Local Biz-4-Biz Networking Information

This newsletter provides excellent opportunities to network, connect, and invest in your business future.

This newsletter is provided to benefit you and your business. Your comments are welcome and appreciated. Send comments to: cliff@cvestgroup.com

If you or someone you know has a business question or would like a second opinion on topics such as real estate, accounting, taxes, human resources, starting a business, legal, sales and marketing, insurance, technology, and investments to name a few. E-mail your question to; cliff@cvestgroup.com in the subject box type “Question”. In a 1,000 words or less, in detail explain what your question is and we will research your question and email a response within two business days. Note: Your question is confidential.

We are displaying some questions and answers after the events calendar to follow.

Free Networking Groups

We actively support free, non-exclusive (that means open to any reputable business person) networking groups. You can practically pick your day and location that’s convenient. There is some overlap in attendance between the groups and most draw 25 to 50 on average. Anyone is welcome. Because these meetings will sometimes meet at a different location, it’s good to call the contact to make sure where they will meet the day you plan to attend for the first time.

All you need is some business cards and your 60-second commercial. Want to develop an awesome 60-second commercial? Click here for a worksheet.

The Weekly Morning Biz-4-Biz Networking Groups
All meet at 8:00 a.m. to roughly 9:00 a.m. unless noted otherwise

Tuesday: Iron Horse Coffee Company (upstairs) in Downtown Rogers, Arkansas at 220 South 1st Street. Contact: Kerry Jensen, Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, kerry@rogerslowell.com

Tuesday: (7:45 a.m.) City Coffee Co., 1270 Highway 412 West, Suite H&I, Spring Creek Center (next to Holiday Inn Express) in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Contact: Pam Griggs, St. Bernard Mortgage Division, 479-524-0280, pamgriggs@cox.net

Wednesday: Business Builders @ Panera Bread (in new expanded conference room), Bentonville, Arkansas. Contact: James Smith, Bank of Arkansas, JLSmith@mail.bokf.com

Thursday: Biz Net Group of NWA @ Holiday Inn, (next to the food court) 1500 South 48th Street, Springdale, Arkansas Contact: Wanda Porter 479-756-6406. Clowning for All Occasions, JOYBL@aol.com

Friday: (8:15 a.m.) Creative Referral Network meeting (In the back conference room) @ Rick’s Bakery, 1220 North College Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Contact: Donna Hamilton 479-521-4411, Image Builders, donnaahamilton@cox.net

Friday: Embassy Suites’ Arkansas Room (behind Cedar Creek Bistro), Rogers, Arkansas. We meet in Cedar Creek Bistro is the Arkansas Room is booked. Contact Carrie Smith, Soar with Eagles, carrie@shttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifoarhigher.com

Calendar of Events
If you know of upcoming events that you would like listed please email cliff@cvestgroup.com in subject box type “Events”

Monday, December 5 Business after hours @ ESI 1207 South Old Missouri Road Springdale. From 5:00 – 6:30pm: For info call 470-872-2222

Tuesday, December 6 Business after Hours @ Cumulus Broadcasting Inc 24 E. Meadow St. , Suite 1, Fayetteville 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.: For info 479-521-1710 or e-mail chamber@fayettevillear.com

Tuesday, December 6 Professional Women’s Network @ Studio 55, 5508 Pinnacle Point Dr., Rogers: For info 479-845-0055 web site

Wednesday, December 7 Business before hours Coffee Connection @ Arvest bank, 103 S. Blooming, Lowell 7:30-8:30 a.m.: Info 479-636-1240

Friday, December 9 Decatur Christmas Parade: (6 p.m.):

Saturday, December 10 Gentry Christmas Parade: For info 479-736-2358

Saturday, December 10 Fort Smith Christmas Parade, Garrison Ave. @ 3 p.m.:

Saturday, December 10 Seligman (MO): For info 417-662-3600

Book Mrs. Claus for Your Holiday Party
If you, your company, your church are planning a Christmas Party, give the girls at Clowning 4 All Occasions a call and let them come and add fun, ambience, and laughter to your event. Mrs. Claus and Edna the Elf will add these items and "MORE" to your event. 479-756-6406 or e-mail: JoyBL@aol.com.

In addition, if you are looking for a new concept and unusual gift that will last 2-3 weeks call Merry Belle at Clowning 4 All Occasions and she will deliver a Balloon Bouquet for you for $45.00 or you can pick one up in Springdale for $25.00. Great gift if you like giving something unique. Also good for nursing homes as well as shut ins. 479-756-6406 is the number to call or go to www.clowning4alloccasions.com

December 1 - 31, 2005
The Peel Mansion Museum and Heritage Gardens whttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifill once again be a part of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism Holiday Trail of Lights. The grounds of the Mansion are brilliantly lit to celebrate our historic Yuletide. The Mansion, decorated in the Victorian period, will have an Open House on December 7 and 8 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Visitors will be able to tour the Mansion and grounds. Lights will be turned on December 1st.

The Mansion and Gardens will be open until December 23rd. The Museum will close December 23rd and will reopen on March 1, 2006. For more info contact: Michelle Reeves, Marketing Coordinator, The Peel House Foundation, (479) 254-3870: michelle@comptongardens.org
www.peelmansion.org and www.comptongardens.org


ORIGINAL JOHN Q. HAMMONS PROPERTY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS - THE HOLIDAY INN AND CONVENTION CENTER IN SPRINGDALE. Stop in and say hello to Becky Haywood, Sales Manager for these properties and Hampton Inn and Suites next door. She will give you a quick tour and answer any questions you might have regarding meetings and events at this full-service, quality hotel. Enjoy a cocktail in our lounge, have lunch in our atrium restaurant, watch a game on one of the Athletic Club's 17 television screens, ask about special rates for corporate travelers who are in the area frequently, or book a meeting or holiday party. If you can't make it by in person, give Becky a call at (479) 872-5919.


Questions and Answers

Employee Handbooks
While there is no federal law requiring employers to publish a handbook for its workers, most employment law experts agree that such a publication helps promote a productive workplace by setting out in writing the company's rules, policies and procedures.
Employees need to know what employers expect of them in terms of performance, attitudes and behaviors, and a handbook sets the stage for a productive relationship between the company and its workers by communicating those expectations in a clear and objective manner.

A primary function of the employee handbook is to define to current and potential employees the employer-provided benefits including vacation, holiday pay, health insurance, sick leave and retirement plans. It is also an important management tool for supervisors and can serve as the foundation for an effective employee communications program.

From a legal perspective, requiring that new employees sign a form saying they have received a copy of the handbook can prevent later claims of ignorance of company policies. Increasingly, however, courts and juries are interpreting the employee handbook as a binding contract between employer and employee, and this interpretation places a responsibility on the company to deliver on any promises set forth in its handbook.

Thus, the degree to which the handbook spells out the company's policies and procedures clearly and thoroughly may determine the company's liability, or lack thereof, in resolving any employment disputes.

Here are some guidelines for developing an employee handbook or evaluating an existing one:

*Keep the writing clear, simple, understandable and direct. Avoid legal jargon and complex grammatical constructions.

*Provide a disclaimer limiting the company's liability. The best way to defend against employment discrimination litigation is to provide a brief statement that the handbook is not a contract, that it is not legally binding but is informative only and that it may be changed unilaterally by the company. It may also state that employment is "at will", meaning that either party may terminate the relationship without reason or notice at any time. Place the disclaimer in a prominent position in the handbook, in large, bold type.

*Seek the advice of experts. Be sure that the information in your employee handbook is either written or reviewed by experts in employment law to ensure consistency and conformity to the laws governing the workplace.

*Review and update regularly. Changes in both company policy and applicable laws should be reflected in the employee handbook, so be sure it is reviewed at least annually. Employees should be notified in advance of any impending revisions to the handbook. Recent court decisions have underlined the importance of this notification process, which should include:
1. --the posting of notices of the impending revision;
2. --issuing the revised handbook well in advance of its effective date;
3. --a statement on the front page of the handbook that is effective on a specific date, and that it is the only effective version as of that date;
4. --and revocation of previous versions of the handbook. To ensure that all employees are informed of this revocation, many companies require that employees sign a revocation acknowledgement form which is placed in their personnel files.

Under the umbrella of company policies and procedures, topics you may wish to cover include: definitions of full- and part-time employment, shifts and hours of work and tardiness issues, lunch periods and break times, vacation scheduling and sick leave policies, work rules, dress and grooming codes, drug policies and testing, emergency and fire procedures, use of company property and email, telephone and Internet use, compensation and benefits, performance evaluations, promotions and job postings, disciplinary procedures and termination.


Losing a Sales Rep Doesn't Have to Mean Losing Customers
Change in business is inevitable. Products, services, IT requirements, marketing strategies and personnel, for example, all have their ups and downs. However, one of the most challenging changes for a small business owner is losing a sales rep without losing customers. After all whom does the customer have a primary relationship with in your company? Odds are it's the sales rep, which also happens to have the customer's loyalty. Does losing a sales rep mean losing their customers too? Maybe. Maybe not.

When a sales rep leaves the company, it is imperative that their position be filled by a comparable rep immediately. Many companies will strategize and lose time in the process instead of jumping into action. Remember the file of sales reps' resumes you've been gradually building in case the inevitable happens? Well now is the time to review it for a possible replacement. Also look at current personnel who may be ready to step in and take charge. Hiring from within a company is typically a good move for a business and has a positive impact on employees. Weigh your options and act.

The owner or manager must also play a part in retaining the ex-rep's customers. This is the time for them to meet face to face with large important clients (as needed) and at least call the others. Put a positive spin on the rep's leaving and use this conversation to address how service can improve and what can be done better by the company. Ask questions. Explain how important they are to your business and give them access to you, the decision maker. If you have made contact with the client before, all-the-better. Customer contact diversification within an organization is important -- especially in cases like this.

As the new rep gets up to speed, stay involved so your customers know that you are not providing the common lip-service. The point is to use this challenging change as an opportunity to strengthen relationships with customers and avoid any loss of revenue sources.


INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR TEST
Whether a worker is an Independent Contractor or must be put on payroll as an employee is a question of facts and circumstances. The primary issue is whether the employer has the right to “direct and control the exact duties and manner in which a worker carries out those duties.” There is no specific law spelling defining a worker’s status, but over the years the IRS has produced a guideline that amounts to a 20 point test.

No one point in the test is governing, but some are clearly more important than others. As the test is applied, multiple “yes” answers point toward an employer/employee relationship.

Does the employer provide instructions about when, where, and how to do the job?
Does the employer provide training for the worker?
Does the worker get started with little or no investment?
Does the company reimburse the worker’s travel or other expenses?
Is this the worker’s only client?
Is the worker paid by the hour, week, or month?
Is the worker insulated from profit and/or loss from his/her services?
Can the employer terminate the worker?
May the worker quit work at any time without incurring liability?
Does the worker have a continuing working relationship with the employer?
Are the worker’s services integrated with and/or significant to the business?
Must the services be rendered by the worker personally?
Does the employer either provide or supervise the worker’s assistants?
Is the work performed in a sequence set by the employer?
Is the worker required to submit regular oral or written reports to the employer?
Does the worker rely on the employer to furnish supplies, tools, and materials?
Does the worker perform for only one employer at a time?
Is the worker required to work a set number of hours?
Does the worker work 40 hours or more per week for the employer?
Is the work done on the employer's premises or at a location designated by the employer?



C-Vest Group Inc
P.O. Box 1654
Springdale, AR 72765