book is a great tool for forecasting future employee recruitment and retention programs. The book examines the roles of aging workers, retiring baby boomers, rising health care costs, shortages of skilled workers, generational gaps, work ethics and more that are expected to collide producing the biggest shortage of skilled workers in the United States and many other developed countries.
The book is jammed with interest facts and statistics on a variety of issues and factors that will impact the future workforce in this country such as:
Fact #6
One-fifth of this country’s large, established companies will be losing 40 percent or more of their top- level talent in the next five years. (Source: Development Dimensions International)
Fact #10
Three to six percent of any given workforce is absent every day due to unscheduled issues or disability claims. To compensate most companies overstaff by 10 to 20 percent to mask lost productivity. (Source: Synchrony)
Fact #270: Last-minute no-shows are costing organizations an average of $610 per employee, adding up to more than a million dollars annually for large companies. (Source: CCH)
Fact #275: In the future, even more emphasis will be placed on skills that cannot be automated - caring, judgment, intuition, ethics, inspiration, friendliness, and imagination. (Source: Futurist, Sep-Oct 2004)
Fact #369: 25% of employees are just ’showing up to collect a paycheck.’ (Source: TNS)
Fact #385: Unclear objectives, lack of team communication and ineffective meetings are among the top time wasters that workers around the world say make them feel unproductive for as much as a third of their workweek on average, according to results of an online Microsoft® Office survey (March 2005). According to the survey of nearly 40,000 people in 200 countries, U.S. workers clock an average of 45 hours per week, but consider 16 hours are wasted.
The book is available for purchase at on the Perfect Labor Storm website or by clicking here .
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07.12.06
Posted in Marketing at 2:00 pm by Diana Heeb Bivona
Providing good customer services does not have to be complicated, complex, or require a PhD to implement. The concept is a relatively simple one, right? After all, how do you define customer service? Not surprisingly, there are several definitions available via the Internet such as: “The degree of assistance and courtesy granted those who patronize the organization.” Or, “Quality of service delivery set by you or your department.” I like these because they follow the basic principle of K.I.S.S. – Keep it Simple Stupid. Why complicate it? Unlike this head scratcher, “Refers to the identifiable, but sometimes intangible, activities undertaken by a retailer in conjunction with the basic goods and services it sells.”
My point? If you don’t understand the basic premise of providing good customer service, how can you provide it? To provide good customer service start by asking yourself a few questions:
1. Who is my customer?
Every employee in your business should know who uses their products or services and why.
2. How can I help?
What we are talking about here is taking the time to gather information about your customer. Not just as it relates to the products or service you are going to offer them, but as to who they are and what potential problems and issues they face on a daily basis.
3. What is my data telling me?
If you operate a website, encourage customers to complete some type of registration form, or have some type of follow-up program in place, use the data you gather to begin building a picture as to who your customer is. For example, on a website: what webpages are customers regularly visiting? Are there particular products or service pages that are receiving more hits then others? When they contact you, is it by email, phone or some other means? Once you’ve analyzed this information, you’ll begin to have a much better sense of which your customers are, what they’re interested in, and what they need help doing.
With a clear picture as to who your customer is in hand, you can begin to address their needs more effectively. That, in itself, is the foundation to providing good customer service. Large and small organizations alike profess to putting customers first, but the real trick is actually doing it.
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07.11.06
Posted in Ethics at 1:41 pm by Diana Heeb Bivona
The majority of business owners would answer with a resounding “yes” and research appears to back that claim up as well. For example, The Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) conducted a research study, “Does Business Ethics Pay?” and found that companies displaying a “clear commitment to ethical conduct” consistently outperform companies that do not display ethical conduct.
Many may dismiss the relevance of ethics because “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” and that may at first glance appear true. However, ponder this question: “What would be the loss of business if your reputation for quality and service were to suffer?” Chances are you couldn’t afford it.
While many companies have established a written ethics policy, you may not yet consider its relevance because you are just starting out or have no employees. Even so, there are several elements of ethical business practices that you can incorporate into your business-doings including:
Respect: Treat everyone you meet with the utmost of respect. Regardless of differences, positions, titles, ages, or other types of distinctions, always treat others with professional courtesy and respect.
Trust: Realize that customers want to do business with a company they can trust. Businessess that incorporate trust as the center of their organization are always easy to recognize by a client. Trust involves a client’s ability to rely upon your character, ability, strength, and truth in business.
Open Minded: As the owner of your business, you want to continually improve and grow your business. In order to do this, you need to maintain an open mind. Never hesitate to ask for opinions and feedback from both customers and employees. Sometimes, you may not like what you hear, but you then have an opportunity to change.
Obligation: Take every opportunity to do everything in your power to gain the trust of a customer, particularly if something went wrong. If it’s in your power to correct things and make it right, do so with hesitation. Honoring all commitments and obligations are essential to continued operation.
Clearness: Review all printed materials from employee handbooks to marketing materials to ensure that they are understandable, precise and professional. It is critical that they do not misrepresent what you do and what you can deliver.
Sometimes, it may be difficult to determine whether or not you are behaving in an ethical manner. In situations like that, you may want to consider the simple, but to-the-point manner in which Abraham Lincoln gauged his approach to ethics. “When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.”
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07.10.06
Posted in Advice at 11:52 am by Diana Heeb Bivona
John Vanhara, President of Eastbiz.com, is a self-made business man and true entrepreneur. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, John has started several successful business ventures including an incorporation services called IncParadise, and several real estate ventures such as HomeParadise, MillionSaverHomes, and BuyVegasHome.
So, we thought, “who better to answer questions for entrepreneurs and new business owners then people who have gone through the process themselves?” We asked John the following questions regarding challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurs and small business owners. Here are his reponses:
What do you think is or are the biggest obstacles that a entrepreneur or small business owner has to overcome?
“There is too much information around. It is not difficult to find it anymore. We don’t have to go to libraries to find information about anything. It is all available on Google, but there is too much information and it is really hard to find out what is the right one. There are solutions available to most of our problems, but business owners can end up spending too much time trying to find it (or they will never find it). Finding the right information directly influence how the business will be successful.
Example: Is there a software which can help solve problems in my company? Should I choose the ones offered by sales people or the one which are open source? Old rules don’t apply anymore. You can get excellent products which are free (open source) and pay for crappy software sold by salesman. “
What do entrepreneurs and business owners tend to underestimate or pay too little attention too that they should?
“Most of the time it is a lot of hard work so you really have to love what you do. If you don’t think about the business day and night and constantly improve everything from marketing, procedures, business organization then you don’t have a lot of chances for success. I don’t say work crazy hours, but think about the business, how it could run better and more efficiently (even if it is already running like that).”
If you could give one piece of advice to a new business owner or an entrepreneur with what they believe to be a winning idea, what would it be?
“I don’t believe in winning ideas. Successful business is taking care of all the boring details, which most of the people don’t like to deal with. I think you can do any business you want and make it successful. My advice is to build your business step by step, don’t rush too much, taking care of the details,and listen to your customers. Opportunities will come when you will be ready.”
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07.09.06
Posted in Software and Technology at 12:21 pm by Diana Heeb Bivona
Instant Messaging (IM) is an ever-increasing communication tool, not only in the social but business environment as well. However, there are potential pitfalls which businesses should be aware of if they choose to allow or use IM.
Lacks security safeguards
Consumer versions of IM such as Yahoo! Messenger, Microsoft MSN Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger, which many employees sometimes install themselves, can become an open door to hackers and data thieves. Quicker then you can hit that “send” button, a virus, worm or Trojan can unknowingly be transmitted through IM to your servers and network.
Provides no legal form of recordkeeping
Rare is the individual that prints a transcript of their IM conversation after they have finished. In cases where companies may become embroiled in potential sexual harassment or wrongful termination cases and IM was used, but no record kept, it becomes a case of the company’s word against the employee’s. Are you ready for a trip to court?
Productivity drain
Employee usage of the Internet at work for unrelated work issues is on the increase. IM can potentially encourage longer periods of socialization at work which can drain productivity. Without stricter usage controls, it can place quite the drain on your employees’ productivity.
What can you do? IM is not going to go away and it would be illogical to suggest that it should. If IM is an important part of your communication process, then take steps to ensure that it is secure. In other words, use IM programs specifically designed for businesses such as IBM Lotus Sametime or Messenger Enterprise Edition. These types of applications come with encryption and firewall protection.
Finally, incorporate appropriate policies and procedures into your employee handbook regarding IM usage. Clearly spell out what is appropriate and expected and the possible consequences so that everyone is on the same page.
Questions: Do you use IM in your business? How do you use it, i.e. to communicate with customers and/or between employees?
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07.08.06
Posted in Seminars/Webinars at 3:18 pm by Diana Heeb Bivona
The Business For Sale Online Academy will host a free webinar on how to buy a small business Wednesday, July 12th. The one-hour free webinar entitled “How To Buy A Small Business - Top Tips From Successful Business Buyers” will begin at 6 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time and is designed to help potential business buyers purchase business opportunities, small businesses and franchises. The webinar will cover such topics as:
- How to Find the Right Business for Sale
- How to Accurately Value Businesses in Today’s Market
- What Forms, Documents, and Information You Should Have Ready
- Learn the Correct Protocol of Working with Brokers and Owners
- What to Look for in Tax Returns and Financial Statements
- Ideally Structuring the Deal that Is Best for You
- How to Go About Securing a Small Business Loan
- Escrow and Transition Strategies to Ensure a Successful Future
For more information, go to “How To Buy A Small Business“.
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Posted in Seminars/Webinars at 12:29 pm by Diana Heeb Bivona
Welcome to my new blog and website, dhbivona.com. It has been a little over a year since I took one of the biggest steps of my life — starting my own business. I had worked for several companies throughout my life and after working to receive my MBA, thought it was time to take the plunge.
I’ve been very fortunate this first year to work with some great people and companies. In the process, I’ve achieved more insight into several businesses. However, what has impressed me the most is the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity that so many people have. I’ve seen some great ideas that with alot of hard work have turned into some profitable and rewarding businesses. I receive tremendous satisfaction when I have been able to contribute to that in some small way.
The purpose of my website and this blog is to provide the small business owner or entrepreneur with insights, resources and information that they may find helpful. Sometimes it’s difficult to have time to cruise the Internet and find information that may be useful to us. I hope to bring some of that to you in one easy accessible place.
I also hope that this blog will be interactive and I encourage everyone to ask questions about the postings and/or email me if you have a question that I may be able to assist you with.
I hope you enjoy this blog and I look forward to hearing your feedback and comments on the postings.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 5:28 am by Diana Heeb Bivona
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!
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