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James Arvidson

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Project Manager, Teleperformance

40 points

April 16, 2010

James Arvidson recommends this answer by stacie

Is the IRS mileage rate the best rate to pay for mileage expenses?

The IRS sets a rate that is used for determining the deductibility of business use for your personal vehicle. Many companies will use that rate when reimbursing their employees for usage of their own car. Employers are not mandated to reimburse for mileage. The IRS ... more

Finance

Mileage

Travel Costs

April 16, 2010

James Arvidson and 1 other person answered this question

I want to compare ACD systems.

I always recommend Avaya. Mitel is another system I have used.
Look up an independent telecom company that deals with Phone system installs. They can give a lot of recommendations and information so you can make some good decisions. more

Customer Service

Information Technology

Sales

ACD

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April 16, 2010

James Arvidson and 2 other people answered this question

What brand do you trust for business computers?

Funny thing is most of the boards and parts are manufactured in is the same factories for most brands from what I understand. This is especially true from Laptop systems.
It really boils down to service. Who is going to offer you the services you ... more

Information Technology

Small Business

Business Computers

Office Supplies and Equipment

April 16, 2010

James Arvidson and 2 other people answered this question

Where can I get an introduction to entrepreneurship?

If you are looking for formal classes, many economic development offices in City, County and State Government offer classes.
You can also check local colleges and Universities as the business department will usually offer Entrepreneurial classes.
Your Local Library, the Web as stated above, Networking ... more

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 3 other people answered this question

Do you outsource your IT helpdesk efforts?

Depending on your circumstances you may want to look at one additional option, a hybrid approach.
In house, Outsourced and a Hybrid approach are the 3 options to consider. You would need to assess your companies unique needs to determine which option would offer the ... more

Information Technology

Helpdesk

Outsourcing

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 2 other people answered this question

Is Best Buy the best place to find computers on sale?

Best Buy is one option. You may want to try the Dell Outlet store online as well. They sell refurbished systems and returns at a good discount.
The nice thing about this is they usually include the standard warranties but the return policy is a ... more

Information Technology

Small Business

Computers

Office Supplies and Equipment

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 7 other people answered this question

What are some examples of good KPIs (key performance indicators) to track?

I hope I can do justice to the second question after that opener.
Now that you have a "story" from each department. You can:
1- Compile these into an overall story for the organization. An Executive Summary. You can quantify performance and in essence compare ... more

Business Intelligence

Key Performance Indicators

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 8 other people answered this question

What are some signs of poor call center service?

As stated above, define the expectation the customer has first and foremost. Then design measurement around those expectations.
Average Speed of Answer or Service Level thresholds are a start since no one likes to wait in line.
Many times, I have found a correlation between ... more

Customer Service

Human Resources

Information Technology

Sales

2 more topics

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 1 other person answered this question

What is a good system management tool for use in a call center?

A lot of that will depend on the phone switch you are using within the call center. Personally, I would chose Avaya CMS when possible.
There are a lot of tools I have seen I would stay away from as well.
WIth such a broad ... more

Customer Service

Information Technology

Sales

Call Center Service

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 24 other people answered this question

What are the worst mistakes hiring managers make?

Definitely great responses. I really like the posts from Cheryl, Nadine, Melanie and Candice. Just to add my 2 cents on these 4 subjects.
Planning - You need to know where you are going to get there. Definitely plan the interview with the ideal candidate ... more

Human Resources

Hiring

Interviewing

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 11 other people answered this question

What is the best sales commission structure?

The "Best" is a tricky proposition. This would tie into your organizations culture. However, in crafting a compensation model there are, what I would consider, best practices.
1- As outlined above in previous posts from Jim, Scott and Richard, driving the key behaviors that will ... more

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 4 other people answered this question

Corporate performance management vs business performance management?

To add to Richards comments above.
It is the degree of detail in many ways. BPM would be measurement of the specific business unit's performance. While CPM would measure the whole organization.
Example:
Gross Margin - Is what is left over after paying for direct ... more

Operations

Business Performance Management

Corporate Performance Management

April 15, 2010

James Arvidson and 1 other person answered this question

Good starting point for researching business formation laws & policies?

http://www.texasonline.com/portal/tol/en/bus/home is a portal to information for doing business within the State of Texas.
You should be able to find links to requirements, information on Business Structures, Taxes, Forms, Licenses, Permits, even financial assistance information in starting a business.
This is a good place to ... more

April 14, 2010

James Arvidson and 2 other people answered this question

Do you know what a ‘crossover cable’ is?

A cross over cable is a "special" network cable. Without getting too technical, there are 8 wires in a network cable. each end connects the ends of the same wire to the same spot in each connector. A cross over cable just reverses one end. ... more

Information Technology

April 14, 2010

James Arvidson and 1 other person answered this question

Where can you purchase wholesale computers?

Honestly it depends on your specific need.
Manufacturer's and Channel Partners are great especially if you need the service and warranties.
Many manufacturers have refurbished outlets as well if you do not mind some cosmetic flaws (usually minor)
Discount websites are great if you have ... more

Information Technology

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James Arvidson

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