HOME Membership Application Board of Directors Advertising Opportunities Sponsorship Opportunities

Business Tips

The newest scam against business is coming out of Canada. CMS, Inc., is calling businesses and indicating that an order of credit card machines supplies is ready for shipment. Unsuspecting employees are given the impression that the order is either a trial or it is free. An invoice follows at a greatly inflated price.

The next call is from a collection agency, requesting (1) full payment, and (2) a 20% restocking and return charge, or (3) offering a 50% discount on the supplies.

- Better Business Bureau

Businesses are reporting to the BBB that they are receiving invoices asking them to “renew” their advertising in some form of “Yellow Pages” directory. The BBB warns that although some of these are legitimate, others are scams designed to trick companies out of hundreds of dollars.

Businesses receiving “invoices” for yellow pages listings are advised by the BBB to scrutinize them carefully. Does it have the full name and address of the publisher? Does it have a phone number for questions or customer service? If in doubt, contact the BBB for a report on the soliciting company at 616-774-0157!

- Better Business Bureau

How old are you?     Do you have any disabilities?     Are you pregnant?     Have you ever been arrested?     What is your religious affiliation?     What is your sexual orientation?     What is your ethnic background?

Generally, the focus of interview questions should be on the skill and experience level of the candidate and the qualifications needed to perform the job.

Do you think that your community doesn’t pay attention to the activities going on at your business? Before you, as a business, react in a way that may come back to bite you publicly, ask yourself these questions:

Is my timing right? A government housing agency topped the list of goofs and gaffes by announcing a major drug bust—a day before the bust took place. Somehow, fortunately, the drug dealers managed to miss the announcement!

Will my actions create negative publicity for my business? A corporation encouraged its employees to participate in “Take Our Daughters to Work Day”, then fired an employee who brought her 8 year old to work!

Are my actions putting my business in a negative light and creating free publicity for my competitors?  In Great Britain, a fast food restaurant refused to settle a defamation suite against two activists who had published a leaflet that accused the company of ruining rain forests and poisoning children.  The free publicity thrilled the activists as it gave them outstanding media coverage!

Are my actions credible, or will they undermine by business?  A communications company generated what was supposed to be a "grassroots" lobbying effort.  However, several telegrams of support arrived from people who had been dead for years.