Beware of a New Scam

There's a new scam out there. One of my clients just forwarded me an email that he received titled "Notice of Unreported Income". This email claimed to come from the IRS. When you click on the link it directs you to a page that looks like one of the IRS web pages. The clue to me that it was a scam was the executable (.exe) file that it wanted the recipient to click on to "view their tax statement" when in actuality it would be downloading a virus onto their computer. Fortunately I did not click on that link, but according to the IRS official website, this email scam has been circulating in large numbers. Please note that the IRS never sends unsolicited emails to individuals about their tax accounts. If you receive one of these emails you can forward it to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov

Here's the link for what the IRS had to say about this new scam:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=213862,00.html?portlet=6

Avoid Employee Theft

I cannot tell you how many times I come across a client who has made their business vulnerable to employee theft. This can happen when a business gives a company credit card to employees to run errands like Office Depot, a hardware store, as well as business travel including bridge tolls and parking, without receipts being properly submitted back to the employer. These go unrecorded for a while and then the business owner forgets what the transaction was specifically for and cannot locate the original receipt. Although most employers trust that their employees would never steal from them…it happens. You can reduce your chances of employee theft by implementing an expense reimbursement plan. First the employee makes the original purchase. Then the receipts would have to be submitted through an expense reimbursement form, coded properly into your accounting system and approved by the business owner in order to be reimbursed. You will then have accurate records of expenses including receipts (especially if you were ever audited) and you also limit the chances of possible employee theft.

Misleading Solicitations Aimed at LLCs

There is a new scam going around aimed towards LLC's. Several of my clients have already received a letter that appears similar to the Secretary of State Statement of Information form. It's a bogus "Statement of Information" for LLC's that says that you need to pay them $239 within a short period of time or that you will be charged a late fee of $250. They call themselves "Business Filings Division". Hopefully you have not received this misleading solicitation letter (or paid it). I've included a link below from the Secretary of State regarding this scam.

http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/be/alert-misleading-solicitations.htm

Customer Service or Dis-service?

Just this past week I’ve experienced two separate situations where service businesses lost out on a willing-to-pay customer because of lack of good customer service. For example, I am on the Board of a homeowners association and we have a concrete step that has become dangerously loose. So we’ve marked the steps with signs as a warning. In the meantime, I contacted a company to replace the step. They told me that they did not have the correct step in their warehouse and would need to order it. I then was told that it would be installed on Wednesday. Well Wednesday came and went and no contractor. I called and left a message…no answer. I tried to follow up the next day and still no answer. I called on Friday morning, left a message asking for them to call and give me an update. I’m a reasonable person, if there was a delay in shipment, all they had to do was let me know. Now it’s Saturday and I still have not heard back. Here we were willing and able to pay for the service and there was no follow through on the side of the contractor. They just lost a good customer who would have paid that same day services were performed. My other experience was with an insurance guy. We spoke and he told me to email all of the information he needed in order to give me a quote that he swore would be cheaper than my current policy. I took the time to look at my policies and include all of the detail that he needed. I used the email address he gave me so I know it was the correct one. Here it is a week later and I have yet to receive an email or follow up call. Both of these recent experiences made me realize just how important it is, especially for a small business owner trying to make it in this economy, to really make yourself stand out by communicating with your clients. Providing good service to your clients is essential to having a successful business, especially if you are a home based business. Currently I have over 30 clients, but I make sure to treat each one as though they were my only one. Good customer service has become a rarity these days, not to mention great customer service. It includes simple things such as responding to a telephone message or email, remembering their first name and keeping your client updated about the progress of a job. Hey I’ve been caught up with a project that pushes me a little behind schedule, but I always communicate with my clients and keep them posted. This way they feel in the loop. Put yourself in their place and think: What would make this experience feel like I really got what I paid for? What would make me feel like I really matter to them as a client and not just a checkbook? For instance there is a sandwich shop that is about 10 miles out of the way for me. I have gone there for years. The owner knows me by my name and greets me each time. Other than fact that the chicken salad sandwiches there are unbelievably delicious, I feel like I am welcome at his shop. He seems to enjoy seeing me and I enjoy eating his food. Long story short is: Make your Client or Customer feel like they matter, communicate with them, be honest if there are any hiccups during a job and just show some common courtesy in your business and you will build a loyal client base of people who appreciate the service that you provide.

Be Happier at work

Does you day at work sometimes go like this...
(Video from Youtube, www.stationeryisbad.com)



Sometimes you have to LOOK for the good in your job. I found an interesting article on the CNN Money page...we all sometimes need some positive reinforcement.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/03/news/economy/happy.fortune/index.htm

Working from Home

Having a home office, and being able to work from home exclusively is a dream come true for most people. The idea is great, but successfully executing it can be difficult. Add in a family and small children, now you have a real challenge. There are ways to make it successful. We have young children that have learned the various signals that "mommy is on an important call, everyone needs to be quiet.” This article from the SF Chronicle is something that we can identify with completely. If you are planning a move from the office to home or starting up a home business, I recommend you take a peek at this article -
http://allbusiness.sfgate.com/specialty-businesses/home-based-business/11123

AAA Membership - Great Deal

I've never held a AAA membership card - mainly because I never had car trouble. That changed recently when my car battery died and I had to use my mother-in-law's card to get to the dealership for repair. So about 6 months ago I went ahead and signed up for $49. What I didn't realize was how useful it was to use the card for purchases. Just recently the family flew to Disneyland and stayed for 5 days at the Disneyland hotel. Upon booking our stay we used the card and received about $250 off our hotel bill. Not only that but restaurants (like Minnie's Cafe) took AAA, saving 10% off the bill. Within less than a week we saved over $300 dollars just by asking "do you take AAA?" Spending only $49 to sign up has really paid off for us. Out of all the discount cards available this one is still the best. Check them out:
http://www.csaa.com/

Update: Just saved $9 off admission to California Academy of Science (SF, California). Used that saved money to buy french fries and a soda.... ouch. But, thats another thing to write about.