The concept of KAIZEN®* is based on ideas developed by Japanese industries, which date back to the 1950s. This system for optimizing production melds together ideas from both Eastern and Western cultures, and embraces the philosophy of implementing common sense, low-cost forms of improvement. It takes into consideration all members and facets of a company, and how each plays its part in reaching Total Quality Control.
While breakthrough ideas are based on rapid change and the development of new systems, KAIZEN® principles are geared toward recognizing what resources you have at hand, and making better use of them. The KAIZEN® process is soft and gradual, and a team or support group evaluates each level of change step-by-step.
According to Masaaki Imai, Founder and Chairman of KAIZEN® Institute, you should regard how you currently do your job as the worst way to do it, and seek to make gradual and consistent improvement. "In order to improve you must first perceive the need for change, and then recognize the problems and work to solve them," Imai states.
Rate your current activities on a scale of one to ten (ten being best), and determine what goals you should set to improve your current system. Circle the number that best applies for each category listed below.
Review your notes, and decide which areas could use the most improvement. How does this affect your company's production overall?
Email or call me at 678-648-5626 if you'd like to brainstorm on improving the way you do business.
* KAIZEN® is a registered trademark of KAIZEN® Institute, Ltd., recognized in the United States and throughout the world. All rights reserved.
Google™ released a new localized service in March of 2004. Many relocated homeowners have used this search feature to get to know their new neighborhood.
Simply visitwww.maps.google.com and enter the type of service or business you are looking for, followed by the city or zip code you are targeting. Google's robust search engine will provide a list of results within seconds. The results will include local information about neighborhood business listings, maps, directions and useful web pages derived from a variety of sources. This makes getting to know a new neighborhood fast and easy. If you out on the road, you could also use Google Mobile which provides driving directions and contact information for your local searches.
Example searches: Italian restaurants, coffee shops, movie theaters, pet groomers, libraries, video rentals, grocery stores, etc.
If you are looking for a mortgage professional that is committed to providing exceptional service, look no further! My team and I continually monitor rates for our clients and always work toward our clients’ long-term goals. Email or give us a call at 678=648=5626 if you would like to discuss loan options with a trusted advisor.
*Google is a trademark of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
In today's business world, information comes at you rapidly and from all directions. It's far too easy to become overwhelmed and find yourself in a reactive rather than a proactive mode. How can you regain a sense of balance and control?
Each week, as work winds down, make an appointment with yourself to assess how you've been doing. David Allen, the best-selling author of Getting Things Done, calls this a weekly review, which he believes is critical to achieving the results you desire.
The weekly review is more than a chance to step away from the distractions of the office, it's also a time to catch anything that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks. Schedule an uninterrupted block of time every week, and use it to evaluate and process your activities.
Allen suggests that you begin by collecting everything that belongs in your inbox. Gather all loose papers, scribbled notes, and audio memos that you haven't been able to transcribe. Empty your mind by writing down all the things that you haven't dealt with yet.
The next step is to process your inbox. If an item doesn't require action, trash it, file it as reference material, or add it to yoursomeday - maybe list. If an item does require action, go ahead and complete it if it takes two minutes or less. If it requires more than 2 minutes, then delegate it or defer it and create reminders so that it won't be occupying your thoughts.
Review your deferred and someday-maybe action lists. Mark off all completed tasks. Integrate selected actions into your plans for the coming week. Schedule any next steps, such as meetings, in your calendar as needed.
Check over your waiting for lists. Are your delegated tasks getting done? Do you need to send out follow-up reminders?
Go through your projects. Remember, any tasks that require more than one step qualify as projects. Assess their progress. Do you need to rethink the stages involved? Determine what the next actions are.
Review last week's calendar. Examine the notes. Are there any follow-up activities that you've neglected? Sort these steps the same way, deciding on the next concrete action. Look over the upcoming week's calendar. What do you have to prepare?
Now that you've regained control of your working environment, take a little time to be creative and bold. Shift from the micro to the macro. Brainstorm. Capture as many off-beat ideas as you can. When the ideas stop flowing, get up, stretch, and look at those wild musings. Are they worthwhile? Take them back to your inbox and determine if they are actionable or not... Don't forget to schedule your next weekly review!
If you have other management tips, please give let me know!
The November 11th edition of the CNBC’s Squawk box featured a discussion by Richard Smith, CEO of Realogy, regarding the extension and expansion of the buyer tax credit and how it will impact the real estate market.
Mr. Smith has an interesting viewpoint as to the changing real estate market. Check out the video and let me know your thoughts about how the tax credit and other changes will impact our real estate market.
Also, if you would like more information regarding the latest home buyer tax credit and extension, please call me or email at dwalters@integritymtgonline.com.
To all of our armed forces and their families, thank you for all the things that you have done for our freedom and liberty. I hope that you have a very blessed Veteran’s Day from Darrell Walters and Integrity Mortgage Funding.
Have you ever had your day end and wonder where it went? Have you ever been frustrated by how reactive you have been to "emergency" situations that significantly reduced your productivity?
Many of us have experienced this to an excessive degree in our business practices. One of the greatest ways to eliminate the reactive state we find ourselves in is to practice the art of Time Blocking. Time Blocking is about scheduling your day with purpose, making sure the things you need to get done DO get done. This applies to work and personal activities. Remember, the more proactive you are with your day, the less reactive you will be.
Dedicate yourself to the following exercise for 2 weeks. Each morning, start off by blocking your entire day in ½ hour increments. The result might look something like this:
8:30 - 9:00 Check emails and voice mail 9:00 - 9:30 Return calls 9:30 - 10:00 Prospect for new business 10:00 - 10:30 Staff meeting 10:30 - 11:00 Check voice mail and return calls 11:30 - Noon Strategies new business planning Noon - 12:30 Return calls 12:30 - 1:00 Break for lunch 1:00 - 1:30 Return calls 1:30 - 2:00 Meet with client
The key to this type of planning is to check your voice mail and email each hour and return messages promptly. The reason is simple: If you let too much time lapse before you respond to your client, it will tear you away from your time blocking schedule. The temptation to check the red light blinking on your phone, or respond to that electronic voice saying, "You've got mail," will be too great to resist. Remember, time blocking is about commitment. The more you live your days proactively, the more work you will get done.
In order to obtain a home loan, a borrower is usually required to have a homeowner's insurance policy in place. Experts agree that the most important question homeowners should ask when shopping for a plan is the A.M. Best rating of each company. New companies pop up all the time, and homeowners need to be informed about what a company can offer in terms of protection against potential risk.
Consumers should also become familiar with the liability portion of their policy. ACV (Actual Cash Value) policies pay claims based upon the depreciated value of the item or items lost. However, replacement cost policies will pay the full cost required to actually replace the items.
To ensure that the right amount of insurance is purchased, homeowners should obtain an appraisal every five years or so. If additions are made or remodeling takes place, homeowners will need to revisit and possibly upgrade their plan as well.
Experts say there are several important mistakes homeowners should be especially careful to avoid. The first is being dishonest on an application. This is absolute grounds to reject any claim. Secondly, if the property contains a detached structure - such as a guest house, a barn, a workshop, or a garage - be sure to include each one on the insurance policy. Finally, do not over-insure. Homeowners can save a little money by insuring only those items and structures that need to be replaced.
Email or call me at 678-648-5626 for a referral to a local, professional insurance agent.
Remember to set your clocks back one hour as Daylight Saving Time will end on Sunday, November 1st. And when you adjust your clocks the night before, you'll be right on time Sunday morning!
If you or someone you know needs assistance with a purchase or refinance loan, please email me or call 678-648-5626.
Information marketing infuses free information about a product or service along with the regular sales pitch. Unlike the decoder ring in abox of Cracker Jacks, info-marketing provides the free prize before any purchase has taken place. It appeals to consumers much more, because they don't feel as though they are being approached by a pushy salesperson. For this reason, info-marketing can be a great vehicle for cementing new relationships.
Here are some examples of information marketing that will inspire the potential client to think of you as a credible resource, even before they meet you in person.
The How-to-Sell-Your-Home Booklet Real Estate agents can place an ad in the Real Estate section of the local classifieds offering the public a free booklet on how to sell their home quickly, which includes personal techniques that work. This will attract FSBOs and other potential sellers. People greatly underestimate the complexity of selling a home, and through info-marketing the Real Estate agent can become a knowledgeable resource. This is a terrific conduit for establishing new relationships.
The How-to-Diversify Document Financial planners can place an ad in the Business section of the local paper, offering a booklet that educates consumers on how to properly diversify their portfolio, explains what dollar cost averaging is, and clarifies the difference between fee-based financial planners and transactional-based financial planners. Providing information through free literature encourages the consumer to call for a personal appointment to go into more detail. This also works well in radio spots, by adding a friendly voice to the equation.
The Tax-Law Pamphlet Certified Public Accountants can offer a free pamphlet on tax law changes, tax ramifications for Living Trusts, and the laws that govern Estate Planning. This provides a great opportunity to become a Trusted Advisor right out of the gate, and start the relationship with a level of deep respect.
Another great way to distribute info-marketing is to make it available through your website. Make sure your prospects fill out a form that allows you to capture their contact information. Make it clear that the information they requested will be delivered by email, so their correct email address is required for fulfillment. Then you can add them to your regular marketing campaigns.
Let me know if you have any more creative ideas for info-marketing strategies!
Moving can be very exciting...but it can also be a bit of a pain as well. Besides packing and unpacking, there is a long list of details to be handled. Things like choosing a mover, connecting utilities, getting Internet and cable service, or subscribing to newspapers or magazines in a new area can be quite a chore. And if you forget to connect one of the utilities you could be stuck in your new home for several days without that much-needed service.
To ease the stress of moving and to schedule new connections for all of the utilities in one convenient location, simply go to http://www.whitefence.com/.
Here you can quickly compare prices for movers, phone, electricity, television, or high-speed Internet. Just select the services you wish to compare. For example, phone, cable, and electric. Or, enter your address on the home page, hit search, and within seconds, a list of services and prices available in that area will appear.
Next, click on the service of your choice to view details and pricing or comparison shop by choosing three providers. Once you determine the provider, select the service plan, complete the requested information, enter the connection date, and within minutes a confirmation will be sent to you.
If you want to change your current provider, simply hit the icon for phone, cable, or Internet, select "switch provider," complete the requested information and a list of providers in the local area will appear. Choose the new provider and the service will be changed.
Additionally, on the site you can complete a change of address form, subscribe to local newspapers, and order magazine subscriptions.
Moving to a new home should be enjoyable and exciting. Using this tool can help remove a bit of the stress of moving and will also help save valuable time.
This is just one great resource to help new homeowners on the Internet. If you or anyone you know would like to make the dream of homeownership a reality, just email or give us a call 678-648-5626. We will review your financial situation and get you pre-approved for the perfect home.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Review your notes, and decide which areas could use the most improvement. How does this affect your company's production overall?
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