4 Important Items of Information Customers Can Find on Product Labels

by

As a business owner selling products, it is important that you put emphasis on the product labels. This is not just for compliance with the law, but to also help your customers. After all, you want them to appreciate your products. Everything starts with what they see on the label. Here is some of the information that your customers will get if they check the labels.

  1. Nutritional facts. If you are selling food, you need to be truthful about the nutritional facts. This includes the amount of nutrients per serving or the ingredients that were used. There are customers who are very conscious about what they put in their mouth. You can convince them to buy your products more if you are truthful about the nutritional facts. If they are turned off because of it, at least you were honest.
  2. How the product is used and recycled. This is also a good way to save the environment. You need to let your customers know if the package can be used again. For instance, if it is a bottle, you can tell them that it is actually recyclable and in what way the container can be recycled. If the container has to be disposed of immediately or if it contains hazardous chemicals, it is important to let them know too.
  3. How the product is to be transported. This is not for your customers but for the people delivering the product. They need to know if the boxes contain fragile items. For instance, if the container is breakable, they have to be extra careful. This is for your business too. Otherwise, your product might be damaged before it even reaches the market.
  4. Warning signs. You have to be honest on the label and if you need customers and handlers to be warned, you should. If they still decide to buy your product, it is their choice and not yours. The point is you let them know if there are things that they have to be cautious of. Usually, cigarettes come with warning signs and so does liquor. This tells the consumers the dangers of consuming certain products.

Once you have decided what to write on the product labels, you can focus on finding a company with the best labelling machines. It is important that the labels are clear. The label will also be the first thing a buyer will check. If the words and images are clear, they will make the right decision. If the label looks dull and cheap, they might think your product is of low quality. This is why you have to be careful in choosing the company for labelling the products you sell.

 

Image via freedigitalphotos.net (holohololand)

 

Five Considerations to Protect Your Business from Lawsuits

by

The Business environment is characterized by its competitive nature which often leads to anticipated or unexpected lawsuits. It is not uncommon to hear of random lawsuits directed to a business by either a competitor or even a client suing for damage. Therefore, what are some of the ways that you can protect your business from lawsuits and other forms of legal attacks?

These five tips should help keep your business safe from lawsuits

1. Always write down and sign agreements

It is said that a good business knows no pleasure. Indeed, the best way to avoid future disagreements with either business partners or employees is to ensure that all agreements are handled legally. A legally sound method of handling transactions is through contracts which tie down all partners and principles to the deal. Therefore, aim to keep all agreements legal and backed up through contracts as this will keep you safe from potential issues that may arise during operations.

2. Be Informed of every Business Law

Staying in the know is important, especially when it comes to knowing the legal responsibilities and limits of your business. Understanding the obligations of your business to the state, employee and customers will help you plan on the most appropriate ways of handling all duties. Also, the knowledge of integrity and tax laws in addition to other business laws is critical in ensuring the business is on course to remain on the right side of the law.

3. Legal Representation

Having a reliable legal partner on standby- whether for a small business or large enterprise- is always essential as it ensures you are legally covered. Owning a business does not necessarily make you a legal expert overnight. Therefore, seeking legal counsel should be among the first things you do before your business is up and running as it enables you to receive expert advice on various legal issues. Ignoring such issues can prove costly in the future if not addressed at an early stage. Some law firms such as The Weisblatt Law Firm, offer a range of legal business services and initial phone consultations as well. Seeking such services will give you the opportunity to receive professional legal counsel for your business.

4. Be Cautious of Your Actions

Most businesses get caught up in legal battles due to careless remarks and actions. Because of this, it is advisable to practice caution, especially when dealing with external parties and competitors. Being cautious also means setting up business regulations that will help prevent legal issues or claims for various torts such as negligence. Therefore, if the floor is slippery, ensure you take the initiative of warning users of the imminent danger of using the floor. A responsible business barely has lawsuit issues to deal with due to its legal consciousness

5. Keep all records secure

Most businesses usually cross paths with the law at some point during operations. At this point, corruption, tort, and taxation allegations can be made on your business at any time. Having a reliable document and record storage system will help you prove your firm`s compliance with the various legal regulations and avoid any legal action. Therefore, ensure you keep all contracts, records, and documents of interest safe as they act as a source of reference when the need arises.

Observing these five tips will not only help you avoid lawsuits but also ensure your business is compliant with various federal regulations and business laws.

 

Business Safety Checklist for Avoiding Personal Injury

by

For business establishments, the thought of a worker’s compensation claim is a nightmare that should be avoided at all cost. When one of your employees gets injured on the job, the resulting medical costs could pile up and dig a deep hole in your business’ pocket. Aside from getting the help of a law firm, such as Dolman Law Group, it would be better if you’ll be able to prevent these injuries from happening, and here’s how.

1. Preventing Slip and Fall Injuries
Preventing slip and fall injuries within the business premises isn’t that difficult at all. You need to make sure that the common areas where your workers and employees go to are well lit. The use of slip-resistant rubber where appropriate is also ideal. For example, those who are managing a restaurant should consider the use of rubber mats in their kitchen and make sure that the spills would be wiped as soon as possible.

2. Educate Employees About Ergonomics
Another common cause of workplace accidents is brought by repetitive stressed caused by common activities, such as looking at the computer screen for hours, typing, and using the mouse. Although this may seem harmless at first, if done regularly, it can also cause personal injury to the person.

3. Offer Safety Equipment
See to it that your employees have the safety equipment needed for their job, and they fully understand the importance and how to use these properly. For example, those who oversee moving heavy things, or loading and unloading of shipment should have back braces. This would give you the assurance that your workers are protected against back injuries that often happens when lifting heavy things.

4. Be Updated with the New Hazards
Being updated and educating your employees about the new hazards and how to avoid them can be quite helpful in the long run. Believe it or not, sometimes, technology could also cause safety hazards– just like how the use of the computer for several hours could be harmful to one’s health. Also, make sure to always remind your employees to focus on their work and avoid getting distracted, as this can always trigger accidents.

5. Promote a Culture of Safety
A business should show their employees that safety is their main priority. Through this, you’ll be able to encourage your workers to be cautious always. For instance, if your employees are always in a hurry, accidents become very usual. Thus, you should remind them to follow the procedures, and it’s alright to work a little slower, if they’d be able to ensure their safety.

Keep in mind, the cost you’re going to spend on these workers become injured would definitely be a lot. That means, it would be better to allow them to work a little slower, as long as you’d know they’d be safe.

6. Have a Written Policy
A written policy is like a manual that would serve as a guideline for your employees and workers to follow. It’s a great way to instruct the employees how to properly use equipment and safety procedures always.

What Should Your Restaurant Management Software Entail?

by

There is no shortage of restaurant management software available. The problem is knowing how to choose what’s going to best suit your needs.

Spend time digging into what your actual needs are. Finding a system that meets those needs will have a lot of benefits, not the least of which is improving productivity by streamlining some of the work that has to be accomplished.

It can be a formidable task considering all the variables that come into play. Daunting, perhaps, but not impossible. All you need is a little help!

Considerations for your software

These are some of the areas which need some thought when it’s time to look into software for your restaurant:

  • How much can you spend? This should be the first question you answer. There’s no sense in falling in love with a system that has all the bells and whistles if it’s way out of your price range! Also, don’t forget about costs like fees for monthly support, licensing, and additional hardware you may need. Get a handle on the budget before you start shopping!
  • Where do you want your data stored? In other words, would you feel more comfortable with your updates and data stored on a computer that is physically at the restaurant or are you fine with everything being stored in a cloud-based server?
  • What features do you need? There are differences in the features that are offered by many POS systems. Which of these are necessary for your system to have? This is a sampling of the kinds of needs you may have:
    • Will you be integrating Quickbooks?
    • Do you require the capability to take online orders and/or reservations?
    • Will you need to process credit cards?
    • Do you need mobile payments to be a possibility?
    • Will your system be used for managing employee time cards?

Software choices

All restaurant POS systems aren’t created equally! Let’s take a look at the ones that are generally accepted as the best of the best.

  • Toast POS. The pros of the system are the ease of use and simplicity of the setup. A reported downside is the difficulty reaching customer support in a timely manner.
  • TouchBistro Restaurant POS. This is an iPad based system. The pros include ease of use and set-up, especially for someone who is already familiar with Apple products. It is compatible with iPhones, which is a handy feature for Apple users. Similar to Toast, the biggest drawback appears to be the timeliness with which customer service responds.
  • ShopKeep POS. ShopKeep is also an iPad system. The customer service with this system is quite responsive. Other pros include the ease of use and sales tracking. The cons are a lack of compatibility with chipped cards and iPhones.
  • Torqus POS. As opposed to some of the other systems on our list, this one is Android based. The support users receive is excellent without much of a wait time involved. The solutions Torqus provides are comprehensive and can boost productivity. A con is the system’s incompatibility with Apple iOS.

You won’t be sorry for spending an adequate amount of time researching the different products available. Researching gives you the best opportunity to assess what your needs are and the restaurant management system that fits those needs best.

Electronic Health Records: What You Need to Know

by

Electronic Health Records, or EHR, have been around since 1991.

The idea was introduced by a report put out that year by the Institute of Medicine.

At that time they were called Electronic Medical Records, though a modern distinction has been made between the two terminologies.

The overall concept is the same. It’s a digital version of a patient’s medical chart.

The differences in EHR and EMR are basically in the scope of what they include in their data.

EMR vs. EHR

The terms are often used interchangeably, though that isn’t actually correct because there are contrasts.

An Electronic Medical Record includes all the information that would normally go on a patient’s paper chart, such as history, diagnoses, treatments, and any other pertinent details for one provider or practice.

An EMR isn’t shared between providers.

An Electronic Health Record includes all the same information that an EMR does, plus some.

An EHR is a more comprehensive compilation of health history and it is designed to be shared between providers.

The sharing of an EHR also extends to places like labs and pharmacies and can even extend beyond state borders.

Electronic Health Records are basically the natural effects of advancing technology!

The benefits of EHR

More than two-thirds of physician respondents in the Physician Sentiment Index feel that EHR have the capability to improve patient care.

How exactly do they raise the level of care a patient receives?

  • Convenience. At a basic level, there are no stacks of paper to deal with. The necessary information can be retrieved with a few clicks. There is less hassle and time involved, increasing overall productivity.
  • Fewer errors. Paper records tend to have more mistakes than their digital counterpart. Obviously, medical mistakes can have larger and more important implications than mistakes in other fields.
  • Open communication. When all the medical professionals involved in the care of a patient can have equal access to the big picture of their medical history and records, a diagnosis and treatment plan are quicker in coming.
  • Follow ongoing care. Doctors are able to follow the progress and ongoing care of their patients more easily when it is all in one easily accessible database. Collaboration of care is greatly simplified.
  • Lessen the stress of emergency situations. EHR can literally be life-saving in an emergency. Having a patient’s complete medical history at their fingertips can save precious time, especially in a situation where the patient is unable to speak.

Choosing the right software

All EHR software isn’t created equal.

There are some components providers should look for when choosing the best software for their practice.

  • Make sure it’s certified. The certification comes from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology or ONC. There are rules and requirements that must be followed at the risk of receiving penalties.
  • Think about privacy and security. The software should guarantee the safety of files, as well as backup. Make sure that the company is using the most up-to-date safety measures.
  • Consider the cost. Some EHR software has a large initial cost but lower fees to maintain. Others are free or less costly up-front but don’t have the features needed or charge a lot for maintenance and upgrade. Consult with a representative of the software company and make sure to be apprised of all the costs associated.
  • Put a lot of weight on customer care. If something malfunctions, having the necessary help to get back on track is vital. Choose a software company that is known for their client care, like Medipro, Inc.

The benefits of an EHR program outweigh any initial hesitancy that is associated with implementing a new program.