Are You As Productive As You Could Be At Home?

home office

Do you work from home? If so, are you as productive as you could be? If you have an office or a studio at home, here are tips and tricks to help you get more out of your working day.

Problems with your workspace

When you work at an office, you have a dedicated area. You sit at your desk, switch your computer on, and you’re ready and raring to. If you’re having a meeting, you can pop into a spare room, which is equipped with everything you need. When you’re at home, the setup may be a little different.

If you’ve only just started working from home, you may not have had time to finish off your office yet. Even if you’ve been based at home for a while, you may still be finding your feet. When your home doubles up as a workspace, it’s essential to separate work and play. Don’t try and run the world from your kitchen table. You’ll find it hard to concentrate, there will be papers everywhere, and you may lose track of what needs doing on a daily basis. Trust me. I know!

Once you’ve got a workspace sorted, turn it into a room in which you want to spend time. Add an element of excitement or fun if you have a creative job, and personalize it. Just because you’re working doesn’t mean you want to stare at four blank walls all day, every day. Make sure you have enough space, invest in the equipment you need, and ensure that you’re comfortable.

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Ironing out annoyances

It can be hard enough to concentrate when you’re working from home without any additional annoyances or distractions. If there are problems that are bothering you, try and iron them as soon as possible. Is your office too hot or cold? Are you struggling to get comfortable when you’re typing? Is the room too noisy? If you’ve got HVAC issues, get in touch with a company like Academy Air. If you need a new chair, have a look at office furniture online or visit a showroom and try some different styles out. If you’re struggling to concentrate over road noise, consider soundproofing the room or wearing earplugs while you work. It’s important that you’re comfortable so that you can focus on your work.

Establishing a routine that works for you

Routine is imperative when you work from home, but there is no universal regime that suits everyone. Play to your strengths. If you’re a morning person, tackle the most demanding tasks first thing. If you take a while to warm up, start your working day at 9 am rather than 6 am, and finish later. This is what I do. I am NOT an early morning person!

Write to-do lists, keep your filing tray organized, and manage your time using a diary. I've started using bullet journaling to keep organized and keep track of my goals. Here's my Pinterest board for bullet journaling, if you need ideas.

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If you work from home, this doesn’t mean that your day is an easy ride. Working at home can often be more taxing than going into an office because you have to contend with the temptation of home comforts. If you are based at home, take these tips on board to make your working day more productive in no time.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. 

Common Work At Home Problems

There are many great reasons to work at home. You’re on your own schedule, you can wear whatever you want, and any water cooler small talk you make is entirely of your own discretion (and usually involves chatting to yourself...). I love it, myself.Still, it’s not all lazy pajama mornings, leisurely lunches, and mid-afternoon glasses of wine. Every now and again, you’ll encounter a problem that...dare I say it...actually makes you miss the regular old routine! Here’s a few of the more common issues, and how you can overcome them.

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Can you please be quiet?

It can difficult to be taken seriously, sometimes, when you’re working from home. People tend to think that you’re always available, that you can look after their children, meet them for coffees, and so on. All this can be managed with a little bit of social grace; children are another matter entirely. Finding a quiet time to work when you have energetic children rushing around you - even if it’s not your job to be watching them - can be difficult. Solution? Make the most of the children’s afternoon naps and try to carve out an area in the room that is unequivocally, undeniably your own working domain.  

Why Won’t It Work?!

In a regular office, you turn up and you do your work. All the infrastructure that allows you to do it, those wires and wireless waves and all that nonsense that makes things happen is taken care of by someone else entirely. The mysterious IT folk who always ensure things are running smoothly.

In your house, however, the mysterious IT folk have disappeared and all you’re left with is...the mystery! If things online are moving slowly, it might be issues with your Wifi - see The Smart Future for guidance on what it could be. If your files are suddenly nowhere to be found, it could be an issue with your hard drive - which is a good time to mention, you might want to look at getting Cloud storage.

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Avoiding those Shiny Objects

The biggest barrier to work success usually isn’t your children or your IT: it’s yourself. Never underestimate mankind’s capacity to avoid work and pursue...well, anything that isn’t work. We’re master procrastinators, always searching for something to be entertained online or in our homes. Your house will never look as tidy as it does when you work there; anything to avoid work!

It’s a good idea to download a time tracking app to your computer, and record how much you actually work. Seeing the timer at 15 minutes when you were supposed to be working for an hour or more will give you motivation to sit down and actually get to work!

Hello...World?

No annoying colleagues, sure, but then there’s no anybody! Loneliness can creep in for home workers, so make sure you get out of the house during your breaks to interact with the wider world. Using websites such as meetup.com and the like can put you in touch with other work from home workers. Get together and meet for a coffee!

Got some tips for working at home? Let me know in the comments.

Note: This post contains some affiliate links.

If You Work From Home You Need To Read This

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Anyone who is freelance or works from home like me will understand how difficult it is to self motivate.  If you are in the creative industry you may find it harder as distractions and procrastination are far easier to indulge in when you aren’t jumping up to rush to the office. I have some handy tips to get you up and at ‘em, so read on.

Routine

You need to start with the basics.  Routine.  Whilst it is easy to put things off until an hour before deadline you are not doing yourself any favours at all.  You are just allowing yourself to deepen bad habits. The best thing about working for someone else is that you have a boss breathing down your neck a little.  You have a solid routine of getting up, breakfast, the commute and then a clear day dedicated to only one thing.  Sitting in your office!

As a freelancer it is very easy to fall into the trap of the lazy morning / late night set up.  You have 24 hours in a day right? So why does it matter if you work through the night and sleep through the day?  It matters because the upset of routine can seriously affect the quality of both your productivity and mental health.

Get up at a reasonable hour (pre 9 am) and don't be tempted to sit in your pyjamas or work under the duvet.  Get washed, get dressed and start work at the same time every single day.  You don’t have to work from home.  A change of scenery can help you get your mind working and there is Wifi available in most public places.  Just invest in a little extra juice by purchasing a battery pack like one of these from ithingum.com and ensure your devices don’t let you down.

Break for Lunch

It may sound silly, but the opposite of the lazy morning trap is the overworking trap. It is vital you take plenty of short breaks to help recover.  

Some freelancers seem to work every day and this is also a mistake. The problem is if the office is there it's easy to just pop in and square some stuff away.  Don’t.  Have dedicated days where you don’t even look at your work.  Get out of the house if you have to.

Get Another Phone

It is also worth investing in a second phone so you have a dedicated work number and a personal number.  You can get one free from Google.

Don’t be afraid to switch it off.

Just set up an ‘Out of office’ message on your emails and then face the onslaught at 9am on Monday.  The world isn’t going to stop because you weren’t sitting at your desk.

Get a Pet

Finally, get a cat or a dog.  If you can’t ditch the procrastination habit you might as well have a friendly face to chat your thoughts over with! I'm joking, of course... although it is beneficial to have a little company throughout your day.  Humans weren’t meant to lock themselves in an office and shut out the world.  So be social!

Note: This post contains some affiliate links.

Go Pro with Marketing

The marketing industry is currently booming and with the evolution of social media, it’s never been a better time to get involved with digital marketing. Business is a competition and for a small businesses getting their foot on the ladder, your voice needs to be heard for your company to be a success. People are blogging, using Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to reach their customers and even now vlogging  (video blogging) to get their messages across.

Apps are being developed at a rapid rate and all successful businesses should be utilising every free avenue they can get!With almost everyone now using smartphones and tablets, you can’t get away from technology and if you want to maximise your business, you need to think outside the usual marketing channels and get your head into social media. Working on a small budget doesn’t hinder you either, as some of the best marketing strategies are in fact, FREE! There are ways you can improve your business advertising and I’ve listed some of the best ways to get your content across to clients, customers and future business links.



• Social media apps: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook are all favorites for social media advertising. Using the correct hashtags on your posts and photos can give your company a reach it wouldn’t have managed with leafletting in the good old days! The best bit? These are free to use. You need to actually use the apps though, for your marketing to work. Try posting 1 to 2 posts on Facebook, 2 to 3 on Instagram and 1 post every hour or two on Twitter to get the best results. Using an automation system like StatusBrew or Crowdfire can be a big help. Here’s a good article on mobile marketing to get you started.

• GoPro: The GoPro is currently transforming the ad game as user-generated content has become a powerful force. There’s lots you can do to to implement it for your company so learn about it here. A GoPro allows for a full user experience so vloggers, bloggers and YouTube subscribers can create exciting, captivating content that gains a great audience.

• Drones: Pairing a GoPro or a camera with a drone can create amazing user friendly videos. From estate agencies to wedding companies, a flying GoPro can create exciting instructional videos that brand your business as innovative!

• DIY Infographics: Powerful tools, these! People tend not to want to read pages and pages of content but sharp, to the point content in picture format create visual eye candy. They’re a fantastic information tool that give what the customer wants to know in small and pretty bites. With the fact these can be shared widely, they work well with social media and digital marketing techniques. easel.ly has a great tool for making infograhics for free.

• Prizes: People love winning and they love presents, so having your company market a campaign that offers prizes for likes and shares is important. The reach on these contests, especially on social media, is massive!

Some companies love back-to-basics marketing of business cards and billboards and these methods are still common and popular today. However, the birth of new apps and content sharing sites is on the rise and companies need to keep up with digital options to be able to stay current. Going pro with your marketing often means thinking creatively, after all, that’s what marketing is all about!

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Should You Create An App For Your Business?

If you have a business, then many say one of the best things you can do is create an app. It’s true that creating an app for your business can help you to grow and expand much faster and the goal of an app is to make things easier and more convenient for your audience. However, an app isn’t for everyone. If you’re confused, this post will help you to figure out whether creating an app is for you.

Making Yourself More Visible To Customers

An app will make you more visible to your customers. They can see you on the app store when they search for something similar. It’s much more subtle than a big ad or billboard, but you’re always going to be there, on their mobile device if they download your app. If you feel that an app could give you more visibility and help you to stick in customer’s minds, creating an app could be a good idea.

Providing More Value To Your Customers

An app can potentially help you to create more value for your customers in a couple ways:

• It could give them the information they’re looking for at the click of a button.

• It could help them to order or book something with a few simple clicks.

If this is what you want to ensure your mobile app does, then you could be well on your way to providing more value for your customers.

However, if you can’t think of a way to add more value to your customer’s lives with your app, it could be worth waiting a while.

Improve Customer Engagement

Many apps out there help to improve customer engagement. This is because when an app is right there at their fingertips, they’re going to be more inclined to use it than other engagement platforms. This can also create customer loyalty, making them choose you over similar apps and businesses.

Take a look competitor's apps for inspiration and ideas on how best to make yours work. MovieBox APK is one popular app that you could learn from; head over to their download page for MovieBox APK on your mobile device. There are so many other apps too; make sure you look at:

• The interface

• How easy they are to use

• How they’re adding value

While it's okay to borrow inspiration,  make sure you’re original, and that you don’t end up doing a carbon copy of another app.

Potentially Stand Out From Your Competition

If you’re a small business, creating an app could mean potentially standing out from your competition. Small businesses having apps can be pretty unheard of, so if you create one, you could stay ahead of the game. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make a sudden breakthrough. You still need to be sure that an app is the right choice for your business.

Hopefully, these pointers have helped you to see the value an app can give you, and figure out whether it’s right for you. Leave your thoughts below!

It IS Easy Being Green

Apparently, Kermit was wrong because it is easy being green. At least, it is these days, and there’s lots of ways to make your home a haven of renewable energy savings. 

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Windows

You can keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer by upgrading the windows. If you live in an older home, you might still be using single glazing, and that’s a mistake. You want to upgrade to double or triple glazing in your home.

While it might be a little expensive to make this change, some local councils do offer benefits for this type of upgrade. So, make sure to check whether there are any deals like this in your area. Of course, this is just one way you can make your home fifty shades of green.

Solar Solutions

The world is coming full circle. Way back in ancient times people used to worship the sun as though it was a god. That might seem a little odd but remember it gave them warmth, light and allowed their crops to grow.

Now, we don’t worship the sun, but a lot of people are starting to use it as a direct source of energy. You can do this in your home by installing solar panels on the roof. With solar panels, you can create your own electricity to light and heat your home. The best part? It’s completely free once you have the solar panels installed. Now, I know what you’re thinking. There’s got to be a catch.

The catch is the first fixed cost of those panels. But again make sure you check with your local council as well as environmental agencies. Many are offering subsidies and discounts to homeowners willing to make this change. Check out my CNET article to find out if your house is a good candidate for solar energy.

Hot And Cold

If you live in an area where the climate often feels like the fires of hell (like here in Texas!), you probably have an air conditioning system in your home. If you don’t, the good news is you can actually replace your old air con system with an energy friendly upgrade.

Make sure you look at HERO financing for air conditioning. HERO stands for home energy renovation opportunity and basically means you can cut down the cost of getting a great new AC system. With opportunities like this, it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune to keep your home green and cool.

Oh, You Smart Home!

That’s exactly what you’ll be saying when you try out the new smart control systems for modern homes. With these futuristic gadgets, you can adjust your home to your optimum temperature settings which is great. It means that you won’t be wasting energy simply because you can’t be bothered to turn the heating down. The temperature will also naturally adjust to the best level for the weather outside and the time of day. You’ll be saving money, energy and your last nerve.

Also, check out my article: This may be why your electricity bill is so high.

So what can you learn from this article? Well, we definitely shouldn’t trust singing frogs!

Trivia Time: Let's Talk About Significant Business Inventions...

We all know that there have been significant business inventions and progressions in recent years. For writers, probably the biggest innovation, recently, has been the internet. However, for some industries, the internet is not the most significant invention. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some progress in another industry you might not be very familiar with.

The World of Farming

The world of farming has changed monumentally over the years. This is an industry that has gone from being completely labour intensive to highly machine intensive. Therefore, as you may have gathered, there have been some incredible farm machinery inventions along the way that have allowed this to happen. Here’s the most significant ones.

Thresher

First and foremost we have the thresher. This is a machine that separates the grain from crops. It is a piece of machinery that is extremely popular in the present day. However, prior to its existence, grain was obviously cut by hand.

This was an extremely slow process. Farmers would haul the grain to a barn. It would then be spread on a ‘threshing floor’. They would either allow animals to trample upon the grain or they would beat it with hand fails. Both methods would knock the kernels free of the straw.

After this, the straw would be raked away, and what was left was tossed into the air. The wind then had the responsibility of blowing away the lighter debris and chaff from the heavier grain.

As you can probably tell, it wasn’t a very efficient process. Therefore, when Andrew Meikle developed the first threshing machine in Scotland in 1786 it was welcomed with opened arms.

General Purpose Tractor

You simply cannot mention farm machinery without talking about the tractor. There are a lot of significant inventions in relation to this machine.

For example, you have the first gasoline tractors for sale, which were invented in the 1890s. However, the general purpose tractor is arguably the most significant. It is one of the most popular farm machines on a global basis and has increased efficiency and productivity by truly astounding amounts.

So, when did the first general purpose tractor come about? That would be in 1924. It was called the ‘Farmall’ and it was created by IH. This machine could plant and cultivate row crops, as well as pull heavy tillage. It didn’t take long for the general purpose tractor to catch on at businesses around the world. Over the next twenty years, all manufacturers in the agricultural industry developed their very own version.

Cotton Gin

Last but not least, let’s rewind to one of the earliest farm machinery inventions. After all, we’ve delved into the world of the general purpose tractor – a machine that is dominant in the modern day, but what made a massive impact in older times? This has to be the Cotton Gin.

In Colonial Times cotton cloth was extremely expensive. In fact, it was more costly than wool or linen. This is because separating the seed from the clinging fibres proved to be tremendously tough.

To illustrate just how difficult this was, on a daily basis one individual would probably only be able to pick the seeds from one pound of cotton fibre. This process defined the word lengthy.

So, when Eli Whitney devised a Cotton Gin machine in 1793, it truly was a significant invention. This machine allowed for approximately 200 pounds of cotton to be cleaned per day. It’s not difficult to do the math – that means that this machine sped up the process of cotton cleaning by 200%! It truly was an incredible invention that caused the prices of cotton to plummet.     

5 Tools To Become A Successful Online Writer

You've decided you are going to launch your career and become a writer, but not just any kind of writer - a successful online writer. For any profession, there are tools one needs to thrive in their role, or devices at least that enhance a persons' performance to get the job completed to a high standard. If you're in the middle of figuring out what you need to help you on your quest to become a great writer, below is a non-exhaustive list.

Grammar Checker

To begin with, each writer has their own strengths. Some are meticulous about their grammar but struggle to write content that engages the audience, and others are awful at grammar but have the gift of knowing their writing voice to entice customers to read on. Whichever writer you are, it's important not to assume your grammar doesn't require a second look over. When you write content for any medium, if readers spot sentences that are difficult to read, or words that are misspelled, it could mean disaster for your credibility. And so, you should consider leaning on a spelling program such as Grammarly or Ginger with every piece you write. Grammarly is a good option but if you can't afford premium version of it, you can check grammar on Prepostseo for free.

Workstation

You’ll need a desk and a chair, ideally somewhere quiet in your home, without distraction so that you can concentrate on your writing in peace and quiet. And, it needn't be an expensive set-up, as you can purchase some furniture from a second-hand shop or if you're stuck for cash use your dining table for now.

Laptop

There's no need to go out and buy an expensive PC or laptop, so long as it connects to the internet, it will work just fine for launching your writing career. If you don't have one already, you may want to prioritize purchasing a laptop first. This is because a laptop holds a lot of advantages over the PC. The biggest one being you can pick it up and plant it anywhere to work. This is especially handy for those who like to move around as they work or those who prefer to visit different locations to source inspiration for their pieces.

Planner and Paper

In this digital age, it may seem a bit retro to write on paper, but sometimes it can be a nice fresh break from typing to scribble your thoughts down, especially when your PC/laptop is at home. You should use your diary to set out what you should be doing each day of the week to progress your writing. Such as one week you may decide to focus on launching a blog and planning your writing schedule. The next week, you could take a look at setting up a portfolio of written work to send to businesses. Where possible, keep a backup of your plan and to do's on your phone/laptop too, just in case you don't have one or the other with you.

Cloud Services

Once your writing career begins to kick-off, another tool you will need to consider is purchasing cloud services such as https://www.simplyclouds.com/cloud-services-marketplace.This is to store, protect, and back up all of your work. Keeping all of your work on your PC or laptop alone can be quite risky. For instance, if your device was stolen, damaged, or stopped working altogether, it could mean you lose all of your creative writing and progress to date!

Becoming a great writer takes time, dedication, and perseverance to get through the writer's block, the self-doubt, and the rejected applications. And so, using the tools at your disposal is essential to enhance your writing and provide you direction on where you're heading next.

Setting Up a New Business Doesn’t Have to Be Scary

You’ve finally done it and taken the plunge and started up your very own business. It’s stressful, daunting, scary but also hugely exciting. It doesn’t have to be a sink or swim situation, there are lots of people and places that can help you set sail on the ship of success! Not sure why the nautical theme has presented itself, but it’s a great analogy so let’s flow with it.

Lifting the anchor

It is a long and exhaustive progress to get your own business of the ground, but you know the long hours, sleepless nights and hard work will pay off in the end. You are your own boss! What you say goes, and it brings a huge sense of achievement to be able to see something you’ve created start to succeed. It’s no good to have gone through all this effort and then suddenly let the panic creep in and sap your confidence. It would be like buying a brand-new boat ready to sail off into the horizon and then leaving it moored with the anchor still down. In order to succeed with your new venture, one day you’re going to have to lift that anchor up and sail off into the unknown.

There will be challenges, undoubtedly, but believe in yourself! You’ve worked for this and you’re prepared for it, even if you don’t feel like it.

Full speed ahead

So, you’ve set sail and like a true professional business owner, you’re working through the challenges and difficult times that come with running a successful business. There will be times when you doubt yourself and what you’ve done, wishing you could go back to the cosy office job you had. Then you remember grumpy Graham from two cubicles down and realise that the freedom of being your own boss and choosing who you work with is worth the stressful moments. Once you’ve become familiar with how your business is running, sorted out the teething problems and got to grips with the logistics, it really is full speed ahead. You must consider all elements of what makes a good business a thriving business and able to keep up with the market. Considering elements such as target markets, sales targets as well as digital marketing like SEO (check out Portland SEO Expert to help you) can be beneficial in getting your business noticed.

Plain sailing from here

Once you’ve mastered the art of developing and expanding your business and relishing in the success, you mustn’t get complacent. New businesses require a lot of hard work, especially when they’re in their infancy. With your time, effort and continued determination to do well and adapt to the challenges you will face, your new business will soon be the business. If you expand your knowledge to your employees and pass on your experience, your business will continue to grow and develop and your vision. Even in stormy seas, the ships that make it through are the ones that have a captain who believes in its ability to do so.

A Small Business Doesn't Have To Stay Small Forever

Every new business is a small business, but that’s the way to some stay for the entirety of their lives. But why would you want this? Just because you started out small, doesn’t mean that’s the way it has got to stay.

I understand that trying to make it big is intimidating. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, there’s going to be one massive company dominating the market. Rather than fearing them, tackle them head-on and maybe one day your company could be the one dominating the market. If this is what you want, here’s how you can slowly start transitioning from a small business to a larger one.

Size Counts

Size matters, with anything in life. But with business, size is everything. A company should grow and grow, both in profits, team size, office space etc.

When you first start out, you’ll most likely be running your business from your own home. If you’re still doing this, then it is time to get your own office space so your business can actually move forward. All you need to do is have a browse through websites such as offices.net, and see what small offices they have available for you.

The next step is slowly increasing the members of your team, and I mean slowly. One of the main reasons why so many people mess up is because they try and do things too fast. If you’re employing someone you’re giving them a livelihood. The last thing you want to do is have this taken away. When you have the profits and need the help, take the leap. 

Smooth Processes

Internal processes can be an absolute nightmare to manage. Things go wrong left, right and center, and some businesses just never have smooth internal processes. So, find a way that you can streamline things. If you have a production line, then I highly recommend you use software to track progress.

If at different points of the production line you have a quality checker who inputs information into software that is available if you have a mooch round on the internet, you’ll then be able to see what product is where. You can then check for any delays, and solve issues as they come in. It’s much more effective and easy to manage than relying on word of mouth. That’s where things can get really confusing.

Constant Improvements

You should always be looking for ways to improve. From the way that you run your company, to the way your customers view you. There’s always something that can be improved, so don’t be fooled into thinking you’re running the perfect business. Make sure you’re doing things such as internal company questionnaires to see your employees views, and market research to see what your customers would change about your products or services. I highly recommend Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson for help in making improvements in your business. 

So, do you feel as though you can expand your business now?

Keeping It Clean! Getting People To Pull Their Weight In The Office

If you move away from your home and decide to rent an office for your business, there are always a lot of things you’ll realise. One of the things you are likely to notice is that people are messy. Not everyone will put the coffee lid back, or wash their spoons… and often working in a space with a bunch of messy people can be irritating. To ensure that the office stays clean and hygienic, here are some of the things you can do to make sure everyone plays their part this year.

Make A Rota

An office cleaning rota can be the best idea you have ever had for your business, and when it comes to making sure things stay clean all week long, there is nothing more motivating than a rota where everyone has to pitch in. You can choose a different person each day to take 10 minutes at the end of the day to clean up dirty dishes and make sure the space is bleached. This will allow you to keep on top of the mess and it will lessen the risk of illness spreading through the office.

Set Out Time

If you always seem to struggle with keeping your desk tidy and clean throughout the year, the easiest way to ensure that you do is to schedule 10-15 minutes each week for the whole office to clean their desk and throw away any paper they no longer need. It is a small amount of time relatively out of the week and it can make a massive difference to the organisation as well as the productivity of the office.

Organise The Office

If you want people to keep their stuff clean and tidy, you need to put some effort into making the office more organised for them! This can include having in and out trays for projects, having a place for mail to be delivered to, and it can also include colour coding finance, marketing and project files for easy access when people need it. Little things like this can make a big difference and they can make the process of keeping the office clean much easier.

Hire Cleaners

Cleaners can be the best thing you bring into your office and they will make the process of keeping it clean much easier. Often office cleaning services will do tasks such as vacuuming, mopping cleaning the windows and bathrooms, but they may not touch the kitchen, which is why you will still need to have a rota for this. With less work to do, your employees should have no problem maintaining the office.

Provide Supplies

The easiest way to ensure that people pull their weight and clean up their own mess in the office is to provide cleaning supplies in the office. This will include things like disinfectant wipes, bleach, gloves, sponges and a multi purpose cleaner. Having all of these things in the office means that people have no excuse when they have spilt something or made a mess!

Sensational Staff: Simple Ways to Keep Your Workforce Happy

building a freelance business

You might be the genius behind your business, but your staff are extremely important too. You can't run things alone, not if you want to continue to expand and grow and so you need fantastic workers who can fulfil each role and do their work to the highest standard. Your workforce are what literally make your entire venture work, and so not only do you need the right people but you need to be keeping them happy too. Here’s how you can go about it.

Allow them to work from home

You might not be able to have a completely remote workforce, for whatever reason you might need staff in the office for at least some of the time. However, are there days when your employees could just as easily be working from the comfort of their homes? Providing all of their daily work gets done then this won't affect you or your productivity, but could make them much happier. With no commute and the opportunity to have pyjama days now and again this could really be something that employees approve of. Now that so much of business is being conducted in the cloud, it’s easier than ever to allow your staff to work remotely, even if just some of the time. You just need to ensure you have the right programs, for example you will need to decide between Google Drive vs. Drop Box. You will need to migrate your data and documents online, as well as programs like Office 360 to ensure everything is streamlined. Once all of your software is in the cloud, essentially staff can work from anywhere in the world since data sharing is easy and can be done securely and to any computer.

Provide them with a good office

If you do have staff working in your office, even if it’s just some of the time, then the space should be up to scratch. Have it deep cleaned and redecorated, and update the lighting and window treatments so that if feels bright and makes the most of the natural daylight. Add living plants which have been shown to boost productivity and mood in the workplace. Make sure they have the equipment and right technology to do their job to their best standard.

Listen to them

This sounds like such a simple thing but it’s so important. Listening to your employees can make them feel happier and more valuable to you and your company. These people are very important to your business and you want to know that they are valued and respected, so as well as getting to know them you should really listen to what they have to say. Whether it’s a comment, query or complaint, make sure this is dealt with efficiently. When your staff feel comfortable speaking to you, chances are you’ll hear about any issues that you’re unaware of far more quickly. Maybe something isn't working in your business, but it’s flown under your radar since you’re managing things from the top. Perhaps there’s workplace bullying or harassment going on. The quicker this is brought to your attention and resolved, the quicker productivity will return.

How To Boost Your Business’s Sustainability In 2018

There’s no doubt about it, when you launched your business you expected it to last a lifetime. Why wouldn’t you? After putting hours and hours of work and a large sum of money into your venture, you probably feel that you’ve built a business that has every chance of long-term success. However, if you haven’t taken sustainability seriously, then you are missing a trick.

The modern business landscape is continually evolving, with sustainability becoming more vital than ever when it comes to business success. Consumers don’t want to support businesses that fail to support the environment, which is why ensuring that your business is sustainable as possible is crucial for your success.

Concerned that your business lacks sustainability? Don’t panic - the information below can help you to quickly and simply change that.

Paperless is key

Going paperless is a great first step to make. Not only does being paper-free make your business more sustainable, but it also has the potential to make running certain areas of your business easier, and it may also help you to cut costs. Plus, when you use paper, you spend around one-third of each working day attempting to locate specific documents. Whereas, if you choose to take advantage of modern technology and utilize resources like the cloud for storage purposes, you should find it easier to locate documents that you require, saving you time.

Take advantage of tech

Smart technology has changed how businesses run. It has overhauled the business sector and made running a business from anywhere a much easier task. When it comes to business sustainability, taking advantage of the right technology is vital, which is why if you’re not sure how to utilize this tech or how to decide what tech to use, strategic technology consulting could be highly beneficial for you and your business.

Use energy efficient technologies

It might not be practical to get rid of all your office equipment right now and replace it with more energy efficient pieces of technology. However, when the time comes for an office upgrade, ensure that you are upgrading to tech that’s designed to be more sustainable and uses less energy. It might cost more to purchase but in the long run, it will save you a large sum of money, and it will ensure that your venture is as sustainable as possible. Of course, the little things you can do now include swapping to eco-friendly light bulbs and adding water caps to your taps to reduce water use.

Advertise your ‘greenness’

If you are going green to boost your business’s sustainability to help increase the size of your customer base, then you need to ensure that you advertise your ‘greenness’. Because if you don’t tell people that your business has gone green, they won’t know, and then these changes will be for nothing (except to help the EARTH!). Perhaps you could run a social media campaign all about green businesses and why these are the brands that consumers should be supporting?

Keen to give your business’s sustainability a boost in 2018? The above tips should help you to do that effectively.

Innovative Ways to Incorporate a Culture of Cybersecurity into Your Business

Guest article by Kim Del Fierro, VP of Marketing for Area 1 Security Cybersecurity is a prevalent issue that’s received increased attention in many companies lately. And no wonder, since it’s continuously been a hot topic brought to the spotlight by the significant data breaches of the past few years.

The good news is that there are plenty of solutions that can help stop cyber criminals in their tracks. The bad news is that many companies don’t take the necessary precautions because they lack proper cybersecurity practices. That leaves them wide open to all sorts of malicious attacks. In prevention, businesses should first build a security culture from within, while ensuring they retain a strong security partner from outside the organization. Here are three steps to creating a culture of cybersecurity.

Aim to Disrupt

If your company’s security culture is at a low level, you’ll need to put in extra effort to change it for the better. That means you’ll have to be disruptive and work on improving the existing cybersecurity mindset of every individual you employ. The ultimate goal of this process is to give the power of knowledge to your employees and spread awareness of the common cybersecurity issues. Without awareness, it’s pointless to hold employees accountable for maintaining security. Humans will always be the weakest link in any system, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on cybersecurity education.

Engage Employees through Education

You can make sure your employees will go through the cybersecurity education process smoothly by making it engaging. Want to teach them all about Business Email Compromise (BEC) and Email Account Compromise (EAC) scams and how to recognize them? Don’t settle for a PowerPoint presentation they’re sure to forget next month.

Instead, make sure they have something to do while they learn —such as organize a competition or let them try getting into the hackers’ shoes. That way, your employees will have a better understanding of what they need to do to maintain security. By helping them learn actively, you will ensure that the knowledge they acquire lasts. No matter how strong your training, remember that it is never foolproof.

Invest to See a Return

Everything you invest in to improve your company’s cybersecurity practices should pay off down the line. If it doesn’t, then it’s ineffective. However, some things are always worth an investment. For example, creating a secure development lifecycle (SDL) is likely to have good ROI. An SDL will cover all the activities you need to perform for each system or software release, which can improve the effectiveness of your cybersecurity practices.

On the other hand, using services that prevent threats from ever reaching you can be even more beneficial. This primarily holds true for forms of attack that traditional defenses, such as firewall and antivirus, can’t stop. Phishing is the cause of 95 percent of data breaches, and with Area 1 Security’s Area 1 Horizon Anti-Phishing Service, you can be sure that any email, web, and network phishing attacks will stop before they become a problem.

We’ve reached the point where cybersecurity has to become an intrinsic part of all business processes. The organizations that fail to make it so eventually find their weaknesses exploited by cybercriminals. To prevent this, build a security culture within your organization and invest in solutions that can minimize or stop threats completely.

7 Ways to Improve Your Human Resources

If you would like to make your human resources more effective, you don’t have to spend a fortune on advisers and professional services. Whatever makes sense for your company and works for your staff might not be applicable to other businesses. It is your responsibility to figure out what your employees want and align their personal aspirations and career goals with your own corporate interest. While this might be easier said than done, you will find a few pointers below to help you get started.

Attract the Right Talent

First of all, you need to make sure that you attract the right people in your business. You need to have specific job descriptions, expectations, and benchmarks, so you can find people who will take your business to the next level instead of holding it back. Most conflicts at the workplace are a result of misunderstanding, so communicating your goals, your mission and value, as well as your expectations will help you choose the people who want to work with you and who you want to work with. You can also check out a few recruitment blog articles to find out how you can engage with your future employees.  

Make Them Take Responsibility

It is also crucial that you develop a responsible corporate culture. Do not accept employees blaming each other, and make sure that everyone pulls their weight in the office. For this, you will need to set clear expectations and have clearly defined role descriptions. Instead of focusing on the rights only, you will also have to add a list of responsibilities for each job description. For example, you can prevent the marketing department blaming the sales team for the lack of conversion if you define each one’s individual responsibility.

Focus on Collaboration

One of the things that can take your business further than you can imagine is a culture of collaboration. You need to nurture relationships in the office and work on team building. This will improve the communication in the workplace and help you manage your staff better. Whether you choose to have morning meetings, or set up teams to work on strategies together, you will be able to see results  fast.

Knowledge Sharing Culture

Apart from collaboration, you will also have to make sure that everyone is happy to share information and knowledge. This will increase your organizational knowledge and competency, and give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Make sure that your teams share data and insight, and different departments’ representatives listen to each other, so they can brainstorm various ideas and solutions together.

Training and Development

If you would like to empower your workforce, you will also need to have an attractive training and development package. Whether you are choosing to do this in-house, offering coaching and on-the-job training, or outsource the different modules, you have to align the goals with your individual employees’ career aspiration. Use your monthly reviews to find out more about their goals and their challenges, so you can support them to the best of your abilities.

Perks

Employees are in the job for the money, according to some people. But there are certainly more benefits of having a stable job than getting paid. Non-fiscal perks, such as early finish when hitting the target, health club access, and unlimited food can be some of the most powerful perks. However, the secret is listening to what your employees really want. Some of them might want childcare vouchers, while others would love to have a car scheme. Tailor the employee perks to individual needs, and you will have a loyal and productive workforce.

Recognition and Peer Reviews

It is often hard to tell your employees that they are underperforming or delivering praise. This is why you need to be as impersonal and rational when rating your workers as possible. You don’t want them to think that you are prejudiced. This is where peer reviews come handy. You can base your monthly or quarterly appraisals on peer reviews, customer ratings, and data instead of individual suggestions and views. Don’t forget to recognize those who are delivering beyond expectations, and give them some formal recognition, such as a promotion or additional benefits.

 Knowledge Sharing Culture 

Apart from collaboration, you will also have to make sure that everyone is happy to share information and knowledge. This will increase your organizational knowledge and competency, and give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Make sure that your teams share data and insight, and different departments’ representatives listen to each other, so they can brainstorm various ideas and solutions together. This can also be assisted by the use of appropriate utilities that aim to help your team collaborate on a wider scale, such as with education ERP software that allows for better administration, even of public institutions.

If you would like to manage your human resources effectively, it is important that you engage with your employees and understand their needs. Once you know what they are looking for in their job, you can align their preferences and goals with your company’s, so you can work together on shared visions and missions.

BYOD: Is It A Realistic (And Secure) Productivity Method In Business?

It is normal for any developing business has considerable IT problems from time to time. From the common PC problems that we are all very familiar with, all the way through to the most sophisticated of modern viruses and malware, the headwork an IT team undergoes to fix these is strenuous to say the least.

When it comes to finding the most suitable methods for a business to maintain its productivity, one of the most common options right now is the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) method. Now, the idea behind BYOD is straightforward enough. It's having your staff bring their own devices into work and use them, which saves you considerable costs. But, is BYOD a realistic security method?

The Implications of BYOD

In having BYOD, as your predominant method of working, the bearing it has on the business does yield many positives, which we’ll go into later. But the major issues with BYOD relate to many of the inconsistencies any startup company is ubiquitous with. Firstly, as every workforce becomes more and more reliant on smartphones and mobile devices to do their work, this creates a plethora of problems with regards to data leakage.

Overall, mobile phones and tablets are notoriously weak when it comes to it attacks. Many businesses have learnt the hard way with this, and now many companies don't provide devices to their employees.

Another considerable challenge in BYOD is the mixing of data. As many employees will use personal data and business data on the same device, this begs the question, is there a suitable way to patrol this? Because personal and business data is being mixed, there can be a sense of opening the floodgates on both sides.

Malware from personal website surfing can infiltrate the business aspects of the device, and vice versa. On top of this, the regular patch updates mobile devices need can prove to be frustrating for any business, especially if these patches are so regular. This is why businesses need to implement more stringent policies and procedures to keep every aspect of their business safe.

When you add into the mix the work involved in patching the software, as well as integrating it into the IT infrastructure to make it compliant with the BYOD processes, this adds another layer of concerns. However, penetration testing is an approach every business should undertake so they can sort out any specific vulnerabilities.

The Positives

Why this all may sound doom and gloom, the positives of the BYOD approach to work means a flexible and dynamic approach to working. Flexibility is a demand by employees now, not a luxury. The BYOD approach means that as employees can use their devices from anywhere and at any time, they are still in keeping with the business as a whole.

More and more employees are demanding the option to work from home, and remote working is a capability that every business needs to integrate, or run the risk of losing employees to another, younger and more vibrant business. In keeping on top of the employee happiness game, the access to remote working capabilities means a lot, especially to Millennial and Generation Y employees.

But, it's not just all one-sided in favor of the employee. The notion of autonomy in the workplace gives a sense of control back to the employee, which has a positive bearing on you as the entrepreneur and leader. Because so many employees are happier in using their own devices, their productivity is automatically improved.

And while the impact of the mobile device is seen across the boards, because the biggest way of gaining custom and business now is via app development, this gives employees a ground floor perspective on proceedings. When hiring a software development company to create these devices for your customers, creating business related apps for your employees to use on and off site can mean a stronger sense of cohesion.

And while the mobile device is the most commonly used device in the world, surely it's now time for everybody to jump on this bandwagon, and not rely on static computers? While it's an additional effort for your CIOs to make significant changes to the IT infrastructure, it's beneficial to implement penetration testing and make a comprehensive policy and procedure document so that the systems can be upscaled accordingly.

Is It Really Effective?

From the perspective of the employer, the notions of compliance and privacy are two things that are thrown into this array as far as mobile devices are concerned. You are running the risk of going into surveillance territory if you are keen on monitoring your employees’ working progress.

While systems on computers onsite are par for the course when it comes to monitoring progress and metrics, this is an ethical gray area when you consider the idea of monitoring your employees through their phones. Do you actually have the right to monitor their phones if you see something questionable, or can you feel you have the right to wipe data from their device?

The other side of the coin is that with your employees using their own devices, it's a free for all with what they want to use on their own phone. This can mean an increase in employee downtime, but now, as so many employees are reticent to give work related devices to their employees, in a bid to save money; this is par for the course. The way to solve this would be good old-fashioned reinforcement of work ethics and encouraging employees to manage their own time in an efficient manner.

On the face of it, Bring Your Own Device is a perfect addition to any workplace. But on the other hand, the impacts from a technological and security based view point throws up a lot of quibbles. BYOD, much like any other new system integration, requires comprehensive patrolling, but also requires appropriate regulation. So, this is nothing different in comparison to all the other process is out there. But with BYOD, the difference is that you are putting the onus onto the employee. This could mean better results, or worse, as far as productivity is concerned. It's your choice.

Agile Methodology in Large Enterprises

As companies get bigger, implementing Agile (a software development methodology) becomes even more challenging. This, however, does not imply that it is not possible. There are bigger companies that have implemented Agile, like IBM, which has made them even more successful. But as usual, we have some practitioners and pundits who are of the opinion that the Agile methodology can work in large enterprises, while others issue caveats. Those who have successfully scaled Agile in their organizations say that the three crucial things that can help you implement this method in large enterprises with little difficulty is your process, tools, and discipline. Bigger companies are faced with even bigger problems, and as such, they do not have the liberty of tolerating sloppy practices. While some people argue that scaling Agile in large enterprises is impossible, those who have successfully implemented it say it can be impossible for your competitors to compete with you if you apply the Agile methodology well.

Agile practices adopt a hybrid methodology

Most people believe that Agile practices in both global companies and small and medium enterprises are the same, and that the only thing that differs is the hybrid methodology. In most cases, Agile starts around critical projects with more sponsorship deals. Small and medium enterprises have few projects of these kind, but in most cases the challenges faced are the same. You may want to consider acquiring the services of grsconsultants.com to help you address these challenges and consequently manage risks. Bigger companies find it difficult when it comes to following the specifics of the Agile manifesto. This is largely because they may be situated in different geographic locations for the same project. Still, this should not stop you from implementing Agile, as you can take the Agile concepts and stretch them to your business's needs.

More attention for some applications than others

Bigger companies believe in the benefits that come with Agile implementation, like velocity and alignment with business. However, large applications that are mission-critical usually have unique requirements. There are some aspects of these applications that require much rigor when it comes to planning, change, or quality tests. Agile might not be fully adopted in all departments for bigger organizations. There are some areas where Agile will be a perfect fit, while  others require more traditional software practices, due to legacy or product needs. Yes, you can adopt the Agile methodology, but for a big company it is hard for it to be self-managing or self-organizing.

Large scale Agile frameworks

We have three main frameworks for the Agile methodology that can be applied in large enterprises. They include the Scaled Agile Framework, Disciplined Agile Delivery, and Large Scale Scrum. All these frameworks can work well in small and expanding projects provided that guided, multilevel training and certifications are put in place. Scrum of Scrums is also another approach that has been extensively used because it comes with informal training. However, these frameworks may lead to the rethinking of a hierarchical organization, especially when it comes to large enterprises.

Simple Ways For Businesses To Make Their Manufacturing Eco-Friendly

We writers work for many large businesses that manufacture various products. Environmental responsibility is an important concern for all businesses these days. Customers don’t want to buy products from a company that doesn’t pay attention to their impact on the environment and a lot of people are even willing to pay more money for an eco-friendly product. The businesses that are investing in green initiatives are the ones that are most likely to succeed while those companies that aren’t really bothered by environmental concerns are starting to fall behind. 

There are a lot of different ways you can make your business more sustainable across the board but if businesses want to reduce their environmental impact in a meaningful way, they need to look at their manufacturing operation. These are some of the best ways to make a manufacturing operation more eco-friendly. 

Recycle Waste

Manufacturing always produces a lot of waste and some of it is very harmful to the environment. But if businesses can find ways to recycle that waste and use it again, they’ll save some money and make their manufacturing operation more environmentally friendly at the same time.

Wastewater is a big problem in manufacturing. but if businesses implement oil water separators (like these from www.owstech.com) they can purify it and either reuse it or dispose of it safely. They can also recycle waste cardboard and turn it into bales that can be used as fuel to power machinery. By recycling, they cut down on waste and save money at the same time. 

Energy Audits 

Switching the lights off in the office when you’re not using them will save a bit of energy, but it’s a drop in the pond compared to the energy that a business' manufacturing operation uses. They need to be more efficient with the electricity they use in manufacturing.

The best way to do that is to carry out regular energy audits to find areas where they could cut back. Increasing energy efficiency will cut manufacturing costs and seriously reduce the impact on the environment. Visit electrical-engineering-portal.com for more information on carrying out energy audits. 

Choose Eco-Friendly Suppliers 

Even if you are doing everything you can to reduce your environmental impact, you’re still having an indirect effect if your suppliers aren’t doing the same. If businesses really want to make manufacturing operation more eco-friendly, they need to make sure that all of their materials are eco-friendly as well. When sourcing materials, they should always ask the company about their processes and how environmentally friendly they are so they can find responsible companies to work with. 

If businesses make these simple changes to manufacturing process, they can reduce your impact on the environment and bring in more customers, all while saving a bit of money. 

Annoying 2000s Tech We Kinda Miss

After the world sighed a breath of relief after the whole Y2K thing, everyone re-embraced shiny gadgets and the wonders of online browsing. Tech has since rocketed past anything ever imagined. There’s still some things we miss from the 2000s, though, even though they were less than amazeballs, even back then.

1.      Chat Rooms

Chat rooms

They took forever to log into and you never really knew who you were talking to. There was always the chance you weren’t talking to 14-year-old Annie in Ohio and were actually talking to 40-year-old Andy from Orlando.

Today, most chat rooms have been replaced by subreddits and arguing in Facebook comment threads. Admit it, though, you miss being able to log on and find people to chat with at 2 a.m. on a Tuesday when your girlfriends refused to text you back.

2.      AOL Disks

They were the little demons of direct marketing. These little disks always tricked you into thinking you got something cool in the mail with their fancy packaging. Then, you’d rip it open to find a disk. To install AOL. As if.

AOL disks

Now just a glance at Pinterest will tell you just how valuable those little disks are. Who knew you could turn them into disco balls for your parakeet’s cage or into ironic drink coasters. Now you kind-of wish you still got 50 AOL disks in the mail each week, don’t cha?

3.      Dial-Up

Remember what dial-up looked like?

Remember that screeching, humming, squealing type sound that came out of your modem, like, when you logged on to the internet and stuff? Remember the overwhelming relief that came when it stopped and you realized the connection was completed? Yah, that kind of zen just doesn’t happen with the high-speed connections of today.

4.      Polaroid i-Zone

Back before you were able to post selfies to Facebook, there was the Polaroid i-Zone. This sweet camera printed pictures on stickers you could share with friends. Of course, it took an entire pack of stickers to get one photo crunk enough to give to your crush. It was nice having a tangible photo, though, and it would be nice to be able to stick your friend’s faces somewhere than on Instagram.

5.      GameCube

Gamecube

GameCube was the bomb when you wanted to game with your peeps back in middle school. You didn’t have to blow on a cartridge or ease them in just right to play Mario. It had disks! Then you realized that all the cool “grown-up” games were on Xbox and PlayStation.  

Now, as grownup that has an Xbox or a Playstation, those days playing Mario Kart seemed so carefree. Wii just can’t replicate that feeling.

6.      Napster

Napster

Hear a great song on the radio, but don’t have the cash to buy the CD? No worries! Back in the 2000s there was Napster. You just went to the site and downloaded the song for free.

Sure there were rumors floating around that it was illegal to download stuff like music off the internet, but it who cared? Free music! And it took forever to find the full song that wasn’t just music recorded off the radio, but who cared? Free music!

Those were the days! Napster got shut down and now the only places you can download free music is from skeevy websites that infect your computer with malware.

5 New Uses for Old Tablets

Your tablet gathering dust? Here are five ways to give it a new life.

New uses for old tablets

Remember a few years ago when tablets were the new got-to-have gadget? Then, over time, people realized that tablets, for the most part, where redundant. Who really wants a device that is smaller than a laptop but slightly bigger than a phone but has all of the same capabilities as a phone? Now most folks have either given their tablets away or they’re languishing in a drawer.

It’s time to give your old tablet a new life. Here are some simple ways to give that old tablet a purpose once again.

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1. Use it as a digital picture frame

Buy a tablet stand, create a slideshow from your favorite pictures and plug your tablet in. Have the slideshow run while the tablet sits on a shelf or on your desk. Remember to disable the sleep mode on your tablet to keep the show running. You can also use an app, like Dayframe, that keeps your stream of photos constantly updated by pulling in new photos from your social media accounts.

1. Make it the ultimate TV remote

You can use your table to run your television by pairing it with SHIELD Android TV, Apple TV or Google Chromecast streaming sticks. Just download the remote app for your streaming stick and you’re good to go. Now you don’t need to use your phone and you have a dedicated, online remote.

1. Control your entire home

Why stop with TV? Use your tablet as a dedicated remote for all of your smart devices and save your phone’s memory. For example, my mega tablet remote runs my SHIELD Android TV, Playbulb Color light and speaker, Xbox One, SmartChef Wifi-enabled smoker, D-Link Wi-Fi security camera and all of the other devices I have all over my home. I’m so glad I have a place for all of those apps, so they’re not clogging up my phone.

1. Lose the cookbooks

My kitchen is a lot smaller than I would like, but I love to cook. I have tons of recipe books that take up way too much precious space. I’ve found a solution, though. Use your old tablet as a digital recipe book by downloading a recipe organizing app. I use MasterCook, which stores and organizes my old recipes and helps me find new recipes. It also generates shopping lists, scales recipes from one person to one hundred, shares foodie photos and computes nutritional information and recipe cost analysis.

1. Turn it into a security camera

Need a security camera for just one area of your home? You can easily turn a tablet into a makeshift security camera. Taylor Martin has a great tutorial for using an old phone as a security camera that would work with an old tablet, as well.

Like these ideas but gave your tablet away, thinking that it would never be used again? Amazon and many other online retailers have slashed the price of tablets down to $35 to $50. Many mobile phone companies, like Verizon, are offering free tablets with the purchase of a new phone, as well.