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Marketing Differentiation: Determine ways to create a distinction in your sales and marketing approaches that support setting you apart from the competition. If your sales process is so compelling that prospects see you and your offering as irresistible, it renders your competitors irrelevant. People will always pay for expertise and do business with individuals they know, like and trust. When trust is high, stress levels go down and vice versa, which is why highpressure tactics really dont work anymore.

BACK TO THE BASICS Remember those price objections mentioned at the beginning? Your goal should be to steer your prospect from a discussion about price to a discussion on the differentiated services and machinery you offer. When the prospect asks if thats your best price, you should be able to say,

Its easy to focus on apparent price rather than actual cost. Would you give me a few minutes to distinguish between our offerings and those of our competitors? We have engineered some signicant advantages for you that are unique to the marketplace.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Don Hutson is the co-author of The One Minute Negotiator: Simple Steps to Reach Better Agreements and CEO of U.S. Learning based in Memphis, Tenn. Learn more at www.DonHutson.com. APRIL 2013 - www.gomcmag.com GOMC 45

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On the Money

TIME FOR AN UPGRADE?

Consider the advantages and trade-offs between portable laptops or tablets and more powerful desktop models
By David Steinkraus

limitation. But the advantage of both types of computers is the elimination of a spinning hard-disk drive, which makes these machines much less vulnerable to the bumps and bangs of being carried around. Netbooks and tablets also excel at simple data entry. If youre in the truck and want to update your customer list, check your calendar, or keep a simple log of where youve been, these may be the solutions for you. Theyre typically cheaper than a laptop and with an Internet link allow you to exchange information with your ofce. PC OPERATING SYSTEM ISSUES If like most people you use Microsoft Windows, you also need to confront the companys new operating system called Windows 8. Youve probably seen the television ads already. Gone are the familiar task bar and Start button. Microsoft divides the screen into a series of colorful tiles, which you tap or click to access functions. It is a system designed for computers with touch screens, but users and reviewers have complained mightily. Mostly they have said the new system is confusing and hard to learn and navigate. There are options if you want a new computer but dont want to jump headrst into Windows 8. First, any computer with Windows 8 Pro preinstalled is eligible for a downgrade to the previous system, Windows 7, which still works and looks as Windows always has. Second, Windows 7 will not disappear instantly. Microsoft tends to support its operating systems for at least a decade. (The third major update to Windows XP introduced in 2001 and still a mainstay of many businesses will be supported until April 2014.) The rst major update to Windows 7 will be supported until at least 2020. Retailers will be selling boxed versions of Windows 7 until at least this fall, and computer manufacturers may continue selling PCs preloaded with Windows 7 until October 2014. SMOOTH RUNNING This is a good place to talk about reliability because everyone wants a computer that will run without bother for as long as

erhaps youve been tempted by ads touting the capabilities of a new computer, or maybe you recently realized your old computer really is old. Whatever the reason, youve decided to buy a new computer (or computers) to run the business. Now comes choosing the computer that best ts your needs. Which way should you go familiar desktop models, laptops, ultralight laptops or maybe tablets? The answer isnt always simple and straightforward. In reality, one solution wont work for everyone. Lets explore which options are right for your business. PORTABLE VS. POWERFUL Laptops tend to be slightly less powerful than desktops of comparable price because lower-powered processing chips help

you and your ofce staff some time. If you pay for a cellular data plan or know where the free Wi-Fi access spots are in your area, you can transmit information back to the ofce or answer emails while youre on the road. At the end of the day, the laptop can go home with you. This provides another backup of your crucial business information, and you can sit in your favorite chair with your favorite beverage and catch up on lowerpriority chores during the evening. A desktop machine provides a more comfortable working position for the person sitting in front of it all day, and it allows for a larger screen. Dont discount the value of that. You can work more efciently on a large screen because you can have several windows open simultaneously and need only shift your eyes instead of pressing keys

Remember that although PCs and Macs look similar, it will require time and eort to fully learn a dierent system. If youre not that adventurous or dont like to tinker with computers, stick with what you know. In the end, youll be happier and will work more eciently.
extend the time between battery charges. But power is a relative term. Laptops or desktops are equally capable these days for all but the most demanding work. If youre editing videos for your website, you will be happier with a more powerful desktop machine. Otherwise, make sure whatever youre buying matches the requirements of your business software, and maybe allow a bit more oomph to meet the greater demands of future software releases. What the laptop has on its side is portability. You can mount one in your truck and type information directly into it, saving
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to ip from one window to another. The hybrid solution is to buy a laptop capable of connecting to a large external screen, giving you the best of both worlds. NETBOOKS AND TABLETS The newer entries in mobile computing are netbooks, such as Googles Chromebook, and tablets such as Apples iPad. Netbooks the term for small, very portable laptops are generally underpowered for all but the simplest tasks and are intended for use primarily with an Internet connection. Tablets have the same

Safety First

FAMILIARITY BREEDS COMPLACENCY

Excavators are so common on job sites that workers can easily forget the danger of using them without proper care
By Ted J. Rulseh

H
Ted J. Rulseh

ow dangerous are hydraulic excavators? Not very if they are used properly. But when employees forget basic safety procedures, even for a moment, the consequences can be serious. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health cites an example from the sewer maintenance industry, but a similar situation could happen any day in the gas, oil and mining industries. A 28-year-old laborer, a co-worker and an excavator operator were using a machine with a quick-disconnect bucket to load concrete manhole sections onto a truck. The laborer was on the ground to connect the manhole sections to the excavator, while the co-worker was on the

gests that the two most common causes of injuries around excavators are being struck by the moving machine, swinging booms or other machine components, and being struck by buckets that detach unexpectedly. Other leading causes are rollovers, electrocutions and slides into trenches after cave-ins. NIOSH suggests a series of measures employers should take to protect workers: Site setup Contact local utilities or one-call services to locate overhead and underground utility lines before starting work. Avoid working near overhead power lines. If people must work near them, develop a plan to avoid contact and to follow OSHA regulations for

to manufacturers specications. Securely latch attachments (such as quick-disconnect buckets) before work begins. Follow the manufacturers instructions for using positive locks on quick-disconnect equipment. Train operators to conduct visual and operational checks on all machine systems and operating controls before working the machine. Make frequent visual inspections of quick-disconnect systems, especially after changing attachments. Use the ROPS and seat belts supplied by the manufacturer. Do not remove the ROPS. Do not exceed load capacities when lifting materials. Instruct operators to lower the boom to a safe position with the bucket on the ground and turn off the machine before stepping off for any reason. Other site workers Train workers to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions and to follow required safe work practices. Make all workers aware of the machines swing areas and the operators blind spots. Keep workers on foot outside these areas by marking them with rope, tape or other barriers. Before each work shift begins, review and conrm communications signals between machine operators and workers on foot. Instruct machine operators to keep the bucket as close to the ground as possible when workers are attaching loads for hoisting. Keep workers outside the swing areas and clear of attachments when using the machines for hoisting materials. Do not allow workers to stand under suspended loads or suspended machine components such as the boom, arm or bucket. Do not permit workers on foot to approach the excavator until they signal the operator to shut down the machine and receive acknowledgment. Use spotters or signal persons around operating equipment when necessary. Never permit workers to ride in or work from excavator buckets. Provide appropriate personal protective equipment and make sure that workers use and maintain it.
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Continually evaluate safety programs to address changing work site conditions. Clearly identify and label all machine controls and make sure that the manufacturers safety features are working.
truck, disconnecting the sections after they were loaded. The operator had positioned the excavator bucket near a manhole section, and as the laborer attached a threelegged bridle to the object for lifting, the bucket disconnected from the excavator stick and struck him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. NIOSH advises business owners and employees to help prevent injuries and deaths through training, proper equipment installation and maintenance, safe work practices and personal protective equipment. Based on a review of information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, NIOSH sug70 GOMC www.gomcmag.com - APRIL 2013

minimum clearance. Do not allow excavators to be operated on grades steeper than those specied by the manufacturer. Make sure workers position machines at a safe distance from trenches or other excavations. Equipment operators Train operators in the proper use of the equipment. Continually evaluate safety programs to address changing work site conditions. Clearly identify and label all machine controls and make sure the manufacturers safety features are working. Install and maintain equipment attachments and their operating systems according

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