Daily Archives2017 April 08

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When it comes to portable storage units there are perhaps two names that are more commonly used than any others; Portable On Demand Storage, or PODS and PACK-RAT. Both companies offer portable storage units that make a wonderful alternative to the hiring of a moving company or the hassle of renting a moving truck and all the mess that goes with it. Both have been around for quite some time and offer great services and value, so what are the main differences between the two?

Both PODS and PACK-RAT are tops in the portable storage industry but they do differ to come degree in some ways:

o Sizes: Both PODS and PACK-RAT offer different sizes for you to choose from but the number of sizes each company offers differs. PODS has three sizes to choose from that include 8X8X7, 8X8X12, and 8X8X16 all measured in feet. PACK-RAT offers two sizes that include a 12 foot and a 16 foot container. Each company offers you a guide online to help you determine how much can fit into each container or you can call a customer service representative and they will be happy to assist you.

o Storage unit construction: Both PODS and PACK-RAT feature steel frames and aluminum skins, but the PODS containers have a polymer top that allows light to shine in and the height is a bit taller than that of PACK-RAT’s. PACK-RAT containers feature a built in rack for hanging cloths that need to be moved. The doors on the units also differ as PACK-RAT uses a door that swings open and is lockable and PODS has a lightweight roll up style door that is also lockable. Again, the two are virtually identical but there are small differences.

o Number of locations: Though PACK-RAT is quickly closing the gap, there are currently more PODS locations throughout the United States. Still either company can offer you a cross-country move at an affordable price.

o The lift: The way that the two companies lift and unload their portable storage units also differs. While there is not one that seems to be better that the other, it is none the less a difference.

o Price: This is of course the number one concern on peoples mind no doubt. Price is indeed important but there is no set fee as each person’s moving and storing needs is different. That being said, there may be a situation in which PACK-RAT is more affordable and there may be a situation where PODS comes out with the price advantage. The only way to know for sure is to take advantage of the free quote system that both portable storage unit companies offer online. If you find yourself getting all discombobulated, then you can also call either company’s toll free 800 number and ask a representative for assistance.

For every fan of PODS, you will find a fan of PACK-RAT. Both companies offer award winning service and support but there are differences between the two. While the differences may seem insignificant to some, to others it may be the difference on which company they ultimately trust to move or store their stuff.

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Source by Jason Kay

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I started practicing Lean Management in the 1980’s when I was responsible for the smooth operation of 16 adhesives manufacturing plants, and believe me I have heard nearly all of the reasons why Lean will not work in a given business. Excuses such as “We are low volume, high mix,” “We are high volume, low mix,” “We are a custom shop,” “We are not manufacturing,” “We don’t make automobiles” and the ultimate excuse, “We are unique.”

It is true that each business is different or “unique” and the Lean approach needs to be customized for each individual company. In all of my years of experience, I have never run into a situation where Lean did not have the opportunity to considerably improve a company’s safety, quality, delivery, lead-time, cost, customer satisfaction, employee morale and stockholder value.

The origins of Lean rest with the Toyota Production System implemented decades ago. Toyota was inspired by some of our industrial and quality leaders like Henry Ford, Fredrick Taylor, W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran to name a few. The key thought is that because each company is different, you cannot blindly adopt what works for Toyota or any other company for that matter, you must adapt Lean principles to fit your business.

Lean is a mindset, a way of thinking with a commitment to achieve a totally waste -free organization that is driven by the customer. It is about leading with respect and full employee involvement. Lean is achieved by simplifying and continuously improving all your processes (administrative and manufacturing). I challenge any business, no matter how “unique”, where this concept doesn’t apply.

Some of the benefits achieved through the proper implementation of Lean are as follows:

• A minimum of 50 percent improvement in quality defects per year

• 99 percent On-Time Delivery to Customer Request Date

• Reduction in customer lead-time of 50 percent per year

• 15-20 percent improvement in productivity per year

• Double digit inventory turns within the first two years

• Significant improvement in market share as a result of better service and quality

The organization’s shareholders benefit as well, such as a sweeping improvement in employee morale as they become more involved in designing and improving the work processes they operate on a day-to-day basis. Customer satisfaction significantly increases as your quality and lead-times improve. Finally, your stockholders experience the benefit through higher quality earnings and a solid balance sheet.

In the final analysis, any business (service or manufacturing) has the potential to flourish from Lean. I have never witnessed a situation where Lean, when properly implemented, did not have a significant impact. In order to realize the full benefits of Lean, leadership needs to be fully committed and resist the tendency to revert to the old way of doing things.

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Source by Willie Carter

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Art is reflection of our society and life and movies are often regarded as modern expressions of art. They make us laugh and cry and we often love to quote them, they edify us enlighten us.

Every year numerous movies are made in the entertainment industries but all are not liked: some top the charts while others are kicked out of the box office. Some become the hot topic of discussion for the critics while others just escapes their notice, in short some get a thumps up while others a thumps down.

But how many of these, which get a positive feedback, are actually good movies? Well it is not that simple to answer, as it seems. The topic is very much subjective. What seems good to some may not be the same for the others. What appears enjoyable to a few others might be enjoyable for others. Then what exactly is a good movie? To generalize it, we can say that those movies, which are liked by the mass and not by some class category of people, could be considered as a good movie. But what are the traits that are needed for a movie to qualify as a good one. First of all a movie should provide good entertainment. They are of course others:

Touch our feelings: A movie should touch our heart and make us talk or think about it instead of just becoming a time pass. It should have the capacity to teach and inspire us and provoke us emotionally.

Educative: It should be able to let us know about something new. Nowadays movies are considered to be one of the most effective educational tools used to teach or educate people regarding certain issues. In short a good movie should have some educative value for the masses.

Mirror of the society: A good movie must also provide some elements of encouragement and inspire people towards successfully overcoming barriers. Movies are regarded as the mirror of life. Every story of a movie is more or less inspired by our life, by what happens around us.

But this is not all; there are some other factors also which contribute in making a movie, to be considered as good. Following are the points:

The Plot: This is the most important part of the movie. Without a good plot a movie fails to attract and retain the viewers in the theaters. Even if they were drawn to it initially for some reasons, people would loose interest sooner than later.

The Characters: The second most significant factor of any good movie is the characters of the story. Without them there would be no story and no plot. Characters should be such, that the audience likes them. Be it a positive character or negative one. They should have some qualities to which the people can relate.

Actors: We need good actors to make a good movie. Actors, who can justify the characters and make them, come alive in front of the audience. They must be able to portray the characters well so that people say that the characters are made keeping them in mind. They should blend themselves into the characters.

Script: Without dialogues movies look dead. Script is the life of movies so they should be very strong and appealing. They can even make people come and see the movie repeatedly.

Last but not the least, visual display of a movie with beautiful scenes and sceneries can also influence and draw people to the theaters.

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Source by Victor Epand