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Disabled Access Considerations When Moving Your Business To The High Street

These days, thanks to modern technology, many businesses start their lives online. It is a good way of keeping costs down while the business becomes established. As it grows over time the natural move is to have permanent headquarters or a retail outlet that is physical rather than digital.

As online entrepreneurs know one area that is now under UK law is ensuring the website is disabled access friendly. If the site isn’t accessible your business could face legal action and be sued for discrimination. As you move into permanent premises you must also carry over the accessibility and this is an area you can work on right from the moment you get handed the keys.

A Large Task But It Doesn’t Have to be Daunting

Now you may feel a little out of your depth when it comes to improving the accessibility of your new premises. However, just because the task may seem huge it doesn’t mean that you can afford to ignore it or push it to the back of your to do list. By failing to conduct suitable changes to make the property more accessible you leave yourself open to being sued by employees or customers that feel you are discriminating against them.

There is help available out there so don’t go thinking that you need to read the Equality Act inside and out. The experts will be able to give you the information you need based upon your business, the size and location of your premises and be able to use your budget as a guideline to work out what is affordable. If it is impossible to make dramatic changes all at once the expert may be able to help you by establishing what needs to be worked on as a priority, how you can save money, where to source affordable goods, equipment and labour and what could wait a bit longer.

Doing Renovations Before You Move In?

When you undertake any renovations you must consider the disability access. This is why working with an access consultant right from the get go will benefit you greatly. You can hire them for very little money and their services can help you in many different areas. Make sure that you hire a consultant who is more than happy to discuss any necessary work with your architects and designers. This saves time and money by reducing the need to redo work later for additional costs.

You may have to request planning permission and this can be a long and drawn out process. After months of waiting many applicants have their plans turned down, another frustration. Access consultants are able to help you through the planning permission process. Showing that some parts of the design are required to provide a much better service for the community, by allowing improved access, can help to push through successful planning applications. So when you come to looking for a professional expert to help you, ask them whether they would be happy to help you in this area should it be necessary in the future.

Thinking of the Needs of Everyone

As a modern online business you made sure that your website was user friendly. Now as you have grown and decided to open a physical business you must carry those work ethics and legal responsibilities over to your new premises. Use the consultants to conduct an audit and they will be able to help you spot urgent and required improvements that will allow everyone to make use of your services successfully. By doing so you ensure that your doors are open to everyone and you can become a strong player in your community and your industry by refusing to discriminate.

About the Author: Aki Hashimoto is a business consultant and mentor. She has found that using access audits is the simplest way to overcome the legal documentation and start making steps to create improved disability access.

Old Tricks And Traditional Skills Still Vital To 21st Businesses

You would think, with this being the bright shiny and thoroughly wired 21st Century that the more traditional skills associated with the secretarial world would be thoroughly redundant. However, despite the fact that our lives are dominated by computers, tablets, Smartphone’s and a whole range of peripherals and apps that can be added to them, some traditional skills remain in high demand. From copy typing to audio typing and transcription services, traditional skills still remain in high demand. The latter, in particular, remains a crucial part of content creation for many industries, from humble minute taking to full scale TV transcriptions. Transcription services today are also an important feature for conference organisers and transcription offers a number of significant advantages.

The Bigger Picture

Recording and filming any event was, in the past, a difficult task which required a significant number of professionals and an equally large (and cumbersome) amount of equipment. Today any event, from a pop concert to conference can be (and is) recorded on a phone and the film is often uploaded to the web in seconds. However convenient this may seem it does not replace the need for accurate and professional filming or transcription. In large conference centres where a number of speakers may be talking at one time, or where question and answer sessions are part of the presentation, both professional filming and transcription still have significant advantages. Unlike audio or video files, fully transcribed events offer users a fast look up for significant points and sections. With transcriptions now available digitally, the simple use of the find function can take you straight to the point in a way that no amount of film footage can.

Old Skills and New Methods Combined

Post event publications of transcribed documents have a number of advantages. In terms of web publication, transcription offers a handy SEO tool. The broader the scope of your written content, the more opportunities for lead generation via search engines; again in a way which means that video content alone will not be as beneficial. Also the more traditional print press, while happy to receive audio or visual material, will often rely on transcribed versions of a presentation or conference to make their own jobs easier and making things easy for journalists means they’ll be able to find time to fit your piece in.

Applied Technology

Although transcription is an old skill, long pre-dating the internet, the technological revolution has made the process of finding reliable transcription services easier and more affordable. Most transcription services operate online and transcribers themselves can be located just about anywhere in the world. This has driven down the costs of professional transcription and can open up opportunities for these services. This means any content you need to promote in overseas markets can be quickly made available in a variety of formats or languages. The process is speeded up to almost light speed thanks to modern technology. This gives modern businesses a greater and faster reach than in the past, making it possible for firms of any size to go global.

New Opportunities

While transcription services offer advantages to a range of industries they offer specific advantages to conference organisers in any field. Post conference transcripts can be marketed alongside podcasts as part of a full package for both attendees needing to refer back to the conference and as a valuable product in their own right to sell to a wider market. Working with a professional and established provider makes sense in this context and planning ahead will also make the process run more smoothly. Contacting a transcription service provider well in advance and involving them in the planning of the event will help you both to create a package that suits your needs which will result in a quick and efficient turnaround on the end product. Despite the massive advances in technology and the opportunities that it has opened up for business it seems that some of the oldest tricks are still the best.

About the Author: Pipa Rose is a freelance writer who has a keen interest in business. While technology has made business presentations and conferences far easier and more accessible for many, she believes that many traditional skills such as transcription services still play a crucial role.

5 Great Ways To Skive Off Work Without Getting In Trouble

It’s hard getting up every day and driving into the office. You have to wait in traffic and it’s stressful. You then have to sit at the same desk doing the same thing over and over again. I bet you look at the clock on a constant basis because you want to go home, but it doesn’t make the time pass any quicker. It will actually slow it down and your day will feel like it’s going on forever, but you can’t help yourself. When will the day ever end?

Maybe you don’t need to look at the clock every 5 minutes. You’re in work until it’s time to go home whether you like it or not. I would tell you to start enjoying your work more, but it might not be possible. If all else fails you should learn to skive because it will give you a little break every once in a while. You need to be sneaky about it to avoid getting in trouble, so we’re going to look at a few ways to do it so your boss will never know.

Put a photo on top of your computer

If you have a photo inside a glass frame on the top of your computer you will be able to see if someone is coming. You can play on the Internet and if anyone walks behind you it will take a few seconds to switch back over to your work. Just make sure your employer doesn’t have any employee monitoring software installed on the computer because they will know exactly what you’re doing. Remember that work still needs to be done, so don’t get carried away.

Finish your work quicker

You might only have a certain amount of jobs to get done in a day. If you finished them quicker you would have the rest of the day to chill out. It’s obviously nice to help your workmates who are a little slower than you, but if they never offer to help you it’s possible you might not want to help them. You don’t necessarily have to sit doing nothing until the end of the day. You could look over your work to make sure it’s perfect, but at least you won’t need to start a new task from scratch.

Carry something about with you

Some of your friends might work in different departments and you won’t be able to email them if there is monitoring software installed on your computer, but you can go and speak to them. Just walk about with paper in your hand and you will look like you’re doing something important. You obviously won’t be able to spend ages away from your desk, but you will get a nice 5 minute break on occasion.

A fake emergency

Later on in the afternoon you might have had enough. You can’t take the stress anymore and you need to get out of there, but how can you do it without raising any suspicions? Text one of your friends and ask them to call your work phone. Pretend they have given you some bad news and it will give you a good excuse as to why you need to leave early. Your child might have been involved in an imaginary fight at school and you need to go pick them up.

Sit back and relax

Whenever you are in a meeting it’s a great time to sit back and relax. This only applies if you’re not the one doing all the speaking. You can just listen to what people are saying, but don’t get too involved in the discussion. Don’t ask any questions at the end and it means the whole meeting will have passed without you doing anything. If someone asks you a question you can just give them a quick reply and they will hopefully move on.

About the Author: James Kirby is an employee of WellResearchedReviews.com and he is a blogging enthusiast. He likes to write on a wide range of topics that interest him, be it lifestyle, technology or his personal experiences.

Transcription: The Great Unsung Hero Of The Business World

Speaking is (generally) a far more natural and less time consuming process than typing. This is an undeniable fact and as such, ‘typing up’ audio reports can be one of the most frustrating and tedious tasks that befall most of us in the business sector on a daily basis. There is however a select group of flash fingered wizards who can make their brains and their fingers work in tandem to the extent that the spoken word and the written word become almost seamless in their delivery; to them this work is as natural as breathing. These prodigiously talented individuals are known as ‘transcribers’ and they offer a service that has proven invaluable for millions of people in a variety of professions, all over the world.

The History of Transcription

Transcription has been used in various capacities since the early 1900’s, where medical stenographers were hired to document doctor’s work in text. Eventually (with the invention of cassette recorders and later computers) such documents were stored as audio records dictated by the doctors themselves but medical transcriptions are still commonplace. The actual act of transcription itself has over time, bled into many other sectors, primarily the journalism and business sectors where interviews or meetings are often transcribed in full. Before the invention of audio recording devices, transcription was an incredibly difficult process that required transcribers to use shorthand to write down speech as it was being spoken. The introduction of handheld Dictaphones in the 90’s made the job of transcribers immeasurably easier and now that most Dictaphones use mp3 technology, the audio data can quite easily be recorded and then emailed to a third party transcription service. Various ‘auto transcription’ software packages have recently started to reveal themselves online but they are largely unreliable (the intricacies of human speech are still beyond even the most powerful computers) and require absolutely crystal clear, perfectly pronounced speech to operate properly, which is very rare in most professional circumstances.

What is Transcription?

The job of transcribers is (literally) to transcribe. One of the most common forms of transcription is when transcribers are hired to take either an audio recording or live dictation and then transcribe the contents into text. Examples of where this sort of transcription might be used in the workplace include court hearings (court reporters are essentially transcribers in all but title), seminars and speeches, all of which can be converted from spoken content into text. Perhaps the most obvious use of a transcription service would be in television where transcription is required to produce subtitles. Transcription has only recently become a mainstream career option thanks to the advent of high-speed internet and the almost ubiquitous availability of personal computers. It is a job that is free of the restraints of traditional 9-5 office work and as such, most transcribers will either work freelance or will work for transcription companies but will do so from the comfort of their own homes. Transcribers will charge their clients either by time spent or work done so it will either be on a ‘per word’ or ‘per minute’ basis. Larger transcription firms will deal exclusively with private law firms, TV studios or government agencies but there are firms who will offer their services to anyone for a price.

What Goes into a Transcript?

The industry standard time for producing a transcript from a piece of audio is approximately one hour for each 15 minute chunk of audio. This means that live transcription is rare. In the few cases where it is used, translations tend to be unreliable at best as there is no time for transcribers to go back and check for errors or refine their text. In many situations however (such as live television) a broadcast might be delayed ever so slightly, to give the transcribers time to refine and correct their words before they are broadcast.

What else can a Transcription Company offer?

Besides straight English audio to English text, many transcription companies will employ staff members versed in a variety of languages so translation is usually an (incredibly useful) option. Post production work might also be offered, which is especially import for television work where specific time-codes, logs, musical cues and shot descriptions are generally necessary.

If you’re serious about your work then hiring professional transcribers might be the best decision you ever make. These workers have a number of valuable skills and their fingers can work as fast as their mouths (if not faster). What’s more, their lightning quick work (many companies offer 24 hour turnarounds) will save you countless hours as time is arguably the most important commodity in any business.

About the Author: Pipa Rose is a writer who understands that transcription has now become an essential part of industries such as television production. Television companies use from take 1, transcription services to help them produce professional and informative shows.

Entertainment Ideas For Corporate Events

If you’re hosting a corporate event in the near future, you may be feeling the pressure of having to be responsible for everyone having fun. If you’re looking for entertainment ideas, though, you’ve come to the right place. Following a few of these tips will guarantee that your event isn’t flat and that everyone’s having a great time with each other. You want to promote conversation and fun, and these ideas should help you do just that.

1- Leave the Office Behind

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Instead of hosting your event at the office, why not make the event fun by taking the party somewhere fun? You could go to a bowling alley or a local bar so that you can play a couple of games and have a few drinks while you spend time together, which will really help people relax and have fun.

2- Hire a Comedian

If you are staying back at the office, consider bringing some entertainment straight to you. Everyone likes comedy, but you just have to make sure that the comedian you hire has appropriate material that isn’t going to offend anyone in the office. Check out the comic’s act beforehand to make sure that it’s appropriate and then bring him or her in on the night of the event for lots of laughs and fun!

3- Music Always Helps

Live music is always great for helping people relax and filling any awkward silences in conversation. For higher-class events, you can hire a string quartet; but for lower-key affairs there’s nothing wrong with hiring a local cover band. Cover bands are great because they play songs that everyone already knows and loves and the music will really help everyone loosen up and give them something to talk about.

4- Competition in the Park

If you can’t make it to the bowling alley but still want to get out of the office, perhaps you could go to a local park for a game of softball or soccer. Competition is good for team building as well as being a lot of fun, and you can ensure that the physical activity will wake everyone up and get them laughing and talking as you present a great picnic lunch for them afterwards.

5- Spend the Day Volunteering

Another great excuse to get outside and put some physical work in is volunteering. You can team up with local charities and help build a house, feed the homeless, or a variety of other similar activities. Volunteering is also really great for team building and helps your employees develop a sense of pride about themselves, each other and the company.

So there you have it, five ideas that should make your corporate event unforgettable. Not every party has to be spent with all your employees gathered awkwardly around the punch bowl, after all. The goal of these event ideas is to get people moving and talking; to help them feel comfortable and to encourage networking and non-work related socialization, and you can rest assured that they do just that.

About the Author: William is currently blogging for a new jersey corporate events venue. When he is not blogging, he enjoys helping people plan their events and make it as fun as possible.