What Happen if you were stranded like the thousand at Bangkok airport… November 26, 2008

Bangkok News.Net
Wednesday 26th November, 2008 (IANS)

Thousands of travellers were stranded at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport Wednesday after their flights were cancelled by a siege on the facility by anti-government protestors.

Serirath Pasutanond, Airports of Thailand director in charge of Suvarnabhumi, estimated that 3,000 passengers had missed their flights after the airport was forced to stop departing flights Tuesday night.

Altogether, 73 flights, including 43 arriving aircraft and 30 departures, had been ‘impacted’, Sirirath said.

Thousands of followers of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) descended on Suvarnabhumi Tuesday evening in a bid to prevent the return of Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru.

The protestors took control of the airport’s entrances about 9 p.m. (14.00 GMT) Tuesday, forcing Airports of Thailand to announce the cancellation of departing flights for security purposes.

At least two bombs also went off in the parking lot of the airport early Wednesday, injuring four people, radio reports said.

Protecting Your Resources… November 26, 2008

Yesterday appointment was very memorable experience for me… Meeting two prospects at one time with one AIM to share them the saving plan that i has to offer i.e. GIP10 & Excel20.

Skeptical eyes and doubts among the two pospect, with thousand and one question in their mind i can see. As i go along my presentation, interest starts to sparkle from their expression you can see. Questions after questions as a form of synergy trigger their nerves to know more how good is the plan and how does it benefit them.

GIP10 Features:

Commitment time required only 10years, after which you will enjoy a guaranteed annual income of 4% of the initial sum assured uo to age 88. Meaning after this 10 years, you have acquired an invaluable asset that will contiously pay you the guaranteed annual income of 4% regardsless of the fluctuation in interest rate, ensuring you have an extra income to assist you in facing life’s uncertainties.

The best part is, GIP10 also will build up a substantial cash account through its interests and dividends participating program and this will be declare to you yearly.

FREE disability benefits… assure yourself of added coverage providing disability income. This plan also comes with an optioanl waiver of premium upon he dignosis of critical illness, ensuring the continution of you plan. Comprehensive coverage on; Critical Illness, Hospitalization & Sugical Benefits, Accident Benefits, Disability Income & Additional Female Coverage…

For more detail please contact Martin Lau at 013-3808203 or email martin@dventure.com.my Stay tune for details on ExcelPay20 saving concept.

Are You Working Smarter or Work Harder? October 7, 2008

We all hear the old saying that we should ‘work smarter, not harder’, but how many of us actually abide by this? It’s easier said than done, isn’t it? Experts actually say the key to working smart is to be more effective, not necessarily more efficient. Efficiency is doing the job right.

Effectiveness, on the other hand, is doing the right job! Think about that!

Here are my ten top tips for managing your time more effectively:
1. Figure out when you are at your peak – I know I work better from 9am to noon, so that’s when I try to do my most important tasks. Figure out when you are at your prime and plan carefully around this.

2. Turn off your e-mail notifier - Do you really need the pop-up or ‘ding’ every few minutes? Try turning off your e-mail notifier when you need to concentrate on an important project, then you really can focus.

3. Expect the unexpected - Block out some planning time. Everyone needs some time for thinking, so try to build in some flexibility into your daily routines.

4. Say NO occasionally - Sometimes we may have to be assertive and say ‘no’ if something is not urgent or a priority. Saying no courteously may be seen as a strength rather than a weakness.

5. Set priorities - Categorise tasks according to priority, for example: 

• The task is urgent and important
• It’s important but not urgent
• It’s urgent but not important
• Its not urgent and not importan

6. Stay focused in meetings – How many meetings have you attended where people go off at tangents? It helps to be clear about the agenda before meetings, and make sure everyone knows what the objectives are. This will help you stay focused and keep the discussion heading in the right direction.

7. Clear out your clutter – I know I can’t work effectively if my desk is a mess with lots of paperwork everywhere. So once in a while I have a good clearing and sorting session, and I clear out the clutter on my desk, trays, drawers and files. It’s amazing how much better I always feel once the clutter is gone!

8. Remember to take a break – We all tend to make more mistakes when we are tired or stressed, so learn to recognise the symptoms when you are flagging and take a break from your work. Yes Mom, I hear you… this is something I’m not so good at!

9. Don’t procrastinate – Tackle what’s right now in the present and don’t let procrastination get in the way. It’s amazing how great it feels when you can tick off those items on your to-do list!

10. Adopt a positive attitude – Keep your mindset positive. See solutions instead of
problems. See positives instead of negatives. Do your tasks with a happy heart, and smile!

Home Loan… that killing you silently! August 28, 2008

Home Loan : Guide to Choosing A Home Loan

To many, being able to afford a new home is indeed exciting but can be stressful. After months of reviewing potential homes, you finally have the financial means to choose the best of the lot. But now comes the mind-boggling task of selecting a suitable home loan.

1. Choosing a suitable home loan
Choosing a home loan for most of us is the beginning of a long-term commitment, one that can stretch up to thirty (30) years! Selecting the right package is important. If this is not planned carefully, you may find your finances strained. So, shop around and know your options before selecting the best package that suits your needs.

2. What are your needs?
Identify and list down your needs and match the benefits offered by each housing loan package. You may want to consider some key points such as: What margin of financing do you need? Any pre-payment fee for early or partial settlement? Does the package subsidize moving costs? Any risks in fluctuations in interest rates? If interest rates fluctuate, will I be in the financial position to take this risk? Any insurance protection required? It is always prudent for the customers to ensure that they know the features of the mortgage when securing the housing loan and ideally the package must be able to meet their needs.

3. Types of housing loan packages
There are basically two types of interest computation for home loan packages in the market:

1. Floating Rate Mortgages whereby interest rates are pegged to the Base Lending Rate (BLR).
2. Fixed Rate Mortgages where interest rates are fixed for the entire loan period.

Floating Rate Mortgages
If the customers opt for the floating rate mortgages, interest rates will fluctuate according to the BLR determined by the Bank from time to time. As such, customers must be prepared for such eventualities if interest rates were to increase during their tenure of the loan. This is because a rise in interest rates could potentially hurt household income, as borrowers will face higher financial obligations if they are not prepared for such risks.

 

Discipline : Self Organization August 28, 2008

Being out of my comfort zone and now running my unit on my own, i realised that the commitment is much higher than i expected. I was introduced by my leader to block my time for better and focus results. Herewith i would like to share a little bit bout how i getting organise in my new environment.

 

Designate a set period of time each week for self Organization, Planning your week, getting things in order:

• Get up one hour earlier each day. Use this time to read and study.
• Keep your weekly and daily plan visible
• Be ruthless with your time
• Commit to bringing more order to your work and your personal life. The secret of freedom from anxiety over not having enough time lies not in working more hours, but in the proper planning of those hours.

 

Learning to Sell… (part 2) August 28, 2008

continue….

 

6.         Be Charitable – Have the heart to give back part of what you earn to charity as the   old saying “you should reap what you sow” hold much truth.

7.         Positive Energy – Selling is tough, no doubt about that and it is all the more reason why, you should always evoke positive energy. This benefits not only yourself but also those around you.

8.         Listen – People say sales people are often sweet talker and in reality, sales people talk so much that they failed to listen. Listening is key to selling – only when you listen to your potential customers, will you know their true needs.

9.         Good Prospects – Approaching prospects from all walks of life is well and good, but there are times when a prospect doesn’t need what we’re selling. So, go for quality prospects, one you know with a need for what you’re offering.

10.     Commitment – Being committed always shows, so when you’re done with your initial presentation and sales talk, follow-up. Waiting after submitting a proposal is one of the biggest time waster, so be sure you always get some commitment as to when you can follow-up on the next cause of action.

 

Learning to Sell… (part 1) August 21, 2008

Hei guys, here are some great stuff which i’ve learned (it’s made sense to me & with no doubt i’m sure it gonna helps in your sales or running your business… Selling is undoubtedly an art – One that requires you to muster much courage, have perseverance and be persistent. 

Here are some insights that will help broaden your reach in this challenging job.

1. MULTIPLE STRATEGIES – There are a few multiple strategies when it comes to reaching out to your clients and how many of those are you fully ultilizing? Emails, Blogs, Forums, Pay-per-clicks, Search Engine Optimization, newsletters, direct mails, articles, press releases, books speeches, joint-ventures, referrals and seminars, telemarketing, up-sell, cross-sell, social networking sites and the list goes on and on…
2. Research and Survey – This is just another way of saying we’re always keeping in touch with our customers, to find out how we can help them as well as keep ourselves abreast of what’s happening in different industries.
3. Be Brave – At times, we pride ourselves on having the nerves to offer outrageous guarantees. You would have heard of money-back guarantees as well as guarantees that something will help your increase sales. Our competitors may not have th courage to do this and so, we should maintain this niche.
4. High Pricing – Low pricing attract the messes but it may n help position your unique product strategically. If you are able to create a niche products / service with great value proposition, go for high pricing.
5. True Testimonials – Testimonial from satisfied and heppy clients are always good. Document their encouraging comments and use this in your sales presentations.

<< to be continue >>

No more roadblocks! August 21, 2008

Too busy? Disorganized? Don’t let these excuses keep you from reaching your goals.

 

Perhaps the most frequent questions I hear in my sales-coaching practice are: “Can you help me get organized once and for all?” and “I don’t have enough time each day to accomplish everything that needs to get done. Can you help me?”

 

Are these people saying they don’t know how to get organized or manage their day? Probably not… The answer to these questions lies in a deeper, more fundamental problems: getting started and following through on goals and strategies. Disorganization and busyness are two obstacles that can keep us focusing on the larger picture-our goals, or finding ways to work less and earn more.

 

 

The Best Intentions.

As human beings, we want to improve and achieve and that’s good thing. However, human nature also leads us down the path of lest resistance, which interferes with our ability to follow through on our goals or the promises we make to ourselves. Each day, we are faced with man choices of what to do and how to do it. We move forward what gives us pleasure and away from painful or uncomfortable things.

 

Don’t be too discouraged, though. There are strategies you can use to overcome this natural tendency to do what feels good instead of what you need to do to accomplish your goal.

 

Story of a 3-layer tea? August 18, 2008

If this is not my cup of tea? Then… which one is mine?

How would you react when someone approaches you to become an insurance agent??? <Ahaik> Just like anyone of you… “Insurance is not my cup of tea”. Ever since small, i’ve been hearing the folks saying, Insurance is for those who cant find a proper job, someone who thick face approaching others for business for the sake of commission, many people will be afraid of you if you become insurance agent and always struggle to meet their target set by the companies. All these myths had create my perception ever since i was young. 

But “SENSE” is something that triggle my thought when i was introduced to one of the Open-Day held in Tropicana Country Club. The question that comes across my mind was, “After all these years, i’ve been working for others… Where does the effort goes?”. An obvious answer was to someone who owns the company. Does this make sense? At the end of the day, do we ourselves get the minimum satisfaction we wanted e.g.

• Recognized for the effort?
• Getting the pay that we’ve been wanted to have a better lifestyle?
• Relying on our month end pay-cheque to settle our credit etc? 
• Achieved something for ourselves
• Stop being a robot?

Throughout my 5 years of working experience, i’ve climbed the corporate ladder progressively. One step after another… that’s what others would called it as “Career”. But no one would realiazed that, career is something that you aim to achieved with sacrifices and once you had achieve it, you finalised that is this what you really want in life? Which is my cup of tea then???

During my trip to Kuching, I was introduced to try 3-layer tea, one of the local favourite tea that goes along with toast. With the typical mindset, i’m still having doubt of that drink i was recommended. With the urge to try out, without second thought i took up the straw and give it a shot. The taste had hit me right to paradise and indeed it’s out of my expectation that a tea could ever taste this good. Through out the trip in Kuching, this 3-layer tea became my early dooze of energy each day. From this philosophy, i realised that if you never take a sip on this tea, you will never know if it’s the best teas for you in life. 

On 19th Aug 2008, i’ve decided to stick on to this 3-layer tea and carry on my journey with a purpose. If you happen to be in Kuching, try to order this 3-layer tea at any of the chinese coffee-shop. If you never try it, you’ll never know! From here, i’ve officially left the corporate world of working for others.