Medical Transcription program

Technologically Boosting the Medical Transcription Company
By Joe Miller

Medical Transcription Company

Virtually every medical service provider dictates SOAP notes into recorders for transcription and sends them off to a medical transcription company to transcribe and return a refined copy of necessary medical information.

In fact, without the medical transcription company the medical service provider would be too overburdened with transcription to pay the attention it needs to its clients. However, the medical transcription company has had to undergo technological changes in order to keep up with demand and with competition. Fast-paced medical service requires fast-paced medical transcription. So, which medical transcription company will survive? The answer is the one that takes advantage of time-saving technology.

Medical Transcription

This answer is not at all uncommon now-a-days, but it is especially challenging in the field of medical transcription. Medical transcription is just as it sounds: transcribing on paper the notes that were audio recorded. It doesn’t seem at first that much more technology is needed than a word processor and a cassette tape player.

The crux of the matter is controlling quantity. Effective records of SOAP notes, especially in the quantities supplied by medical offices, require the technological ability to not only record medical transcription but also to track it and store it.

Medical Transcription Job

The medical transcription job would be daunting at best without the help of technology. Let me review a general version of a medical transcription job check list:

1. Receive audio from medical service provider.

2. Transcribe 1st draft of SOAP notes.

3. Save transcription.

4. Continue process with entire batch.

5. Review medical transcription for errors.

6. Make changes on 1st draft of medical transcriptions.

7. Send medical transcriptions back to medical service provider.

8. Bill medical service provider.

This process most often overlaps itself due to the management of multiple batches from multiple service providers. Organizational skill is high up on the requirements list for a medical transcription specialist.

Medical Transcription Program

Due to the massive amounts of medical transcription jobs and batches continually being sent back and forth between medical service providers and the medical transcription company, the market has awakened to meet medical transcription needs. Looking for a medical transcription program is so easy, it’s hard. Just type “medical transcription program” into Google, Yahoo, or MSN and witness first hand the millions of indexed pages you might have to sift through.

In your search for a versatile medical transcription program suitable to medical service providers’ needs, there are a few things to keep in mind. A medical transcription program has the ability to work in house, without IT infrastructure overhead.

There are additional medical transcription program specs to keep an eye out for. For example, a medical transcription program which combines the secure storage of medical databases and medical transcription provides the security and accessibility a medical service provider needs.

The right medical transcription program also provides organization for tracking the editorial stages of the SOAP notes and securing them, as well as sending them back to the right medical service provider.

The medical service provider runs a race of efficiency and professionalism in order to stay in business. The right medical transcription program provides a technological boost to propel medical service providers ahead of the rest of the pack.

Joe Miller is an author of informational articles and online advertisements on business, technology, and health. Information on Medical Transcription Company is available at AdvancedMD.com.

More Resources

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Secretarial Services - Prevent failure

Why does a business fail and what can you do to stop it?
by Michele Miller

I believe the number one reason why a business will fail is lack of planning. This can be due to various reasons, perhaps because the market research wasn't sufficiently carried out in the first place, or because the financial burden was higher than was planned for etc.

Sometimes business failure happens because the business owner is not very savvy at other aspects of the business, such as management, promotion, branding, advertising, public relations, leadership, bookkeeping, or customer follow-up etc. It is important to get the necessary training to ensure all aspects of your home business run efficiently, or to hire help to manage these other aspects.

Here are some other reasons to consider:

1. Inadequate accounting records
2. Disregarding or misinterpreting financial records
3. Not controlling costs
4. Fraud due to poor internal control
5. Pricing goods or services too low as a way of getting customers or clients
6. Lack of marketing/selling skills
7. Not carrying adequate and appropriate insurance
8. Failing to adequately train and develop employees
9. Lack of goal and business advancement planning
10.Not seeking advice or professional help when necessary.

If you know that most businesses fail because they don't bother to plan properly, what can you do to ensure this won't happen to your business?

Have your own business and marketing plan and use it every day! Review your goals on a daily basis.

Use that to-do list every day, making sure to cross off your accomplishments. Then make a fresh list every morning of what is left to do, and what other things need to be accomplished in your business/work day.

Be ready to talk about your business in every encounter you have during the day. Practice a 30 second speech about your business so you are always ready to share it with people, and make sure you ALWAYS carry business cards with you. It looks professional too.

Hire people to do the work that you are not good at, so your business doesn't fail due to your weaker points.

Have a Plan-B! Put money by for a rainy day.

Find a mentor, someone in your field that can help and encourage you with your business.

Join a small business association where you can network with others in your field of business.

Work hard and stay motivated.

You can make your business a success with the proper planning!

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and medical transcriptionist. She is also the author of an ebook about starting a successful transcription business from home. http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

Secretarial Services - Setting up your office

The article below gives a good overview of the supplies you need to start your secretarial business or any other business. Leva.

Setting up Your Office

New Office or Home Office

Calculator
Correction Fluid
Desk Calendar
Dictionary/Thesaurus/Software Manuals
In/Out Bins
Copy Paper
Paper Clips, Binder Clips, Paper Clip Holder
Pens
Pencils, Pencil Cup/Tray, Pencil Sharpener
Scissors
Stapler, staple remover
Tape Dispenser

New Office Only

If you don’t find all of the above at your desk, when time permits, find out how to obtain them or who can supply you with them. Also inquire about location of supply closet, heavy duty staplers, paper cutters, company letterhead and envelopes, postage machine(s), copy machine(s), fax machine(s), scanner(s), company telephone extension and email list (if one exists), who to contact for phone/computer problems and supply ordering and which network drives files are saved in.

Write down company fax number, your direct line/extension (and any other important extensions), switchboard numbers, company website address as well as your new email address. Post all nearby and keep a copy with you.

If company has an Organization Chart, get a copy and fill in extensions plus any other pertinent information regarding your department. Put in an easily accessible place.

Request company Policies and Procedures manual. Be sure to read it through in your spare time, along with your health insurance package, if you will be getting health benefits.

This list of essentials may seem obvious, but it will save you a lot of time and frustration, especially when you’re rushing to get that first project completed by yesterday.

Good Luck!

Copyright © 2006 Ella D. McGhee - This article may be reprinted with proper reference to author. Ella D. McGhee has worked in the administration field for more than twenty years. Two years ago, she launched EDM Enterprises, an online business which provides web design, transcription and secretarial services to businesses, churches and individuals. http://www.edmenterprises.org

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Secretarial Services - Transcription

Professional Transcription and Your Business

Note from Leva: Transcription is a great profit center for secretarial services. This article explains why businesses need transcription services and what they expect from a transcriptionist. Today, most transcription is digital and few tapes are used. Transcription software is used instead of the traditional desktop transcription machine. The other information in this article is still accurate today. Find out more about doing digital transcription at http://www.generaltranscriptionworkfromhome.com.

Got stacks of audio tapes that need to be converted to a more user-friendly format? Professional transcription services may be the answer.

Professional transcriptionists can take standard or micro cassette tapes and produce a typed version of the text in a format that's clear, consistent and correct. They can create transcripts of taped meetings, training sessions, seminars and conventions, as well as dictated letters, reports and manuscripts. Once the information is transcribed, you can easily email, fax or post it to a Website.

Accuracy Is Essential

Transcribing actually covers a variety of services. It can include whatever editing is necessary to make a report or letter 'flow'. It can also include the tweaking sentence syntax, adjusting paragraphs, removing redundancies, and repairing general grammatical errors.

For some professions, a high degree of accuracy in transcripts is crucial. For example, medical transcriptionists must carefully listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other healthcare professionals and accurately transcribe them into reports, correspondence and other administrative materials that eventually become part of patients' permanent files. Their ability to understand and correctly transcribe patient assessments and treatments reduces the chance of patients receiving ineffective or even harmful treatments and ultimately ensures high quality patient care.

Accuracy in transcripts is equally as important in other fields. In legal matters, it's essential because all testimony must be rendered exactly as it's spoken. Likewise, police detectives require precise transcripts of statements by suspects and witnesses. In the corporate arena, letters, meetings and training sessions must be properly transcribed for the sake of effective education and communication.

Requirements For A Good Transcriptionist

Whether you need medical, legal or general transcribing for your business, accurate transcribing requires a unique set of skills. But if your staff lacks the expertise or time to transcribe materials in house, an outside company can easily fill the void.

Working with an outside vendor offers a variety of cost-saving benefits, including:

- No cost of special equipment.
- No hourly employee downtime. You pay only for production.
- No Social Security, payroll or unemployment taxes.
- No medical insurance benefits, paid vacations and sick leave

But before you run out and hire the first transcription company available, make sure it has the skills to meet your needs. The outsourcer you choose should be:

- Well-versed in the English language
- Knowledgeable of the rules of grammar
- Familiar with your industry
- Easily accessible for questions

For more information about professional transcription services, contact Kate Smalley, Connecticut Secretary, at 203-641-3739 or mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com - Copyright 2004, Kate Smalley
Connecticut Secretary - Freelance Secretarial and Transcription Services - http://www.connecticutsecretary.com - 203.641.3739 mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com

Find out more about doing digital transcription and general transcription at http://www.generaltranscriptionworkfromhome.com.

Secretarial Business- Transcription labels

"Where can I find sticky transcription labels?

From MT Daily - medical transcription, work at home.:

Forms and Filing Systems, Dennis Corbin, ffs@formsandfilingsystems.com, 800, 472-0171, fax 706, 802-1880, http://www.mdfile.net

Handeze Gloves, http://www.handeze.com, 800-686-1722, Fax 203-269-5307.

March and Green, P. O. Box 155, Wayne, IL 60184, marchgren@aol.com, 800, 447-6004.

Medical Arts Press, Office Management Supplies, 8500 Wyoming Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 55445, 800-826-6706, Fax 800-328-0023.

Pat Systems, http://www.transpaper.com/, 3929 Parkside Place, Flower Mound, TX75022-4792, 800, 543-1911, info@transpaper.com. Sticky Paper and Softflex Computer Gloves.

Quill Corp., http://www.quillcorp.com/CATALOG/ICS/CATgetPGroup.cfm/11/243/A, info@quillcorp.com."

Secretarial Services - va-secretarial

VA or Personal Assistant or Concierge?
By Alyson Mead

Many people ask me what the difference between a virtual assistant and a personal assistant is, or between a virtual assistant and a concierge, for that matter. These are important distinctions to make before deciding to set up your new business, because each one suggests a very different set of responsibilities to your potential client.

Virtual assistants are much like administrative assistants. They mostly work from home by themselves, or from a centralized office with a few others, as we do. Their tasks are generally limited to the administrative, too, such as transcription and typing, correspondence, and mass mailings. Speaking of mailing, we find Stamps.com really helpful in that regard. We hate going to the post office and waiting in long lines, even if it is for our beloved clients! With Stamps.com, we don't have to. For $80, we got a 4-week free trial, free postage, and a postage scale, which you'd have to admit is quite a deal. With support for most address book software, mass mailings can actually be easy!

In contrast, a personal assistant can be asked to do some of the administrative stuff, but the emphasis of the position isn't usually concentrated there. We have found, in our storied careers, that personal assistants are generally asked to do more, well, personal things, like picking up dry cleaning, making vacation plans, picking up children from school, etc. This position is great for people who love to be on the go, and hate staring at a computer screen all day. And in order to do it, you're going to need a great cell phone with Blackberry capability, so you can stay in touch with your client, his or her spouse, and any kiddies. Cingular has a great Blackberry phone that's less than $150 when purchased with a new service plan. Great coverage and the ability to text and email from your car? Bring it on!

The concierge may be the most misunderstood of all three fields. Many people assume that concierges work solely from hotels, providing guests with extra services, such as booking transportation to and from the airport, helping with theater or concert tickets, and arranging for secretarial services while in a certain city. But you can start your own concierge business, whether or not you are affiliated with a hotel. If you decide to do this, your target clients will most likely be those who are new to the city, such as temporary workers, new arrivals, or people who are in your city for purely business reasons. Helping these people find the level of service they're seeking can be very lucrative, as well, since many have expense accounts for business and can be a bit freer with cash and tips (we all love that!). Reading up a bit on concierge businesses is important before taking that crucial first step. The Concierge Manual takes you on a step-by-step journey to creating your business, designing a brochure, and even potential legal issues. Don't be without it!

But just because these three are related but different fields doesn't mean you can't mix and match. We include concierge services in our service package for AssistantGirls.com, because we are located in Los Angeles, a large American city that experiences an enormous amount of business travel. One resource we couldn't live without is our Zagat Guides. Whether we need the number of the hottest new restaurant in Beverly Hills, or have to make a suggestion for hotels in Baltimore, or nightlife in New York, these kick-butt little guides make all the difference. And isn't that why they hired you in the first place?

Copyright 2006 AssistantGirls.com

For more stories like this, visit http://www.AssistantGirls.com

Alyson Mead is founder of http://www.AssistantGirls.com She spent eight years as a book editor in New York, working for companies such as Scholastic, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, Glencoe, Steck-Vaughn, Silver Burdett & Ginn, Prentice-Hall and others. She has published hundreds of freelance articles in journals such as Salon.com, ChickClick, MSN.com, In These Times and many more, and ghostwritten several book projects.

Secretarial Services - Typing letters

If you're operating a secretarial service, you'll need to know how to format a business letter. The article below explains how.

Anatomy of a Business Letter
by Linda Elizabeth Alexander

Business letters have many purposes and recipients. Despite variations in tone and style, the basic parts of a business letter remain standard throughout most business correspondence. This article outlines the elements found in standard business letters today, in order, as well as their modern format.

1. Heading

Assuming you are using company letterhead, your full address will already be on the page. Add the date two spaces below the last line of printed copy. If you are using blank paper, add your full address and the date in the heading. Align the heading, and all paragraphs, with the left margin(which should be at least one inch wide).

Example:
21 Carson Parkway
Boulder, CO 80111
December 3, 2006

2. Inside address

Include the recipient's full name, title, and address two spaces below the date. Align it with the left margin.

Example:
Conner T. Walker
2345 Sunrise Avenue
Denver, CO 80555

3. Salutation

Two spaces below the inside address, and also aligned with the left margin, place your salutation, or greeting. If you are on a first name basis with the recipient, use her/his first name followed by a colon. If you are writing a more formal letter, use a personal title (Ms., Mr., or Dr.) followed by the person's last name and a colon. Use Mr. for men, and Ms. for women. Never use Mrs. or Miss unless a woman has specifically expressed a preference. If you are not sure if the recipient is male or female, use a salutation that is appropriate to the letter context.

Examples:
Mr. Yates:
Ms. Dickinson:
Dear Customer:
Dear Publishing Manager:

4. Body

The body of the letter should begin two spaces below the salutation; all paragraphs should be aligned to the left margin. Single space within paragraphs and double space between them.

If your letter continues onto a second (or higher) page, leave at least two lines of text on the next page before the closing. Do not go onto another page just for the closing; this is bad form. If necessary, change the font size or margin width to make it fit onto one page.

5. Closing

Place the closing two spaces below the last line of the body. Use a standard closing such as Sincerely or Best regards. Capitalize only the first word, and follow the closing with a comma. Four spaces below, type your full name, also aligned with the closing at the left margin. Finally, sign your name in the space between the closing expression and your typed name.

6. Additional Information

Sometimes a business letter requires you to add the typist's initials, an enclosure notification, or a note that other people are receiving the same letter. Any of this information goes two spaces below the last line of the closing in a long letter, four spaces below in a very short letter.

The typist's initials follow the writer's initials, separated by a slash. The writer's initials go in capital letters, while the typist's are lowercase.

Example: LEA/lak or LEA/ald

If the writer and the typist are the same person, no initials are needed.

If you are sending material along with the letter, such as an invoice or report, indicate this with an enclosure notification. When you use this, you must refer to the enclosures in your letter. Abbreviate or describe the enclosure(s).

Examples:
Enc.
Encs.
Enclosure: Report findings

Lastly, if you are sending the same letter to more than one person, notify your recipients with a copy notation. This is abbreviated "cc:" and followed by the recipients' names.

Example:
cc: Linda Alexander
Janna Bree Smith
Emily Lane

7. Formatting

Finally, format your letter so it is easy to scan. Center the letter on the page both vertically and horizontally so that plenty of white space surrounds your text. When using your company's letterhead, remember to format your margins inside the printed material.

If a letter is very short, consider double spacing the entire letter. Also, you may add spaces between paragraphs, the salutation, etc., if it provides for a fuller appearance and enhances the overall "look" of the letter.

© 2002 By Linda Elizabeth Alexander. Linda Elizabeth Alexander writes marketing copy for nonprofits and other businesses. Contact her today to get your free consultation! http://www.write2thepointcom.com
lalexander@write2thepointcom.com

In addition to knowing how to type, you'll need to market your secretarial services. The Secretarial Business in a Box tells you everything you need to know to start, operate, and market a secretarial service. Find out how to start a secretarial service at http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com.

Secretarial Services - legal secretary in England

THE ROLE

Legal secretaries assist in all aspects of running a law firm. The legal secretaries¡¦ jobs can include basic tasks such as word processing, audio-typing and dealing with general clerical work. Some legal secretary work can include meeting clients, arranging meeting and some even attend court or police cells.

Legal Secretary jobs can incorporate all areas of law - from criminal and civil law to property, family, corporate, private client and banking.

SKILLS and INTERESTS

- If you are looking for a Legal Secretary job you should:
- Have an interest in law
- Have excellent secretarial skills
- Be PC literate
- Be accurate and methodical
- Be discreet when dealing with confidential information
- Have a good standard of English, spelling and grammar
- Work well under pressure and be good a meeting deadlines
- Of course, a polite friendly manner helps!


A mix of these skills would provide a solid foundation for anyone looking for jobs as a legal secretary

Click here for Legal Secretary jobs

QUALIFICATIONS

There are no formal qualifications to becoming a Legal Secretary, athough a high standard of general education is required. To become a Legal Secretary office and administration experience is useful as is some existing knowledge of the law.

Career Development

Employers often offer on the job training. There are different pathways that lead to legal secretarial qualifications:

** The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PA¡¦s

The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PA¡¦s offer a diploma that¡¦s has been recognised as the most comprehensive qualification for Legal Secretaries. The diploma is extremely useful if you are looking for jobs as a Legal Secretary. The syllabus for the general diploma is divided into five main units:

Outline of the English Legal System
Outlines of the Law of Contract and the Law of Tort
Conveyancing and an outline of Land Law
Civil Litigation
Succession (Wills, Probate and Administration)


The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PA¡¦s also offers courses for Legal Secretaries who would like to specialise in one are of law.

The subjects covered are:
- Civil Litigation
- Company and Corporate Law
- Conveyancing
- Criminal Law and Practice
- Matrimonial Law and Family Practice Succession


Click here for Institute Of Legal Secretaries Website and further information: www.institutelegalsecretaries.com

** ILEX Legal Secretaries Certificate & Diploma

ILEX offer a Legal Secretaries Certificate (Level 2) and a Legal Secretaries Diploma (Level 3)

The ILEX Paralegal Programmes (ILEXPP) for Legal Secretaries are now considered the benchmark for those aspiring to or working in a legal environment as secretaries or personal assistants. Reflecting the National Standards in Administration, the programmes offer: a flexible route, no entry requirements (although a Grade C or above in English Language GCSE is desirable), a choice of when and where to study, task based assignments which are all accompanied by up to date training manuals.''

The ILEX Legal Secretaries Certificate covers the following areas:

Legal Word Processing
Administration in the Legal Environment
Communication Skills in the Legal Environment
Information Processing in the Legal Environment


The ILEX Legal Secretaries Diploma covers the following areas:


Advanced Legal Word Processing
Advanced Administration in the Legal Environment
Advanced Communication Skills in the Legal Environment
Advanced Information Processing in the Legal Environment


Click here for ILEXPP Website and further information on the ILEX Tutorial (Training to be a Legal Secretary) Web pages

** OCR (RSA) Legal Word Processing

OCR(RSA)offers specialised qualifications in legal text and legal word processing. The course is for those with previous word processing experience who wish to specialise in legal work. This programme is ideal for those who are in employment or wish to gain employment in the legal sector. You will be taught about the production of a range of documents in a legal context. Legal styles and formats. Legal terminology and English grammar are also covered Legal Text Processing is part of the OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA) suite of qualifications in text processing which are widely recognised by employers as benchmark qualifications in text processing.

Candidates who are successful in achieving accreditation will be able to extend their range of text processing skills at intermediate level and progress to different optional units within the suite of units at Level 2 or to progress to the OCR Text Processing Advanced (Level 3) qualification.

Legal Secretaries work in all areas of law from solicitors offices, barristers chambers through to law courts, police stations and within in house legal teams. It is possible to start as a legal secretary and work towards becoming a legal executive, paralegal or a licensed conveyancer. You could even study for a law degree.

Legal Secretary Jobs

Copywrite Tony Heywood (c)

2006

Secretarial Services-Outsourcing

How To Use Outsourcing To Beat Your Competition

Outsourcing is hiring outside professionals or services to take on part of your business workload. Businesses and entrepreneurs may want to outsource part of their work because they don't have the room, need an expert, have periodic busy periods, or need more production to get orders out on time. They outsource typing, administrative work, accounting, secretarial tasks, computer training, web design, programming and more. Below are ways to use outsourcing to beat your competition.

Those are some of the reasons why people need a secretarial service or virtual assistant. Sell your prospects on those benefits:

Outsourcing part of your workload you can save time and spend more time concentrating on beating your competition.

• You won't have to take time training new employees.
  
• You won't have to do time consuming tasks like adding on new equipment.
  
• You won't have to learn a new software program or other equipment.
  
• You won't have to interview employee candidates.
  
• You won't have to fill out all the complicated employee paper work like tax forms, scheduling, retirement plans etc.
  

Outsourcing part of your workload you can save money and spend more money on marketing or advertising to beat your competition.

• You won't have to buy extra office and other equipment.
  
• You won't have to buy extra office or work space.
  
• You won't have spend money on employee costs like; taxes, medical, vacation time, holidays, workers comp., unemployment costs etc. (these may vary by which country you do business).

There are many other ways outsourcing can help you beat your competition. Here are a few more:

• The extra help can help you complete and deliver orders faster.
  
• You could expand your market share by becoming the middleman and offering your subcontractors services or products.
  
• You could end up getting orders from your subcontractors.
  
• It will allow your business to take on extra or large orders.

Secretarial Services - graphic design resources

Here are a few great graphic design resources you can use in your secretarial business.

http://www.icsid.org/ - Icsid IDA - International Council of Societies of Industrial Design

How to Become a Web Designer - http://www.at-home-typing.com/webdesign.html

Secretarial Services - History of secretarial profession

History of the Secretarial Profession: Profession Advances in Information Age

Today, secretaries (also known as administrative assistants, virtual assistants, VAs, office coordinators, executive assistants, office managers, et al.) are using computers, the Internet, and other advanced office technologies to perform vital information management functions in the modern office.

Secretaries no longer simply type correspondence for the boss. Now, they often write that correspondence as well as plan meetings, organize data using spreadsheet and database management software, interact with clients, vendors, and the general public, supervise the office and other staff, handle purchasing, and even train other workers. Trends identified by IAAP research include:

• Administrative professionals are becoming researchers and interpreters, not just disseminators of information.
  
• Job descriptions are expanding and new titles are being created, such as administrative coordinator, office administrator, administrative specialist and information manager.
  
• Employers are paying more for specialized skills such as desktop publishing and database management. In addition, many companies are providing performance-based bonuses to outstanding administrative support professionals to help acknowledge their contributions.

The future is bright for computer-literate, well-educated, customer service-savvy administrative professionals.

You can find out more about the secretarial profession at http://www.iaap-hq.org/

Find out more about starting a secretarial service business from home.

Secretarial Services - Temperature affects typing errors

Temperature Affects Typing Errors/Performance

If your office is too cold, you might not be typing as accurately or as much as you could be. A landmark study shows that typing errors increase and typing performance decreases as office temperatures drop.

In a study evaluating the impact of indoor environmental conditions on worker productivity, Cornell University ergonomics professor Alan Hedge found a 74 percent increase in typing mistakes and a 46 percent reduction in typing output when office temperatures fell from 77 F to 68 F. The findings were presented in June at the 2004 Eastern Ergonomics Conference in New York City.

During the study, Hedge placed HOBO data loggers (from Onset Computer Corporation) or miniature temperature recorders at nine workstations at the Insurance Office of America's corporate headquarters in Orlando, Florida. The loggers sampled air temperature every 15 minutes for an entire working month. This data then was correlated with a month's worth of ergonomic data to show how typing performance worsened as temperatures fell.

Hedge says: "Temperature is certainly a key variable that can impact performance. As employees typed, we knew the amount of time they were keying and the amount of time they were making error corrections. At 77 degrees Fahrenheit, employees were keying 100 percent of the time with a 10 percent error rate while at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the keying rate went down to 54 percent of the time with a 25 percent error rate. This study shows that when employees get chilly, at least in this case, they are not working to their full potential."

Hedge estimated that the decreased productivity resulted in a 10 percent increase in labor cost per worker per hour.

Keep the temperature in your home office comfortable and your fingers warm to reduce typing errors and increase performance.

You can find a detailed presentation about this study at http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/CUEHEECE_IEQDown.html.

Secretarial Services - The Growth of the virtual assistant

'Virtual Heroes': The Growth of the Virtual Assistant
By Michelle Payne-Gale

Building and expanding a business is a difficult task, when the management of the business in its existing form takes up much of the time. The administrative, office-based and creative tasks behind running a business, although time-consuming and often repetitive, are vital to the continued operations of the business. With the explosion of opportunities on the Internet, and moves towards a global economy, an extensive range of businesses is finding that they can greatly benefit from the help of a Virtual Assistant.

Definition of a Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistants (VAs) are independent, trained professionals who provide support in terms of administrative, office, creative, technical, managerial and personal. Their skills and talents can be focused on carrying out various important daily and weekly tasks for clients, working on projects or campaigns, or even as far as becoming vital partners in the running and operations of companies. VAs work on a contract basis and from their own premises, using the very latest in electronic and advanced methods of communication, allowing them to cross geographical boundaries without issue.

The Skills and Services of the VA

VAs' are professionals who have been trained and gained experience in areas, roles and companies that are directly related to, or expressed in the services that they offer. Their skills cover a large range of office-based activities, including secretarial, administrative, creative, marketing, research, organisational, book-keeping and accounting, and specialist secretarial services for legal and medical firms. Tasks that a VA will carry out include word processing, audio typing, proof-reading, article and newsletter writing, spreadsheet & database management, diary management, events organising, travel arrangements, Internet research, web design and marketing campaigns.

Conveniences to the Client

The need for, and convenience of VAs is growing rapidly, with small and medium sized businesses looking to outsource more and more of their tasks, for various reasons. They are ideal for clients who are not in a position to afford a new staff member, or looking to engage in one-off projects over fixed time scales where a new and permanent member of staff would be expensive and impractical. The client also benefits from not having to worry about employee benefits, holiday and sick pay, pensions, space, equipment and other items related to permanent members of staff.

Geographical Coverage of the VA

VAs enjoy and offer the benefit of being relatively unrestricted geographically. Clients have been known to utilise services of VAs located several miles from them, even in different countries. Electronic mail, fax, telephone and the Internet allows for assignments and projects to be completed between the client and the VA, without suffering issues that can occur with being unable to meet, differences in time zones and excessive amounts of paperwork.

Growth of Virtual Business Opportunities

The world of the Virtual business is growing and expanding into other areas of business. At one time, the virtual world was used as a support tool for the other business operations that took place in the physical world, but recently there has been a sharp increase in companies who are choosing to operate the majority of their business online. Examples of business types that are maintaining a solely online presence are Law Firms, Managers, PAs, Market Researchers, Auditors, Florists, Journalists and Real Estate firms. This list is by no means exhaustive, and is rapidly growing.

Summary

‘Virtual Assistant’ is still a relatively new term in the business world, but the profession is taking shape rapidly. More and more businesses are realising the benefits of using a VA, and appreciate the advantages of being able to delegate tasks out to an individual who is already trained and experienced, flexible, and will only charge for the work done and time taken. With so many skilled and varied Virtual Assistant services out there, finding one to match your business should be a piece of cake!

Michelle Payne-Gale, owner of Essence Business & Admin Support Services, specialises in Virtual administration, Marketing, & creative support for start-ups and growing businesses. Additional articles are available at: http://www.essence-services.co.uk. View the Essence blog at http://essence05.blogspot.com. She is also an active partner in the creation of a new Caribbean tourism website, http://www.stay-in-antigua.com.

Secretarial Services - planning success

Plan Your Success In Seven Ways
By Sue And Chuck DeFiore

Many businesses lose money yearly because they don’t think creatively about the future. They run their businesses doing what they think they should: dealing with customers, dealing with problems, ordering for their business, and paying their expenses. They act like their business is a job. They are surviving and that’s it. They are not looking at the big picture. They need to use their business as a stepping stone to success. Picturing themselves as a successful business person, and setting up a plan to succeed.

Many of the businesses today are started by people who have been downsized or laid off. They are used to showing up for a job and getting paid, and this is how they are operating their business.

The first thing you must do is to find out what you are really good at. Many people want to know, “How can I make more money?” Unfortunately too many business people never ask themselves, “What am I good at?” They need to do so, and then ask it again every time they want to do something new. This is one of the biggest reasons businesses fail. The owners did not focus on what they were good at and did best. This does not mean you can’t try something different. What it does mean that it is best to go with the skills and experience you already have.

The second thing you need to do is take an objective look at yourself. Take a piece of paper and write down what you can and can’t do. Picture yourself hiring you. Would you hire yourself? Would you be impressed? What do you know best? What are your hobbies? Can you turn that hobby into a business? Remember you work best at something you enjoy.

I was an exceptional secretary, so I started a word processing business. I loved typing and taking dictation by telephone, writing up letters, proposals and setting up identity packages. However, I hated having to drive around town to pick up and deliver projects, and cold calling for business. So after losing money, I shut down the business. A couple of years later I started another business where I was the assistant to businesses, but worked from my home. I got to do all the secretarial aspects, but out of a home office. All I had to do was send flyers and mailers to independent contractors. I also worked with answering services for referrals and gave them business, plus a cut of my fee.

What this means is you need to discover what your likes and dislikes are. People like to work at things they do well. They enjoy themselves more. A test for you is to think back over the last couple of days. Then make a list of the things you enjoyed doing. Think about when you were the happiest and what you were doing.

The third thing you need to think about and be able to recognize is: What your competitive edge is. After you do the above test and find out what your strengths are, you will find that some of these strengths give you an advantage over your competition. Do your particular strengths and abilities help you provide exceptional customer service? Can you do something or produce something that others can’t?

If you already have an edge over others, put it to use. Make your customers aware of your unique qualities. The way to accomplish this is to be sure any advertising or promotional campaign you employ highlights your unique selling points.

The fourth thing you need to do is to plan ahead. While your business concept or product might be unique now, as we know people love to copy what is successful. So you need to plan for the long run. You need to be aware of what your competition is doing and keep your customers coming back.

The fifth thing is that just because there are things you don’t like about your business, doesn’t mean you give up. Yes, there are going to be certain things you like better than others. Every business person feels this way. However, if you don’t like anything about what you are doing, then you might want to start a new business. Be sure before you do so, you give yourself the above test.

The sixth thing is sometimes you just need to make some changes in your business. See if there are certain things you can cut out of your business, a product or service, which you might not enjoy and it is not a profit center for you. Then drop it, and concentrate on those things that are generating a profit.

Maybe you need to make changes to make your job easier, such as buying new software, or a new computer system. Maybe hiring someone on a part time basis could take some of the workload off your shoulders, and allow you to concentrate on other business matters.

And last but not least is to be sure you take what you’ve learned about yourself, and set up a plan for your business for the future. Don’t forget to write down what you’re good at and ways that you can apply your skills to making money. You can take this information about your skills and put it in your promotional materials. Be sure you always have a notebook (or a voice recorder) with you to joint down notes to yourself, new business ideas to try. You want to be sure when you do write these things down that you also put a date next to them to implement that idea or strategy. This will give you goals to work for. Be sure to put these goals in a prominent place in your office. I put my goals on index cards and then put the index cards on my desk, on my calendar, and on my bulletin board. By having your goals visible to you, it will help you to stay on track. And, that is what it is all about – keeping your business growing and prospering.

Secretarial Services - Increase your typing speed

Improve Your Typing Skills In Just Two Weeks
By John Deprice

Yes, you too can double or even triple your typing speed if you use the right tools. Here is how:

Typing Master Express:

TypingMaster Express is a personal typing trainer that helps you to acquire professional touch-typing skills. As a result you will type up to 4 times faster without errors and save dozens of valuable working hours every year. The comprehensive study material covers both the basics of touch-typing as well as advanced topics, such as the numeric keypad and ergonomics. Learning is supported by multi-form exercises, including graphical keyboard drills, instructive games and personalised review exercises.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/typingmasterexpress.htm

Typing Master Pro With ProTrainer

TypingMaster Pro for Windows is a personal typing trainer that helps you to acquire professional touch-typing skills. As a result you will type up to 4 times faster without errors and save dozens of valuable working hours every year. TypingMaster incorporates ProTrainer technology which analyzes your typing while you are using your word processor, email or any other Windows program. Based on this information ProTrainer creates fully tailored exercises for your current needs. This will remarkably improve your typing speed and accuracy - as quickly as in two hours.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/typingmasterpro.htm

Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor

Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor teaches the skill of touch typing (typing with all the fingers without looking at the keys) in an accessible step-by-step way. Ten Thumbs has received critical acclaim for its easy-to-use, step-by-step approach to learning keyboard skills. The program is suitable for learners of all ages, and is used in schools, at home, in colleges, universities and industry, including call centers and financial services organizations. Learn using full and proper QWERTY or Dvorak tuition with U.S and British keyboard support.

The rich, customizable feature set includes network support, a range of feedback options and automatic weighting of lessons to get you learning most effectively. A well rounded product with appealing visual interface, additional tips and advice and even tutorials on how to sit at your computer!

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/tenthumbstypingtutor.htm

John Deprice owns and operates http://www.deprice.com

Start-Up Cost for Secretarial Services

Start-Up Cost for Secretarial Services
Copyright © 2005-2006 Leva Duell

Here's what you'll need to start a secretarial business and what the estimated start-up cost is.

You can start your secretarial business with just a computer, printer, a few business cards, and a pack of paper. You can get additional equipment and supplies later.

• Computer. Any computer will get you started. You don’t need a high-end computer for word processing. However, if you want to provide graphic design or web design services, then you'll want to get the best computer you can afford.
Cost: From $200 for a used computer to $800-$2500 for a new computer.
You can find used computers in your local newspaper and specialized local computer publications.

• Software: Most computers come with a word processing program. I recommend using Microsoft Word as soon as you can afford it because that's what most of your clients will have.
Cost: Check http://www.microsoft.com for current prices.

• Printer: I recommend a laser printer but many secretarial services use an inexpensive inkjet printer.
Cost: From $20 for a used inkjet printer to $600-$2000 for a laser printer.
Check: http://www.hp.com/ and http://www.canon.com/

• Desk. You can get a small computer desk or use a table.
Cost: $30 and up. You have many choices for $100-$200.

• Computer chair. Choose one that feels comfortable to you. The more expensive chairs are not necessarily the most comfortable ones. Check the office supply stores below.
Cost: $30-$200.

• Office supplies. Supplies you may need include paper to print your clients' work, printer cartridge, pens, paper clips, envelopes, a filing system, and a stapler.
Cost: Check local office supply stores such as Office Depot (http://www.officedepot.com), OfficeMax (http://www.officemax.com), and Staples (http://www.staples.com). Or order their catalogs.

• Telephone: I recommend getting a separate phone line from the beginning.
Cost: Check with your local phone company.

• Business cards: Printed business cards will look more professional than cards you print on your own printer one sheet at the time.
Cost: $20-$200 for a set of 500 to 1000 business cards.

• Business license.
Cost: $20-$100 depending on the city and county.

If you already have a computer, a word processing program and a printer, your start-up cost is minimal. You can start your secretarial business with some basic office supplies and buy additional equipment or software later when a project requires it.

--------------------------------------------------------You can reprint this article on your web site if you include this Resource Box: Looking for typing work at home? Start a secretarial business. The Secretarial-Business-in-a-Box provides instant tools you need to start and run a successful secretarial service. F*ree articles and business start-up newsletter at http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com.