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Energy trading as a way to save money?

These days, you really have to know where your money is going and whether or not you are getting the most out of what you are paying for. Cutting back on spending can help but it is only part of the problem. I found this article recently on CNN Money :

“The massive size and daunting complexity of the US electricity sector means companies often have trouble proving their contributions to their customers’ lives; benefits for the consumer are often counted in things that don’t happen, whether that be price  increases or blackouts.

The regional transmission organization that operates one of the world’s largest energy markets across the US Midwest and in the Canadian province of Manitoba is working to quantify those contributions in the form of a 2011 Value Proposition study.”

At Central communications, because we operate in the Southern California area, energy and it’s associated costs is of primary importance to us and our business model. As an answering service, which supports customers throughout much of the United States of America, we operate 24 hours per day. Any chance to share, or save on utility costs is something we welcome. We are on the Western Coast of the United States, so our options for energy sharing may be different, but these are the types of things we are on the look out for.

www.centralcomm.com

“Greek debt talks are set to resume this week as the country at the heart of Europe’s financial crisis struggles to get another round of bailout funds.

Over the weekend Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said talks would resume this week. Officials from the Institute of International Finance confirmed the plan but said it would depend on “developments in the next few days.”

IIF officials and the Greek government have been trying to reach a consensus on a plan to voluntarily reduce the value of Greek bonds by 50% as part of a deal announced in October. The deal would amount to €100 billion and help reduce the nation’s debt load to 120% of economic output by 2020.

The private sector’s role in restructuring Greece’s debt, and its willingness to accept the bond haircuts, are key conditions of the planned second bailout package for Greece from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.”

One device category that many predict will save the PC – the super-thin ultrabook laptops – were quietly introduced into the market during the holiday season and barely made an impact on sales.

Ultrabook Laptop Computer

Instead, the PCs that saw the most sales growth were models  most unlike mobile devices: all-in-one PCs with large, high-definition screens, Gartner said.

“Ultrabooks didn’t seem to draw consumers’ attention,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. “Consumers had very little understanding and awareness of ultrabooks, and only a small group of consumers was willing to pay the price premium for such models.”

Central Communications -  Answering Services for the IT Industry

“U.S. automakers haven’t been this happy in years. They’re gaining market share, raking in profits, cranking up production and welcoming back consumers who are finally in the mood to spend. Even the unseasonably warm January weather has put Detroit in a good mood. What better way to kick off the annual North American International Auto Show?

More than 40 new cars and trucks will be unveiled during this week’s media preview, which begins today. For General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler Group, the challenge is to prove their recent comebacks are for real and not just a fluke resulting from an unfortunate string of setbacks for their Asian competitors.

GM got a head start on the week with Sunday night’s unveiling of the Cadillac ATS, a compact luxury sedan aimed directly at the BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-class and Audi A4. This is the heart of the luxury market, and the fastest-growing segment, but Cadillac has been missing out by not having a car in that size category.”

Central Communications Answering Service is thrilled to see Us auto industry reassert itself where it once was the dominant force.

Central Communications -  Answering Services for the Automotive Industry

media preview, which begins today. For General Motors, Ford Motor Co.,

solid and not just a fluke resulting from an unfortunate string of

ADP is one of the largest payroll processing companies in the U.S. so their numbers do not always match the government’s numbers, but the are reporting their workforce figures directly from the data they see in a company’s payroll figures. Here is the gist of the article:  

“The jobs recovery gathered pace as a measure of private-sector hiring surged in December and claims for unemployment benefits fell, suggesting the battered labor market may continue to strengthen in 2012.

The ADP National Employment Report’s December job tally of 325,000 surprised economists who had expected a gain of roughly half that size. It was also above the 204,000 private jobs added in November.

Many economists struck a note of caution, though, saying the number may have been distorted by seasonal factors

Joel Prakken, of Macroeconomic Advisers, which helps produce the survey, told reporters job readings tend to be inflated at year-end as employers keep workers on payrolls for accounting reasons, and the reading could be revise

“Anything that moves or produces heat has the potential to create energy that can be captured,” Big Blue’s scientists said in their sixth annual “IBM 5 in 5″ look at what’s in store for mankind in the near term. Walking, jogging, bicycling. The heat from your computer or the water flowing through plumbing.

Scientists believe that advances in renewable energy technology will allow individuals to collect this kinetic energy, which now goes to waste, and use it to help power homes, offices and cities.

On a personal level, while you’re riding your bicycle to work, devices on the spokes of your wheels could be recharging batteries you could later use to power some of the lights in your home. On a larger scale, IBM researchersin Ireland are looking at ways to understand and minimize the environmental impact of converting ocean wave energy into electricity”

Maybe, in the next few years, it really will be possible to generate electicity and power from our own frenetic activities rather than passively consume from big power companies.

Happy Holidays from the staff at Central Communications!!

From all of the Staff here at Central Communications, we wish you and yours a warm and happy holiday season, and a very happy new year!!!

Computer Prices on the Rise?

Anyone hoping to get their child a computer for Christmas this year, I suggest you get it fast. And if you were waiting for after Christmas Sales, well that might not be such a good idea. If your business is running on older computers, think hard about replacing them soon. Costs are going to go up.  An Intel factory in Thailand was hit by massive floods causing a shortage of hard drives. Intel is still predicting their sales will be considerably high despite the shortage:

“The world’s largest microchip maker said it continues to forecast that personal computer sales will grow this quarter. But PC makers are reducing their inventories of desktops and laptops, because they’re having a difficult time finding hard drives to put in their computers. As the manufacturers reduce their PC stockpiles, they’re scaling back their semiconductor purchases from Intel.”

Although they are claiming that they expect to bring in 13 to 14 billion this year, their stocks have already dropped 4%. Central Communications uses computers every day as an integral part of our operation. We are prepared with the latest in technology to make certain that our customers always have award winning service. We are not certain how, if at all, this will affect us personally, but it could be a concern for some of our customers. It may be time to stock up on a few computers, and not wait for those famous after Christmas Sales, or President’s Day special deals…

Happy Holidays

Pearl Answers

www.centeralcomm.com

A recent study showed that 82% of callers who hear silence while on hold will remain on hold less than a minute. Callers who listen to music last only a short while longer. It was discovered that callers who hear recorded information, however, are much more willing to

Custom Message on Hold

wait out a minute or more. According to the study, callers who listen to recorded information hung up within the first minute only 2% of the time.

Marketers are acting upon this revelation and turning hold time back into money by playing educational messages about a client’s products and services during unavoidable periods of hold. Not only has the hang-up rate been drastically reduced, but 18% of callers in one study actually made purchases based on offers they heard while on hold.

We at Central Communications and South Coast Answering Service believe this is a great way to turn hold time back into money for you, too. With our Custom Message on Hold service you can entertain, educate, or even up-sell customers when hold time is unavoidable for your callers. We will help you create an on-hold marketing program that will enhance your company’s image and help deliver your marketing message.

Call Central Communications at (800)786-9079 or South Coast Answering Service at (800) 597-6160 to learn about this service as well as other services that can help make your business more efficient and profitable. Please ask us about our free 30-day trial offer.

Central Communications – Your Nationwide Answering Service
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