Take care of Business NOW!

Taking care of business is something we all have to learn. One thing I found works is to take care of things as they come up. Whenever a customer needs something, I try to organize it right on the spot. Now this doesn't always work, but that's what dictation machines are for. If you have a new cell phone nowadays, you can probably use it as a recording device. Take notes like this. I write a lot with my iPhone. I use it to prepare small 10-20 min audio books for distribution. I also use it to take notes. One thing someone taught me years ago is how to multi-task, but do it to save time, not to get tangled up in electronic chaos. If you work in a home office or your companies office, you can do a simple step that will help the chaos subside. Turn off all your toys and telephones for the first 10 min of your day. Take a blank piece of paper and list 10 things you need to get done and that you can do today. These things can be private or business. Once you have the list ready write another 1-10 next to that list and prioritize the list. Lay this next to you on your desk or in the car and you can have piece of mind that these are the things you need to do, you have written them down, prioritized them and now someone can call you to try and throw you out of sync, but it wont work, but you have your list. Over time you will find that this method will fine tune itself. The first days will be hard, but you just have to take the things you did not accomplish from your day and put it to the next days list, if it did not take care of itself. Keep each day in a folder and count how many actions you were able to accomplish after 1 year. You will be amazed what a structure will bring into your life.

Road Warrior

When hitting the road I might be able to help on planning your trips. I travel every week up and down the east coast using airlines, hotels and car rentals. I have been a road warrior for a better part of 4 years in the United States and about 15 years in Europe. I want to share some tips on making the best out of it. One thing to do is make sure you book and schedule your own travel and run it through your own credit cards. This is essential to what your about to hear. This way you can get all the benefits of racking up those megamiles. Diversity is the key. Make sure you register and keep your login safe and available. You want to try and keep from using just one reward point membership and build up several accounts. This will protect you from loosing status and being left with only one rewards account. The other thing is the value of the points. They vary from company to company. The quality varies from company to comany too. I can also tell you about airlines and how to use them with tricks on bags and how to pack all the way to check in and parking.

Book your own travel

Folks!



If your not booking your own travel, its about time you do this. Airlines, rental cars and hotels can be a nice little treasure when vacation time comes around. Passwords are a pain, but if your an iPhone freak there is a password app that can help, and for PC users password plus is probably the best. Seems to me from being gold, wizard, emerald and blue chip I found national car rental to be the most competative and easy to use. The only downside is they are often off site, so get ready to take a bus shuttle. I work my hotels between Marriott and Hilton properties. Found the Hilton to be a little cleaner than Marriott, but I can get in anywhere at Marriott with short notice and cancel the same way. I prefer Hilton properties and recommend them. The reward points differ a bit too. I cannot tell yet which points are better, but that will change since I split my usage now. Oh yes! I suggest people split their reward points across the board to have the variety its safer and gives more security when traveling. This goes for airlines as well. Delta is dominant in Atlanta and this could be a reason to use and airline, but service is too. I will talk a little about that in the next blitch.