Business

Are you Thinking of Building your Own Office at Home?

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2020 has been the year of many changes to our lives, and one of these is working from home. Working from home is something that many people have had to adjust to during these strange times, and for a wide range of reasons, even when the pandemic is over there will still be a large number of people doing this.

 

One of the things that is essential when working at home is a space which is a designated place to work. Having peace and quiet to concentrate on working is important – so if you are one of many people who will be making home working a long term thing, you may want to consider having your own home office.

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There are many ways that you can create a home office. If you are short of space in the house, why not have a garden room for use and an office? This also has the advantage of being completely separate from the house, meaning that you are much less likely to be distracted by the household.

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The first things to do when planning an office space for your home are to work out what you can afford to spend on it – consult an accountant such as Chippendale and Clark accountants Chippenham who may be able to advise you.

 

The next step is to work out where your office will fit in – a builder or an architect will be able to help you with this, and you can look around online at other ways people have created an office in their home.

Business

Choosing the right timber for your project

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Do you know exactly what you need? Unless you’re experienced with using timber for projects, chances are you will need some guidance. There are different factors to consider when it comes to choosing the right wood.

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With so many different types of wood available, it can feel like a bit of a minefield. If you need timber for external use, just looking at it won’t tell you much. Taking the advice of someone who has been in the timber industry for some time will ensure you get exactly what you need for your project. Timber that is commonly used for outdoor use includes redwood, pine and cedar. Which one you choose depends on your personal taste, budget and requirements. For help from Southampton Timber Merchants, visit a site like Timbco

Timber is separated into categories including sapwoods, hardwoods and softwoods. For exterior use, one of the most important factors is how well it stands up to the elements. For timber that is naturally weather-resistant, varieties to choose from include teak and black locust. Think about the weather and climate where you live and avoid a type that might succumb to rotting or warping.

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For indoor projects, a wider variety of woods are suitable including both soft and hardwoods. You may wish to use a hardwood for projects that require sturdiness, such as staircases and banisters, for example. For furniture projects, a softer wood like pine is commonly used for items like cupboards, tables and doors.

Tips and Ideas

Tips for decorating high ceilings

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If you crave a little extra space, but all you have is vertical, this could pose some unique challenges when it comes to decorating.

Being the owner of a ceiling can be seen as both a blessing and a curse. A high ceiling can make a room feel luxurious and sophisticated, but it can also leave the space empty and a little cold. To avoid this, you need to blend in the area up and down by drawing the eye upward.

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Here are some ways to decorate high spaces and make the most of your soaring ceilings:

Install high artwork

Utilize empty space at the top of the wall to hang artwork and decorative designs. This could mean a typical display that runs the entire length of the room, or you can hang something high up on the wall.

Use architectural details

A lot of properties with high ceilings have beautiful original architectural detailing, such as exposed beams. If you do not, consider adding some. Adding details to the ceiling will help to create a more joined up feel in the room. Find out more about Oak Beams at a site like Timberpride, suppliers of Oak Beams.

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Statement lights

A chandelier makes a huge statement, especially when in a prominent place and it’s an ideal way to connect the upper and lower parts of a room. Where you position it will depend on the size and layout of the room but locating it in the middle of the ceiling is usually a good spot. Look for a piece that’s eye-catching but not necessarily heavy in scale. For example, crystal chandeliers can be a striking and elegant choice.

Foreign Content

Znaczenie badań nieniszczących w przemyśle samochodowym

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Samochód we współczesnym świecie

We współczesnych czasach samochód jest najpopularniejszym środkiem lokomocji. Coraz więcej ludzi na świecie stać na jego zakup. Większość dzisiejszych pojazdów to nowoczesne urządzenia. Mają mnóstwo nowych funkcji, od adaptacyjnych tempomatów, po kamery cofania. Jednocześnie projektom udoskonalającym zarówno design jak i aspekty techniczne towarzyszą ciągłe prace mające na celu zapewnienie bezpieczeństwa wszystkim użytkownikom samochodów. Warunki techniczne pojazdów oraz zakres ich niezbędnego wyposażenia regulują akty prawne.


Fotografia

Złożonymi obiektami o bardzo wysokich wymaganiach bezpieczeństwa są konstrukcje samochodowe, w tym podwozie, karoseria, wszelkiego rodzaju usztywnienia podwozia i karoserii, konstrukcje siedzisk oraz zamocowań. Przy ich produkcji wykorzystuje się technologie spawalnicze, głównie spawanie i zgrzewanie.

Badania nieniszczące

Z powodu zmiennego charakteru obciążeń konstrukcji samochodowych wynikającego z jazdy, muszą one spełniać wymogi bardzo wysokiego poziomu bezpieczeństwa.

Już na początku produkcji wysokie standardy zapewnia wdrożona i sprawdzona technologia spawania i zgrzewania. Ponadto, istotną rolę w czasie wytwarzania i przy odbiorze gotowych konstrukcji odgrywają badania nieniszczące  (z ang. NDT – Non Destructive Testing), które mają na celu właściwe zastosowanie bezinwazyjnych metod kontroli złączy spawanych i zgrzewanych.

Ich wynik przesądza, czy pojazd spełnia wymagania bezpieczeństwa oraz czy zostaje dopuszczony do produkcji w celach sprzedażowych.

Fotografia

Jako standard w korporacjach samochodowych jeszcze przed wyborem ostatecznego wykonawcy danego projektu konstrukcji auta, obowiązuje wymóg przeprowadzenia określonych rodzajów badań nieniszczących przez wykwalifikowany personel.

Monitoring

Bardzo istotną rolę odgrywa monitoring jakości już na etapie produkcji. Producent stosując badania nieniszczące konstrukcji samochodowej według określonej procedury, już na tym etapie kontroluje jakość wychwytując konstrukcje nie spełniające wymagań.

Klient kupując samochód ufa, iż konstrukcja pojazdu gwarantuje bezpieczeństwo eksploatacji, czuje się w nim komfortowo jako kierowca lub pasażer.  Jego dobra opinia ma wpływ na rozpoznawalność marki i zachęcenie potencjalnych klientów do zakupu danego auta.

Tech News

How hospitality can learn to live with Covid-19

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The Chambers Dictionary defines hospitality as ‘(friendly welcome and) entertainment of guests … a room or a suite where guests, delegates, etc are welcomed and entertained’. We are social creatures; for many of us, hospitality settings are the backdrop to our lives. Generation after generation has gathered to share key life milestones in restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, and every other kind of hospitality setting. The global pandemic challenged the hospitality sector to its core, so let’s take a look at how hospitality can learn to live with Covid-19

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Adapting to a socially-distanced world

Hospitality was crippled when lockdown began in March 2020. Businesses closed with no idea when or if they would re-open. Many entered lockdown after a tough first financial quarter, adding hardship to an already brutal change in circumstance.

Businesses of all shapes and sizes rose to the challenge and adapted with ingenuity and grit, with takeaway and delivery services keeping businesses and communities afloat during a time of deep uncertainty. Experts warn that it is essential for hospitality to create medium- and long-term solutions for living with Covid-19, starting with solid communication.

Communication is key

UK Hospitality, the country’s top trade association, forecast that one million jobs would be at risk and one-third of the hospitality industry could be permanently shut down. Furthermore, the hospitality sector is likely to be the last to emerge from the financial fallout from the pandemic. As a result, hospitality faces a defining communications challenge.

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During lockdown, communication strategies focussed on logistics, such as how delivery and takeaway services would operate and keeping customers updated on radically different opening hours. Industry-specific experts, such as food PR agency staff, say that the focus must now shift to operations.

Businesses must address how they will operate and pivot their communications strategy to include their new operating models. Solid communications strategies showcasing new operating models, perhaps with the help of a food PR agency, will reassure staff and customers nervous of social interaction. Industry experts warn that without a clear operations narrative in their communications strategy, businesses will struggle to stay afloat.

Will hospitality survive?

The world is transitioning to a new way of living. Anyone who has worked in hospitality knows that part of the job is smiling through chaos and uncertainty. If any sector can reinvent itself and thrive, it is the hospitality industry.

Business, Business Management

Keeping your office space secure

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Running a business comes with some risks and having your premises broken into and important and expensive items taken is one of these risks. There are a number of things that you can do to help keep your office space secure.

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  1. CCTV – consulting with a CCTV Manchester company, or one local to your area is a great option for providing your place of work with added security. CCTV Manchester Installers Red Dam, for example, can help with cameras for both the interior and exterior of your building. It is important to ensure that you follow all the regulations relating to CCTV and you can find these on the government website.
  1. Locks – having the right locks on your doors and windows is essential to help prevent people from breaking into your property and taking items. Depending on the equipment that you have in your building you may have different types of locks or multiple locks in some places.

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  1. Security staff – shops tend to have security staff who work inside the premises to help prevent shoplifting but manufacturing businesses and warehouses also have security staff who tend to patrol the premises during the evenings. This is usually where high risk items are being stored or manufactured.

Having some of these above suggestions in place cna help to mitigate some of the risks of having an office space and of course it is incredibly important to ensure that you have the right level of insurance for your given busienss type.

Business

The Advantages of Cashless Payments for Your Business

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Cashless payments are one of the most successful methods of getting customers to buy products and services. This method of payment has enabled companies to use their credit card machines or an online portal for accepting payment for services as well as goods.

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In the United States, more than 80% of the companies that accept payments with credit cards are using cashless payments. In some cases, the number of businesses accepting payments with a credit card machine is more than the number of businesses accepting cash payments. Cashless payments make it possible for you to concentrate on other aspects of your business. Find out about the benefits of offering an Online Payment Gateway at a site like https://www.sentient-group.com/merchant-services-products/ecommerce-virtual-terminal-online-payment-gateway

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Before you get a credit card machine for your business or a system for making virtual payments, it is important for you to check out what benefits you can get from this equipment. There are different types of equipment to choose from including POS software and credit card terminals. You will find that there are different rates associated with the purchases you make with the card machines, so you should compare all your options before making a decision. You can also check out the types of merchants who will offer you special deals if you sign up for their programs. When you decide which option would work best for your business, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of cashless payments for your business.

Business

Why you need to choose the right domain name

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All businesses need an online presence to reassure potential customers that the business is real and has been successfully trading. It is important that the name used for the business’s online presence reflects what the company offers or is memorable for some other reason.

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Naming your domain

Selecting the right domain name is crucial for any business. Whatever your business name or the type of business you have, the domain should reflect this. Ideally, you should aim to have a domain that is the same as your business name to reinforce your brand.

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It may be that the domain you want to use is already taken; however, if this is the case, all is not lost. You can still have the name you want but with a different extension; for example, instead of .com or .co.uk, you could have the name with .uk, .io or one of some 700 different extensions. These include those that are industry-specific, such as .photography, .plumbing, .builders or .boutique.

The name you choose must be memorable, not too long, and ideally not include any word that has an alternative spelling or any numbers. It is important to remember that the domain you choose affects the reputation of your business, so you must ensure that you make the right choice.

Helping search engines to find your site

When someone searches for your business name or your type of business, you want to feature on the first page of the search results. Setting up the keywords for search engine optimisation (SEO) is especially important, as this will determine whether your site appears in the right place in the search results.

It is also a good idea to use keywords in your choice of domain alongside your business name, such as akgeorgebuilders.co.uk. In addition to including all the relevant keywords on your website, the title of the website must be relevant to your business, as this is looked at when a search occurs.

To help with your search for the right domain, contact a provider such as https://www.names.co.uk/domain-names. Your provider will also be able to tell you whether the name you have chosen is already taken.

Conclusion

In addition to your business name, choosing the right domain is extremely important so that your potential and existing customers can easily find your business.

Tech News

The Rise in Working from Home

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Working from home for some means you will be able to set your own hours, set your own pace and take control of the hours that work best for your personal needs. It will be easy to manage your own working hours and work at your own pace as you will have a flexible schedule. Although for those forced to work from home due to the current pandemic, it’s not always easy juggling 9 to 5 responsibilities whilst looking after the family!

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One of the biggest problems most people have when they are working from home is finding a space where they can work, having enough room as well as minimal disruptions. Some people have thrived without the stress of the workplace and the long commutes, whilst others can’t wait to get back to the buzz of the office.

What this pandemic has shown us though, is that working from home is likely to become much more commonplace in the future than it has been. However, with this comes the challenge of internet connectivity and power supply. Large businesses and office buildings have contingency plans and back-up generators, for example, when power cuts occur. What does the home worker do when the electricity goes off? Find out more about Diesel Generators at a site like Gener-g diesel generators

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It is a good idea for those who plan to work from home long-term to consider a back-up plan to ensure they have the support and infrastructure they will need in the event of a power outage, for example.

Business Management

How to Store Stock for Your Business

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If you have a store or are considering opening one, you need to know how to store stock for your business. There is nothing worse than trying to sell something when your inventory is almost depleted. A lack of stock means that your customers will either walk out or wait for days until they can get their hands on what they want. You may be able to get away with not having to stock much, but if you can’t even get items in stock, you aren’t going to have any customers.

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When you go to store stock for your business, make sure you have the proper equipment and space. Have your supplies ready for customers so that they have enough to get what they are looking for and that there is no wait for the item. Don’t put your customers through more of a hassle. If your store does not have the appropriate products, then your customers won’t come back either. Find out about how Self Storage Highbridge can help at a site like Self Storage Highbridge company Leakers

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It is also important to know how to store stock for your business. It is best to get it all set up right so that it is easier for you to keep track of it. Most people like to keep a journal where they write down how they are doing. This way, you can look at your progress over time and see if you need anything else. This will allow you to decide if you need to buy more supplies or not.