Q. I am a service manager for a reputable heating and cooling company in akron ohio. We are a commercial only company and in need of service technicians and helpers. Experince or schooling is a must. We are willing to train someone with the right attitude and aproach as long as they are currently enrolled or recently graduated from hvac school. Feel free to send resume's to matt.heffernan@jfbinc.com

A. No i am not looking for a hvac job

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Q. I work for a heating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and roofing company, and I dispatch about ten people on seven calls a day, and it is exhausting. I take the call (or whoever is in the office does) and gather the customer information. This includes name, address, phone number, city, zip code, how they heard about us (commercial, radio, referral, repeat, etc.), what type of problem they are having (heating, electrical, plumbing, or roofing), what exactly is going wrong, if it is an estimate on a new unit, a service failure, what time the customer called, what date the customer called, when the customer would like the technician to come out (we try to always book them between twelve and four, and save the early times for customers with no other option). The salesman then takes the inbound call sheet over to the dispatch log. I probably should have mentioned that each call sheet has a preassigned number (e.g. 20090001, 20090002, etc.). They match the invoice number on the inbound call sheet to the number on the call log which contains the invoice number, then a place for the sales rep to fill out the rest of the customer information, including customer name, technician assigned to customer's zip code, type of call (hvac, electrical, plumbing), date of call, date scheduled, time of call, time scheduled (am or pm), time completed, revenue collected, and if it was entered into quickbooks, and then if the invoice was given to the technician. This is all if the customer wants the work done on a future date. If the customer wants the work done that day, the sales rep goes ahead and calls the technician assigned to the customer's zip code. He then fills out the call log like normal. Once they have done all that, they give the call sheets to me. I then enter all the information into quickbooks and print out two work orders. I put the call sheets into a plastic sleeve and put those in a binder starting from the lowest work order number to the greatest. Then I put the work order in Steve's folder who gives them to the correct technician. The technician's go out and do the call and collect the money unless it is a credit card. Then I call the customer, get their credit card information, and call the credit card company and charge their card (I am honest enough to be trusted to do this). The checks are deposited every day at the bank after they have been entered into quickbooks. Most of the technicians are paid by salary. I broke my windshield the other day (coincidentally trying to deal with stress from this job), and a company with similar problems came out to fix it, and I was very interested in how they overcame them. The people on the phone took my phone number, name, car type, and schedule me for 12 to 4 pm. the technician who gets paid by the job came out, fixed my windshield, entered some information into his blackberry and connected it to the safegear thing and printed out his receipt and was on his merry way. I called the company (safelite), and tole them all this, and they said to call the corporate office between eight and five, which I will do tomorrow. but fellow workers, will you please help a struggling business and let me know how you dispatch people or how we could improve? Is there any company that has software for this??? PLEASE!

A. Whew, your employer owes you big time for some mental health counseling. The really big firms around here in the midwest use a system that is identical to law enforcement. They carry a small walkie talkie and have radios in their big box trucks. I had a young man check out my heat pump just last week and I could hear the dispatcher talking talking talking. It was a woman and she'd been doing it a long time that was obvious from my first contact. Except she gave him the wrong address and he was driving around for a while until I called her back, she then radioed him right away and I had a delay of maybe ten minutes. We have quite a few one man operations around here and they are Good. The one husband of a friend that I know just gets by with a cell phone, but you don't want to face something like that you have way too many people running in and out. Here's a suggestion: check out temporary employment agencies and ask them what kind of system they use? You might even find a better job who knows? Community colleges have wonderful courses on Business Communication, check them out if you have time and if your employer will pay for all or part of it. This is tax deductible as it's to improve your performance on your job. Then, get online and check out different software companies, there are tons out there who really need the business. A local Nerd would also jump at the chance to get a system customized just for your firm. You really have a situation and I sincerely hope you get some kind of help and soon. Oh, I also know of what you call service plumbing firms in the Miami/Tampa/Cape Coral/Fort Myers areas. These people are really with it but they're in trouble now because the hotels are sitting there empty especially this time of year. Maybe you could check with some hotels or housekeeping managers as to what kind of system they use, but it would depend on how big and busy your area of the country is. Okay, there's lots more but this will keep you busy thinking and maybe alleviate some of your stress. Good Luck!

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Q. Congratulations! You have purchased an Anthrax 2000 Multimedia Personal Computer with Digital Doo-Dah Enhancer. It will give many years of faithful service, if you ever get it up and running. Also included with your PC is a special bonus pack of free pre-installed software:- 'Lawn Mowing Planner', 'Blank Screen Saver', 'East Africa Route Finder' and 'X15 Submarine Mechanic' valued at over a fiver, which will provide hours of pointless diversion whilst using up most of your computers spare memory. You are now ready to begin the installation so turn the page and lets get started! Getting Ready: Congratulations, you have successfully turned the page which means you have a high enough IQ to realize things don't look too good. If your delicate PC has arrived in a damaged box, possibly from miss-handling or being dropped, it will be doubtful that the box will be of any use and can be thrown away. Important meaningless note: The Anthrax 2000 is configured to use the 80386, Z80 and ARMITAGE SHANKS processors running at 2,472 hertz on variable speed spin cycle. Check your electrical installation and insurance policies before proceeding. Do not tumble dry. To prevent internal heat build up, select a cool, dry environment for your computer. The bottom shelf of a refrigerator is ideal. Unpack the box and examine its contents. (WARNING: Do not open the box if contents are missing or faulty as this will invalidate your warranty. Return all missing contents in their original packaging with a note explaining where they have gone and a replacement will be sent within twelve working months.) Also, only open the box if you intend to use your PC as this will bind you to the terms and conditions set out in the manual, which will be sent to you when it has been written. The contents of the box (if you have the deluxe model) should include some of the following: Monitor with mysterious De Gauss button; keyboard with 2½ inches of flex; computer unit; miscellaneous wires and cables not necessarily designed for this model; 2,000 page 'Owners Manual' of which 1,987 pages are in 26 different languages; 'Short Guide to the Owners Manual'; 'Quick Start Guide' to the 'Short Guide to the Owners Manual'; 'Laminated Super-Kwik Set-Up Guide for People Who Are Exceptionally Impatient or Stupid'; 1,167 pages of warranties, vouchers, notices in Spanish and other loose pieces of paper; 292 cubic feet of cardboard and Styrofoam packing material. All our PC's are subjected to a rigorous 24 hour 'Burn In - Burn Out' test. Please wipe off any soot from the case before using. Something They Didn't Tell You When You Ordered: Because of the additional power hungry needs of the Computer like switching it on, you will need to acquire an Anthrax 2000 auxiliary hardware upgrade pack, a 900 volt memory capacitor for the auxiliary hardware pack, a 50 megahertz oscillator for the memory capacitor, 64 Gigabytes of additional memory for the oscillator and a small electrical substation. Setting Up: You are now ready to set up your PC. If you have not yet acquired a degree in Electrical engineering, now is the time to do so. Connect the monitor cable (A) to the portside outlet unit (D); attach power offload unit sub-orbiter (Xii) to the co-axial AC/DC servo channel (G); plug the three-pin mouse cable into the keyboard housing unit (make an extra hole if necessary); connect modem (B2) to offside parallel audio/video lineout jack. Alternatively, plug the cables into the most likely looking holes, switch on and see what happens. Additional meaningless note: The wires in the ampule modulator unit are marked as follows: blue = neutral or live; yellow = live or blue; blue and live = neutral and green; black = instant death. Plug in, switch on, and retire to a safe distance. If after plugging in and switching on your PC nothing happens, the items sent to you may have been mislabelled. Please try plugging in the box. Should your computer appear to be working, please contact us immediately as we may need to employ you. Now its time to install your Microsofarsogood software. Insert Disc A (marked 'Disc D' or 'Disc G') into Drive Slot B and type 'Setup' and press Return. If your keyboard does not have a return key, simply press the small spring lever where the Return button should be and wait. After installation, you will be asked to enter your License Verification Number. Your License Verification Number can be found by entering your Certified User Number, which can be found by entering your License Verification Number. If you are unable to find your License Verification or Certified User numbers, call the Software Support Line for assistance. (Please have your License Verification and Certified User numbers handy as the support staff cannot otherwise assist you.) If you have not already lost faith, please insert Installation Diskette 1 in Drive Slot 2 (or vice versa) and follow the instructions on your screen. (Note: owing to software modifications, some instructions will appear in Romanian) At each prompt, select an option most suitable for the installation. As a rule of thumb and general to most installations, the Exit option is always a good bet. If the installation fails with an error message '## Not enough disk space ##' then you should have bought a bigger disk. If the installation is successful, insert Diskette 2, marked 'Diskette 1', and repeat the previous steps with each of the 187 other disks. Should you be unfortunate enough to receive an error message that says: Invalid file path. Abort or Continue? Be warned , Selecting 'Continue' may result in irreversible drive damage and loss of memory. On the other hand, selecting 'Abort' may result in irreversible drive damage and loss of memory. Please select the most appropriate option. When installation is complete, make sure your computer is plugged into the phone socket, type in your Name, Address and Credit Card details and press 'SEND'. This will automatically register you for our free software prize, 'Blank Screensaver IV: Night Time in Deep Space', and allow us to pass your name to lots and lots of computer magazines, online services and other commercial enterprises, who will be getting I touch shortly. If you should see numerous miscellaneous debits on your credit card, this is perfectly normal as it verifies that your modem is working correctly. Please be sure to fill in you warranty registration form and send it to us immediately. Failure to do this will result in us not receiving it. You are now ready to use your computer. Here are some simple exercises to get you off to a flying start: Writing a letter: Type 'Dear' and follow it with the name of someone you know. Write a few lines about yourself, and then write 'Sincerely yours' followed by your own name. Print it off on your new printer that you are about to order from us and Voila! Saving a file: To save your letter, select File Menu. Choose 'Save As', Choose 'Recycle Bin' as the location and press 'OK'. Alternatively, write it in long-hand on a sheet of paper and place it in a drawer. Advice on using the Spreadsheet Facility: Don't! Troubleshooting Section: You will have many, many problems through the life of your computer. These are quite normal and commonplace so don't send anything back to us. Here are a few problems you may encounter and their solutions: Problem: My computer won't turn on Solution/Advice: This is perfectly normal Problem: My keyboard doesn't seem to have any keys. Solution/Advice: Turn the keyboard the right way up. Problem: My foot pedal wont work Solution/Advice: Try using it on the mouse mat instead Problem: My CD Rom won't work. Solution/Advice: This is not a CD-ROM, it's a coffee holder. Problem: I have made a mistake in the word processor. How do I change it? Solution/Advice: Tipp-Ex over the mistake and type it in correctly. Problem: I keep getting a message saying 'General Protection Fault' Solution/Advice: This is probably because you are trying to use the computer. Switch the computer to OFF mode and any messages will disappear. Problem: What exactly will my warranty cover? Solution/Advice: Its big enough to cover your mouse mat Problem: My PC is a useless piece of junk Solution/Advice: You need to upgrade to the Anthrax 3000 turbo model with exclusive limited ability, or trade your PC in for our pen and paper set. ** ** Due to problems with some of our pens, the pen and paper set has been discontinued. This is not an essay, if you don't read it then you'll miss a really good laugh

A. Sometimes when getting a new PC, I can almost see these statement on them. Excellent read! Thoroughly enjoyed it. For those that came in here just for the 2 points and wrote a worthless reponse like 'too long, didn't read', you my friend, are a complete..... well, I can't say the word. But this persons subject line mentioned it was long and you should have the brain power to read that and not even bother...... again, you SHOULD have the brain power. I can read that you don't.

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Q. Installation Technician needed for local battery installation company. Nationwide travel, 3 weeks per month. All expenses paid. -AC and DC power experience a plus -Telecommunications experience a plus -Must be able to lift 75 lbs -Organizational and Communication skills are a necessity Serious candidates only, position available immediately. Reply with Resume to e-mail address above. •Location: Raleigh, NC •Compensation: $15-$18 per hour •Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster. •Please, no phone calls about this job! •Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests. I'm actually a mobile electronics installer and am MECP certified, but i've just never heard of a battery installer, though i have heard of batter/tire installers, but not making that much money. Figured i'd ask here before shooting an email.

A. Key words; Installation technician, battery installation company Sounds like installing battery's... I would also email them if the ad does not give anymore details. It would be good to know what sort of batteries for what sort of equipment.

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Q. I understand that you need EPA certification in Florida, but what other certification is required? Tech school training? Also would this include being able to change out condensers and air handler units? And also is it legal to do these services for profit without a Mechanical Contractors License in Florida? Can anyone tell me of a website or who I would need to contact for this information?

A. The City or Village that you are considering will have the requirements for HVAC repair. Search the City's website - for instance, capecoral.net will take you to the City's website, click on Business License, view the next page, scroll down to Contractor Requirements. There is a list of requirements and forms needed to operate as a contractor in that community. Good Luck!

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Q. I'm an accounting major, and just took my first class. I'm thinking when I graduate, I'll open a firm and be self-employed, but I have to think of what services to provide. Obviously, accountants are known for providing tax services. They also create balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and statements of stockholder equity. I'm curious what OTHER services would an accounting firm expect to provide?

A. A big 4 accounting firm provides the following services. If you're a one-man operation, just pick those you're good at (don't forget to do your own risk management): Audit and assurance * Actuarial insurance services * Assistance on capital market transactions * Corporate reporting improvement * Financial accounting * Financial statement audit * Sustainability reporting * IFRS reporting * Independent controls & systems process assurance * Internal audit * Regulatory compliance and reporting * Sarbanes-Oxley compliance Consulting * Strategy * Finance * Technology * Governance, risk and compliance * Operations * People & change * Revenue growth * Shared services and outsourcing * Sustainability * Delivering deal value * Investigations Deals * Business recovery services * Corporate finance * Delivering deal value o Post deal services o Structuring services * Financial due diligence * Strategy * Valuations and economics o Valuation consulting o Tax valuations o Economics o Independent expert opinions o Accounting valuations o Modelling and business planning o Post deal services o Structuring services Human resources * International assignments * Reward * HR management Legal services * Asset management * Corporate and commercial * Corporate secretarial * Dispute resolution * Employment * Financial services * Immigration * Public law * Real estate Tax * Global compliance services * Indirect taxes * International tax services * Mergers & acquisitions * Sustainability & climate change tax * Tax accounting services * Tax function effectiveness * Transfer pricing

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Q. How do I get one of my homes certified/licensed in Southern California as a group home for mentally challenge adults? What kind of licenses, and personel would be required?

A. There's a lot more than insurance involved here - you need local permits, local licensing, etc. You'd BEST start with the local department of health and human services. I can tell you, the INSURANCE for a house that way, is NOT CHEAP. The last one I wrote, which only had six residents, was over $5,000 a year - and you can't insure the building on a homeowners or dwelling fire policy either - because it's a commercial use.

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Q. My sister has started a tax and accounting business shes a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and its getting into the tax season and were getting the idea that you know its now or never this is the best time to get customers so we have fliers business cards those things but we dont have alot of ideas of ways to promote it outside of those big expensive ways like commercial and we dont know how much exactly a newspaper posting would be but she says itl probly be too much so what are some more natural ways to get word out in an effective way. So far we have put cards out at the local university but naturally most people dont look at cards on a counter much and going person to person although its good we need a really big one. Weve spread word out also at church and through word of mouth so what are some good ways to promote it mainly to the target customers?

A. As an accountant and provider of accounting services there are numerous ways to promote your business. Word of mouth is probably the most powerful - let everyone you know that you are providing tax services. Other cheap ways of promoting your business include advertising on Craigslist (free) and Ebay Classifieds/Kijiji. You should also setup your business on Google places and have a website (can be fairly cheap to set up). Other ways to promote your business can be found here: http://www.montrealfinancial.ca/blog/24-cost-effective-ways-to-promote-your-small-business.html

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