Toysport

Archive for July, 2011

Once you are able to buy a food truck, this means that you are ready to start a business. However a food truck business is not always a bed of roses. You can expect the best outcomes from having this business but you must also anticipate the worst. The worst being, the possibilities of the truck breaking down in the middle of your route. If this happens you will lose a lot of money and will leave hungry customers. In this business you must be able to find a very good and efficient truck and you must maintain its good condition.

Here is a guideline that you can take if you want to buy a food truck:

Identify the amount that you are willing to spend for your business. Once you have made a rough estimate on how much you are willing to spend devise a business strategy and a plan that you think will work best for you. You must also be certain on your decision on what type of truck you will be using. Choose whether you want to invest on a used truck or a brand new truck.

Know the importance of asking the food vending business essentials from people who used to own food trucks. Ask them where they bought their trucks and ask them which companies are the most reliable. Knowing these in formation will help you save a lot of time and money.

If you decide on buying a used truck, it is important for you to have a mechanic that you can bring along when you would like to inspect the truck. There may be defects that cannot be determined by a layman’s eye and that only an expert can decipher. The mechanic can help you examine whether the used truck you wish to buy is still in good condition. If you cannot bring a mechanic along, ask the seller to give you time to have the food truck you intend to buy be examined by a mechanic. Bring the food truck to a mechanic and have the food truck subjected to a general inspection before deciding to buy the unit.

On the other hand, if you think that it would be a wiser move and a more practical decision to buy a new truck, make sure that the truck you buy is warrantied and find out the extent and the coverage of the warranty that comes with the truck. Ask all the necessary questions that you need to ask before paying for the unit.

Take the food truck for a test drive. This will let you know determine whether you can comfortably maneuver the truck. Make sure that all the parts of the truck and you can easily see the back view from its mirrors. This is a safety precaution for you. If you think that the truck is different to maneuver, ask for a different unit. You must take note that although the truck is in good condition, if it is something that is difficult to maneuver then it is not good for your business.

Once you have decided which truck to buy, ask your seller for a good deal on the price. Most sellers would cut the truck’s original price twenty percent less. Take advantage of this. Learn the art of haggling but do not haggle too much. Just like you, these food truck sellers are also in the business and need to profit.

Privacy issues around words such as “Personal”, “Private”, “For the Eyes of Department Management Only”, “Privileged” and other words requesting Privacy in communications need to be very seriously considered.

It is incumbent upon managers in business, education, and industry today, to be very sensitive and forthright in their communications, and in response to privacy requests regarding communications from their employees. To be less than totally forthright can result in some very unsavory results from disenfranchised employees.

Let’s face it. Management is about decisions, and decisions as to what you do with “Private” communications can have long ranging results. If the communications relates to discussions of harassment and/or sexual harassment, or other discrimination issues, some very difficult decisions must be made. As any investigation of these matters will result in multiple persons being made aware of the situation, it is probably best for the manager to stop the party divulging the information, and make them aware of the aspects of the process of investigating the claims which will likely not be supported in the concept of “privacy.” Let the accuser make the choice, continue without privacy being assured, or decide not to continue with the statements being made.

While the issues of privacy in discussions of harassment and sexual harassment are quite clear, there are other areas of management communications much less clear, but still problematic. Matters relating to personnel issues might be one such case. An employee complaining about the actions of another employee, might request “privacy”. The manager in this case should try to find other means of substantiating the claim without divulging the identity of the complainant. If this will not be possible, then another conversation with the complainant is indicated, in which you might indicate that a problem has been identified, but taking action on that problem will probably implicate the complainant as the one that divulged the issue. Then let the complainant decide whether “privacy” or “solving the problem” will be the course of events that best suit the complainant’s needs.

In many other privacy matters, the singular choice should be to honor the request for Privacy. Totally!! Completely!!

To do less than that could take several negative paths. Certainly the employee, whose “privacy” request has been abused, will seek ways to get even. Any practices of the agency or group that may be less than correct, or possibly even illegal, will make good means of getting even if the disenfranchised employee chooses. If it is in a case relating to any of the forms of discrimination, including harassment and sexual harassment, then abuse of the privacy issues, can easily be considered retaliation. One article I recently read indicated that retaliation cases are some of the easiest discrimination cases to win.

As a manager in Business, Education or Industry, take very serious consideration as to any and all decisions you make when “privacy” is an issue on the table.

Bill Barger

Barger Specialties LLC

Information and resources on Harassment and Sexual Harassment are available through my web site at: http://www.sexualharassmentresources.com

There are many different memory tools parents can use nowadays, and there are always new-fangled techniques on how to develop your child’s memory coming onto the market. However, if you take a step back and look at the activities you and your child do on a regular basis you can develop your own memory games and make learning fun for your child. It really is true that learning starts at home!

As an example, one easy technique is the shopping game. The aim of this is to develop your child’s memory by getting them to remember 5 or more shopping items which you will both choose before you go shopping. As you go round the shop you should then prompt your child to remember the different items on your list. You can use memory triggers such as a high five on entering the shop and as you go round the aisles talk about all the items on your list that you need to buy. Make it as easy or difficult as you like, and increase or decrease the number of items dependent on the age of your child. Everyday items like milk and bread will be easier to remember than one off items such as oxo cubes and vinegar.

Before you go to the shop sit down with your child and make a list of five items you need. A recommendation is to include items that your child knows and uses, such as bread, apples, biscuits. Alternatively it might be fun to make up a funny story involving the items you need to buy. The more humourous the story the easier it will be for your child to remember.

An example would be…

“Aggie Applewent to the fair with Mr Tomato and Butter Bob. They went on the big swings and ate blueberries until their tongues turned blue. Farmer Tom gave them some milkto wash down all the blueberries.”

Cover the list up and leave it alone for ten minutes. After that time see how many your child has remembered. You can leave it for a further hour, or even until the next day, and see if they still remember their list items. Remember that the older the child the more items you can add to the list, and if you start out with just a couple you can add to the list as time goes by.

Another option is to give your child an incentive to memorise the list. If your child is older or you have more than one child you could play a game to see who can make up the zaniest story or who can remember the most items.

There are lots of ways to develop your child’s memory and this is just one example. Look at the things you do every day and see if you can make a game out of any of those activities. Remember if you make it fun your child will get more from it!