A clock tower is an elevated structure with easily observed clock faces. Usually a clock tower has four clock faces, one on each side of the tower. Clock towers are mostly free standing meaning they are not part of any kind of structure. However, there are some clock towers that are part of a church or municipal structures like town halls and capitol buildings.
Clock towers are driven by a mechanism known as turret clock. Most clock towers mark the time by musical sounds or bells every hour. Mostly these alarms are simple musical melodies. These days, clock towers are more often than not admired for aesthetics. However, clock towers once provided vital purposes in the old times because most people in the earlier era do not have timepieces. That is why clock towers are located near the heart of towns or town centers and are usually placed on the tallest building or structure.
There are lots of clock towers all over the world. The most famous of them is the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster or popularly known as the ?Big Ben?. The Big Ben is a turret clock tower situated at the north eastern part of the Palace of Westminster or more known as the Westminster Palace in London, England. Big Ben was named after the main bell of the clock tower. Big Ben is also referred to as ?St. Stephen?s Tower?.
Big Ben was erected as part of the design of the new palace after the Palace of Westminster was razed by fire on the 16th of October on 1834. The famous clock tower has a Victorian Gothic design and stands to almost a hundred meters.
Big Ben is renowned for its reliability to tell time and even survived heavy bombings of the Second World War. Big Ben only suffered one major breakdown. This was on 1976 when the chiming system of the turret clock was destroyed due to metal exhaustion, but was however reactivated the following year. Big Ben is one of the significant symbols of England and London and has been featured in many types of media (books, movies, etc.).
Another well known clock tower is the Rajabai Tower of India. The Rajabai Tower is situated in the boundaries of University of Mumbai. The Rajabai has an elevation of 85 meters and was designed by an English architect named ?Sir George Gilbert Scott?. The Rajabai Tower was modeled after the Big Ben. The Rajabai Tower was constructed in March of 1869 and was completed November of 1878. The Rajabai Tower was constructed with a ?Venetian-Gothic? design. However, the Rajabai Tower was closed to the public after it became a preferred alternative by individuals who wished to commit suicide.

Technorati Tags : clock tower towers rajabai

For more Parenting and Family Information, please visit More About Parenting and Family Life

Colic is one of the most common problems in babies. In fact, it is so common that this is the kind of thing that you will be prepared for even before it occurs being a major topic in all baby books in your bookshelf.

Colic begins as early as two to three weeks and reaches its peak when the baby is about two months old. After which, symptoms and episodes will slowly die down and at fourth month, there will be no more episodes.

Until now, medical experts cannot find what exactly causes colic to occur. It just happens to babies without any real or specific reason. However, there are a host of possible causes that may influence or worsen a colic episode. Here are some of them.

Allergy to cow?s milk or powdered milk
Lactose intolerance
Allergy to the foods that the mother take in and transferred to the baby through breastmilk
Increase in the intestinal gas brought on by foods that usually produce gas in the stomach such as broccoli, onion and beans.
Underdeveloped digestive system that may cause strong contractions in the stomach
Hormonal changes in the body of your baby
Anxiety of the mother and postpartum depression
Overfeeding of the baby

Often, the only sign that parents will get is nonstop crying that can last from an hour to as much as five hours! This can be really hard to take for parents especially those who are not used to their babies crying too much. For first-time parents the first episode of colic can be panicking as they do not know why their little angel is crying so hard.

Crying can be the result of a lot of things. This is why it is important for parents to really know the other signs and symptoms of colic in babies before they panic or in some cases not panic.

Predictable crying episodes

Although this will not be evident at the start, a colicky baby will have crying episodes at specific time of the day. This can either occur at day or at night, often after a meal. These episodes will recur at approximately the same time and it can last from just a few minutes to hours. It can occur once every week or everyday of the week. It really depends on the baby and because there is no known cause, parents just have to patiently wait if there will be an episode for that day.

Gaseous state

According to some experts, colic is brought on by gas in the stomach that causes an ache. Babies will often excrete bowels or pass gas near the end of the episode. This will relieve the problem.

Positions of the legs and arms

Babies who have colic will manifest their pain in the way they will draw their legs to their abdomens to squeeze them in. Their hands will also clench into fists and their abdominal muscles will harden. Some babies who cannot take the pain will trash around and become really wild. Their screams and cries will get louder and louder.

Crying madly

This is one of the main symptoms of colic in babies. In fact, most parents think that if their babies cry, they are either hungry or having a colic. The cries of a colicky child is loud and intense. There is no room for a weak and sickly cry. Their cheeks will often become red from the exertion and they will be difficult to comfort.

Technorati Tags : colic their babies crying

For more Parenting and Family Information, please visit More About Parenting and Family Life

You don’t want to be physically knocked out by a doorknob, but you want to impress guests and friends with your choice of doorknobs for your home! Door knobs don’t sound all that exciting, but they can add a spark to a boring and dull door, and a lot of other things that you might not have thought about. Of course, the type of doorknob you buy depends on what you like, and the style of interior design that you choose. Door knobs do a lot for a home, so read on to learn about how doorknobs impress and inspire.

Doorknobs come in a lot of different styles. There’re classic and contemporary knobs, and each one makes its own statement. Victorian homes have beautiful doorknobs and some are antique and original with a home, but reproductions are very popular and much more secure too. Knobs for a Frank Lloyd Wright home will be more contemporary and space age modern looking. Straight lines with a burnished steel look go nicely with the architecture of a home with lots of glass and stone. Not only does a doorknob for your front door look have to look stylish, but your back door can be too. Inside your home you can carry over either theme throughout home too.

When picking out your doorknobs make sure to have them properly installed. Thieves love breaking in when you’re at home too, so safety is a priority. Don’t skimp on safety, after all they don’t want your doorknobs, they want what’s inside, and it’s just not worth it. Knobs do much more than keep your house safe they compliment the inside too. When you’re picking out your doorknobs remember this fact. How your knobs look will depend on several factors. The color of your walls, and will either clash with the doorknobs, or complement them. It doesn’t matter if you use paper or paint either; you need to pick a color that’s right. Don’t forget too that the materials you use on your sofas, couches and in all bedrooms will either clash or complement. When buying knobs bring a piece of material that you’re going to use not only for the sofa but from all rooms of your house, so you can match the color of the knob with the material, it’s the smartest way to shop for knobs.

Wood colors of your furniture and doorframes affect how your knobs will look too. For example, some very light colored woods like pine or natural grained oaks will look great with a deep tarnished colored silver knob. On the other hand, a very light wood of this type might not look that great with a highly polished gold colored door knob. In fact you might not be able to notice the beauty of the knob at all because it blends in with its wood surroundings. Usually extremely contrasting woods with doorknobs look great, such as a dark cherry stained door with highly polished gold door handles or knobs. Of course, the look of your home is up to you, but most people love the contrasting colors of wood and doorknobs.

If you want your home to be antique with knobs you’ll have a lot of choice in material and styles to pick from. Elongated knobs, or better known as melon knobs, scream Victorian, and are very popular in both reproductions and originals if you can find them. Brass is an attractive doorknob, and so is and hand painted porcelain is very elegant for a Victorian home especially. Glass doorknobs of the fifties are gaining back popularity in the market, after a decline in the mid seventies for bedroom doors. Clear glass can be used for either a male or females room because the décor inside states the gender plainly. So don’t be afraid to use glass knobs for whatever bedroom you choose.

At first it seems that doorknobs are just that, but remember these few tips, and experiment with different styles and colors to complement your own home, and bring out your identity too. A good way to learn about the many different types of knobs is to read through a few home-decorating books, and go online to see what’s available on the market for doorknobs. Knobs give privacy, decorate out home, and secure us from intruders, so make sure you pick out exactly what you want and need.

Technorati Tags : knobs doorknobs inside glass

For more Parenting and Family Information, please visit More About Parenting and Family Life

From an early age most of us hear about it from parents, teachers, and adults who care about the future. The truth is having a college education is an important advantage in the career world. Sometimes the traditional route to a degree may not be the best for everyone. Thankfully, there are other options available on the road to success. Many people are choosing to strive for an online education college degree.

This new trend is amazing mix of the old way and a totally new way to learn. The courses and curriculum are the same; just online. This way there is no lengthy commute, rearranging schedules, or in some cases, buying expensive textbooks. Many universities offer accredited degree programs in a variety of different majors and degree levels. This method of obtaining a degree is often the answer for people who missed an earlier college education due to circumstances or someone who lives in a remote area. An online education college degree is a good option for the non-traditional student. For example, someone who already has a career and family may find these programs to be exactly what they need to further their education.

There are many advantages to choosing an online education college degree. One that stands out is affordability. Online courses are often much more cost effective than traditional onsite universities and colleges. This feature is especially helpful to the prospective student that may have a family and children to support. For a smaller tuition now, the student will have the opportunity to earn more money later with an online education college degree.

Another benefit to earning a degree online is accessibility. Not every small town has a local college and that can be a huge factor that stands in the way of obtaining a college degree for many people. While studying from home, the adult student also has the luxury of not attending classes with other students that are much younger than they are. This prospect is uncomfortable to many older students. Learning remotely also ensures the student can focus on academics rather than the outside activities associated with college life. Being readily accessible and conveniently scheduled are just two of the benefits to getting an online education college degree.

The benefits to learning online are immeasurable. The student is granted greater flexibility, a more affordable education, and the comfort of learning at their own pace, as well the advantage of studying in their home environment. An online education college degree is the answer for many adults looking for a way to further their education and build a better future for their families.

Technorati Tags : degree college education online

For more Parenting and Family Information, please visit More About Parenting and Family Life

If there is one consensus on beauty and elegance in carpeting, then it would have to be an oriental rug. These rugs might be used as wall decorations or as a regular rug to walk on; whatever the alternative is the oriental rug still adds character to a room no matter how it is used. The elegance and quality that a new area rug will add to your space is sure to be enjoyed for years to come. These oriental rugs originate from japan; a person who knows rugs will be able to tell were the multiple styles originated from.

The term oriental rugs has traditionally been used to describe hand-knotted rugs from the east; these rugs come in different styles, shapes, and sizes. Oriental rugs may be either thick and rich with high yarn content or of the flat-woven variety, yet all are pleasant to look at. The elegance and beauty of the oriental rug makes it impossible for most people to view it as a piece of flooring; this is why these rugs are equally seen hung on the wall as well as on the floor. A lot of people who are accustomed to old rugs simply get used to seeing eroded fringes, but an oriental rug needs to remain in the best condition.

A real oriental rug even goes well on top of a carpeted floor; it actually can help jazz up your flooring with more color and design. Some oriental rugs have a thick weave; you can consider washing your prize rug more than once to keep it from looking old and unclean. Many people now know the value and the elegance a beautiful oriental rug can bring to a room. If you have any interest in oriental rugs, there are several books and online sites to get more data on them.

You want to make sure that your oriental rug comes with some sort of warning; these rugs can be very expensive and are hard to treat if they are damaged by spills. These rugs can soften the look of wooden or stone floors; the 100%PRCTG% wool provides comfort to feet when they are placed on these types of flooring. The term oriental rug refers to most hand woven or machine woven rugs; this style of rug originated from the eastern culture and has been adopted by today’s mainstream society. Alot of people are hesitant to place an oriental rug in a bedroom where the placement of a bed does not allow for much space. When an oriental rug is first purchased it will usually be rolled up and carefully stored in some plastic; this keeps the rug from being damaged.

Technorati Tags : oriental these people elegance

For more Parenting and Family Information, please visit More About Parenting and Family Life

For many people who work full-time or who have family obligations, getting an education can be difficult. Distance education programs were designed to make studying and learning easier by allowing students to make their own study schedules. Students will never have to sit in a classroom or have to listen to lectures. All the information they will need will be sent to them each month or when they complete a lesson. This is a great way to earn a degree or just learn more about a hobby that one enjoys.

Most distance learning programs entail lessons that are sent to the student by mail or emailed to them. Included in this packet are instructions on how to complete assignments, books they will need to study, and feedback from instructors. Each time a student completes a lesson, they will have to send back the assignments they were told to complete, questions they may have, and other information that was requested. Feedback will be sent with the next lesson. Most distance learning programs take just a year or two depending on the subject and how much time it takes the student to complete the work. Some programs may be more intensive than others because of the information that must be learned. Students should themselves enough time to complete assignments.

Students will receive an assessment report every few months that will let them know how they are progressing and if lessons should be reviewed along the way. Most distance education programs train people for new careers. People who are interested in becoming paralegals, carpenters, or photographers can benefit these programs. While on the job training is also encouraged, people who have some training will learn their job faster. Distance education courses can help students by giving them more time to complete assignments than a traditional college program would. This is why these programs are so popular. These days many people enroll in distance education programs online. They can communicate with instructors easily and can get their assignments much faster than traditional mail.

Once a student completes a distance education course, they will be ready to apply this knowledge in the workplace. Many people who take these courses are looking for a new career. Having the background education they will need to perform their new job, they will be ready for interviews and employment. Distance education can the career they have been looking for while maintaining their current job. Most people cannot quit a job to go back to school, so they find programs like these that they can enroll in without losing their income.

Technorati Tags : programs education distance people

For more Parenting and Family Information, please visit More About Parenting and Family Life

Organize yourself properly. decide how much money it’s going to
take for you to feel comfortably wealthy, and the reach it with
your own Telephone Answering Service.

Our research has turned up hundreds of husband and wife
entrepreneurs who, beginning with just a couple of thousand
dollars in borrowed funds, and a lot of ambition are grossing
%250,000 or more after a couple of years in business.

The exciting part is that the door is wide open for you to do the
same! The demand for telephone answering services is growing!!!
The advent of electronic answering devices in not even beginning
to slow this demand! A great many people are completely “turned
off” by the frustration of expecting to talk with a “live
person,” and having to listen to a recording that advises the
caller to leave a message at the sound of the tone. Exasperation
of this kind can sometimes cost a business person thousands of
dollars in lost profit. Realizing this, today’s successful
business person wants the personal touch of a friendly,
professional “secretary” answering their phones for them.

The professional answering service operator can pass along the
proper messages to the different callers, take messages, get
clarifications and even set up meetings with special customers.
In many instances, businessmen come to thick of the operators at
their telephone answering service as vital to their success, and
often reward them them with special favors or bonuses when a
particularly lucrative deal is closed because of courteous and
efficient service by the people at the answering service.

To get started properly, you’ll need an initial investment of
about %10,000 for equipment and facilities, plus working capital.
In the beginning, with a 2 person operation, you can have your
operator selling by phone while you make in-person sales calls.
You might also want to add a couple of “hungry” commission sales
people to help line up a good list of accounts as fast as
possible. These efforts will take planning and coordination
because you won’t want two different sales people calling on the
same prospect.

You can begin operating out of a spare bedroom or your
garage–you’ll need a leased switchboard from the telephone
company–with plans to move your operation into more formal
quarters at a later date. However, it’s quite expensive and
time-consuming to have a switchboard moved once it’s been
installed. Our suggestion would be to locate a “beginning” small
office, and plan on being there at least 5 years from the start.

Many operations begin in a small 200 to 300 square feet economy
office location, and as their growth warrants, open a second
location with space for eventual expansion to include 3 or more
switchboards. Our research has found that you’ll need an average
of 85 regular customers per switchboard in order to realize a
minimum profit after expenses.

Just about anyone with a business card will be a good prospect
for your services. People working out of their homes are a very
good prospects, especially those holding down regular jobs while
moonlighting with a part-time businesses of their own. Every
salesmen is a prospect, people who work on a 24 hour “on-call”
basis, repair service business owners such as plumers,
electricians, locksmiths, and auto mechanics…There are other
kinds of services that will be interested too, such as ambulance
companies, towing services, volunteer fire departments, survey
organizations, and customer complaint departments of virtually
every business in your area..By all means don’t forget the
doctors, dentists and other professionals!

A lot of beginners start by providing service only for these
intermittent users. These people “put out the word” that if they
can’t be reached at their regular number after 4 or 5 rings, the
caller should dial the number of the answering service. The
answering service, which in this case is just a housewife
answering her home phone, takes the caller’s message and either
relays it to the customer or holds it until he checks in with
her. Very simple, very easy and very profitable!

Usually after such a “shoestring” operation has 15 to 20
customers. it’s necessary to install a phone with multiple
incoming lines. The cost and questions of the phone company can
be allayed by purchasing your own telephone and explaining that
your have several teenagers in the family. However, once you have
35 to 50 customers it’s time to expand into a commercial
operation complete with switchboard and hired operators.

The average rates to charge for your service should be about %35
per month for a specified number of calls–usually 70 to 75–with
a surcharge of 25 cents for each call beyond that number. Other
calls such as “wake-up” and reminder calls for appointments, are
usually billed on a “per call” basis at about 50 cents per call.

Most telephone answering services provide a variety of other
services to keep their operators busy during the times when there
are no incoming calls. These services range form typing, envelope
addressing, computer input services, envelope stuffing,
subscription soliciting and order fulfillment for mail order
operators to reviewing books for publishing agents. In recent
years, some have even included private post office, mail drop and
forwarding services. The important thing is to keep your
operators busy doing some kind of work that makes money for you.

When you decide to lease an office get going, complete with
switchboard–it’s important that you try to get as close to the
telephone company’s switching or exchange station as possible.
This is due to the mileage charges it’ll cost you for landlines.
Remember too that each exchange station handles prefixes limited
to customers within a certain radius of that station. What all of
this means is that if most of the businesses in your area have a
234 and 345 prefix, you’ll want to locate your answering services
offices as close to the station serving these prefixes as
possible. Basic installation and set-up of one switchboard will
cost you close to %4,000…

Generally, a metro population of 35,000 people will support a
telephone answering service hoping for %50,000 per year; 75,000
to 80,000 people will be needed for %100,000 and %150,000 people
for %200,000 per year or more. For more help and further
information, it would be wise to contact the Associated Telephone
Answering Exchange, Inc. This organization the industry’s
watchdog group can up-date you on current practices and trends.

Meanwhile, in setting up your own facilities keep your costs in
line with a realistic view of your anticipated first year income.
It should’t be too difficult to find low-cost rental space in an
older building not far from the telephone company’s exchange
building- the telephone company is usually just as reluctant to
pay high rent as you are..Locating in an older, less than
“beautiful” building should not detract from your business
because few of your customers will ever actually see your
offices. Most will sign up for your services either thru your
in-person sales calls on them, or your telephone soliciting
efforts, and send their payments in by mail.

You’ll need 125 square feet of space for each a small reception
area which can also double as a rest area for your operators and
general office area for bookkeeping, billing and other
administrative functions. Be sure there are convenient restroom
facilities as well.

Before installation of your first switchboard, the phone company
will require an inspection of your office, mainly to determine if
the floor is strong enough to support the weight of the
switchboard. Save yourself a lot of frustration by explaining
this to the real estate agents or the building managers before
they start showing you what’s available. The best thing is to ask
for certified copies of the original building blueprints or
previous inspection reports, and have these in hand when you
contact the phone company.

Once you’re ready to go, consider the attitudes and feelings of
the people who’ll be working long hours on the switchboards for
you–invest in some cherry paint for the walls, non-glare
lighting, carpeting for the floors and a few wall prints,
pictures or other decorations. Look around for good used office
furniture and buy or lease only what is absolutely essential. A
pocket calculator and a used manual typewriter will work fine
until you get the business running on a dependably profitable.

When you order your first switchboard, listen to the telephone
company’s instruction, read the operating manual and attend their
training sessions. The more you know about the equipment, the
easier it’s going to be to operate it, and the more you’ll
understand your profit potentials.

The traditional telephone company switchboard is known as the
model 557 or TAS-100. This board handles 100 incoming secretarial
lines and 15 office trunk lines, with this board, you have the
capabilities of receiving incoming calls and making outgoing
calls at the same time. You also have a business answering line
which can be used as your number for customers wanting to use
your number as their business number and/or for special events
such as a special number for survey replies or telephone orders
such as advertised on television for one-time-only sales
promotions.

Even though you have the capabilities of 100 incoming lines, you
shouldn’t activate more than 5 or 10 more than your actual
customer list. As you add to your customer list, it’s then a
simple matter for the phone company to activate or “tie-in”
according to your needs. Your rental lease payments to the phone
company for equipment includes maintenance, so whenever you have
a problem or something isn’t working properly to suit your needs,
call and ask the phone company to send a repairmen.

Some of the extras you can get with your board includes a
“secrecy” switch. This feature prevents an operator from
listening in if a customer has already picked up his phone and
answered the call, but it does not prevent the customer from
picking up his phone after the operator has answered. The
customer could by request the operator to hang up and conduct
whatever conversation he wants with the caller.

Another feature is the “position-splitting” key. This involves
plugging in a second headset and simply turning the key to enable
two operators to work the same board during an especially busy
period.

When your customers want to call to check with you for any
messages, you can have them call their own number if they’re
calling from a different number, or pre-designated trunk line.
Most answering service owners equipment works both ways until
they decide upon the system that works best for them. Whichever
method is finally chosen should be decided upon with the
efficiency of the operators in mind.

In addition to your switchboard, you should install a time clock
and message racks. These are ideally located above or on top of
your switchboard. The operator the takes the call, jots down the
message, punches the time clock and quickly slips it into the
customer’s message box. When the customer calls in for his
messages the operator retrieves the messages from his message
box, reads them to him, again punches the time clock with each
message slip, and drops them into a “dead message” box.

You should keep these message slips for totalling at billing
time, so it’s a good idea to have each operator file them in your
customer folders as they finish their shifts on the board.
retention of these message slips for at least 30 days is not
required, but it is a good policy to practice. You may find a
customer will want to check on a message received or double-check
his billing against your records.

Basically your message rack can be either pigeon hole
compartments in a wooden box designed and built to fit your
space, or a lazy Susan clips similar to what restaurants use for
fast food orders. At any rate, you shouldn’t have any problem in
finding what you need on the open market.

It isn’t necessary that you have specially designed or printed
message slips, but you should have a plentiful supply available
and within easy access to your operators. Simple 4 x 5 inch pads
should be all you’ll need, and if you’ll check with your local
quick print shops, you’ll find most of them willing to make a
thousand or so pads of 50 to 100 pages each, from scrap paper,
for almost next to nothing. Another essential to plan on–buy in
wholesale lots and keep handy for your operators–is pens. It may
be exasperating until the business is on a sound profitability
basis, but in a busy month, one operator can easily go thru 100
or more pens. Don’t fight the how’s and why’s just charge it up
as a business expense and order more pens.

You’ll need some form of maintaining basic customer information
such as address, name and number to contact during an emergency
and any special answering instructions. For this, simply go with
3 x 5 or 4 x 5 index cards and place them in each customer’s
message slot for easy operator reference. Many services have
these cards laminated in plastic to prevent them from getting
dirty or deteriorating with constant use.

Efficiency is the name of the road leading to profits in any
small business, so when you begin one switchboard, make sure you
have that position-splitting key, and that you balance the board.
In other words, don’t put all of your similar customers–such as
plumers, electricians and doctors on one side of the board.
Instead, divide them across your board–half on them on one side
and half on the other side. This will enable you to put two
operators on that board in times of emergency. Your customer
lines must be distributed according to usage across the board for
maximum efficiency of your operation.

Each time a customer “signs” for your services you should have
him sign a simple contract that specifies the name and address of
the firm to be billed for the service, and typed name as well as
signature of the person authorizing the service. There should
also be space on this contract for alternate phone numbers, names
and addresses as well as phone numbers of persons to contact in
case of emergency, and any special answering instructions the
client may want you to use. Don’t forget to include a clause
requiring 30-day notification of service cancellation by either
party to the contract. It’s also a good idea to state that a full
month’s payment must be made for any partial month’s usage, in
order to cover any disconnect charges. You’ll probably want to
stipulate that the last month’s base charges are to be paid at
the time of service approval, in order to enhance your working
capital situation.

Check with the phone company–find out if they or you are to bill
the customer for hook-up charges, and the line into your
switchboard. By all means, get everything written out and fully
explained in the contract. You’ll be money ahead by paying a good
contract that not to put all that you want into a legal contract
that not only protects you, but also is binding upon your
customers.

One other item of paperwork you should have is an Errors &
Omissions Insurance Policy. This protects you and your operators
against any liability form mistakes or missed messages–very good
to have, and available at very low cost thru the Associated
Telephone Answering Exchange, inc. by special arrangements with
Lloyd’s of London. Your other insurance needs are those basic to
any business. Always shop around for the best rates.

In the beginning, you and your spouse or partner can operate a
telephone answering service. However, we strongly suggest that
you add to your “operator staff” just as quickly as your customer
list warrants. The longer you try to operate with just 2 people,
the longer it’s going to take you to achieve real profitability.

Remember, you want a 24 hour, seven-days-a-week, full service
operation. This will require at least three full time operators
for your board, plus at least one relief operator–and don’t
forget about commission sales people.

Ideally, you should try to hire people with telephone switchboard
experience, but in order to get these people, you may have to
offer short-shift, moonlighting tom regular telephone company
operators. It will take some time to train inexperienced people,
so bear this in mind when you begin looking for people to hire.
It’s always a good policy to hire your new, inexperienced people
for the evening shifts. Break them in by having them “sit in”
with an experienced operator during the daytime hours, and have
someone close at hand during their first week on the evening
shift before turning them loose to handle the board by
themselves.

The most important qualifications to look for in an operator are
voice and attitude. The voice must be pleasant and sound alert,
interested and ready to help the caller. Warn your operators
never allow their “personal feelings” to show thru when they’re
answering the phone. They represent your business and your
customers. As such, they must project a professional manner at
all times.

Teach your operators to answer the phones with a “happy smile” in
their voices. Train them to take their time with the callers, and
get the message right by reading the message back to the caller,
and also be sure they ask the caller for the correct spelling of
his or her name. Unless specifically instructed otherwise by a
customer, insist that your operators never allow an incoming call
to ring more than twice before answering it. Hardly anything
frustrates anyone calling a business number more than a telephone
that seemingly rings forever before someone answers it.

You can start you inexperienced people at %4 an hour, and your
experienced operators at %6 an hour. Try to explain to them that
the success of your business depends on them, and as your
business prospers, so will give them their monetary rewards. Get
them involved and interested in helping you succeed.

It’s going to take aggressive selling on your part to reach
success with a venture of this kind. You must spend at least 50
percent of your time making sales calls–if you can’t or don’t
wish to do any personal selling, then you’ll have to hire at
least two full time people to take your place. In addition to
your own sales efforts or people who will fill your shoes in this
area, you should hire at least one other full time sales person.
You should plan to have someone making telephone solicitations
for at least 3 hours out of each working day.

Selling your services–building an ever larger customer list–is
the name of the game for real success. You’ve got the start-up
information, and form here on, the rest depends on your own
ambition…

Associated Telephone Answering Exchanges, Inc.
Bankers Square
100 Pitt Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-3770

TYPICAL EQUIPMENT COSTS:

TWO OPERATOR CHAIRS………………………%90
DESK & CHAIR…………………………….100
TWO SIDE CHAIRS…………………………..50
BOOKCASE…………………………………50
FILING/SUPPLY CABINET……………………..50
CALCULATOR……………………………….50
USED TYPEWRITER………………………….150
BASE FOR SWITCHBOARD………………………60
MESSAGE RACK……………………………..75
TIME CLOCK………………………………250
OFFICE FURNISHINGS/DECORATIONS…………….150
5-THOUSNAD MESSAGE PADS……………………25
24-DOZEN PENS…………………………….12
SWITCHBOARD LEASE (ONE BOARD)……………4,000
CABLE INSTALLATION (ONE BOARD)…………..1,500
RENT ON OFFICE…………………………..600
UTILITY DEPOSITS………………………….50
BUSINESS LICENSES…………………………50
BUSINESS INSURANCE……………………….350
LEGAL FEE……………………………….100
SUPPLIES………………………………. 200

TOTAL %7,957

Technorati Tags : answering telephone people business

For more Parenting and Family Information, please visit More About Parenting and Family Life